A plan Dumb: Abstain for the Game!

Embarrassing moment walking home from work today: I was trotting along, singing under my breath without really realising I was doing it, until all of a sudden I was producing really quite a loud rendition of O Mein Papa (I was going to have lunch with Dad), sung in a metallish sort of a way and in what I think a German accent sounds like.

It wasn't helped by the fact that I don't really know the words to O Mein Papa and was just sort of making them up as I went along:

O Mein Pa-PA To me he ist so vun-dah-VUL
O! Mein PA-BA To me he IST. So GUT.
Gone! Are za days! Vhen he vhould holt me ON-HIS-KNEE

And then some people popped out from round a corner and I had to very quickly look like someone who hadn't just been roaring at themselves with Germanic intensity.

Speaking of embarrassing (segue!), who has seen Telecom's 'Abstain for the Game' campaign? They pulled it this morning after international ridicule (no, seriously) but now it is out there.

In the campaign, rugby legend Sean Fitzpatrick urges New Zealanders to abstain from sex during the Rugby World Cup campaign, as this will help the All Blacks ride to victory on a wave of sexual frustration.

In the first ad, previewed last night, Fitzy (for that is his nickname) rides a car in the shape of a giant fist, and sports a black rubber ring that people can wear to show their celibate support.

It makes sense because when I see a giant fist and rubber rings the first thing I think about certainly isn't sexual deviancy.

He is not rooting for the All Blacks.

Telecom said the campaign was meant to be taken tongue-in-cheek and appeals to what they think is the Kiwi sense of humour. Everyone else said it was ridiculous.

Best theory: the person who thought it was a sneaky attempt by Telecom to drive up phone sex, and therefore call times, and therefore profit.

Here are my favourite comments on the story:

"I'm right behind the abstain campaign and will fully comply. My wife, however, is not a big rugby fan and and has just left in a low cut dress on an unrelated matter."

"A better slogan would have been 'On your Back for Black.'"

"People around the world will be laughing at us not with us so it is a plan Dumb."

It was indeed a plan Dumb.

If you want to watch it, the story is here.