Albany TV Commercial that Threw Shade on the ’94 Figure Skating Scandal
Figure skating should not be scandalous or controversial. But it is. For example, the gold medal figure skating ceremony in the 2022 winter Olympics is being delayed because of alleged doping by a Russian skater.
However, long before what I'm sure will become known as 'The Great Figure Skating Doping Scandal of 2022', a much more significant event took place prior to the 1994 Winter Olympics. This would involve Olympic hopeful Tonya Harding allegedly dispatching her ex-husband and body guard to try and maim (break the leg of) her figure skating nemesis, Nancy Kerrigan. It looked something like this.
At that time, the only way for a video to go 'viral' was by getting played over and over and over on the nightly news. Which it was. Relentlessly. It became insanely idiotic.
One Capital Region business though, known for its tongue-in-cheek advertising style, decided to parody the ridiculousness of the whole thing in, what I think, was a brilliant commercial that just spoke to the absurdity of the whole situation.
Set in an ice rink, the Tire Warehouse team is conducting an interview with their man in charge when suddenly he is smacked in the knee by an unknown man with a baton! In Nancy Kerrigan style, Tire Warehouse Guy falls, screaming 'Why me?! Why Me?!'.
His assailants escape, but their names are on their back - Tim MIDAS, Ed SEARS, Bob FIRESTONE, and Tom GOODYEAR. It was the competition!
The Nancy Kerrigan-Tonya Harding affair would go on to captivate the nation for years to come. Dateline specials, Barbara Walters interviews, TV movies, documentaries, and yes - local TV commercials.
Well played, Tire Warehouse, well played.