Gothamist: American Apparel Claims "Social Parody"

jessecal

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 08:30:58 -0500

Geez- Who the hell is Woody Allan (anymore) to the AA customer age group- Using this image to sell ANYTHING to the AA customer is a total waste of time, money. . . and effort! However- if AA really want's to use such an image- they should have just gone over to Williamsburg and paid ANY orthodox Jew walking the streets to stand still for five minutes and take his picture! So again- 'Who the hell is Woody Allen'? Next year Woody will be in the same catagory as Judge Crater!! Jesse Califano/ TPA/NYC

malasagna

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:12:39 -0500

Is this on the same spot that that bubble butt girl used to be...the LES right?

CR

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:01:24 -0500

#13 - YIDDISH and HEBREW use the same characters, and are very similar. However, it's the word "der" that's the obvious giveaway as to why you're wrong.

A23

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:39:46 -0500

#13, The text is absolutely in Yiddish and not in Hebrew. In those three words, Der Heiliker Rebbe, The Holy Rabbi, only one of them even has roots in Hebrew, (Rebbe) so I don't know what you are talking about.

HowBoutDemCowboys

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:10:20 -0500

I find it odd that a company would want to use the notably ugly face of Woody Allen to sell their clothes or anything else for that matter. It's like trying to lure someone into your restaraunt using the smell wafting from your bathrooms.

melp

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:18:38 -0500

It's not YIDDISH. It's HEBREW

jibbly

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:09:22 -0500

twakum - If they lose the lawsuit/arbitration, their new billboard ad should be a GIANT CHECK made out to The Holy Rabbi. That would make me dislike them less.

Dirk

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:08:14 -0500

American Apparel's clothes are a social parody....

cgroovin

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:01:41 -0500

circa annie hall? man, if you dont know your woody allen flicks, then its better not to completely guess which movie its from. youve got like what, a 1 in 30 shot of getting it right?

gothamgoth

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:30:14 -0500

the image is from "take the money and run" (1972). "annie hall" was 1977. in case anyone cares, he is only dressed this way in one brief scene in which he has tested an experimental drug, the only side effect of which is that for a short period of time, he becomes a rabbi. interestingly, when this has been rerun on WPIX, the scene has been removed. not sure if it's because of "religious sensitivity" or just making mroe room for commercials.

TK

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:04:40 -0500

'Holy Rabbi'? Ok come on, that's funny. Doesnt Woody Allen have a sense of humor?

Snoopy

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:59:13 -0500

The social commentary was, "You don't have to be Jewish to love AA." Remember those old bread ads?

suepart

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:58:16 -0500

if AA bought the rights to that image from whatever film it came from, not for the dubious right to use the face of that untalented pedophile, then it can make a good case that it can do whatever it wants with it including an ad for used tampons and tell that lame four eyed nerd fuck to eat it.

CR

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:57:19 -0500

Jen S - it says "the holy rabbi" in Yiddish.

Rocknrope

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:53:35 -0500

Yes, can someone smarter than me explain how this can be construed as "social parody", "social commentary" or whatevuh?

twakum

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:42:03 -0500

Don't mess with Woody, and more importantly, don't mess with Woody's lawyers. I hope AA has to write a BIG check. Punks they are.

Jen S

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:38:12 -0500

What we need is a translation. Babel Fish can't help this time.

Dave Hogarty

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:32:54 -0500

Social commentary: "Unlicensed endorsement is fun, but eventually very expensive."