While watching TV today, I noticed a number of poorly made commercials featuring the presidents or CEOs of companies. No doubt these men, after achieving some measure of ascendency, believe that *everything* they do will be met with equal success. The results argue otherwise. I’m sadly seeing a growing number of these incidents. These guys hire smart people to be around them, all the while completely ignoring that high-paid advice. In their own minds, they can do no wrong.

I am confident that some of the mindful assistants must have tried to dissuade the advertising CEOs from appearing in their own ads. “Don’t you think it would be better to have paid actors with experience?”, they would have asked. “Our marketing budget has more than enough for a professional film crew”, they might have pleaded. “Quiet Morris! Hold that webcam steady… Hi, I’m Gus Paulos, the last of the little guys, and …”

So prevalent is this affliction that it has been recently termed “The Shane Co. Effect*“, after the epitome of blinded Panglossian egoism, Mr Tom Shane. Tom’s ubiquitous radio ads singe the airwaves with their caffeinated, smarmy monologues urging Men to spend fortunes on shiny stones in vain attempts to buy (or demonstrate) true love.

I have little doubt that Tom, with his heaps of cash from his immortal diamond cartel (which fuels the ongoing African civil wars; spurring unrest and mutilation and tribal warfare) is great at importing and selling his blood diamonds. As voice talent, he is among the worst. Ever. The advertisements frighten small children and make the rest of us throw up a little (or a lot) in the back of our throats.

Mr. Shane, I along with the whole of Utah, we beg you, will you please, please, SHUT UP!

Way Back When: This time last year on Ryan Byrd dot net, we reported that Totally Awesome Computers went out of business. Coincidentally, TAS’s CEO Dell Schanze was another prime example of The Shane Co. Effect. Fortunately for us all, the market forces silenced his irksome ways.

* Termed, that is, by me