Feeling a little “flat” this year (literally)

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I flipped on the TV yesterday afternoon in time to catch the end of a figure skating program. Instead of focusing on the performance, I was completely distracted by the cardboard people.

Years ago sponsors started having their names pasted all over the rink walls which was bad enough to have in your line of sight while watching an exquisite skating performance, but now here were cardboard cutout people filling the first several rows. Because Geico was a sponsor, I saw, as the camera circled the ice, more than one human-sized Geico lizard also in attendance. If he had to be there why wasn’t his cardboard version at least gecko-sized?? He’s really tiny in those commercials otherwise people would run in terror or try to kill it.😯

I assumed these paper people were space-fillers due to the pandemic, like the restaurants that have filled seats with mannequins (which I’d find creepy not cozy). I was partially right. I googled it & it turns out until an October deadline interested people could BUY cardboard cutouts to take their place at skating events. Purchasers could use a photo of themselves or if not, “Snowplow Sam”, whoever the hell that is, would be used.

I figure, if they’re going this far, bizarre as it already is, why not go all in and let people buy cutouts of whatever they want to sit in the audience? Why not Chewbacca or E.T. or zombies? A Geico gecko zombie? The possibilities…😀

14 thoughts on “Feeling a little “flat” this year (literally)”

  4. markbialczak

    Watching baseball and football that has been played (as safely as possible) during COVID, many stadiums have used these flat fans, Colette, yes charging a fee to their followers to “get into the game.”

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    1. Colette Post author

      😐 Ah, the price of getting your “face” on TV. On a different note, the games haven’t been safe enough for the players, given how many have been infected. I wonder sometimes if they really want to be back or have been/felt pressured to.

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      1. markbialczak

        I think the big paychecks are reason for them to play, needing to make the money in their short athletic primes, Colette, to take care of their families. And in college, it’s the scholarship for some and the dangled promise of professional money down the road for others.

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  6. Pistachios

    I can’t believe this is a real thing, but then again, if it makes money, it’s probably gonna be a thing…
    I heard that at some sporting events, they played fake/recorded cheering noises to try to replicate the atmosphere of a full crowd. Maybe they could’ve added a premium feature where people could pay extra to have their own recorded cheering played from their cardboard cut-outs

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    1. Colette Post author

      😀 Now you’re thinking like a good capitalist! Your pre-recorded voice could include an array of sayings & jeers as appropriate: “My grandma plays better than you!” “I paid $65 for this cardboard, let’s see that quad toe loop!”

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