Gawker: Spoofs

Heart's Open Letter to John McCain: 'Up Yours, You Old Fart!'

ian spiegelman — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:40:29 EDT

Despite complaints from all the musicians the McCain/Palin campaign are stealing music from, the assholes just keep stealing music. They ignored cease-and-desist orders from Van Halen's management and played "Right Now" at a rally in Maine last week, and they continue to blast Heart's "Barracuda" at stump stops. That much is true. Unfortunately, this open letter from Heart's Nancy and Ann Wilson is a joke column from The Stranger. Sigh. "Cease and Desist, you old fart," it reads. "God knows why we thought you would listen to us—two strong creative women. I guess we're all just 'trollop-faced cunts' to you. (Speaking of Cindy, who can blame her for hitting the pills? We'd need a Demerol epidural to live through five minutes of her conjugal duties [...] We'd rather rim Meatloaf. Seriously.)" Click through for a bigger pic of the furious missive.

[via CajunBoyInTheCity]

Denied! Anon AA Ad Artist Slams Faux-Bam Culture Jam

Hamilton Nolan — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:50:06 EDT

So yesterday we posted what seemed to be a new work by the anonymous American Apparel ad spoofer—this one featuring Obama being menaced by a big dick, with the familiar slogan "The Assassination of Barack Obama" and an American Apparel logo. Then we heard that it might not be a work by the actual spoofer, which was confirmed by the spoofer's own blog, then confirmed again by Copyranter, who thinks the Obama piece is a Photoshop fake. Now the spoofer himself has sent us a statement, of sorts, saying he welcomes copycats as long as it's clear they're different copycats (and he's not a Dov Charney employee, thank you):

Hi Hamilton,

I am the "aa ads spoofer."

I am not the creator of the Obama poster you posted yesterday, and don't deserve the little fame it temporarily got. I never mix art and politics, the billboards in Tribeca have never inspired me, and I don't do use the Photoshop posterization filter. I gladly welcome copycats though, as long as people don't think it's my doing.

Also, to answer a floating question, my fake AA campaign is a personal project. American Apparel isn't behind this campaign, I don't work for them, I don't know them, and all I ever got from them is a pleasant mute tolerance...

I picked up AA essentially because their ads were sex-oriented, which was a good place to start. This work is about inspiration in art and advertising, and manipulation, if I get it right...

i'll be wrapping up the project in sept w/ a little showdown on stereohell.

[Disclaimer: To the extent we were able to check around, we're pretty sure this is the real spoofer. Although you never really know when it comes to spoofers.]

The Best Of Wacky Packages

Hamilton Nolan — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:08:13 EDT

Wacky Packages were the Consumerist.com of the 1970s (minus the journalism). They were sold in packs like baseball cards, but each card was some spoof of a consumer product, with Mad Magazine-style humor. Crest Toothpaste? Make that Creep Toothpaste, ha. They are simply mesmerizing. Every product imaginable, from deodorant to tuna fish to magazines, was subject to a vicious, wacky remixing. Now a book telling the Wacky Packages story has come out; making this an opportune time for a 20-part Wacky Packages Gallery Blowout! Click through for 20 of our favorites, which have been helpfully preserved on the internet. Ad criticism this sharp wouldn't be seen again for 30 years:

Paradigm Shifts As American Apparel Spoofer Attacks Brooklyn

Hamilton Nolan — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:37:38 EDT

Everything is different now: for the first time in recorded history, the mysterious and porny American Apparel ad spoofer has struck in Brooklyn. Manhattan is so over! Is this a good thing or a bad thing to Brooklyn gentrification opponents, philosophically speaking? The new piece is also directly next to an AA store, perhaps marking an escalation in the conflict between spoof in commerce. Or a confluence? So many questions. One thing we are sure of: this spoofer fears neither male nor female private parts, at least in line drawing form. We feel the time has come for Dov Charney to speak out directly on his, uh, admirer. Click through for a larger pic of the latest, uh, artwork:

[Stereohell via Copyranter at Animal]

American Apparel Spoofer Embraces Equality In Genitalia

Hamilton Nolan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:02:11 EDT

The notorious, mysterious, and sexy American Apparel ad spoofer raises so many philosophical questions: What is art? What is advertising? What is porn? And does showing blowjobs count as "sexual equality?" The spoofer has a long history of drawing female genitalia (and dildos). But now he or she has made the leap to showing penises for the cause—something Dov Charney can only dream of. Click through for the most overt (possibly NSFW, although it's just a drawing) example:

[Stereohell via Copyranter]

American Apparel Spoofer Goes Retro-Porny

Hamilton Nolan — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:06:37 EDT

The now-famous but still anonymous American Apparel ad spoofer has always done his or her part to portray the hipster robot clothing company's ads as they are in CEO Dov Charney's mind: tasteful porn. The spoofer knows that the mandate to actually put clothes in his ads is just a necessary evil to Dov; he'd rather just see naked, self-stimulating, shaven women writhing around in space—perhaps accompanied by a cute animal. But now the spoofer is urging a return to the unshaven days of yore; a move that fits in with AA's faux-natural branding quite nicely. Clever viral marketing (doubtful)? Or just an unspoken call for variety in AA's secret full-on nude ads, to be unveiled as soon as society is ready for them? After the jump, full photos of the spoofer's latest porny—yet natural—line drawings:

[Stereohell via Animal NY, Copyranter]

Dov Charney Is A Hero To Immigrants

Hamilton Nolan — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:14:57 EDT

VBS.TV (Vice magazine's online video channel) has an 8-part series called "Illegal LA" about the illegal immigration issue. The setup is to tell the story through the eyes of several key figures on different sides of the issue—including pervy American Apparel CEO Dov Charney! It raises an interesting point: though Charney is the neurotic head of our nation's most annoying fashion line who enjoys playing with himself in front of reporters, he is also one of the only entrepreneurs in his field with a truly progressive labor policy. Should he be forgiven for the first because of the second? No, but at least he has a mark in his favor on the balance sheet. After the jump, two clips featuring Charney's take on this unjust country of ours; and, as a counterpoint, a new spoof American Apparel ad that graphically reminds you of the evils of spandex.

[VBS.TV via Animal; fake ad via CC Insider]

[Also: See episode 7 of the VBS series, where the head of the Minutemen advocates nuking Mexico. Wise!]

American Apparel Spoofer: Bambi Porn Edition

Hamilton Nolan — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:58:17 EDT

The anonymous American Apparel ad prankster strikes again. This time with more animals! Also—it must be said—with even more poon-tang than usual. Copyranter says the new installment is a spoof of this bambi-themed ad. If Dov Charney doesn't find this vandal and put him or her on the payroll immediately, he's even crazier than we think. Click through for two uncensored photos of the (explicit, artistic) latest work:

[Stereo Hell via Copyranter]

Prankster Names Dov Charney Dildo Of The Year

Hamilton Nolan — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:50:02 EDT

Energetic American Apparel CEO Dov Charney was named "Retailer of the Year" last week, and the anonymous American Apparel ad spoofer jumped right on it. Copyranter found this new poster of Dov holding up what should have been his award: a dildo. Way to stay tied in to the news cycle, spoofer. Larger picture after the jump.

[Copyranter at Animal NY]

Woody Allen Victimized Again By American Apparel Spoof

Hamilton Nolan — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:15:49 EDT

The American Apparel ad spoofer is still at large, and he or she has been following the news. The newest posters to appear in downtown Manhattan feature a simple Woody Allen face, along with a cute little slogan. No porn this time! Allen is suing AA in real life for using his image without permission; now his lawyers have another target to hunt down. Click through to see a large version of the other Allen ad spoof [Stereohell via Copyranter] after the jump.

Spy Footage Of Murdoch's Tirade

Nick Denton — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:10:01 EDT

For a spoof, this video of the Australian media mogul in full tantrum is incredibly slick. Rupert Murdoch, enraged by a tabloid parody of his Wall Street Journal, demands News Corporation executives have every copy burnt. In the best line, the News Corp boss thinks to bring in Roger Ailes, his lieutentant at Fox News. "We need to get Roger on this. He's a sadistic shit. He'll take care of it." But here's the mystery: who would go to the trouble of creating a video that will go viral in the media towers of Sixth Avenue, and no further?

Incidentally, the Murdoch imports at the Wall Street Journal continue to tread on the newspaper's delicate sensibilities. You'll remember Marcus Brauchli, the Journal's managing editor, had a speech ready to welcome his new overlords, but they never called on him. That was just the first humiliation.

The latest: Tina Gaudoin, who came in with the Journal's new publisher from Murdoch's Times of London, has talked of her plans for the business newspaper's new weekend magazine. The luxury title will cover modern wealth with wit and irreverence—which, says the Murdoch import, "may come as a shock to some of the people at the Journal.” Such diplomacy.

Marc Jacobs Spoofs Way Ahead Of Their Time

Hamilton Nolan — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:12:59 EDT

A site called The New Enthusiasm, which has been raising a ruckus around the web for the last few days with its fake Marc Jacobs ads, has been outed as the work of a creative agency named Hart + Larsson. It was obvious, since Marc Jacobs won't really start using unkempt, out-of-shape, bearded male models in wigs for at least another year or two. [Agenda Inc.]

Prankster Helps American Apparel Embrace Porn

Hamilton Nolan — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:31:25 EDT

Stereotypical hipster brand American Apparel has always walked the fine line between sexiness and porn with its ads (like the one pictured). Or gone over the line, depending on your perspective. But now the anonymous prankster that earlier posted a fake finger-in-the-butt AA billboard has struck again, helping the company along its inevitable path to becoming a full-blown pornography producer. Why beat around the bush? Heh. After the jump, the two new naked AA ad spoofs [via Copyranter] that have appeared in downtown NYC. Possibly NSFW, if you consider simple line drawings to fit in that category.

How I'd Sink American Vogue

Nick Douglas — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 01:46:20 EST

Designer-artist Scott King made 12 fake Vogue covers. They're, like, part of an art exhibit by PS1 or something, subverting one media metanarrative or another. About half of them are glorious, particularly "635 poor people" and "I am God," both shown full-size below.

For more of the twelve Vogue covers, go to design magazine Creative Review.

Fake Reporter Bird Poo Vid Is Mockumentary By 'Arrested Development' Actor

Maggie — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:20:45 EST

Yesterday, we dismissed as fake the Internet video sensation clip of a reporter getting bird poo in his mouth during a live newscast. But we didn't quite convince Esquire, who has a cute video piece today on reporter bloopers that includes the spoof. As proof, we offer the full mockumentary from SNL guy Jerry Minor, Arrested Development's David Cross, and Bob Odenkirk, in which a fake reporter gives a fake report about a fake bird in a fake documentary for a fake Nigerian soda company commercial. Special appearances by shouting caricatures of Nigerian businessmen. Thanks to TPG.

Entire Internet Falls For Fake Reporter Bird Poo Video

Maggie — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:52:08 EST

OMG, did you see that video, the one where a television reporter gets bird shit in his mouth on camera? We did too! Because 800 gullible people sent it to us. The clip is a fake. "That's not our guy. That's not our guy at all," a surprised guy named Chuck said when we called up WXYZ, the local Detroit news station identified by the Huffington Post as the video's producer. "That's not even our microphone," he told us. Yeah, we thought we smelled a rat when we heard the crowd of people laughing in the background. Come on, HuffPo, have you ever seen a local news team out in the field with more than like, a camera guy, and if they're lucky, the van driver? Us neither.
UPDATE:Oh, HuffPo. Editing a credulous item about a fake video with a blase update implying you knew it was a spoof all along is just silly. Especially when your changes get recorded in our RSS feed: