For this week’s spotlight ad, I have chosen the second installment in the Magic Bullet trilogy, which focuses on a portable version of the device known as the Magic Bullet To Go. Some highlights include:

-A much-needed dash of sarcastic, self-referential comedy, i.e. “with what, your ‘magic bullet’?”

-The fact that the hosts’ friends are truly befuddled by the device at first…more than usual.

-Everyone seems confused when the hungover smoking lady, Hazel (my favorite character from the first MB infomercial) shows up on their camping trip. Plus, she emerges from the tent of the slob character, Berman…ew! You can see their sexual chemistry in action in the photo above.

-The hosts remember what the characters like in their pancakes, which shows some nice continuity from the first MB ad. But the way the male host mentions picking fresh blueberries for the (seemingly married) friend is a little sleazy.

-The Barney character speaks very passive-aggressively and condescendingly to his wife. When she acknowledges that chopping garlic is a pain, he mutters, “how would you know?” and when he talks about having to chop onions, he glumly states, “I think she just likes to see me cry.”

You can view all three parts of the ad (each of which takes place in a different vacation destination) below. The action starts at the 2:30 mark in the first video.

Tags: Ad of the Week, infomercials, Magic Bullet

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