I know it sounds like I'm being sensationalistic (perish the thought) and making this up (never!), but there's no other way to interpret NIKE's decision to feature "car jumper" Chris Bryant in a national TV ad set to air at 4pm today (Monday) on the Ellen Degeneres show. The ad, which can be seen HERE, shows Bryant, uh, jumping cars. After jumping cars in shoes of his own design, he says "You know what I'm going to say the next time someone asks me why I do what I do? Why don't you?" Now it should be said that the cars are stationary, but one of them is parked in the middle of a street. And what's the deal with glamorizing such a patently dangerous practice? (Anyone remember what a Lotus Esprit did to a car jumper's foot on Ye Olde That's Incredible!?) The Akron Beacon Journal reports that we're late to the Chris Bryant car jumping hoe-down, as today will mark the former busboy's third appearance on the show. Anyway, we've tried to reach NIKE's press office for comment, but they're out to lunch. And now… they're back. Podcast with Dean Stoyer, U.S. Media Relations Director for NIKE below.
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Well when I was a kid…..(50 yrs ago)
all the legal dept wanted was a side comment that said “kids don’t try this at home”
The car jumping ad does not have any kind of disclaimer.
In fact, the text at the end says “Just do it.”
Robert you’re not being PC are you?
As much as I would like to believe teenagers are idiots, they really are not. They will not copy this or the guys in X games that do back flips off jumps on bikes. I may be wrong but the worst that will happen is a couple of belly flops on car tops, if they get that high.
Juniper,
A few years ago there was a van load of kids in Indiana that were killed trying to launch the van over a RR crossing just like they had seen on “Jackass”. The truth is, like adults, there are some teenage idiots out there. Unfortunately, we have tampered with our surroundings enough to defeat natural selection. Just make sure you or your kids aren’t around when one of these imbeciles yells, “Hey y’all, watch this!”
I fail to see anything wrong with this. Darwinism in action!
Juniper, Youtube is full of kids doing stupid stuff. Worst one I’ve seen is a pair of them doing one of the jumping wrestling moves from a second story roof, onto a folding table, perched on a concrete walkway when there’s grass on either side of it. I’m surprised they didn’t die instantly. I’m fairly certain though that they will not be reproducing and contaminate the gene pool.
If I was Nike’s lawyers I’d be preparing myself for a busy time and some big bills!
It’s always going to be tough for a corporation to retain an ‘edgy’ image but I think it might be better for Nike to tread a slightly more sensible line.
Time will tell whether the Nike buying youth are clever… or not.
i could really give a hoot about the kids. i’m worried about an idiot’s failed attempt denting my roof. the people that will try this can’t afford cars of their own to jump.
This will be interesting to see the kids that don’t quiet make it over all the way and there new Nikes catch the edge of the roof torquing there bodies head first into the pavement, ouch.
Oh well stupidity growth needs to be slowed down anyway.
I stand corrected. I should have said ” The vast majority…..” However, trying to jump over a car is a long way from the flying van or jumping off a building. How many of us crossed busy roads thru traffic on our bikes vs using the cross walk?
Aren’t kids already flying over cars on skateboards? Fortunately my kids did survive until legal adulthood. Now, if they would just act like it.
here’s what happens when most people try that stunt: http://my.break.com/Content/Search/Search.aspx?m=all&p=all&s=jump%20over%20car
Can’t wait for all the new videos after this commercial airs! Remember that stupid Disney movie where these football players laid down in the middle of road to prove how cool they were? And a bunch of kids died imitating it, and then they edited the scene out of the movie because of it?
Here’s a real messed up one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYhcdZguUQI
I’m with NICKNICK. They better not do it over MY cars.
Speaking of laying down across the road, I did this 2 years ago (and a photo was taken) during our cross-country trip. But this was on 2-lane US 6/50 in Utah just east of the Nevada line (“loneliest road in America”). It was so quiet you could hear your ears ringing, but I wouldn’t try this at home!
Kids do that already and seeing someone on TV will just give credence to their stunts. Then when the ones with no skill and no brains get hurt it is just adding badly needed chlorine to the gene pool. Remember stupid people just make more stupid people and the sad part is they make them faster than the bright ones.
Maybe kids today are just stupid. I never tried jumping 14 school buses on my motorcycle just because Evel Kneivel did it.
I don't think Dean Stoyer (probably along with Bob Lutz) will be sending a Christmas card to Robert Farago this year… Nike legal cleared this? Yikes.
RF. Sorry, but I think the NIKE guy is correct on this one. Let Darwin prevail.
Anyone remember American Gladiators? I have few memories of it, but I do remember a contestant named Wesley “Two Scoops” Berry. They showed him jumping over one of those land yacht station wagons, and he ended up destroying the competition and the gladiators. He even jumped right over one of those roid-monkeys during an event! It was the one time the show was actually worth watching.
Speaking of which, American Gladiators is coming back this winter.
If Jackass survived what? 3 seasons without killing or maiming every teenage boy in the US, then this Nike ad is nothing.
Well then nobody should have seen the film Ong Bak or watched the trailer where in the last 10 seconds he jumps over a bike, a car and through barbed wire…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtNmH1KuJaA (for your viewing enjoyment..)