Spuds = Comedy

Elliot in the Morning has a new commercial:

Two office workers in the early 30's put a potato in their smug co-worker's tailpipe. They hide in the bushes, giggling and waiting. Smug Co-worker comes out and starts the car and it blows up.

People are emailing and calling DC101 to complain about this commercial, asking how "in times like these" they could show a commercial showing such violence and that people who put potatoes in tailpipes are the kind that bring shotguns to school. I just sent Elliot this email:

From: E
To: elliot@elliotinthemorning.com
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 09:35
Subject: Tailpipe Potato = True Comedy

When I was younger, one of my dad's favorite stories to tell me was "The Time Your Uncle Jeff Put a Potato in the Teacher's Tailpipe." In 1939, my Uncle Jeff put a potato in the tail pipe of his 6th grade teacher's 1937 Pontiac. My uncle, my dad and other accomplices all hid and watched as she tried to start her car. She turned the ignition and the car went "RRRRRRRRRRRR", she tried again and the car went "BBBBBBBB---RRRRRRRRRRRRR" and then she went for a third time and the potato shot out of the tailpipe and off she went never the wiser.

The car did not blow up nor did my father or uncle ever take a shotgun to school. My sister and I, who heard this story many times, also never took a shotgun to school and anyone suggesting a connection is a jackass. I told my father about your commercial and he laughed his ass off.