The ads are called CBS Cares – Pap Smear/Christmas and CBS Cares – Pap Smear/Hanukkah
Where to begin with this foolishness.
Okay, the notion of encouraging pap smears is great. And even the sentiment behind the ads, being concerned enough about your woman to be engaged in her health matters is a wonderful sentiment.
But fellas, you’s a fool if you think this is an appropriate Christmas present, or present of any kind. You’d do better to get you woman a vaccume cleaner for Christmas. As Joel Mckhale said, there’s nothing that says Christmas like giving your woman the gift that says there’s something wrong with her vagina.
CBS would have done better to do an ad aimed woman saying something like give yourself the gift of health this Christimas and schedule your pap smear during the holidays, or something. But this ain’t no gift.
How the hell did this thing get from an ideal that was accepted by the various levels of approval involved, and get all the way through production without someone realizing that this was the most endearing ideal?
According to CBS:
This project on pap smears started during dinner at Il Mulino, a well known Italian restaurant in Manhattan’s West Village.
I was waiting for my appetizer when I overheard two women diners talking about pap smears. The one in her 40’s said she hated pap smears. The one in her 30’s enthusiastically agreed. And they both said they do whatever they can to postpone them.
Part of their conversation was masked by the loud conversation of other diners. From what I could gather, the problem was that the gynecologist’s instrument is refrigerated. I thought I heard the words, “Really cold spatula!” But I later learned that the gynecologist’s instrument is actually called a “speculum” (meaning I’d either misheard the word spatula… or simultaneously picked up part of a conversation taking place in Il Mulino’s kitchen).
I don’t think CBS intended the gift idea to be taken seriously. They obviously wanted to do something which makes for more buzz and gets women to get their own pap smears. Their cartoon above shows this because they show the woman ordering her own pap smear… even if it is in a restaurant. Gross but so hilarious. A brilliant and historical public service campaign by CBS!
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