Rip-off Artist

I just glanced at an article that was extolling the "genius" of Budweiser's new one-word ad. I'm sure you've seen it. It features a guy who simply says "Dude!" in response to any given situation. Genius? Really? I'm not so sure..... Gibson has been giving me that same one-word answer for a year and a half now, and I don't think I would ever go so far as to call it "genius". In fact, the first time I saw that commercial, I wondered how a Budweiser marketing exec had managed to hide under our kitchen table without me noticing. Wherever he was, under the table, in the closet, behind a door, it certainly seems that he took careful notes.

He captured the excited Gibson:
Mike: "Hey Boys! We're going to go for a hike today!"
Gibson: "DUDE!"

He captured the disappointed Gibson:
Me: "But we're not going anywhere until all your toys are cleaned up..."
Gibson: "Dude..."

He captured the angry Gibson:
Me: "No, you can't have sweet tarts. It's eight o'clock in the morning!"
Gibson: "DUDE!!!"

He captured the dismay Gibson expresses when Landis swipes a favorite toy:
"Dude?!?!"

And he captured the sentiment Gibson expresses when he's questioning a decision Mike and I have made:
"Dude?"

In fact, that commercial is such a rip-off of the day-to-day communication skills of my 5 year old, that I'm sure we're entitled to some of the profits. Which makes me wonder.......... Does anybody have the number to Budweiser?