Some of you are old enough to remember when a commercial was a commercial. When somebody on the television just looked at you dead on and said "This product is worth buying." The game has changed.

Last night dumbdumb.com had it's launch party at the IAC building. It was that one exclusive internet week new york party any Arrested Development fan (or, assuming one exists, a Sit Down Shut Up fan) would kill to get into. Jason Bateman and Will Arnett's startup. I certainly couldn't get in. But what is this startup? With the inclusion of the following the entire web site is contained in this post:

DumbDumb is a comedy enterprise led by Will Arnett and Jason Bateman. The twosome will create commercials along with short and long form programming for distribution across all platforms. For the new endeavor, DumbDumb will utilize web production, development, and marketing expertise from CollegeHumor.com, whose original content creations have been viewed over 800 million times. DumbDumb will create and produce digital content matching not only a brand's personality and marketing objectives but Arnett and Bateman's well-known comedic tone as well.

Here is there one "short film" the site currently boasts:

Is this how far over the edge we've managed to come? Well, it's been done before, but not on so systematic and encompassing a level. It might work, but "Prom Date" didn't do it for me. I hate to rain on anybody's parade, but these characters I know from television aren't coming off as that likable or all that funny. I did find it interesting though, especially when I thought to compare it with the 1980's McDonald's commercial "First Date":

While this tongue in cheek approach to advertising might seem kind of "new," fans of Wayne's World might see it as semi-recycled. It may be that this concept can be utilized to the intense degree Bateman and Arnett are banking on, but whatever the case it needs to be said that Mike Myers did it better: