There's a new Comcast commercial here, teaming up Stein with Shaquille O'Neal.
Stein appears first, and says, "I know about being smart with my money." Then Shaq walks in and says, "and I know about being the best." So they are handcuffed together, which is supposed to represent the wonderful service and low cost of Comcast.
It seems an odd way to advertise, as if Comcast wants to emphasize the fact that their contract locks you into a deal for a full year. I suspect most marketers would prefer to de-emphasize that point.
While I was surfing about, trying to think of something clever to say about that ad, I discovered this. Another YouTube video, this one also including (though not featuring) Shaq's new best friend.
It is a clip from a show hosted by Neil Cavuto on a television network named after a furry woodland creature. It opens with some pessimistic comments from Peter Schiff -- this was August 2007, the Dow was at record levels, and Schiff had just come out with a contrarian book entitled CRASH PROOF: HOW TO PROFIT FROM THE COMING ECONOMIC COLLAPSE. On Schiff's part, this was part of a promotional tour, on Cavuto's part, it was apparently a good time for a telegenic ambush. He assembled a panel of real or alleged experts to tell Schiff how wrong he is.
One panelist says, "Peter's rant is anti-Americanism disguised as financial advice."
Ben Stein doesn't get into the picture until about 3 minutes in. Ben said that the problem was in subprime, and subprime is only "a tiny blip." That was known at the time as the "containment" theory. The credit crunch could be limited to subprime, would right itself in time, and all would proceed happily.
Peter Schiff comes out of it looking pretty good. Remember, this discussion was taking place in August 2007.
The fellow who placed this on YouTube obviously thought Schiff was "beaten down" by the superior logic of Stein and the rest. Why?
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