Spuds MacKenzie

Spuds MacKenzie was a fictional dog character created for use in an advertising campaign marketing Bud Light beer in the late 1980s. The dog first showed up in a Bud Light Super Bowl XXI ad in 1987.^[1] During the height of his popularity, large amounts of Spuds merchandise was available, such as plush toys and t-shirts.

The dog, a Bull Terrier, existed not without his share of controversy. Shortly after Spuds' rise to fame it was learned that the dog, who was portrayed as male in the commercials, was actually female. The ads were also the subject of attacks and calls for censorship by temperance-oriented groups. In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, charged that Anheuser-Busch was pitching the dog to children. Although the Federal Trade Commission found no evidence to support that allegation, the ads were dropped.

The dog's real name was Honey Tree Evil Eye (October 7, 1983 - May 31, 1993).^[1] She died of kidney failure in North Riverside, Illinois.

Cultural references

• Cincinnati Reds third baseman Chris Sabo was given the nickname “Spuds MacKenzie” by manager Pete Rose in 1988, the year Sabo won National League Rookie of the Year honors.

• The character Slurms MacKenzie (“The Original Party Worm”) from the television series Futurama is a parody of Spuds, as is Santa’s Little Helper’s stint as “Suds McDuff” on The Simpsons.

• In his late-1980s anti-“sellout” anthem, “This Note’s for You” (the title of which parodies Budweiser’s “This Bud’s for You” ad campaign), Neil Young says he “ain’t singing for Spuds” in the title track. The dog also appears throughout the music video for the same song.

• The song "Ice Cream" by Raekwon featuring Ghostface Killah includes a line in which Ghostface raps "If I was jiggy, you'd be spotted like Spud MacKenzie."

• The song Ring Ding by M.O.P. gives a shoutout to Spud MacKenzie

• In the Family Guy episode "A Fish out of Water", a drunk teen at a Spring Break celebration sees a dog resembling Spuds MacKenzie and is bitten by the dog after mistaking it for the Bud mascot.

• The comic Badger #39 references the then-current pit bull controversy by having Badger save a Spuds-like mascot, Buddy McBride, from a murder accusation.

• The comic Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg! volume 2, #7 briefly features a Spuds-like, surfing spokesdog named Spuzz MacFarlane, who is promptly shot by Raul, the sentient cat.

• The song "Funky Cold Medina" by Tone Lōc refers to Spuds MacKenzie (as well as Stroh's beer mascot Alex the Dog) as being attracted to Lōc's aphrodisiac-drinking dog.

• The song "Selfish" by Slum Village featuring Kanye West includes a line in which West says "I spotted her like Spud MacKenzie.

• The song "Mans Best Friend" by Ice Cube off his album Death Certificate includes a line "And I can't do that with Benji, Rin Tin Tin Or Spuds Mackenzie"

• In the Family Guy episode “Brian Writes a Bestseller,” a very old Spuds MacKenzie is portrayed to be in a reality show like Rock of Love, with a group of women told to sleep with Spuds as he lies on the couch.

• An issue of MAD Magazine in the late 80's had a study of how cultural standards are going downhill, as one example, tracing how America's favorite dog went from Lassie to Benji to Spuds MacKenzie.

Notes

External links

• Spuds MacKenzie commercial