by Chalupa
lebowskipodcast.com
There has been a lot of murmuring on the interwebs lately about Jeff Bridges and his voice over work for Hyundai TV ads in the US. Most of what I’ve seen all stems from one person: nitpicknation.com. The first post I saw of his concerning the subject seemed interesting to think about. In fact I almost posted it as a discussion piece but got really busy at work and didn’t have the time. Now I’m glad I didn’t.
Personally I have no problem with Mr. Bridges lending his talent to a company. Just like everyone else, he’s gotta feed the monkey. I can kind of see the argument that with our nation’s auto industry in such dire straights we should be pushing to buy American, however, why should inferior products stay on the market? Why should poor business models be given millions in bail-out money just to stay afloat? Is this capitalism?
History is something many forget about. In these times of economic uncertainty I hear many calls for veiled isolationism. Close the borders! Block foreigners from getting our 
jobs! Quit granting work visas! What the hell is that going to accomplish? Look at China. They were the leading country in science and technological advancement until they closed their borders to outsiders. That was hundreds of years ago and they’re just now becoming a leading contender in the world again. How do you think The United States of America became what it is today? It’s because we have welcomed those from other nations to come to a place where they can freely think, work and live. If we keep the elite and educated out of our country, they’re just going to go somewhere else to share their ideas and innovations.
So how does this translate to Jeff Bridges doing ads for Hyundai? Well I think we all know that Hyundai isn’t an American company. So what? They have factories in the US where their cars are made. There are dealerships where their cars are bought, sold, and traded in. There are mechanics and service stations where Hyundai vehicles are serviced and repaired. These are all places employing thousands of Americans. These are jobs where people are making money and contributing to the economy. If Hyundai tanks like GM everybody suffers. So what’s the big deal?
I’ll tell you what the big deal is. This guy over at Nit Pick Nation is being a Nihilist. He’s getting noticed. He’s causing problems. He’s constantly posting about this on his blog and getting noticed on Google. Well good for him. He’s causing some fake hysteria just like all the people posting false information on Twitter. The main problem is he has crossed a line. A line drawn in the sand that he should not have crossed. He took his grievance to Jeff Bridges’ web site and started his anti-Jeff Bridges campaign on the message boards. That is not the venue to make your voice heard. This is a place full of die-hard fans. Do you really think they’d want to listen to this? I don’t think anyone is surprised the forum members there don’t appreciate his presence. He has been contacted and asked to quit causing problems by Nicky, the web manager. So he’s been posting that correspondence with Nicky on his blog. That’s just bad form. I know Nicky and have communicated with her on several occasions. I think this guy is lucky he was even able to present his argument. I would think most people would censor that kind of stuff immediately. He wasn’t even censored, his thread was just locked down. It’s not like everything he writes is being deleted.
So I suppose I’ll probably be next in line for these insults and threats. I’ll probably be accused of being a "Jeff Bridges Fanboy" because of the podcast. Well know what? I suggest what Mr. Nit Pick Nation do what I and my parents did. GET A JOB SIR!
[See Nitpicknation’s response at the end of the original Lebowskipodcast blog entry and at his own site, www.nitpicknation.com.]
Yep, Chalupa. It’s just me. I am the ultimate Nihilist.
I am the only person who is concerned over the un-level playing field the American Auto Industry (previously known as the Big Three) and the American blue collar worker – (previously known as the American Dream) has had to endure for the last 25 years.
Tariffs on our goods going to Asian markets – no tariffs on incoming goods.
Cheap, toxic, poor-quality Wal Mart everyday household goods followed now; by cheap, possibly toxic, poor-quality Wal Mart cars.
Hawked and promoted by intelligent, popular, talented politicians and celebrities.
When and where do we draw the line ? Have you no shame ?
Ask Jeff Bridges to dump the Hyundai (HIE-YUN-DIE) voice-over commercials
My Usual Disclaimer: I am a HUGE fan of Jeff Bridges. It pains me to single him out but, it pains me even more to listen to his voice-overs for Hyundai considering the crisis mode our country is in.
I am only suggesting, not demanding, that he stop shilling for Hyundai and use his major clout to help the blue collar workers and the Big 3 Automakers.
Nothing more. Nothing less. It’s all documented.
Make your voice heard here:
http://piggington.com/time_for_jeff_bridges_to_dump_hyundai
Or here where it all started:
Jeff Bridges Should Heed The Boss
http://nicko62.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3268355
Oh, and Chalupa…
I would love to “Get a job sir..” but, they have all gone over-seas.
Thank you for your support.
http://nicko62.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3395358
Poor, sad, NitPick. All that built up emotion is not good for you. Perhaps, you could work all that anger for Mr. Bridges into your interpretive dance routine.
Then again, Bowling might be just what The Dude ordered.
Try to stay positive there, Little Fella. I’m sure something will come along to tie your room together.
Haha…
Thanks for the “sympathy” Stillborn…
When you are not bowling (an admirable pastime) – and assuming you “don’t roll on Shabbos” – maybe you can take a few moments to Ask Jeff Bridges to dump the Hyundai advertising fubar.
http://nicko62.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3137503
To quote another poster on another forum:
“Dude, this is about cars, so we are talking cars as in:
If you chose foreign (CARS) you are saying “I’m ok with unfair trade practices and companies that steal American jobs (in the Auto industry) and wealth”
You are correct that we have let industry after industry slip away and good jobs went with them. Are you suggesting that is a good route to continue on?
The reason the Auto industry is such a hot-button topic is that its different.
We still have (until recently I guess) a competitive auto industry that employed bookoo Americans in well paying jobs.
You can go onto a car lot and compare a made in America, by Americans car that is on par in price, reliability and efficiency with any country on the globe.
It was our manufacturing last stand. You could make a choice to support your country and not give up anything really. Or you could just as easily decide to send that $20k you earned in this country to Korea to circulate to the benefit of Korea and support Korean jobs.
Of course you can’t do that with computers and TVs anymore, maybe that’s why you don’t see people debating the virtues of buying American made computers?
( OR BEER ? my 2 cents )
If we threw up trade sanctions that merely made everything FAIR to our automakers then that Accord of yours would have cost $4k more than it did. I’m guessing that would have got you to think about other makes.
This also answers Flu’s Q, which is to say that if we ourselves decided to buy American or the Gov. decided to level the playing field, and the cars sold in the US that are foreign made suddenly became a lot less attractive (driving consumers to support their own makers) then even in a down market we could drive up GM’s sales saving many, many jobs.
I bet cutting out Korean, Japanese and German built cars would fix our industry pronto.
Call it trade survival. And when we have a healthy industry again and climb out of this hole we can go back to more open trade (hopefully slanted more fairly to the US).”
Uh, maybe you should take a queue from the man you admire so much and just take it easy, man. I think it’s fair to say we’re all calmer than you are.
You might not have noticed, but the tag-line for this site is “A lifestyle magazine for the deeply casual.”
Obviously you’re not a golfer chalupa. Too many strokes are not desirable.
You have found yourself in a bunker and your caddie cannot help you out. I guess that’s the way the whole durned human comedy keeps perpetuatin’ itself.
Were you listening to The Dude’s story? This is a league game.
Join the club and politely ask Jeff Bridges to renounce the Hyundai commercials and come back home to support the country and blue collar workers that have deservedly supported him.
And if it helps calm you down, I can get you a toe by 3 o’clock….
with nail polish.
This aggression kinda makes me want to buy my ladyfriend a Hyundai, so she can park it next to the Torino in the garage.
NitPick, I don’t want to go to your site, or click on the hyperlink that is posted numerous times, thank you.
But the kids at 4Chan might. You should try them.
Well. I guess we can close the file on that one.
Feeling patriotic ?
Ask Jeff Bridges to stop shilling for Hyundai.
Maybe I am having one of my occasional acid flashbacks but, I have never heard of 4Chan.
Jeff Bridges + Hyundai = Lost American Jobs
Ohhhhhh NitPik,
You are the gadfly.
Whatever would we do without your insightful posts? You have an incredible knack for cutting and pasting. If you were here right now, I’d pat your little head and give you a sucker.
Asian-American, please.
You seem to be getting in touch with your feminine side Stillborn !
Speaking of cutting and pasting:
http://lebowskipodcast.com/index.php/component/option,com_mojo/Itemid,154/p,373/
Ask Jeff Bridges to reconsider the Hyundai voice overs.
Nitpick, it’s not uncommon for a good article to be published at more than one journal. It’s called “syndication.” Like Reuters. Only ours is called “Duders.”
Don’t worry NitPik,
The feeling is mutual, and the apology is accepted……:)
Oh and I “get in touch with my feminine side” as often as possible. It helps keep calm.
I’m so glad that you and I are getting to know each other. I am getting more insight into your personality with each post.
I feel like you are my special little project, so don’t get distracted by another commercial and keep on posting.
Truth is, it’s a complicated case. Lotta ins and outs. Currently we impose a 2.5 percent tariff on Korean cars and they impose an 8 percent tariff on ours. Fair? No. But then we should stop buying everything from Asia, because we have a huge trade imbalance with most Asian countries. We buy their stuff, they don’t buy ours. Except our national debt, that is.
Of course, we don’t pay our workers fifteen cents an hour, so they have a bit of an advantage. We, on the other hand have mighty labor unions that ensure Detroit auto workers get compensated exceptionally well for factory work.
However, the trade imbalance seems likely to change in the future, at least in regards to China:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2008-05/09/content_6671987.htm
Nevertheless, Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes sell huge amounts of cars in Asia. And guess why? Because they’re cool. American cars are simply not regarded as desirable in most of the world (though Ford does quite well in Europe).
It’s a shame too, because one of the main stumbling blocks is perceived reliability. US cars are still saddled with a prejudice that they’re clunkers. But data suggests they’re almost as reliable as Asian cars, and much more reliable than European ones:
http://www.automobile.com/do-european-asian-or-american-brands-fare-better-for-reliability.html
But this is all beside the point. I’m with Chalupa. Are we really losing jobs because people are buying Hyundais? There has been explosive growth in the Southern states’ auto industry as a result of foreign companies building factories. Detroit’s loss is Alabama’s gain. It’s not such a…It might not be uh…uh…you know?
Patriotism is nothing to hide behind. If we did that in the 80s, we’d all still be driving AMC Pacers and Gremlins. It’s time to buckle down and face up to the fact that our domestic industries and labor unions have let us down:
http://www5.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13783014
Finally, and most importantly, let Jeff Bridges lend his voice to whatever he likes. Anyone who buys a car because a celebrity does the voice over for its commercials should be regarded officially too dumb to drive a car in the first place.
Anyway, I’d rather hear the Dude’s voice in the commercial breaks than some other feller. Wouldn’t you?
Speaking of that, what does everyone think about Sam Elliot doing the commercials for Coors Banquet Beer?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxHKOZB8U5c
And how ’bout Dennis Leary and his American Made Ford truck ads ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhEkVakVWFE
Jeff Bridges should deep six the Hyundai ads and do the voice-overs for Chevrolet.
Think of the difference someone as popular as Jeff Bridges could make to help the American worker instead of supporting the Korean economy ?
In a perfect world of course.
Dudely – I find it interesting that Sam Elliot promotes beer after the role he played of the cancer-ridden Marlboro Man in the film Thank You For Smoking. I know there different things, but it just seems a little contradictory.
i think he should do a commercial for hair care products. his coif in that commercial is positively farrah-esque. rest in peace farrah.
Sigh. The Arch Dudeship goes away for a week and two or three celebrities die, the Dudespaper erupts in controversy, and I got a rash so bad I can barely siddown.
A lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta posting compulsively and without joy goin’ on.
The nitpicker is right about corporate America fucking alot of working class strangers in the ass. But if he honestly thinks that the dude alone is enough to be the death knell of American industry, that’s just ridiculous. If you want a strong American economy, you need a strong corporate culture, and the only way to do that is by not allowing executives to get compensated in stock holdings- which encourages short-term milking the cow management. Stock holders must also be allowed to vote on executive pay, hiring, and have the power to fire directors. Anything else is bush league psych-out shit!
To sufidude et al:
I don’t think the dude alone to be the death knell of American industry.
I just think the dude is over the line and on the wrong side of the American worker and the Big 3 ( or Big 2 – It’s like, three thousand years of beautiful tradition, from Moses to Sandy Koufax… ) in supporting Hyundai.
I am a small, insignificant cog in this whole economic mess and I just think the dude could help out in a big way by formally ditching Hyundai and embracing the original American auto companies. My request is tiny and somewhat unworthy compared to whole grand scheme of things and I don’t expect to change the world. But I can, with my keyboard, at least try.
Because he IS the dude, so popular and respected, he influences a lot of people. His endorsement could even start some sort of “Buy American” movement, or at the very least, encourage other actors to stop shilling for the other team during America’s time of crisis.
It worked with Bruce Springsteen when his fans called him on the carpet for hypocrisy regarding his Wal Mart CD deal:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/30/bruce-springstreen-wal-ma_n_162652.html
If His Dudeness has a long term contract with Hyundai that could spawn a lawsuit if broken, then, case closed. Otherwise….
Become an Urban Achiever. Ask respectfully for Jeff Bridges to stop the Hyundai voice-over commercials.
http://www.hotairdaily.com/index.php?itemid=40
P.S. – I am not affiliated to the auto industry or UAW in any way, shape or form. I am just an American struggling to make ends meet.
To: The Dudely Lama:
No. I would rather hear anyone else’s voice in the world than the Dude’s doing the Hyundai commercails.
Every time I hear that commercial I feel compelled to go write something against it on the internets machine.
If I remember correctly, the Dude drives a sweet, yellow, Ford Torino. And he drove a 1971 Pontiac Trans Am in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot.
Walter Sobchak would never be caught dead in a Hyundai. I believe he has a white Chevy van.
The Stranger would have an F150 or other Big 3 pickup truck.
As for Donny ? I see him in a Ford, Chevy or Chrysler too.
Just say no to the Jeff Bridges Hyundai ads.
HIE-YUN-DIE does NOT rhyme with Sunday.
http://open.salon.com/blog/soap_box_amy/2009/02/24/sick_to_death_of_actors
I forgot the Dude as the Buick salesman in Seabiscuit and American car designer Preston Tucker.
NitPick,
I’m not saying your concern is unfounded. But isn’t fighting corporate structure that incentives short-term management policies and unaccountability to the average worker and stockholder a better use of one’s efforts? As much as I’m a fan, I really think that the people here overestimate the popularity of Mr. Bridges, he’s no Springsteen. The movie is a cult phenomenon, ie: a small group by default. Getting any one of the hacks on the HBO shows everyone’s talking about would be a far greater boon to American autos than getting the dude.
PS: I own a chevy tracker, year 2000 model- and it’s a piece of shit; patriotism doesn’t demand I spend years paying for a car that I’m gonna come to hate.
the dude’s car is green with some rust coloration.
donny would drive a hyundai. man, the guy drank slice. that’s the hyundai of citrus sodas. i myself once dabbled in slice. it’s not available any more though.
while i agree that it can be painful to have artists you admire selling stuff on TV (I was mortified when Van Morrison sold Sundance Wine Coolers in the 90s – “It’s a marvelous time for a Sundance…” ugh) I’m more disturbed by this kind of populist xenophobia. If everyone in the world felt the way Nitpick did, it would be an unmitigated disaster for the free market values we supposedly hold so dear. Faith if the free market has no “truck” with protectionism.
But once again, all this is beside the point if we’re thinking pragmatically. Tariffs have no effect. The US used to impose crippling tariffs on Japanese cars decades ago, but people bought them anyway.
Conversely, I can’t find any information to support your claim that today an Accord would cost $4000 more if “the playing field were leveled” Nor with Korean cars either. You’re thinking in the past! Where do you get your data? Like The Big Lebowski, there’s a lot of yelling but nothing in the briefcase.
Seriously, though, when you wrote “I bet cutting out Korean, Japanese and German built cars would fix our industry pronto.” a chill ran up my spine. What are you going to demand next? That we round up the Jewish cars and put them into labor camps?
I don’t know how to make our cars more appealing to foreigners – Ich bin nicht ein expert. But maybe if we hadn’t concentrated so much on building urban assault vehicles in the 90s and 2000s we might have come up with some desirable smaller coupes that could have competed better overseas.
Furthermore, if you think this is bad, wait until China gets their shit together. The Chinaman is definitely going to be the issue when it comes to the Auto industry. They’re already set to leapfrog everyone else when it comes to alternative energy powered cars. And even India is set to launch a line of $2000 cars which will no doubt be a smashing success (literally too, unfortunately).
Look, every car in Japan is Japanese. If we can’t even get our own people to by US cars – even despite the fact that they are now as reliable or more reliable than imports – then we’re really doing something wrong. This is a failure on many levels. But raising the drawbridges to the rest of the world is not the answer.
To sufidude:
Fighting “corporate structure that incentives short-term management policies and unaccountability to the average worker and stockholder a better use of one’s efforts” sounds exhausting. I don’t have time for it.
The anti Hyundai ads have become my special patriotic pet project and we shall see how it pans out.
Jeff Bridge’s accomplishments transcend just his “cult phenonmenon” as The Dude. Some consider him one of the finest, if not THE finest actors of his generation. With all due respect, I think you may be underestimating his popularity.
I am embarrased to admit that I owned a Chevy Tracker back in the 90’s and it was a very reliable vehicle. Last I knew they were made in Japan by Suzuki. Given the times we are in now I would not consider anything buy the Big 3 (never say never).
It’s easy, cheesey, japaneezie…..
Just ask Jeff Bridges to bow out gracefully from the Hyundai gig and support the country that helped make him deservedly rich and famous.
To Dudely Lama:
You are right about the Chinaman. The Chinese cars will blow away the competition in poor quality but will be so cheap they will take over universe like a cheesie Wal Mart boom box.
Yes, the Wal Mart cars are coming. All the more important to stop the Korean cars from getting a huge foot-hold in America like the Japanese were able to pull off on the unfair competitive playing field.
And the Dude can help.
Ask Jeff Bridges to junk the Hyundai ads post haste.
P.S. – Your “round up the Jewish cars and put them into labor camps” was really clever but misses the point completely.
Yeah, I was trying to be funny. That was my inner Walter talking. I didn’t mean to imply that you were a fucking fascist.
Still, there is a grain of truth in the comparison. The Nazi revolution came in the wake of a collapsing economy that vilified all outsiders. Jews were worst off because they were “outsiders” who were actual citizens.
Now, I know no one is going to go rounding up the Korean Americans or Japanese Americans and exterminate them because their distant relatives “took urr jeoobs!” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IkTcR71DEM). Although that might make for a good South Park episode.
However, if we have anyone to blame for the collapse of the US car industry, its ourselves. There are no scapegoats here. And I don’t think it’s incumbent upon any American to buy US cars as a “favor” to the industry. That’s not the way the free market works.
Hopefully we’ll emerge from the ashes like a phoenix, with better cars and business policies. If not, maybe we should copy Switzerland and just make high-end luxury goods for the emerging Asian wealthy.
All this bickering makes me glad to be a calm Canadian with no domestic car options. I’m happy with my dogsled and canoe.
People shouldn’t confuse actors with the characters they play.
It’s not bickering, Monky. It’s blathering. at least, I hope it is.
No Canadian Cars? What about the Ford Gran Toronto? Or the Crown Victoria? Or the Chevy Nova Scotia? Oh wait, that was just an acid flashback. Apologies.
Dudely Lama & Chalupa,
Please know that the tired Milton Friedman rhetoric and holocaust comparisons don’t help. Despite his annoying the dude, Nitpick does have a point. Namely that without a manufacturing base we will cease to be a first world country in due time. Globalism has fucked alot of strangers in the ass- and not just the American worker either. We’re dudes, not corporate apologists striving for the key to the city of Pasadena. But still, Marxism will save no one.
sufidude – no one’s arguing against a manufacturing base. and globalism certainly has its discontents. but smarter fellers than ourselves uniformly maintain that the failure of the american car industry is a home-grown problem, not one we can attribute to “unfair” foreign tariffs. As far as I can tell, that was Nitpicks central point.
Dudely,
It’s not about marmots, microeconomic malfeasance, or structural disadvantages in any number of industrial sectors- I was just sympathizing dude. The state of world affairs has left alot of dudes feeling Johnson-less, and whether or not they need them, it’s nothing to be nihilistic about.
sufidude – I don’t think anyone arguing about all the factories leaving the US and moving to other countries. I was just pointing out the ridiculous logic that Jeff Bridges was bringing down the US (and world cause everything’s really global these days) economy by doing voice-overs for commercials.
sufidude – fuck yeah on the sympathy. very important point. because it’s really at the base of what the fuck we’re all talking about, even if we’ve all got slightly different strands in our heads. above all, i think we’re all sympathizing with the folks who’ve got it rough through not fault of their own. even though none of us really know for sure how to make the problem better, and may disagree about what-have-you, we’re all sympathizing here. everything else is just splitting hairs.
i must point out something – anywhere else, this sort of a discussion might easily have veered off into name-calling and cleft assholia. however, the very diggable thing about all you fellow dudeists is that (just as in the movie), even if there is some disagreement, nobody takes anything too personally and everyone ends up being very dude to each other despite it all.
a round of virtual white russians on me, fellers.
dudely lama –
A toast to your kind words.
I’m perfectly calm.
calmer than you are.
Only shameless nihilists strive to have the last word. So there!
I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening.
last word
From my hero Rt. 66 at Piggington.com
“For the record, Jeff Bridges is one of my favorite actors..
This guy has had as charmed a life as this great country can offer:
Incredibly good looking.
Talented.
Rich.
Famous.
If I were him the very first time this topic came to my attention I would have quit doing Hyundai commercials, issued a press release saying:
“Although Hyundia is a fine company, making fine cars, I feel it inappropriate to be selling their cars while so many American auto workers are losing their livelyhood”
I would then pick up the phone and let Chrysler know I am willing to do commercials FREE.
This is a no-brainer. If he were a two-bit actor who needed the money it would be one thing, but Jeff Bridges? Come on!”
http://piggington.com/time_for_jeff_bridges_to_dump_hyundai?page=1
Do the right thing and ask Jeff Bridges to scrap the Hyundai ads.
what happened to the last word? c’mon. i think we’ve all had our say. it’s starting to sound like deja vu all over again.
ok, then. unless anyone has something new to say let’s consider this here story wrapped up.
I second the wrapping motion.
First, everyone settle down and do a J or drink a White Russian.
Second, read my upcoming article on why we don’t need cars for the most part as Dudeists.
Third. if you really want an American made ride then buy a freakin’ Harley and shut the fuck up Donny.
You all have valid points here and there is a literal connection. BUT working ourselves in a argumentive frenzy over this does not allow you to be a true Dudeist in my very humble unimportant opinion.
all the dude ever wanted was to get the last word in…
vagina
makes me uncomfortable…
Wow. This is the last discussion I thought I would find here, but it just shows how open minded we can be. I guess my 2 cents would be I think the Big Lebowski’s at the Big 3 purposely designed bad cars to fuck us Dudes’ in the ass. But that’s, like, my opinion man. Talk about pissin on some rugs.