Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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When Smoking Was Good for You by PITT DICKEY Are you sick of Syria? Don't want to think about the government shutting down in October? Stressing out about the odd things that might happen if America defaults on its debts in November? Forget reality for a while. Take a ride in Mr. Peabody's Way Back Machine to a kinder, gentler time when cigarette companies ruled the Earth, when cigarettes were healthy, sexy, politically astute and more fun than a barrel of chemotherapy drugs. Today's lesson recalls and admires cigarette ads. Some readers who still know how to write cursively may recall a section of the human anatomy that no longer exists but once was invented by Lucky Strike. Consider the "T zone" which used to be from your mouth to your throat. T stood for taste, throat and maybe toxic. A plethora of doctors proclaimed: "Luckies are less irritating to your T zone." Viceroy had a dentist saying "Viceroy filters the smoke. As your dentist I would recommend Viceroy." If you can't trust a smoking dentist, who can you trust? Professional folks used to endorse cigarettes all over the place. Business men, movie stars, even future presidents, all touted their favorite brands. Ronald Reagan appeared in an ad for Chesterfield surrounded by piles of cartons of cigarettes in festive Christmas boxes featuring snow scenes. Ron said: "I'm sending Chesterfields to all my friends. This is the merriest Christmas smokers can have. Buy the colorful Chesterfield Christmas card carton." A perfect stocking stuffer. Even babies pushed cigarettes. An ad for Marlboro featured a quizzical looking baby saying: "Just one? Mom, can you afford not to smoke Marlboro?" Mom says "Yes, you never feel over smoked. That's the Marlboro miracle." Hams can be over smoked but never over smoke a Mom. Keeping with childhood appeals, Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble both pitched Winstons. Kents brought financial success. "All over America ... More scientists and educators smoke Kent with the Micronite (asbestos) filter than any other cigarette." Tipalet's, a mutant cross between cigarettes and cigars brings you success with the ladies. The Tipalet ad featured a beautiful babe in a low cut dress with a cool dude blowing smoke into her face. The ad copy read: "Blow in her face and she'll follow you anywhere. Hit Why Choose Us? her with a tangy Tipalet cherry. A puff in her direction and she'll follow you, anywhere." Impressionable gals, you gotta love 'em. Lucky Strikes kept you slim. A Luckies' ad from the '30s had a bathing beauty saying "To keep a slender figure no one can deny, reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet. No throat irritation. No cough." Another Lucky ad had a grey fat guy on one side and a strong white guy running hurdles on the other side; "When tempted to indulge, reach for a Lucky instead. We do not say that Luckies reduce flesh. We do say when tempted to over indulge, reach for a Lucky instead." They could have said Luckies do reduce flesh. Lung cancer is an excellent way to lose weight. A lot of weight. Smoking made a political statement. Virginia Slims featured a beautiful black woman touching her throat and smoking. The copy said "Never let the goody two shoes get you down. Find your voice." It did not show if she had to have an artificial voice box after she developed cancer of the larynx. Virginia Slims also advised "You've come a long way, baby." Have some empowering radiation treatments. Lucky showed a woman touching her throat saying: "Consider your Adam's apple. Don't rasp your throat with harsh irritants. Reach for a Lucky instead." Newport was big on the outdoors. A happy bunch of campers are sitting around a campfire smoking. The copy read "Alive with pleasure. After all if smoking isn't a pleasure, why bother?" The subtext was dead with cancer. An ad for Camels had a cartoon bear yelling into a telephone with copy saying: "Feel cross as a bear? That's natural when little annoyances pile up. The psychological fact is pleasure helps your disposition. That's why everyday pleasures, like smoking for instance, are important. For pure pleasure have a Camel." The same ad had movie star Maureen O'Hara lying back seductively on a bed smoking a Camel. Smoking equals Whoopee. PITT DICKEY, Contributing Winston tastes good. Like a cigarette Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@ should. Light 'em if you got 'em. upandcomingweekly.com. R &&5& 3+<6,&$/ 7+(5$3< Better results in fewer visits. First Mo n Rent FR th's Mention p EE! romo cod e NA001 to this o Saving you time & money. Sports Injuries • Back • Neck and Extremity Pain Balance and Vestibular Therapy Sprains/Strains • Tendonitis • Bursitis Sciatica Leg Pain • Pre and Post Surgical Rehab and a whole lot more! You have a CHOICE. Did you know that in the State of North Carolina, no physician referral is needed? If you are in need of Physical Therapy come see one of our Doctors of Physical Therapy. ffer. *restr icti redeem MILITARY ons may apply DISCOU AVAILABL NTS E! 1939 Skibo Road Fayetteville, NC 28314 3520 Bragg Boulevard Fayetteville, NC 28303 910-864-1151 910-867-1314 526 McArthur Road Fayetteville, NC 28311 1057 Rim Road Fayetteville, NC 28314 910-488-6250 910-860-0040 YOU HAVE A CHOICE...CHOOSE US! 910-429-0600 • CCRCNC.COM 4251 LEGION ROAD-107 HOPE MILLS, NC 28348 12 SEPT 25 - OCT 1, 2013 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM