Last weekend, the death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven others in a helicopter crash came as a shock to so many people. The death of a celebrity hits close for a lot of us. Even if you didn’t know the person, that celebrity had become a part of your life.
Phil Hartman, for instance, came into my home every Sunday night when The Simpsons came on. I was also a fan of NewsRadio. I still blame Phil Hartman for causing me to get involved in an industry where both large companies I’ve worked for previously have declared bankruptcy. One of them has gone bankrupt twice. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for KRLD.
Armed with that knowledge, it’s understandable why people, even in Dallas, were hit so hard by Bryant’s death. When a celebrity dies, people can feel like they lost someone close to them.
It doesn’t matter who the person was. Mr. Peanut, for instance.
Let me explain.
It is with heavy hearts that we confirm that Mr. Peanut has died at 104. In the ultimate selfless act, he sacrificed himself to save his friends when they needed him most. Please pay your respects with #RIPeanut pic.twitter.com/VFnEFod4Zp
— The Estate of Mr. Peanut (@MrPeanut) January 22, 2020
You see, Planters has revealed that Mr. Peanut, Wesley Snipes and Matt Walsh were involved in, I swear I’m not making this up, a NutMobile crash when they were trying to avoid an armadillo.
Snipes even tweeted a video in Mr. Peanut’s memory. I had no idea Mr. Peanut had been with us 104 years. He’s even in the Smithsonian!
The world has lost a great nut, and I’ve lost a great friend. I can never repay you, @MrPeanut , for saving my life. Thanks for the tribute @mrmattwalsh #RIPeanut #ad pic.twitter.com/R8EYG50Nrz
— WS (@wesleysnipes) January 24, 2020
But Wilkes-Barre-based Planters has paused its campaign out of respect for people who may be struggling with Bryant’s death [the ad will still run during the Super Bowl, though].
I may never have mentioned this before, but I was in a NutMobile crash about five years ago.
I can’t say I was offended by the idea of Mr. Peanut perishing. He gave his life so others might live. Plus, he might make a miraculous comeback, which I’m certain would be an homage to my own recovery.
Maybe I’m no George Washington Carver, but I suspect 104 years is a pretty good life for a peanut either way.
Some may think people getting upset about a NutMobile crash reminding them of Kobe Bryant is over the top. I understand that. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing “NutMobile” myself.
But I also understand why Planters may have missed the mark by staging a car crash. TxDOT will tell anyone who listens that Texas roads haven’t had a fatality-free day since 2000.
Those are thousands of families who don’t get to see a loved one thrive and write blogs about peanuts.
Maybe people aren’t upset this is too close to Kobe Bryant dying in a helicopter crash. They’re upset because they lost someone and don’t think a commercial about a crash is funny, be it car, helicopter or NutMobile.
I’m pretty sure this blog is funny, though, so at least we’ve got that.
