Sunday, December 27, 2009

The most interesting man in the world

I'm sure that most everyone has seen this series of commercials by Dos Equis, featuring what's supposed to be the most interesting man in the world.

I was a marketing major in college and I've always been fascinated by what I see as intriguing ad campaigns. Sometimes the campaigns themselves are far better than the products they're advertising. Some of the biggest ad campaigns revolved around Coke, McDonalds, Absolut Vodka, a brand of lite beer, Pepsi, Volkswagen, DeBeers diamonds, Nikes...etc. I really can't weigh in intelligently on this campaign though, because I'm not currently a beer drinker and I've never actually tasted Dos Equis beer.


When I was a kid growing up, I thought that my older brother Kyle was the most interesting guy in the world. I couldn't really call him a man, because he was only two years older than me. But he possessed boatloads of charm and charisma; and the women loved him. Why?!? Because he was supremely confident and he saw himself as Shaft and James Bond all rolled into one. Today he would be that persona that Denzel was talking about in Training Day, because King Kong had nothing on him.


Yeah my brother was born with charm and charisma and the women loved him; and me, I was born with the antidote. Or so it seemed when I was growing up.
I guess we're always moved by someone, we all look up to someone. I looked up to other male and female role models in my family too. My parents of course, uncles, aunts, grandparents; and like many young men of my generation I looked up to Malcolm X. All of us look up to someone; whether he is our hard working parent, a teacher that inspires us, an iconic historical figure or a man that looks at us on the boobtube and says "stay thirsty my friends".

14 comments:

  1. well... i think YOU have boat loads of intelligence and charm Reggie... and i find overly confident, self worshiping people make me gag... so i dont know?

    I DO LOVE the dos equis commercials... i think its the way the guy talks that makes him seem to have that "je ne sais quoi" ... he probably isnt that interresting.

    As a matter of fact... i bet he is JUST an old man who loafs around in slippers all day with his other old retired buddies in his retirement village/old age home and uses viagra... and the commercials just make him seem cool.

    he's got nothing on you buddy;)

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  2. i hope he wears SOMETHING underneath of his "smoking jacket/house coat" while he is lounging.... theres nothing more disturbing than getting a glimpse of some old balls hangin outa grandpa's shorts!

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  3. For a minute there Michelle, it sounded like you were talking about me..."i bet he is JUST an old man who loafs around in slippers all day". Yeah that sounds just like me; all you had to add was drinks coffee like a fiend, loves to watch college and professional football and is totally infatuated with ( @ )( @ )!!!

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  4. See........still sounds like you're talking about me Michelle. If someone tries really hard they might glimpse a few of my gray curlies.

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  5. Hi Reggie,

    Thanks for stopping by and leaving the comments. I agree with you...as young boys, the neighborhood provided an ample supply of males to identify with. For me, there was a guy from the neighborhood who just had a classic style (his dress and talk was just too cool). He served in the Korean War and he always made me want to be better. Years later he died and I attended his funeral. Time, distance and getting on with my life changed my view of him but I appreciated his being a psuedo-mentor.

    Having said all that, what I really wanted to say was, when I lived in Texas, I drank Dos Equis. I no longer drink beer but when I drink, I drink Glenlivet.

    Stay thirsty my friend and best wishes for the coming new year.

    U

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  6. Thanks and best wishes for you in the coming year as well.......my thirsty friend.

    I don't ever drink beer, but when I do drink, it's coffee.

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  7. Interesting...
    I'm currently trying to help a few families break their cycles of poverty.
    The thing I notice from the children is that few have any real role models.
    Sure, some look up to the local baller - but the kids want what he has, they don't really want to be him.

    These same kids see;
    - the lie of the teachers who care (most just want them out of their classes),
    -the lie of the Pulpit (most kids see beyond the show at mega-churches and yearn for real religion),
    -the lie of the parent who cares (most fathers are gone and most mothers seem to be in a constant search for approval),
    -the lies of justice, fairness and of any hope in the world.

    IMOHO - I think living ones life in the best way possible is the best form of being a role model - one never knows who watching.

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  8. I guess I was fortunate then UglyblackJohn, I had REAL role models. My father was a military officer; and while he wasn't perfect, he was there and he was quite vocal. I understood that I was supposed to go to school or I owed my father an ounce or two of ass and that I wasn't supposed to be finger popping, shucking and jiving. That was what ne'er do wells did and no son of his was going to be a burden on society. My father's role models were the men in his family (who were also military) and interestingly enough the Tuskegee Airmen.......which is why he attended Tuskegee and left a commissioned officer.

    I saw through the bullshit of teachers that didn't care, but I also made notice of the ones that actually did.

    I realized growing up that there were plenty of men in the pulpit who practiced jackleg preaching. Talked about saving souls and all the time leeching. Dealing in debt and stealing in the name of the Lord. But I knew there were righteous men as well.

    My father told me that he cared enough to whip my ass........and I believed him.

    I knew that when you went down to the courthouse to see justice, that's all you saw for the most part "just us".

    I saw all that shit. All the bullshit, but I had enough sense to know what was real too; and the reality is that there are just as many saints as sinners. That way heaven's gates are constantly opening and closing and hell continues to fill up.......though it ain't half full yet.

    I agree with your assessment on living one's life.

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  9. see!! YOU must be the most interesting man in the world then Reggie :)

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  10. Nah I don't think so, but stay thirsty anyway Michelle!!!

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  11. Reggie I agree, I have real role models also. I have a dad and many uncles that are the most interesting men in the world. So I tell them now....

    Toast, and Stay thristy my friends

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  12. Interestingly enough Smoking Ace, my father became more interesting to me the older I got and my brother seemed to become less interesting.......funny how that works out.

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  13. I find that commercial one of the funny ones.
    In my head, I can hear ricardo montalban saying, "rich corinthian leather"

    I did not know the most interesting man would be an elder montalban or banderas, sporting the european open tshirt bit.

    brother reggie, the most interesting man and most respected man I know is my father

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  14. When I close my eyes I could swear that I can clearly hear Ricardo Montalban say.....

    "yet it is on the highway where Cordoba best answers my demands"

    ....that and....

    "Yes Tattoo, the plane, our guests have arrived"

    ....and also when he was Khan....

    "It's better to rule in hell than serve in heaven." and "From Hell's heart, I stab at thee... For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee..."

    Gotta love Ricardo Montalban!!!

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