On July 23, a jeans-clad Sydney Sweeney ignited the tradition wars as she starred in an American Eagle advert, mendacity on her aspect, her blue eyes skilled on the digicam, speaking about her genes.
64 days later, in a brand new advert, one other enticing, blue-eyed blonde lady lies on her aspect, clad in denim, speaking about genes.
However it’s not Sweeney this time, it’s not on behalf of American Eagle, and its message, by any measure, is extra essential than denim.
In a spot for The Colorectal Most cancers Alliance, the 68-year-old journalist Katie Couric playfully riffs on Sweeney’s genes/denims spiel, at the same time as she delivers an admonitory message.
“Talking of denims,” Couric kicks off the advert, “do you know that almost all of people that develop colon most cancers usually are not genetically predisposed to the illness? That’s why medical doctors advocate everybody 45 and older get checked.”
As Couric speaks, the digicam pulls again to disclose that she’s sporting a hospital robe beneath her jean jacket—similar to the one Sweeney wears within the American Eagle advert—mendacity on a hospital mattress whereas a health care provider readies a colonoscope.
Amusing as these 30 seconds are, the elbow goes for the ribs as soon as the body fills with block lettering that reads: “KATIE COURIC GETS REGULAR SCREENINGS,” an unmistakable sendup of “Sydney Sweeney Has Nice Denims,” which appeared in the identical light-blue, all-caps typeface within the American Eagle advert.
The PSA, created by Ryan Reynolds’ Most Effort, serves as an allegory for viewers sufficiently old to recollect Couric’s community days. In 2000, the anchorwoman raised consciousness of colorectal most cancers by having her personal colonoscopy televised.
That TV occasion was “a second in time,” Couric informed Folks. “We thought, ‘Why don’t we experience that horse a little bit bit longer and have some enjoyable with it?’”
However Couric’s dedication to the trigger is resolute. Jay Monahan, Couric’s first husband, died in 1997 of colon most cancers at age 42.
Reynolds has devoted his personal efforts to Lead from Behind, a colorectal most cancers consciousness drive, by turning his personal colonoscopy right into a video three years in the past. Actor Terry Crews and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott have contributed their very own PSAs.
Couric’s spoof of the American Eagle advert isn’t the primary time she’s leveraged her fame to attract consciousness to this trigger. In 2019, she satisfied Jimmy Kimmel, simply turned 50, to let her accompany him for—you guessed it—a colonoscopy, and document it.
“It appeared like an uncommon request,” Kimmel informed his followers in his monologue. “However I do know that is one thing Katie is enthusiastic about…. You’re about to observe a digicam go the place no digicam has ever gone earlier than.”
