Honestly, if I read or hear one more person tout the greatness of a new beer commercial featuring a group of men playing basketball in wheelchairs, I may pull an Elvis and shoot my TV with my Nerf Dart Gun.
To hear people talk or to read social media, the commercial is the greatest piece of cinematic work since "Citizen Kane". Men have freely admitted to getting choked up watching the beer spot, which is man-talk for saying "I bawled like a baby with diaper rash." People have sworn allegiance to the beer based on the commercial alone.
Let's all calm down for a moment and take a breath before we anoint this commercial as the next 'Gone With the Wind." As Sgt. Hulka said (in a much better piece of film, "Stripes" starring Bill Murray and John Candy), "Lighten up, Francis."
Up front, I will state that I am not a fan of beer or alcohol in general because of the destructive effect it has on children and families. Secondly, I do know a little something about disabilities as the Lil Missus uses a wheelchair.
That being said, here's the commercial's premise: a group of middle-aged men are seen playing basketball in wheelchairs. It's a rough and spirited game, with some men tipping over and nearly falling out of their chairs. At the end of the game, the men get out of the chairs and walk out of the gym - except for one buddy who obviously needs the wheelchair for mobility purposes. The commercial concludes with the scene shifting to the bar where the gang enjoys drinking beer.
Good try, beer company. Let's put aside the product and look at the commercial's flawed supposition, which was designed to be a message of inclusion and friendship. Look at these able-bodied guys changing the way they play basketball for their buddy who can't get out of his chair.
Obviously (or obvs, as my sons say) every person is different with different opinions, but my wife would be livid if her lady-friends invited her to go shopping and then they all got in wheelchairs at the mall so that they could be like her. She doesn't want the extra attention, or for people to go out of their way to accommodate her. She's all for hanging out with family and friends, but don't make a big deal of out her disability.
I probably am guilty of making a bigger deal of this than it actually is, but the praise being heaped on the beer company for its message doesn't ring true with everyone.
As with most things, don't believe everything you see.