For a majority of Americans, Trump’s presidency, after only four months, has been a non-stop, squirm-in-your-seat display of ineptitude. It’s been one cringe-worthy moment after another. Donald J. Trump is being described by many as the most embarrassing thing to hit the country … ever.
The latest Trump faux pas occurred only yesterday following the Manchester terror attack. At a time when the situation called for eloquence and gravitas, the best Donald Trump could come up with was calling the terrorists responsible for the massacre “losers.”
Yes, while it does appear our president is seeking to earn the title of most embarrassing American “product” of all time, he is not quite there … yet. That distinction belongs to an invention of the mid 70’s … the pet rock.
In 1975, while sitting at a Northern California bar listening to his friends complain about their pets, Gary Dahl came up with a brilliant idea … a pet that needed no caring or maintenance … a rock!
The concept of a “pet” that required no actual work and no real commitment resonated with the self-indulgent 70’s American public and, before long, a cultural phenomenon was born.
For a mere $3.95, a consumer could buy a rock — a plain, ordinary, egg-shaped rock the kind one could dig up in almost any backyard.
As with most marketing success stories, the genius was in the packaging. Each Pet Rock came in a cardboard carrying case, complete with air holes, tenderly nestled on a bed of fine wood shavings. But Dahl’s masterstroke was his accompanying manual on the care, feeding and house training of Pet Rocks.
So, contrary to popular opinion, Donald Trump is no the greatest national embarrassment of all time. That honor is reserved for the one million deranged Americans who became the proud owners of Pet Rocks, a fad Newsweek later called “one of the most ridiculously successful marketing schemes ever.”
But for Trump, and American history, there is still time.
Photos | reddit.com, money.cnn.com
One thing’s for sure, Trump is never happy with second best. He’ll get to number one!
Ha! For sure!
How about visiting Israel and saying he just returned from the Middle East. Where the fuck does he think Israel is? What a putz.
Maybe dementia?
Sorry, can’t agree. Pet Rocks and Trump are both examples of marketing gone awry, but no one actually believed a rock could be a pet.
And no one except diehard Trumpites thought Trump could be a president either. Ha!