I think it is a good organization all in all as they do good work. I am not writing this post to bash the organization as they are good; I am here to bash who ever the hell writes and produces their damn commercials.
You see many years ago (around 10 or so to be exact) they had a commercial with this guy where he was somewhere in South America in some tiny hamlet of a village standing there with ______ (insert name of poor kid). He was explaining how for pennies a day we could feed this young child, send her to school, feed her, and clothe her.
Then the camera pans over to the little kid who is in street with no shoes on standing in front of a 500 pound pig. Yes I said a 500 pound pig. It took me seeing this commercial about 20 times over the course of a few weeks time late at night for it to sink into my mind. Why the fuck not eat the damn 500 pound pig? I mean if you are asking for me to donate my money to help that child not starve, then common sense tells me that you need to teach the kid how to kill, cook, and eat that fat ass pig.
I told all my friends/family over the years about this commercial and everyone got a chuckle. All of them said the same thing that I did, and that the kid should eat the pig.
One night back a few weeks ago, I was telling my brother of this funny commercial from the Children’s Fund from years ago. He laughed and said that yes they should kill the pig before asking for money from us.
About ten minutes after telling my brother the story about the pig, a brand new Children’s Fund commercial comes on the tv. Towards the end of the commercial it shows the kid in question surrounded by about 30-40 chickens in a pasture. I laughed and shouted at the tv, “eat the fucking chickens and eggs dammit.” We both sat there in awe of the commercial while sipping on our beers, eating our dinner, and laughing about it.
I guess someone needs to tell them that if want more in donation money, then maybe they shouldn’t be showing starving kids in their commercials standing next to perfectly good animals that they could easily eat. Remember it is all about common sense, I think their ad agency lacks it completely.
B-b-but! What does the organization have to do if they actually teach kids to fish, instead of just handing them a fish a day?
ReplyDeleteThat's my problem with the vast majority of charity organizations. They're great at treating symptoms. Not necessarily at treating the real underlying problems. The exceptions to that are the ones getting my money.
You are right, the chickens are also producing eggs everyday, very strange.
ReplyDeleteOnly you OT, would be able to look past their hard-fought attempts to display poverty and see the opportunity. Such an optimist!
ReplyDeleteI would much rather have bacon and eggs instead of rice... anyday!
ReplyDeletemmmm Bacon.... now I've bacon on the brain....
ReplyDeletenever paid attention
ReplyDeleteOilfield: That's why I like organizations like Heifer Int. instead of ones like Children's Fund. My goodness!
ReplyDelete@ Ben, well said.
ReplyDelete@ Lurker, yep.
@ Randomgirl, I just pay attention to things I guess.
@ Rosie, bacon and eggs sound great right now.
@ Daffy, same here.
@ Becca, I do all the time.
@ Sam, yep. I am glad you got the point I was making here.
I never noticed that. Maybe because I changed the channel to quickly to avoid guilt for not donating.
ReplyDeletenow all I can think about is that stupid Beggin Strips commercial with the dog... Bacon Bacon Bacon yum yum yum!!!
ReplyDeleteNever get to that point in a commercial - either these or the ones with abused animals get turned off quickly - my son can't bear to even hear the background music! We also would rahter support Heifer - give those as christmas gifts!
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid that this could all be my fault. See, what happened is, when I sent in my donations I also sent along specific instructions to buy livestock with my money. I meant to send another donation that included instructions for slaughter as well as delicious recipes but I had cocktails and got distracted. Oops.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazes me is the number of folks that do send money - even after seeing pigs and chickens hanging around starving kids!
ReplyDeleteThere's not accounting for intelligence - or lack thereof.
I often wonder about these organizations and where the money "really" goes.
Great Post!
Jenny
(I'm glad you came by to get some Lucky Hugs!)
OT, they must have been vegetarians.
ReplyDeleteI agree. They should eat the fucking chickens (at least some of them) and the fat ass pig. How many could that pig alone feed? I guess I never paid close enough attention before, but you are so right.
ReplyDelete@ Manager, well thankfully you have me to pay attention.
ReplyDelete@ Rosie, now I am hungry.
@ Laughingmom, my kids do the same thing.
@ Heather, now we all know who is to blame.
@ Pearson, I often wonder the same thing as well.
@ Tony, when you are starving do you really have a choice?
@ Krissy, I am glad you agree with me.
I don't have TV for ages now. So, if I am able to do a charity thing I do it without watching commercials. By the way, thank you for your kind words about my photography on Davids blog:)
ReplyDeleteMaybe the pig is Babe hanging around set looking for another acting job?!
ReplyDeleteRapunzel x
*Tales from the Tower*
ps T'other day me and you had roughly the same number of followers. You've had a jump ahead. Do you think I need to put up more photos of pigs on my blog? Or boobs? Or both?
but if they ate those animals, they couldn't claim that they were starving and coax money from the American populus. Silly OFT.
ReplyDelete@ Olga, well sometimes I wish I didn't have tv. But then I would spend more money going to watch sports in person than I already do. And you are very welcome.
ReplyDelete@ Rapunzel, that is something that I did not even think about. And you just might have to put up pics of boobs. Because I got more page views from boobs than any other post I have done.
@ Paul, that is very true.
Hahaha!!! That is just too much. First the fat pig and then the plethora of chickens. The next commercial will involve one of the starving children riding around on top of a cow.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I ask people to buy me fast food when I've got perfectly good ingredients in my fridge.
ReplyDeleteIs that.. am I on the right..
Did I get it?..
Excellent and thought provoking observation. Obviously there are many, many people around the world that are suffering but you make a very good point about the stupidity and lack of attention to detail in those commercials.
ReplyDeleteIt's heartwarming to see that Santa Claus has found some off-season work.
ReplyDelete@ Kelley, maybe they could get one of the Chick-fila cows.
ReplyDelete@ Kara, nothing wrong with that.
@ Empress, thank you veyr much.
@ Al, yes it sure is nice to know he has some off season work.
They always have that cauldron of rice on the fire---add some pork and some chicken and you have a meal--what the hell are they complaining about? I mean come on! Selfish and greedy little bastards.
ReplyDeleteI usually change the channel too fast to see through to the livestock clips but you crack me up...I wouldn't have noticed it I don't think.
My cousin did the http://www.tourdafrique.com/ which is cycling from Cairo to Capetown. Now she's a wonderful, kind, generous, person who also is a great at updating all her family/friends via email of her travels. After reading about how rotten the children are (throwing rocks, stealing etc) and how the people have become so dependent on foreign aid, I really despise those commercials. The land is absolutely sustainable but the people have become lazy. Sorry but I would rather donate money to the impoverished children in my own country.
ReplyDeletethose poor people have such amazing figures. you really have to admire their dedication to their dieting. "you can never be too rich or to thin". well one out of two ain't bad!
ReplyDeleteexcept for that big pink one with the floppy ears. what a pig.
common sense is not common...
ReplyDeletei blame the population explosion and the shallow end of the genepool!
As always, kid's pay the price for adult stupidity. Too bad they aren't running charitable organizations.
ReplyDeletexoRobyn
My husband's job is to coordinate our military's resources with local governments and NGOs in these countries (yes, our military does more than fight wars. It does shit you've never even heard of). Anyway, it's like the peace corps, but he gets paid. Sorta. Except he also gives vaccinations and dental exams and builds schools. Anyway, these types of charities (TV ones) are, according to him, the biggest thorn in the side of my husband's people and local governments. I'm not exactly sure of the logistics of WHY, but it's one of those things where when they get donations from these people, whether it's money or actual items, there are so many strings attached that it's almost not even worth it. OR...they donate shit that is absolutely worthless as far as the local culture or predominant religion. My husband says if you really want to donate and make a difference, donate to the Red Cross or World Health Organization. Anyway, just a different point of view.
ReplyDeleteOK- I've said the same thing for YEARS that those starving people in Africa? Kill a fucking zebra, yo. You've got sticks- how do you think cave people killed stuff. There are like huge plains of big animals.. I don't donate to lazy assholes.
ReplyDelete@ Jewels, I am here to point out shit that every one seems to miss.
ReplyDelete@ Galore, that is an awesome journey. And I agree I like to take care of starving kids here at home. Mainly my own.
@ Kage, exactly.
@ Bruce, that is very true as well.
@ Robyn, I agree.
@ Aimee, thanks for telling that story. It is not often you hear of that side of the military.
@ Sara, that is true.
Not going to beat a dead horse on this one.
ReplyDeleteI passed on an award to you over on my blog.
Too scripted. Great work by them, but way too contrived
ReplyDeleteLove the part about 'eating fat ass pig'.
ReplyDeleteImagine all the tons of yummy bacon Mr. Piggy could turn into for all those hungry children!
They're thinking that you're focusing more on the sad kid's face to pay attention to the delicious animals that could give them nourishment before they take our money.
ReplyDeleteomg...I never thought of that!
ReplyDeleteI can't watch those commercials, and the animal ones are so much worse!
hed hed above water
And maybe some of it is about the sense of humour, because all these years later, you still remember the big-ass pig!
ReplyDeleteWhat came first, the chicken of the egg, er uhm, pig?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I ever saw that commercial, good eye!!! you are totally right also...
@ Brandi, thank you I am posting about it tomorrow.
ReplyDelete@ Ryan, yes I agree.
@ Marsy, that is exactly why I posted about it.
@ Ditz, that could be the reason.
@ Hed, exactly. And I can't watch them either, but when you are too lazy to change the channel you see things you might not normally see.
@ Sandra, maybe that is true.
@ Pat, I am pretty sure the pig came first. Thank you.
Those ads depress me so much, I usually change the channel...not the best thing to do, I grant you. I guess I've always wondered why things aren't better. I mean, what will it take?
ReplyDeleteThe pig and chickens are priceless, and you are so right. I mean, they do it on Survivor, right?
@ Virgin, I agree with you. Exactly.
ReplyDelete