P.S. I'm Gagging!
Mark Baker believes it's hard for most people to express their feelings
appropriately, so he founded P.S. I Love You!, a personalized song
company. After learning the recipient's name, eye color and state of residence,
the clever P.S. technicians craft a song that sounds as if it was written
and recorded specifically for that special someone. P.S. I Love You! has
songs for every occasion, from bar mitzvahs to heartfelt apologies. The
studio musicians and singers have supposedly worked with stars like Bette
Midler and Neil Diamond, but the sample "Merry Christmas Sweetheart" we
heard was rendered by a bleating female with a treacly country twang.
The cost for this gem? $49.95 for a CD, $39.95 for a cassette (800-725-7664).
(CM)
Not So Far,
Far Away
Whatever the main attraction may be, people are going to cinemas
solely to catch the preview for the Star Wars prequel, Episode
I--The Phantom Menace. This sci-fi tease may be the first film
preview ever to have a debut date (Nov. 20). It features shots not included
in the movie and is designed to leave audiences salivating for the feature's
release on May 21, 1999. The technology used for the two-minute trailer
alone takes special effects to a new level, but the futuristic footage
still retains that slightly campy look of the first Star Wars,
made 20 years ago. The camera jumps from scenes on Tatooine, the desert
planet on which a young Anakin Skywalker gets a glimpse of his destiny,
to armies of endearing droids to a round-table with Yoda dispensing
ever-sage advice. Prepare for an intergalactic challenge filled with
honor and adventure. (TS)
Just One More
Pop
On Oct. 17, during the first game of the World Series, the Pepsi-Cola
Company introduced its new diet soft drink, Pepsi One (about
$1 for a 12-ounce can, depending on location) in a national advertising
campaign. Spokesperson Cuba Gooding Jr. stars in two commercials. In
one he's a jacked-on-caffeine business executive; in the other he's
a jacked-on-caffeine skydiver. The actor's antics should come as no
surprise to anyone who's tried the new pop; between the can's computer-age
font and its recently FDA-approved sweetener, Ace-K, Pepsi One is clearly
meant for the modern, figure-conscious consumer on the go. The sweetener
is synthesized to resemble sugar, thus making the one-calorie soda taste
like regular cola. But in this sampler's opinion, nothing beats the
real thing, baby. (MM)
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Willamette Week | originally
published December 9,
1998
|
