I do think they already have certain anticipated responses built in, and you’re right, those responses are the most superficial and stereotypical. Which is precisely why i think there’s plenty of room to create unanticipated responses. Just, obviously, no motivation. Because it’s fanboys who make spoofs of the texts that circulate within their own communities, not people who are excluded by or don’t give a shit about those fan communities.

I’d be very interested to know what about the ads was “stupid” and what was “clever”?

Incidentally, when we talked about them in class, people were quite torn between thinking the ads were “stupid” and “clever”. Now what does that suggest?

But I’m still stuck on the spoof potential. I’ve seen one somewhere that took on the political economy of computer manufacture (something about near-slave labour), but can’t remember where I saw it. We need to take the youtube fratboys and fanboys on, and do a hilarious, rather than humourless, critical spoof video. Maybe we should have a spoof video competition with a funky website, featuring web 2.0-style rounded corners and glassy reflections. Guidelines would include the following:

1. Yes, when the mac and pc hold hands, it looks like they’re gay. But it’s been done.
2. Yes, male geeks like to use their computers to watch porn. But it’s been done.
3. Yes, Linux is a viable third character, who would be _really_ nerdy, not office-corporate-beauracrat geeky, like the current PC. But it’s been done.
4. None of the above are actually that hilarious.

Ideas?

Hmmm…what would the prize be?

Here’s Ellen elucidating the finer points of why she switched to the Mac: http://www.ellenfeiss.net/movie.php?movie=movies/ellen_feiss_02.mov

“Ladies? I apologize, I don’t know a whole lot about women’s clothing, and it seems like Apple doesn’t either. Any suggestions?”

As the lady bloggers say, ‘Le sigh…’