You know those American Express ads in print magazines — the ones where Ellen DeGeneres and Tina Fey fill in the blanks with witty statements that simultaneously say nothing and everything?
Yeah, you remember ‘em. The ones with the images and pithy comments designed to manipulate us riffraff into feeling a kinship with the featured celeb so that we’d wanna become members of the same club: card members, that is.
It never occurred to me that American Express might be right until last night, when a piece of the ad with Tina and her daughter Alice got stuck on my sweaty glass of iced tea.
I thought I was simply doing the environmentally-friendly type thing by recycling an old Vogue magazine into a drink coaster. But maybe, just maybe, there were greater forces at work. As I scratched off the wet pulp that used to be Tina’s head, it suddenly dawned on me:
Mama Fey and I *do* have a lot in common!
First, she and her family are into city livin’. My family and *I* are into city livin’!
Second — and this is where it starts to get downright weird — that candid photo they snapped for the ad campaign…the one that catches Tina by surprise in her R*E*A*L*L*Y messy home office??? …Well, wouldn’t you know it! *I* have a REALLY messy home office, too!
And I’m not done yet. Her response in the AmEx ad to what makes a perfect day is:
“Coffee/playground/nap/exercise/flea market/playground/bathtime/dinner with grownups/see a great movie/asleep by 9 pm. This day might not be possible.”
OH. MY. G-D. It’s uncanny.
Tina drinks coffee. *I* drink coffee!
Tina takes her kid to the playground. *I* take my kids to the playground!
Tina takes a nap. *I* take a nap.
Tina likes to eat her take-out Thai in peace. *Me* too!
Ok, I admit that we diverge on the 9PM bedtime thing…but we are twin souls in that I, too, am ALWAYS doubting myself, thinking that there’s no way I can actually accomplish what I want to in a day.
So, you see?! It’s as if Tina and I were cruelly separated at birth!
Which leads me to just one inevitable conclusion: Tina has an AmEx card… so *I* better get one! All this reflection makes me wonder what’s wrong with me, and why I didn’t see the need sooner.
I can only hope that by some twist of fate Ms. Fey is reading my blog, right at this very moment, thinking the same exact thing about us being kindred spirits.
If so, Tina, darlin’ — let’s do lunch. Feel free to bring along some of your celebrity pals; perhaps that little darlin’ from Entourage, Adrian? Whatever, it’ll be my treat.
I’ll even use my new American Express card.
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Tina’s definitely got zing. Read more about Fey and her urban. style. parenting. at
http://www.timeout.com/newyork/kids/articles/features/29152/celebrity-interview-tina-fey
http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2008/07/tina-fey-says-a.html
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Speaking of Adrian Grenier, check out Vinny’s Got My Vote.
The strikethrough “I take naps”… priceless! That’s how I feel.
Love tina fey. Definitely cool urban mom.
PS the crotch/snaps comment in the Runway post was LOL funny.
Ok, now, YOU are funny.
[...] Tina and the AmEx ad? We’re going to steal (er, I mean “model”) that general format, but in a way [...]
You are so funny!
I actually really love those AMEX ads (should I be embarrassed?)
Your blog is interesting!
Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the props, Alex! As always, we welcome ideas from our readers on how to keep it interesting. We also accept guest posts submissions, should you be interested. See our contact page.