In case you didn’t see it 30 times while watching the NCAA basketball tournament action in the last four days, here’s the ad CBS has been showing during games to promote Britney Spears’ guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_GGL7kDk-8[/youtube]
We know we’re in the gossip business, but this seems harmless enough, right? Well it’s not alright with columnist Michael McCarthy of USA Today, who writes:
Who’s the genius behind the lame promo during CBS’ coverage of the tournament Saturday and Sunday about Britney Spears’ appearance on How I Met Your Mother? In the clip from tonight’s episode, Spears’ flirty receptionist asks Neil Patrick Harris’ character if they can have sex, then go shopping. Cute. We know Hollywood loves to outrage the squares in Middle America. But there are kids watching these games.
Come on USA Today. We see your point, but Hollywood trying to outrage middle America with HIMYM promos? That’s a bit of a stretch, don’t you think?
The only thing bad about this commercial is Britney Spears‘ acting. Which is pretty darn awful. If this is a career “comeback,” we shudder to think what’s next.