Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2008 November 28

Welcome to the Wikipedia Entertainment Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

November 28

...get the runs at the border

There's a Taco Bell TV ad in the US I don't get at all. Three young men were apparently driving through Texas when one got out and "took a shot at a bull". He is in a bull pen running away from the bull. So why did he climb into the bull pen ? Is he trying to photograph the bull, defeat it in battle, or what ? StuRat (talk) 06:00, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

Although I'm from the UK and thus haven't seen this ad I can take a stab at it I think. In the UK anyway to "take a shot" at somethinmg can either mean to physically shoot at something, or more relevantely to have a go at something... The "sport" of bull running (think mattadors to a certain degree, and the italian sport where hundreds of men run through streets with bulls chasing etc) is world wide and you do occasionally see guys challenging each other to do the same, especially in adverts where its kinda seen as a sign of "being a man"... I imagine taco bell, being a spicy hot food source are trying to show that they are too hot for wimps, and that only "real men" can manage it... Hence the fighting the bull to show off to his mates and thus prove his "man cridentials"...

I may however be tottally incorrect and there's some other reason, but that's what I think it means... Gazhiley (talk) 11:12, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

OK, so he's an idiot then, and the message is "if you're an idiot, too, then our 'food' is for you". StuRat (talk) 15:40, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

Absolutely correct. However, I think they meant to imply that Taco Bell is just as southwest as bullfighting. The message of commercials is rarely what you'd think they want it to be. My favorite is the old Burger King "We do it like you do it when you do it like we do it at Burger King." That literally means that if and only if you do it like Burger King, then they'll do it like you. -- kainaw™ 15:48, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

But bullfighting isn't part of the culture of Texas, that would be Spain. Bull riding is part of the culture of Texas, though, so maybe that's what he was trying to do. StuRat (talk) 18:46, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

Correction: I just saw the ad again, and it said "getting a shot of a bull", not "taking a shot at a bull". My questions on the meaning remain, however. StuRat (talk) 23:20, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

He's trying to get a closeup photograph. Little Red Riding Hoodtalk 23:40, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

Could be. In that case he may wish to invest in a zoom lens instead of paying that money to doctors to extract a bull's horn from his posterior. StuRat (talk) 16:25, 30 November 2008 (UTC)

You actually think that a commercial about a guy sitting at a safe distance with a zoom lens taking a photo of a bull will sell tacos? -- kainaw™ 14:07, 1 December 2008 (UTC)

Of course not. But some creative advertising execs could have come up with a more plausible reason for him to be chased by a bull. Perhaps he jumps into the near (and apparently empty) pen to take a pic of a bull in the far pen, only to discover that there was also a bull in the near pen sleeping behind the water trough. Add in a suitable close-up expression and wimper when the trapped guy discovers his predicament and this could be a good ad instead of a stupid ad. StuRat (talk) 14:36, 1 December 2008 (UTC)

I think the point is that the idiot climbed in the pen to get a picture while the two "smart guys" are standing safely outside, eating their artery-clogging fast food, with a distinct "I'm not going in there" attitude. Thus, so the moral of the story goes: it is much smarter to eat nachos than climb in a bull pen.63.146.74.132 (talk)

Television Show (Cartoon)

I'm looking for an Cartoon Television Show that was in 2D and was drawed like snoopy and was about some little spy and his bear, But they walked pretty strangely, Tailsfan213 (talk) 07:02, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

dangermouse was a little spy. But his sidekick was a hamster not a bear. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.220.199.62 (talk) 10:38, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

No it was not Danger Mouse, The bear was big and white and couldn't talk, Tailsfan213 (talk) 12:26, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

You could try working through List of fictional bears, though none of them seem a good match. --Maltelauridsbrigge (talk) 12:42, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

Or perhaps better, Category:Fictional bears – b_jonas 19:54, 30 November 2008 (UTC)

How old was it? What country did it air in? Was it drawed like Anime? Can you remember any particular episodes? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.109.207.212 (talk) 21:45, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

No it was not in anime and I think it was from the late 80s - early 90s, it was drawed a little like snoopy, —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.220.106.165 (talk) 22:23, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

Yogi Bear? MaxVT (talk) 23:11, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

It was not (about) or in:

• Anime
• 3D
• Yogi Bear
• Danger Mouse

It is:

• In 2D
• About an little spy
• Drawed like snoopy
• From some country in Europe,

Tailsfan213 (talk) 15:54, 2 December 2008 (UTC)

Fretless bass design

Could anyone please tell me how a fretless bass's design differs from that of a fretted? It isn't as simple as taking the frets out of a fretted, despite what Jaco Pastorius did, is it?--Leif edling (talk) 08:52, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

Well, yes and no - from a design perspective, a fretless bass is really just a fretted bass without frets - apart from that, there is nothing really different between fretted and fretless basses. However, removing the frets yourself from a fretted instrument is rather risky - unless you're extremely careful and already experienced at woodworking, you'll very probably end up with a mess of splinters instead of a fretboard, and even if you succeed in removing all the frets without damaging the fretboard, you'll have a series of sharp-edged grooves where the frets used to be which might make the neck more or less unplayable. It might have worked for Pastorius, but famous musicians aren't always an ideal example in how they treat their instruments - I would never, ever treat any of my guitars the way Eddie van Halen did -- Ferkelparade π 11:27, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

Speaking of that... I like the story about how Don "Sugarcane" Harris made one of the first electric violins by taking 4 cartridges from record players, attaching them to an acoustic violin, and gluing each string to a stylus. The result was very loud, but clean. --A Knight Who Says Ni (talk) 23:16, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

Where Alma Indomable will be filmed

Where would Alma Indomable be filmed in the United States? Ericthebrainiac (talk) 21:18, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

After a few seconds on Google I get the answer "Southern Florida" [1] Ttwaring (talk) 23:32, 28 November 2008 (UTC)