Audrina's Carl's Jr. ad not wholly off-putting

One of my biggest fears in life is that I will stain my gold lamé bikini with teriyaki sauce while eating a big fat burger on the beach. So, I'm really feelin' for Audrina Patridge (of The Hills fame) here. This latest Carl's Jr. spot is about as real as her popular "reality" show. But shockingly enough, I don't hate it. I appreciate that it's a somewhat more natural setup than having Paris Hilton hose down a luxury car while sucking and licking the burger on all fours (although she is the Einstein of that act). Plus, I was repelled by watching the smart and beauteous (and ex-Mrs. Salman Rushie) Padma Lakshmi indulge in similar sucking and licking, which I found kind of an icky, desperate sellout. Padma, we know you're sexy—you don't have to do this! (On the other hand, wouldn't Lakshmi be great in an ad for Kashi?) But back to Audrina, who more than holds her own while scarfing down the sloppy, fruit-infused meat sandwich. "To look this good in a bikini, I have to eat a lot of fruit," she says in the shorter, better version of the commercial. Then she delicately removes the pineapple ring from the top of the Hawaiian-style burger and pops it into her mouth. The tagline, perhaps an attempt at justifying all the sexism that proceeds it, is, "More than just a piece of meat." It's certainly a new way to stuff a wild bikini—but for mere mortals, you might want to place a napkin over your mid-section.

—Posted by Barbara Lippert

June 23, 2009 in Carl's Jr., Celebrity endorsements, Food and drink, Lippert, Restaurants | Permalink