This new series of commercials for the grocery store chain Wegmans begins like any other low-budget, locally produced ad you might see on daytime television...until Alec Baldwin pops up, hanging out with the employees and singing the praises of the chain's deals with unbridled enthusiasm. And they are brilliant. But Baldwin is not the first celebrity to show up in a baffling advertisement. Today, Movieline takes a look at the Wegmans spots, then fondly remembers five other advertisements where the celebrity appearances make almost zero sense.
First up, here's Baldwin, who had already endorsed Wegmans on his own accord during a David Letterman appearance. I give the first of the two spots the edge thanks to Baldwin's nonchalant, finger-licking introduction.
Now, let's take a look at other celebrities who show up in advertisements where you'd least expect them.
·Nicole Kidman for Nintendo
According to this British commercial for some sort of brain game from Nintendo DS Lite, Nicole Kidman spends her free time playing paper rock scissors with her hand-held gaming system. Looks like she's having a great time!
·Bob Dylan for Victoria's Secret
If memory serves, this commercial premiered during a new episode of The O.C. and effectively blew the minds of teens all over America. If only Dylan's disappointing Cadillac advertisement were this amazing.
·Iggy Pop for Swift Cover
To make sure that everyone knew that the real Iggy Pop appeared in this commercial, the director made the rock star do the entire spot with no shirt and used multiple cutaways of fast-motion hip shaking. Yep, this totally gets me pumped to purchase insurance for my existing insurance...or whatever the hell they're selling.
·Ozzy Osbourne for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
Okay, the "Prince of Darkness" did appear in a lot of commercials around the time that his family's reality show took the nation by storm. But this I Can't Believe It's Not Butter commercial that features two Ozzy Osbournes cooking together is probably the most bizarre.
·Nicolas Cage for...Something
Yes, we've found time and time again that the stereotypes about Japanese television being totally insane are true. But that still didn't prepare me for this Nicolas Cage advertisement for...honestly, I have no idea. It works pretty well as an ad for Cage himself though. I vote that he start paying off whatever castle debts remain by starring in U.S. commercials that are even half this crazy.