Matt Of All Trades

An image from a very simple, but also very effective PSA from Google encouraging us to get Covid vaccines. A lot of public outreach is going on now to encourage everyone to get their Covid vaccines to defeat this horrible pandemic once and for all.  A big part of the effort are public service advertisements, designed to convince us all to get our vaccines.  The more we overcome the hesitancy among some people to get the shot, the closer we get to herd immunity and end the pandemic.  Spoiler: In my case, they're preaching to the choir.  I am SO looking forward to getting my first Covid shot this coming Wednesday. One ad that came out about a week ago is from Google. You can see it at the bottom of this post, and it's totally worth the watch.  If you watch the ad, a warning: If you're anything like me, you might need a Kleenex, because the one minute PSA packs a surprising emotional punch.  At least for me, it did. I don't know why I reacted to the ad as I di...

One of my favorite songs from the 1970s was " Killer Queen" by Queen.  I'm often, but not always happy when  some of my faves are turned into something else for parody. In this case, I'm happy.   Anybody who knows me understands I'm a real Covid-19 vaccine enthusiast, and I can't wait for my turn to get inoculated. (The state of V ermont Health Department says starting March 29 I can start trying to get an appointment for my shot, so yay!!)   By turn, I'm frustrated by ant-maskers and anti-vaxxers, so any PSA, no matter how biting and comical, gets my Seal of Approval.  Which leads me to the video below, from Meidas touch and Heather Gardner doing a parody of "Killer Queen" urging us get vaccinated and ignore the (mostly Republican) naysayers.  Gardner has done other great parody videos, too, like a takeoff on George Michael's "Faith"   this time pointing a finger at bad faith lies from Fox News.   Seems like Randy Rainbow has ...

Randy Rainbow begs President Biden for a Covid vaccine in his latest, terrific parody video.  In his first video taken on President Biden, our hero Randy Rainbow has given us a new gift to brighten our week.   This time, it's "Mr. Biden (Bring My Vaccine)" done to the tune of " Mr Sandman" made popular in 1954 by the Chordettes. We have the usual format here. Rainbow starts with an interview with President Joe Biden, which lacks the shall we say, whimsical style of The Former Guy, Donald Trump, which until recently was a fixture in Rainbow videos. Then, of course Rainbow launches into song, in which he beseeches Biden to get us Covid vaccines. "Inoculate me, so I can get laid. "   Rainbow is pretty creative with the "bum bum bum bum" barbershop quartet character of the song. The treat is the lyrics, of course. Sample: "Gimme that double dose                                    ...

Dolly Parton literally getting a dose of her own medicine Tuesday. Her $1 million donation helped lead to the  development of the Moderna Covid vaccine. A doctor administered a dose to her Tuesday.  America's Most Loved Person, Dolly Parton took to her Twitter page Tuesday to publically receive her first dose of the Moderna Covid vaccine.   Back in April, Parton donated around $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Covid-19 research.   That donation helped lead to the Moderna vaccine.   Tuesday, Vanderbilt returned the favor by giving her a hot of the Moderna vaccine. Which means she wasn't kidding when she said she was getting a dose of her own medicine. Couldn't happen to a better person.  Parton, in her Twitter post , warmly and humorously encouraged all of us to get our vaccines. She even changed the lyrics to her iconic song "Jolene."  Sample lyric: "Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine/I'm begging of you please don't hesitate....

The anti-maskers are bad enough. The anti-vaxers, if  anything, are even worse Tiffany Dover, a 30-year old nurse manager from Tennessee, is alive and well.  As nice a person as Dover seems to be, her healthy condition would normally not be a concern to any of  us. She's just doing her job, trying to make people healthy.  Here's the problem: Back in December, the health care worker got one of the first Covid vaccines in Tennessee as news cameras rolled. Unfortunately, Dover briefly passed out moments after the vaccine. It turns out the vaccine wasn't the problem. Dover has a condition that sometimes makes her lose consciousness after a minor pain like a vaccine shot. Dover recovered within moments, and gave alert, lucid interviews to reporters on the scene just a few minutes after the incident happened. Dover remains perfectly fine and healthy. Other than that brief fainting spell, she had pretty much zero side effects from the vaccine So why the hell am I making a b...

Motorists stuck in a snowstorm near Grants Pass, Oregon, receive Covid shots in the snow. The shots would have gone to waste if they had not been used on the spot Earlier this month, some motorists got stuck in a snowstorm on a high elevation highway near Grants Pass, Oregon.  Such a situation is usually regarded as bad luck. However, among those stranded in that snowstorm were health workers on their way back from a vaccination clinic at a high school. They were carrying extra Covid vaccines designated for other recipients. Stuck in this ripping snowstorm, the vaccines would expire, meaning nobody would get these badly needed shots.  Except for the fact that other motorists were also stranded. Apparently t hinking waste not, want not, the health workers started knocking on car windows in the snowstorm, seeing if anybody would be interested in accepting the vaccine on the spot.  There were plenty of takers, as you might imagine.   There were only six doses left...

A still from the latest Budweiser ad, which will not appear in the Super Bowl, breaking a 37-year tradition. Instead, the ad is aimed at encouraging Covid vaccinations  A staple of Super Bowl advertising for decades has been Budweiser ads.   We're familiar with the heartwarming Clydesdale horses , and the goofy other commercials that advertise this alleged beer (I'm a beer snob, deal with it). Everything's been turned upside down over the past year, so why not Super Bowl ads. Instead of the Super Bowl, Budweiser is turning its attention to Covid. Why not? Everybody else has been forced to. Of course, the Super Bowl won't be entirely Budweiser free. There will be at least one Bud Light commercial .   Plus, it appears Sam Adams beer has hijacked the Clydesdale horses this year.  In the main Budweiser 90-second ad, Rashida Jones narrates "Bigger Picture" which reviews some of the ways we've learned to cope during the pandemic. Like the Clydesdale ads, thi...