A Skegness newspaper actually found something interesting to write about Skegness. Actually, it’s a neat story, maybe Cy can track down the TV show it refers to. Can I find another excuse to say “Skegness?” I believe I just did!
Category: Sightings
Scooters pop up all over the place
Kinetic’s Bollywood deal
Kinetic has joined forces with a Bollywood movie studio to co-promote their Blaze scooter with the new film “Apna Sapna Money Money.” The Blaze is the first in Kinetic’s “Italiano” series of former Italjet designs.
Questionable Content’s VespAvenger
Aside from the glorious Achewood, to which you should surely be addicted, I’ve never become too engrossed in web comics. But Cy just hepped me to Questionable Content, in which the current plotline features robots, the VespAvenger, librarian jokes, Death Cab for Cutie references, and assorted cute indie rock lesbians. I think the hook is set.
Jacko’s scooter Love
Motoblog found these circa-1980 Japanese ads featuring “Off-the-Wall”-era Michael Jackson shilling for the Suzuki Love scooter. Here come some good comments…
“Always travel with a chauffeur”
Lewis Lazare on the new Moët ad campaign:
Each execution portrays a rather off-the-wall scenario that still manages to convey a certain charm. In one ad, a fetchingly elegant and beaming woman attired in a smashing evening gown is perched on the back of a Vespa along with a case of Moet. Her date in the scooter’s driving seat is eyeing her with a big smile, as if to suggest “look what I got for the holidays!” The tongue-in-cheek copy reminds readers to “always travel with a chauffeur.”
“Look what I got for the holidays! A drunk debutante bouncing around on the back of my bike.” Great. Moët clearly didn’t get the memo that Vespas are no longer luxury items. It’s 2006! They’re utilitarian eco-friendly transportation for everyone!
Scoot Away on Britney’s Vespa!
Want to Ride J-Lo’s Vespa?
Ready To Ride? Baron Von Scooter ad
Chad dug up Baron Von Scooter’s long-lost television commercial, featuring several Chicago scooterists shilling the tupperware. This and another version, with a Harley dude suiting up then riding off on a scooter, were regular fixtures on late-night basic cable for a few months circa 2002.
Spring is here?
Dentsu’s new psychedelic butterfly Vespa ad for the Canadian market, with five accompanying posters: “Kustaa,” “Words,” “Rainbow,” “Metal,” “Iconic,” and “Black and White.” Beautiful, and totally in the spirit of the history of Vespa advertising, but, um, it’s not quite Spring yet, is it? (More info about the campaign.) Thanks to Vespinoy for the tipoff, they have some cool Vespinoy stickers for sale, for all you Filipino-American scooterists (and there are many of you).
News Briefs
- A one-cm-long Vespa will be certified as Vietnam’s smallest scooter in Ho Chi Minh City today. Presumably, it has yellow kickstand boots.
- Reese Witherspoon’s film Penelope, featuring Christina Ricci with a pig snout and Witherspoon as a scooter messenger, debuted in Toronto this weekend.
- Arkansas pastor Bryan Fink, sick of $85 fill-ups for his minivan, switches to a scooter, racking up 1200 miles since May.
- Another boilerplate “scooters are great” story from Windham, Maine.
- Another Providence Journal Javaspeed story. (Doesn’t it seem like there have been several others this year?)
- Hindustan Times reports LML workers have started a sit-in at a Labour commisioner’s office. (Story was later removed)
“I must mount you now”
A funny Vespa commercial. They’re running commercials? Someone sent me this, and I thank them, but I can’t remember for the life of me who it was. Chad? Nitro? Jordan? Durso? No idea. I don’t remember last week.
La Dolce Vita scooter in California?
Rocco’s Ristorante and Pizzeria in Walnut Creek, CA claims to have the original Vespa from “La Dolce Vita.” There’s a picture in the slide show, anyone care to speculate on its authenticity?
živeli!
How many things are wrong (read: freaking sweet) in this picture? It’s from the Oldtimer-Grand Prix, held at the Vrsac airport in Serbia.
Piaggio Typhoon giveaway at Slaughterhouse
In a surprise last-minute announcement–days before the rally–Motoplex/Old Town Motocycle Shoppe has told us they’ll be giving away a Piaggio Typhoon in the Slaughterhouse raffle this Saturday night at the Cobra Lounge. Big thanks to Dan and Derrick at Motoplex for the scooter!
Jamie Oliver crushes Vespa
The celebrity news just keeps coming today. British chef and well-known scooterist Jamie Oliver crushes a Vespa in a fat suit in commercials for his new TV show. As an obese scooterist, I am not amused.