I was just flipping through my fresh-from-the-mailbox copy of The New Yorker Winter Fiction Issue before bed when I discovered a four-page ad for the "all-new Chrysler Town & Country" minivan.
On the first page, Bradley Whitford (of West Wing fame) and Jane Kaczmarek (of Malcolm in the Middle fame) pose in front of said van with their three young children playing in the background. 
Okay, whatever. Nothing too remarkable. But let me read you the copy:
Come holiday time, prime-time celebs Bradley Whitford and Jane Kaczmarek and their three kids take their act on the road to visit family in Los Feliz and see the lights in Griffith Park. Fortunately, the all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country knows how to let the good times roll.
Is it just me, or does this seem like weird location-dropping... like name-dropping, you know? It never mentions Los Angeles, just Los Feliz and Griffith Park. Is this an attempt by L.A. locals to pretend like we have boroughs? Hell, I like Los Feliz as much as the next east-side hipster, but this feels wrong. And, man, that car was able to take them ALL the way from Los Feliz to Griffith Park? Amazing! Oh, wait... they're right next to each other.
Plus, you know no New Yorkers know how to properly mispronounce "Los Feliz."
I don't know why this was so unnerving to me, but it was. I was so perturbed, I decided to take more crappy photos of the thing with my iPhone. Here's proof:
Weird advertisements aside, there is some great fiction in this magazine. Junot Diaz has a fascinating short called "Alma" on page 52:
(See? Even more crappy iPhone photos of the magazine.)
Go read the story right now and you'll see what I mean.
3 comments:
Shouldn't this guy be driving a Prius? Isn't he all green and stuff?
But...he's carrying 5 people in one vehicle, its practically public transportation really.
Andrew
Good story. Had to look up "pelagic." Glad I did--thanks for the link.
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