Remember when Ann Coulter promised to go to outer space and never come back? Well, not only she didn’t go anywhere, now she’s back yapping against the Spanish language –yet again.
Category: Education
St. Patrick’s Day: The Other Binge Drinking Mexican Holiday
Go ahead; wear green and go out get drunk or whatever it is you do this weekend. But don’t forget Saint Patrick’s Day is a celebration of the Batallón de San Patricio, which according to Wikipedia my extensive readings of history books, was a unit of hundreds of immigrants and expats who fought as part of the Mexican Army against the United States.
Of course for Americans of the generation that fought the Mexican-American War, the San Patricios were considered traitors, while for Mexicans of that generation (and pretty much to this day) the San Patricios were heroes.
Now you know.
Now go get some green tequila and Irish tacos.
Medical Marketing in Mexico Be Like…
Today in our always popular section Mexicans, How Can Anyone not Like us? I give you Dr. Ricardo Madrigal, whose urology clinic specializes in non-surgical penis enlargements and fixing other virile malfunctions. Judging from Dr. Madrigal’s marketing tactics, he’s not the one to beat around the bush when it comes to promoting his services.
“IT’S NOT THE COLD; THAT’S JUST THE WAY IT IS!” reads a recent billboard in Mexico captured by a Reddit user.
In addition to huge signs along local highways Dr. Madrigal is also very active on Facebook, where you can find tons of other incredible Christmas promotions.
Just in time for the holidays. Yay!
The Hispanic Star Joins Nonsensical Trend of Putting an ‘Ñ’ where it Doesn’t Belong
Remember that nonsensical trend of putting “eñes” where they don’t belong just to make something look –and sound– more authentically “Latino?”
Well, it looks like salsa makers and Hispanic journalists organizations are not alone in this thing. The latest to jump on the nonsensican “eñe wagon” (or should I say “wagoñ?”) is The Hispanic Star, a non-for-profit organization that seeks to “raise awareness of the contributions of the Hispanic community to the United States.”
According to its latest mailer, the Hispanic Star wants us to SAVE THE DATE and celebrate the 2020 Hipanic Heritage… Mñnth [SIC] which I believe it’s nonsense English for the word “month”.
I get it. As we approach the dreaded Hispanic Heritage Month, corporations, politicians and NGOs want to sound all cute and Latin in order to properly pander to my people, but how about learning first to put the “eñe” where it DOES belong? Like in “jalapeño?” for example?
Oh, and don’t get me started on #ItsPoblanoNotPoblaño
This Book Wants you to Find Frida the Same Way you Find Waldo
What better way to celebrate Frida Kahlo’s upcoming birthday than… by making a book to find her as we go about finding Waldo?
Publisher Laurence King is busy promoting Find Frida, a new book by Catherine Ingram (illustrated by Laura Callaghan) which promises to immerse the reader in the colourful world of Frida Kahlo using “twelve intricately drawn scenes, each detailing a key aspect of her life – from her eccentric teenaged years and infatuation with Diego Rivera, to her dynamic arrival as an international artist, her incredible studio and house in Mexico and her deep love of Mexican culture.” All of this for only $17.99 a copy.
I’m not sure she would be thrilled about the idea, but then again, who cares? Communist-loving Frida has proven to be a money-making machine for many non-communist companies that this might also be a hit.
On your mark… Get Set… Find Frida!
Images by: Laura Callaghan
The ‘Veggie Taco Plush Set’ Guarantees your Child Will Never Know what Real Tacos Look Like
Speaking of culturally-relevant things… there’s a Veggie Taco Plush Set, which for “only” $49 promises to educate your child on the goodness that naturally comes with tacos, including some packets of questionable salsa; slices of avocado and even some cilantro to sprinkle here and there.
According to the description on the Kidrobot webside, the Victorio Veggie Taco Plush set, “zips open to reveal the whole happy musical gang including backup singers Celia, Sylvia, and Sam Cilantro, Alejandro & Abigail Avocado on the strings, the Tambourine Tomato Twins, the hottest drummer in Yummy World Larry the Hot Sauce Packet and of course the infamous Bean Brothers on the horns.”
Okay, pues. Happy playing kids!
Hat tip: Gonzalo Jimenez
Are you a Hispanic in California? Do the Social Distance Thing Using your ‘Cajas de Verduras’
Ventura County explaining how much distance is needed to maintain social distancing. English = Skis; Spanish =3 crates of produce, because –as everyone knows– whites ski, while Hispanics do the “picking thing.”
Hat tip: Ray Estrada
Mexican Luchadores Ask Hispanics to Pleeeease Wear a Mask
As every Mexican knows, in any good Lucha Libre match, the one who loses their mask pretty much loses the fight.
With this premise in mind, advertising agency d’expósito & Partners has launched “Lucha vs. El Virus,” a PSA campaign aiming to engage Hispanics to protect themselves against COVID-19 and comply with public health practices during the pandemic, which has severely hit the Latino community in the U.S.
“We played with the double meaning of the Spanish word lucha,” Paco Olavarrieta, CCO at d expósito & Partners, told ADWEEK. “On one hand, lucha means to fight or to struggle and is used figuratively to express that one is working hard or continuing in the fight. On the other hand, lucha is embedded in the name lucha libre, where luchadores wear masks to hide their true identity.”
A Spanish-language PSA has been running on Univision, Telemundo and CNN en Español, while an accented English version of the video just got picked up by NBC and CNN.
The same spot is also available in an accented English version, which you can watch below:
Via: ADWEEK
Why Kmart Needs to Hire a Competent, Bilingual Copywriter
Picture this. A two-piece comfy sofa; a soothing image of a lake and a small, deserted beach on the background; a pitcher of delicious ice-tea and then your lovely mom … sucking someone –or being sucked by someone– for some reason.
That is pretty much the takeaway for so many Spanish-speakers out there who could not help but notice the gaffe in Kmart’s latest Mother’s Day campaign. The problem here lies in the choice of the word Mamaste, which –apparently– is supposed to be a play on words between Mom & Namasté, inviting mothers to Find their happy place and relax on Mothers Day. But while Namasté might be a term well-known among the yoga community, Kmart would be well advised to consider what “Mamaste” actually means in Spanish.
OK, I get it. They don’t want to spend money on hiring pesky bilingual copywriters, but they could have just turned to Google Translate instead. I mean. It’s FREE! it’s easy; it’s right… there. How lazy are they?
And this is only the tip of the iceberg. As my friend J.C. Maya discovered, there’s even a book (on sale in Target) with the same title: Mamaste: Discover a More Authentic, Balance, and Joyful Motherhood from Within,
Now if y’all excuse me: HA HA HA HA HA HA (or as we say in good Spanish: JA JA JA JA)
Oh and did I mention these t-shirts?
welp pic.twitter.com/h0kVeroOWR
— Laura Martínez® (@miblogestublog) May 6, 2020
Dear People of France: You Had One Job
Tiny Mexican Hitting an ICE Piñata Is Truly Therapeutic
Say what you will about my people (i.e. The Mexicans) but they truly know how to let off some steam without being, like, super violent.
Take this children’s party in Chicago, where tiny, adorable children (like this cutie in a Peppa the Pig shirt) are seing hitting an ICE piñata and throwing balls into a painted image of President Trump.
A video circulating around social media is stirring some controversy among “certain sectors” (presumably non-Mexican sectors.)
As for this blogger, I have only one thing to say: ¡Dale, dale, dale, no pierdas el tino, porque si lo pierdes, pierdes el camino!
Via: ABC 13
Bill de Blassio Has no Idea What Condón Means in Spanish
Ever since he announced he’s running for president in 2020, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has been using a very special hashtag in the hopes it will go viral. Nothing wrong with tapping on the power of social media to get traction, except that the hashtag in question is –wait for it– #ConDon.
Not only he has posed alongside supporters holding a #ConDon sign, but he’s even sending out very special mailers (below) asking Americans to contribute and support his campaign. Apparently, De Blasio’s #ConDon thing has something to do with Donald Trump, but I will never know because every time I read #ConDon, I cannot help but think about these things.
One thing, though, Mr. De Blasio: If you’re going to advocate for people wearing preservatives… use an accent over the “o” will ya?
We’re coming for you, #ConDon pic.twitter.com/l0EujCt007
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) 16 de mayo de 2019
Photo via: Juan Manuel Benitez
Delfín Quishpe Is the New Mayor of Guamote, Ecuador, because Latin America
“Who knows the truth? Who did it, and why did they do it?” Quishpe asks in this hilarious song, and then goes on:
The whole planet was convulsed
My God, Help me
When I went to look for you, I believed what I was seeing.
The towers in flames, full of black smoke, and you in that place,
My God
JUST WATCH:
Fox News Thinks Mexico Is so Great, there are Many of them!
Racism? Ignorance? Why not both?
Here’s the full segment if you’re so inclined…
btw, there’s no missing context. Here’s the video of the segment. pic.twitter.com/5BKnEvaadx
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) 31 de marzo de 2019
Hat tip: Bad Fox Graphics
Proud American Sets up GoFundMe Campaign to Finance Trump’s Wall… Because Why the Hell Not?
I couldn’t make this up if I tried.
Trump supporter Brian Kolfage has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for Trump’s border wall because “President Trump’s main campaign promise was to BUILD THE WALL. And as he’s followed through on just about every promise so far, this wall project needs to be completed still.”
At press time, Mr. Kolfage’s campaign had raised nearly $5 million (YES 5 millones de dolaritos) from over 78,000 (presumably very dumb) people.
Oh, America… What has happened to you?!
