The Hard Rock Bet Commercial – Who’s the Actor and the Pro Boxer?

Given my jaw-dropping history with Hard Rock Bet, watching this new commercial was sort of like experiencing the pain of a wound that had *almost* healed. Like sliding into second base and reopening the strawberry from the last time you slid into second. When does a batter (me) come to his senses and just NOT slide into second?? Deep thoughts aside, this ad from Hard Rock Bet is pretty great. Take a look then keep reading for more about the star actors.

The Stars. The two co-stars sharing the spotlight in this commercial are an actor named Ryan O’Flanagan and a boxer named Michael Tyson. Ryan is “a Los Angeles-based comedian, actor, and content creator.  He has appeared on shows like New Girl, Abbott Elementary, Platonic, Dave, American Vandal, The Orville, and Players.” That’s straight from his website but you also might remember him from this series of videos from Funny or Die.

Michael Tyson, on the other hand, was nothing to laugh at in the ring. Better known as Mike Tyson, he was a h#*#@$ll of a boxer. I still remember where I was when he fought Evander Holyfield, probably one of the most epic matches I’ve seen, right up there with Thug Rose’s kick to the head.

A commercial hasn’t made me laugh as heartily as this one in a long time. The delivery of the line “Don’t sell yourself short, man… that’s really cool,” sends me into a laughing fit every time. The joke is obviously that Ryan is treating Mike’s boxing legacy as if it’s on par with being a bag boy at Winn-Dixie (I can say that because I was a bag boy at Winn Dixie). A job that any young teenage kid can get and Michael Tyson just needs to keep working hard and he’ll find his way up. 🤪

Check out Ryan’s website for more funny stuff– RyanOflanagan.com— and find him on Instagram too– @RyanOflan. I don’t know if Mike Tyson is on Instagram, I’m still afraid to cross him even if it’s just on the internet.

-Out of the Wilderness

Topanga Dedicates Dance to Mr. Feeny on Dancing with the Stars

I don’t watch “Dancing with the Stars” but when Topanga dedicates a dance to Mr. Feeny, I’m in!

Come on, Topanga! “Boy Meets World” is my favorite show of the 1990s, without a doubt. I’m sitting here trying NOT to write about every episode I loved. Cory and Topanga’s rollercoaster relationship and the brief break where Cory was in Lauren’s jacket and Topanga dated Jonathan Jackson’s character Ricky, the spoof episode called “Kid Gets Acquainted With Universe,” Shawn getting upset that Cory is about to move and toss him aside like an old pair of shoes, the prank wars when they were in college, Eric Matthews baking a bird which was originally a gift for his roommate Rachel, the addition of Matthew Lawrence has Jack Hunter, OK I’ll stop. Too many great memories from that show.

I loved seeing George Feeny alongside (probably his favorite) student Topanga as Danielle Fishel dedicated her dance to him, Bill Daniels. Awesome idea as a nod to an awesome show.

-Out of the Wilderness

Wells Fargo Commercials – Who’s the Celebrity Doing the Voiceover?

There are a few new Wells Fargo ads airing this month and you might recognize the celebrity narrating them. Check this one out and then make your guess…

The Voice. This guy is one of my favorite actors so I recognized his voice pretty quickly. But still, these days it’s important to make sure. It has been confirmed that the voice of these Wells Fargo ads is Owen Wilson. Consequently, he also stars in the music video of one of my favorite Christmas songs. Have you heard this one from The Killers? Of course, he’s also in dozens of movies, mostly comedies but, actually, he’s in a great movie from 2001. Watch him in a dramatic/action role in Behind Enemy Lines.

Which celebrity voice do you like hearing the most in commercials? There are quite a few out there so take a second to vote for your favorite…

-Out of the Wilderness

The Nike Baseball Commercial – Who’s Playing the Organ… and More!

I was a h@)$*%*ll of a baseball player… in t-ball. I could’ve gone pro!! At least that’s what I tell myself in between chapters of the Young Adult book I’m enthusiastically reading. Hi, I’m Ben and I’m 46 years old. I was never destined to be a baseball player even though that was my answer when my 7th grade teacher asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was going to have my own valuable rookie card. I would’ve hit the winning home run! I would’ve starred in this new Nike commercial as one of the greatest baseball players to ever wear a pair of stirrups. Instead, they got some no-name to play the familiar organ song where the fans finish it with a “Charge!” Check it out then scroll down for more…

The Star. There are lots of star athletes in this commercial. But the one playing the organ is the beloved and talented Ken Griffey, Jr. When I say his name out loud, I almost always follow it up with “rookie card” because back in my day, his Mariners rookie card was the card to have.

Of course, there was also the Bo Jackson football baseball card. I think my brother had that one. There is a clip or two of Bo Jackson in the ad, did you catch them? Hint: he’s the one who breaks the bat over his head. OK, that’s less of a hint and more of a total giveaway.

Did you see the Randy Johnson bird strike clip? I’m glad they did a subtle representation of that one, because… poor bird! The fireworks in the second pic represent the bird’s final moment (along with the feathers falling in the next clip of the commercial).

This is a cool commercial from Nike as the MLB world series is underway. Unfortunately, I don’t really care to watch baseball like I did when I was a youngster. I guess when I realized my skills weren’t going to take me to the top, I distanced myself from the sport altogether. Do I sound bitter that my 9th grade baseball coach benched me? Coach, I could’ve hit the ball over those mountains!

-Out of the Wilderness

The Allstate Georgia Dawg Bark Boy Commercial – The Actor and More

There’s so much about this commercial that needs to be discussed but before we get into it, take a look at the barking Bulldog ad from Allstate…

The Actor. The actor earning “Best in Show” is Dustin Ingram. You might recognize him from a few other projects he was part of, including another insurance ad from a few years ago. Here he is in Liberty Mutual’s ad with an Afghan Hound.

Beautiful dog, huh? A breed that also stars in this Farmer’s Dog commercial. But let’s get back to the bulldog. A couple of things I love about the Allstate commercial.

1) I bet the way Dustin (the employee) pounds the desk as he barks was unscripted. His enthusiasm is hilarious.

2) Towards the tail end (pun intended) of the commercial, why does he look up at the ceiling? I love it because it adds more awkwardness to an already awkward situation. I’m guessing the director told Dustin to adlib and trusted his ability as a comedian. It worked!

3) Can we all agree the lady boss ISN’T a Georgia fan? She must’ve been gifted the mug and kept it for some other reason than being a real dawg. Because if she was, she would’ve barked back! For instance, what if her mug said “Nashville” on it? Or if she wore this Nashville cap. He responds, “I love Nashvegas,” and I guarantee she would tip her cap and give him a wink and a nod of approval.

Check out some of actor Dustin’s other work by following him on Instagram (@tsunamigrind) and take a second to leave a comment below…

-Out of the Wilderness