That Guy or the Diamonds?
Manolo says, the Manolo’s shoe-obsessed friend Wayne poses the qustion.
Since you happen to have a well-read blog by American women, I have a question I’d like to put to your readers:
If you’ve looked at TV the past few weeks, there’s a commercial running for a jewelry store (yes, it’s THAT time of the season) where a man is painting his wife’s/girlfriend’s/fiancee’s toenails, and asks (I can’t quote the ad verbatim), “How do they look?”…His woman replies, “They look fine”, to which he answers, “I think they need another coat.” A voiceover says, “Because you’re not THAT GUY, there’s Helzberg Diamonds.”
QUESTION: Would a woman rather have THAT GUY, or the diamonds?
And here, through the magic of YouTube is the commercial in question…
So, dear readers, satisfy the Wayne’s (and the Manolo’s) curiosity: That guy or the diamonds?
December 7th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
No contest. Diamonds.
December 7th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Hm - diamonds ARE fabulous, but That Guy is That Guy all the time. I’d rather have a totally present, thoughtful guy and buy myself the diamonds.
December 7th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
I want That Guy! Why? Because That Guy would still buy diamonds if he can afford it….. And how hot! Paint my toe nails and ohhhhhhhh!
December 7th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
No contest. That guy.
December 7th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Does that guy cook? Can he change a tire? Then I would have to take that guy - forget diamonds! I’ll wear fake jewelry and try to muddle through somehow.
December 7th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
That guy. As Nora says, “That Guy is That Guy all the time”. A wonderful companion is without compare. Stuff is just stuff.
Also, hasn’t anyone seen “Blood Diamond”? I don’t want to wear something that encouraged civil war, amputations et cetera, no matter how darned twinkly it is.
December 7th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
diamonds - or any thing, really. a guy who paints your toe nails? not for me.
December 7th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Yeah, there’s no question that I would want That Guy over diamonds. And especially over diamonds from a guy who thinks that giving diamonds means not having to be a nice guy…
December 7th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
I don’t like my husband to be a part of my “beautification rituals” so that kind of makes it feel weird, but his is That Guy, and not because I make him but because he is a giving caring considerate person. He makes my lunch and cooks most of the meals and respects me and whatever I want to do.
And the only diamond I was ever given in 10 years is my engagement ring.
So I guess I’d take the Guy. But if he wanted to bring on the diamonds (canary, please), I wouldn’t say no!
Luv
Poochie
December 7th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
No contest–That Guy. In fact, I am married to That Guy. He’s never painted my toenails (yet), but he gives good foot massages–he also cooks, washes dishes, and does laundry.
My engagement ring was a small sapphire in a vintage setting that only cost $250, but would I rather have had diamonds? No, absolutely not. Expensive presents are nice, but there is no substitute for the kindness and thoughtfulness of a man who treats me like a queen, even if he can’t afford to buy me queenly jewels.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
The diamonds. A bloke who wants to paint my toenails? Are you serious? There has to be something strange about him if he enjoys that.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
The diamonds. A bloke who wants to paint my toenails? Are you serious? There has to be something strange about him if he enjoys that. Even I don’t enjoy painting my toenails.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Ugh neither. Fawning houseboy Dude? No thank you. Generic, ugly, overpriced blood diamonds? Pass.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Assuming That Guy is supposed to be The Guy who makes dinner and shovels the driveway without being asked and opens your car door, THAT GUY. That Guy would buy you diamonds if he could afford them and you wanted diamonds anyway.
If That Guy is supposed to be a closeted foot fetishist, which is how he comes off, then, well, the diamonds.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
What a lovely statement this commercial makes: “Fellas! Want to get out of spontaneous acts of love and generosity that require a certain (minimal) level of effort and selflessness? Mindlessly buy diamonds! That way, there’s no reason for you to put thought into what would actually make your loved one feel cared for and codled! Diamonds: The Love Splenda.”
That Guy, or as I call him, my husband. :)
December 7th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Definitely the diamonds. I would be totally turned off by a man who was so whipped that he sat around painting my toenails.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Hmmm…I’ve never cared for diamonds and my feet are hideously ticklish, so I don’t want either in the literal sense. But if I look at it from the perspective of what each represents, definitely the guy. Money and material wealth are wonderful things, certainly, but they can’t warm you like a thoughtful, affectionate partner in life.
Mr. Twistie may not do my nails, but he does a great many other things that are at least as thoughtful. As long as we’ve got enough to keep a roof over our heads and sufficient food in our bellies, we’ve got enough money. As long as we’ve got each other, we’ve got considerably more than enough.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Definitely the man. Diamonds are mined in conditions approximating slavery, support corrupt governments and warlords, and are marketed by a cartel that has artificially inflated the price.
A man who would caress my feet is so much nicer.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
There’s enough sweet warmth in this comment thread to thaw even the most frozen heart.
I’m married to a THAT GUY, too. Paint my nails? Why would he, since I never do? I’m not interpreting it literally — THAT GUY is caring and considerate, and does things that tell me he loves me. He’s seen me through a number of crises and I know I can trust him completely.
Besides which, as many have pointed out, THAT GUY will buy you diamonds if 1) you can afford them and 2) you want them. My particular THAT GUY bought me emeralds, but our latest gift to each other was a ping pong table. (hee!)
December 7th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Why is this an either or situation? I want have both!
December 7th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
So the choice is between a thoughtful, caring human companion or a small transparent rock.
Hmmm…difficult…
Diamonds: The Love Splenda
Ha! Great comment, JS.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
I would prefer That Guy over a sparkly-shiny thing that costs the same as a downpayment for a house, but I wouldn’t necessarily prefer that guy. However, artistic skills with a brush are admirable.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
That guy, for the time he spends with her on the couch, all it takes is money to buy diamonds etc. It takes effort to actually do something for someone. My husband makes me the most wonderful presents and I wouldn’t trade them for the entire DeBeers inventory.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
JS, can I put your post on a t-shirt? You nailed down exactly what bugs me about all these damn diamond commercials — they imply that you can avoid having to think about what your loved one’s individual tastes if you accept that she’s a mindless female who will be entranced by shiny objects.
For my last birthday my boyfriend gave me a pretty silk purse with a box of my favorite candy inside. It was so much more thoughtful and touching than a generic Zales necklace.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Miss Janey has to say neither. She agrees with what Jenny said:
Fawning houseboy Dude? No thank you. Generic, ugly, overpriced blood diamonds? Pass.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
I think this commercial is saying, “Diamonds. That’ll shut her up.”
(Thank you, Ron White)
December 7th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Ugh…the first time I saw that commercial, it really creeped me out! A man that wants to paint my toenails? Too much baby-ing for me! I would rather paint my own toenails while he watches football with the guys!
Definitely diamonds!
December 7th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Every girl who reads this blog should get to know a man with a foot fetish. Nothing so wonderful in this world as being encouraged to buy fabulous shoes and get regular pedicures. Not to mention all the foot massages a girl could ask for.
Diamonds? No thanks.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Duh. That Guy. Although if the diamonds weren’t the same ones half a million women are also getting for Christmas from Zales, and instead were carefully picked out to suit my taste in a demonstration that Guy has been paying attention, I’d reassess.
(It’s hilarious to hear people dis foot fetishists as weird on a shoe blog. Perhaps not literally, but you HAVE to have a Thing about feet to even BE here.)
It’s a good ad though. The kind of guy it’d work on does need help with gifts, and the kind of girl who’d put up with a clod like that would like them.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Diamonds, thanks. I can paint my own toenails.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Neither. That guy was annoying - He exclaims “Another COAT!” like it was the most exciting thing ever. Like JS, I’m married to a gentle, caring man … but he doesn’t paint my nails, and that’s okay since he cooks me lobster risotto now and then.
And if some guy thinks he could fool me into thinking he’s thoughtful because he dangles sparkly objects in front of my eyes - well, we’d see who the fool really is.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
There’s a “That Guy” billboard near my house. Every time I drive by it, it reminds me what a stupid ad campaign this is. Almost any girl wants That Guy who shows his affection through kind gestures, not just purchases.
Sheesh. A man must have been the one who came up with this campaign.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Well, I don’t wear diamonds, and I mislike the implication that “regular guys” aren’t interested in physically pampering their partners. (Or that regular guys can’t have a foot fetish. Or whatever.)
In general, though, I’d rather have a guy who likes being with me and contributing to my physical well-being than one who buys me jewelry. Fortunately, my husband does both.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
I can paint my own toenails. I have not yet figured out a way to make my earlobes sparkle with the power of will.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Ugh. Neither.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
That Guy is a douche.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
I don’t dig ‘That guy’ in the ad particularly, but I think it’s sleazy how they portray him as a fawning houseboy to her tea-sipping domina. It still buys into the ‘one of them wears the pants’ mentality of the fifties; that is, someone has to be in charge around here, and look at the heresy that happens when it’s a woman. If my boyfriend of 6+ years offered to paint my toenails I’d let him.
But buying me a stupid shiny mineral that quantifies his perception of my worth to other people via the carat system, no. That is not for me. I’d rather have a vacation with him to somewhere we’ve never been, or something I’ve been wanting but we can’t afford.
I also think this commercial is aimed at a very specific consumer demographic, more concerned with Keeping Up With The Joneses and deathly afraid of falling behind than actually making gestures of affection.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
That guy, a thousand times over. I can’t even look at diamonds without thinking of the human rights abuses and atrocities they’re funding in Sierra Leone.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
DIAMONDS!
but only because I already have “that guy”. If I don’t I’d definitely choose him over diamonds any day. :)
December 7th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
That guy. Absolutely.
Intimate attention > shiny pebble.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Ick! Neither, thanks.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
So stupid.
Neither. I’ve been joking with my husband lately about our local jewelry chain’s “YOU MUST BUY YOUR WOMAN DIAMONDS ELSE YOU HAVE A TINY PENIS” ads. Apparently, according to television, he owes me both diamonds and a Lexus this holiday season. Thing is, I don’t particularly want diamonds, or a Lexus. My engagement ring, while gorgeous and vintage, does not feature a diamond, and I’m perfectly happy taking public transportation and sharing a car with husband. And although my husband is sweet, kind, thoughtful, and prone to spontaneous foot massages, painting my toenails is not something he would do. And I’m fine with that. I’d rather pay someone to do that while my husband enjoys his own hobbies.
I’m not that shallow, and I don’t think most other women are, either. Thanks for insulting us yet again, stupid diamond pushers.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
This particular version of That Guy is creepy (also insincere?), but if That Guy = someone who voluntarily does thoughtful things like wash all the dishes or give me massages, then I choose That Guy over diamonds, every time. (Particularly over conflict diamonds and those ugly diamonds.)
December 7th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Diamonds, as long as they’re not conflict diamonds. Love is fleeting; diamonds last forever - and can be sold after a breakup for shoe money!
December 7th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Kudos Jenny!
Neither nor for me as well. Foot fetishists are not my thing and diamonds are so passé. Not to mention the criminality of supporting the legion banal ad campaigns for those mass market stones.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Why is there an “or” in this question and not an “and?”
December 7th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
It’s amazing to me (a Rabid Feminist) how many comments there are from women saying that a man who pays attention and enjoys what his partner enjoys*, treats her with respect and caring, are p*ssies, douches, not Real Men**, whipped, and a fawning houseboy.
Ladies, a man can be a Real Man (whatever that means) without being an *sshole. My husband cooks, cleans, uses a washing machine and dryer, raises our children *with me* and takes an interest in what interests me as I do for him. He is just as likely to get me a beer as I am to get him one. He has been the house husband as I have been the house wife. I have made more money than him as he has made more money than I throughout our 17 yr marriage, without any damaged poor male ego crap. He ain’t perfect, but he’s damn close to it.
And I’d love to have anyone tell his 6′5″, 300 lb, Steve Austin-looking face that he’s whipped, not a Real Man, a p*ssy, a douche, etc. I’d sell tickets to that beat down.
*Now, the assumption that what *she* enjoys is prettifying her toenails, in PINK no less, is another subject entirely. Also the entire Jewelry Whore issue…::sigh::
**B/c what? Real Men are Neanderthals who pay no attention to you, choose football with the guys over time with you, brutes whose only contribution to class and style is that they don’t concern themselves with either? I don’t think so.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Mr. Carol already gifted me with the only diamond I’ll ever want or need - and did not purchase it ready-made from Zales or Kay’s or any other such outlet. He will not be allowed to paint my toenails (some things are better done by oneself in the privacy of one’s own spare bedroom), but he does many other wonderful things such as shoveling a path to my car and clearing off the 2i of snow, cooking dinner that’s ready when I get home, making room at the table for my adult children next to his, indulging my taste for fine dark chocolate….
December 7th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
If a diamond gift is something a man saves and sacrifices for, it means something. If it’s just money thrown at a girl at sales counter so he could be done thinking about it, the gift means nothing–no matter how much it costs.
I have been married for 18 years to a lovely man who would paint my toes if I asked him to. (I am fortunate; I can afford pedicures.) That willingness does not make him a fawning houseboy or whipped or whatever. It makes him a giving life partner I can trust and love when it really counts, when life gets rotten and hard, as it often does. When my great aunt had her last stroke, my great uncle had a little nursing help with her, but he changed her diapers, fed her, and carried her from her chair to her wheelchair, to her bed, his little 87 year-old arms holding on to her for dear life when she wouldn’t let anybody else touch her. He went on this way for nearly a year, refusing time after time to move her from her beloved home to a nursing home. (To nobody’s surprise, he died a month after she did.) That’s genuine love. I’ve seen it, I have experienced it, and there is nothing–nothing–like it.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Chaser, Thank you!
That was my grandfather, too. And since Grandma passed away a few years ago, he’s been at a loss as to what to do with himself.
56 yrs. No diamond can beat that.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
That guy, no question.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Based solely on the commercial, definitely the diamonds–because something about the way that particular guy acts in that particular commercial makes me shudder.
However, in real life I would take That Guy over a hundred diamonds, hands down, any day of the week.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Definitely That Guy, for what he represents. As it turns out, guys aren’t always as good at painting my toenails as the lady down at the nail shop, and I do love a nice tasteful diamond, but all the same, that guy wins. My version of that guy wouldn’t necessarily paint my nails, but he would make my favorite vegetarian chili on a cold day. If that means he’s whipped, then there’s something very wrong with America.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
As previously stated, to me “That Guy” is not necessarily one who paints toenails, but one who gives personal attention and/or does things I ask him to because he loves me. My husband has NEVER painted my toenails, nor would I expect or ask him to, but he does all sorts of other caring and wonderful things that more than make up for his lack of knowledge about base and top coats.
AND he gave me a gorgeous engagement ring, yes with diamonds (years ago before the whole “blood diamond” concept really took hold, and yes, I know diamonds are artificially inflated in value, yadda yadda…) so the way I look at it, I’ve got both.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
The diamonds - because “that guy” is someone I’d end up walking all over until he grew to resent me for it.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
That guy. Because I don’t want cheap diamond jewelry. If I want cheap flashy jewelry, give me huge sparkling rhinestones! If you’re giving me real jewelry, I want it carefully selected for my tastes and style, which aren’t going to be what you’ll get by slapping down $399 at the mall jewelry store. $3999 maybe, but I don’t want a gift like that at every holiday occasion! (We can’t afford it, for one thing).
December 7th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
I’d really rather have the money that would have been spent on diamonds to spend on Manolo Blahniks…
“That Guy” would creep me out!
December 7th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Diamonds are worthless, overrated rocks that represent the loss of millions of lives in horrific ways, untold suffering, the promotion of terrorism, apartheid, and dictatorship. They are marketed by a global cartel that controls the supply of something found in every continent on earth to not only ensure they are priced ten times more than what they would be in a free market, but to make them impossible to resell. They are purchased by women and men who seem to believe that this is all worth ignoring because DeBeers told them that no other expression “love” is better– an assertion created totally out of thin air. Every diamond commercial I see — and they are airing every commercial break– reminds me that DeBeers is directly responsible for some of the worst tragedies of the 20th century. So, comparing a diamond to a gentleman who isn’t afraid of your body, being expressive, or seeming servile or fey? Are you effing kidding me?!
December 7th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
I’m with you Eileen. Creepy! Give me the diamonds! Easily converted to cash when you discover “That Guy” is having an affair with the pool boy or when you realize you can’t take one more minute of his clinging, smothering, totally dependant behavior. “That Guy” is obviously suffering from Slinky Disease (no spine).
December 7th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
I think we’re not really focusing on the original question here, ladies. Obviously the question is not literally about foot fetish guy versus chain store jewelry. The question is whether you’d rather have a romantic guy who pampers you, or one who spends money on you. And when it comes to that, I’ll take the guy over the diamonds any day.
December 7th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
That guy didn’t seem creepy to me at all. He seemed really sweet. I’m not sure I’d go for a pedicure, but a handpicked bouquet of flowers and a homecooked meal wins out over crappy mall jewelry any day (though at least it’s not that stupid heart pendant they push around February). And yes, it even wins out over a decent piece of jewelry.
December 7th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
To Tanya Brown…
“Also, hasn’t anyone seen “Blood Diamond”? I don’t want to wear something that encouraged civil war, amputations et cetera, no matter how darned twinkly it is.”
1. Not all diamonds are blood/conflict diamonds.
2. Many more things other than diamonds have encouraged the behaviours that you site. Foremost among them religion and, running a close second, oil. So, unless you intend to stop practicing your chosen form of worship and/or stop driving your car and using all electrical appliances and heating your home, give the poor diamonds a break.
December 7th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Maybe I didn’t make myself clear earlier: I said I didn’t like the way THE AD depicted ‘that guy’- as in a caring, supportive partner- as a fawning houseboy. I was not calling him one. It did not imply a relationship between equals. Further, as last year more women requested gifts of electronics than jewelry, the diamond industry is playing on the fears of people who don’t know or care about their partner enough to present them with something worthwhile and to their personal taste.
My boyfriend and I enjoy many similiar pursuits, including weightlifting, beerbrewing, going to shows, cooking, and playing video games. We respect each other’s space and intelligence. Ours is a relationship of equality. What’s depicted in the ad is one partner who is sensitive and involved–carefully and meticulously putting thought into painting her toenails; and the other emotionally remote–reading a book, sipping tea, and checking on his progress. It’s clearly aimed at men, not women.
But there seem to be many women on here just as happy with the present of a diamond than not. I don’t understand it, but Manolo also asked for our opinions. That is mine.
December 7th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
I vote with those who say neither. I don’t care about jewelry, and I’m afraid I like a bit more manly man than the toenail-painting type. Not a macho jerk, of course — but surely there is a middle ground.
(And I agree, conditionally, with gemdiva. I think the analogies don’t bear much scrutiny, but a bit of perspective is nice.)
December 7th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
That guy!!!!!!!!!!!
If he is painting my toes, he has already given me the diamond(s)!!!
December 7th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
This ad would be cuter if she were pregnant, but perhaps that’s just projecting personal experiences and my favorite poem, The point being that then it would appear less “whipped” and more helpful–I challenge anyone to paint their toenails (or do many of the other things we do to feel attractive and pretty in our own eyes) while heavily pregnant, and a man who recognized that such a thing would make an uncomfortably pregnant wife feel a whole lot better is priceless.
She is not pregnant, but it still makes him a nice guy. I took That Guy over diamonds a long time ago.
And gemdiva is accurate. While it’s important to be conscious of where our products come from (and please, if you are getting diamonds this holiday, ask to be sure that they are Kimberly certified) we should strive to make all our consumption educated, which means both acquiring knowledge about everything we buy (and not just those products exposed by Hollywood movies years after the problem has peaked out) and acquiring more than surface-level knowledge.
December 7th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
The choice represented by the add is senseless, but the comparison of “sensitive man” vs. “rugged man” (here pitifully represented in absentia by diamonds- really both are caricatures, but that’s sort of the point) is always interesting.
Consider this: Men will generally behave in the way thet gets them laid the most. Most men are not That Guy. What does that tell us about women?
Sort-of Corollary: Ever wonder why men are less concerned with their appearance than women? It’s because women don’t like it when men are preeners.
I submit that women say they like sensitive men, but they really don’t, except in small doses.
December 7th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
I’d take That Guy, if I didn’t already have My Guy - an intelligent, caring partner who will not waste our common savings on slave rocks.
December 7th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Uncle Fester–I think the fact that more than one of us has already said, “I am married to That Guy” says that some women actually do like sensitive men, and not just in small doses.
December 7th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
Diamonds! Why would anyone want their man preening over them, doing their nails, hair, makeup, massages or anything servile? Yuck. Way too eunuch-y.
December 7th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Diamonds.
Face it: that guy isn’t doing an extra coat to make her look special; he’s doing an extra coat because he’s a controlling fussbudget for whom nothing is good enough. He secretly thinks she’s a slob with no standards, she secretly thinks he’s an asshole.
They’re both right.
December 7th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
That guy. Please ship right away. I’ll pay extra if he arrives in a suit, for Christmas.
December 7th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
My DH wouldn’t paint my nails, the odor of the varnish gives him a headache. However, he’s the kind of husband that trips over himself to take care of me and give me anything I might ask for. I’d rather have him than just some jewelry.
Luckily, I have jewelry *also* but if I had to pick, I’d rather have my DH. Jewelry doesn’t snuggle up and spoon you on a cold night, does it? Or bring you coffee or anything else really - does it…..
December 7th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
What I see in that commercial is a dog-whistle message to guys saying, “don’t worry if you have issues with intimacy; guys who don’t are wusses anyway! Just buy her something sparkly and she won’t have any grounds to complain if you are too emotionally constipated to communicate.”
December 7th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Neither. I don’t need a guy who paints my toenails, and I profoundly dislike diamonds.
Now, if the ad is trying to imply “that guy” is the guy who listens when you talk to him (most of the time), helps out around the house without acting put-upon (most of the time), and so forth, but is also human, then yeah, I want “that guy.”
But never diamonds.
December 7th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Does nobody remember the hot scene in Bull Durham where Kevin Costner painted Susan Sarandon’s toenails?????? There is nothing whipped about a man who does pedicures.
December 7th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
But there IS something wrong with a guy who won’t STOP doing pedicures, no? “Just one more coat, hunnybunch…just let me do one more coat…”
December 7th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
I don’t watch TV much so I have not seen the commercial but without doubt I can say That Guy. You can’t buy my love and neither does a rock show me that you feel something, lovely though it may be. Gift me your time, devotion and undivided attention and without question it will make an impression on me personally. Especially if he’s doing anything to pamper me and or my feet. -rawr!-
December 7th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Yeah. I’m not so much interested in having my guy paint my nails… or do any of my grooming, for that matter.
Give me a guy who will scrape the ice off my car in the morning, unscrew the lids from jars, and talk about the latest in the business world. The diamonds are nice, but secondary to a man who compliments, not mimics, my strengths and weaknesses.
December 7th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
You know, I see that THAT GUY has run out of things to paint around the house and is on a roll…the “one more coat” comment? You can almost NEVER paint something with just one coat (nails, just like walls, will turn out streaky). I’d take that guy — don’t have the money for pedis, but like my toes pretty and can’t paint a nail to save my life. As for the diamonds? I’ve only received (and wanted) one, and that’s in my engagement ring. I’d prefer emeralds (his birthstone) or amethyst (my birthstone), or pretty much anything with bold color. Mr KB is THAT GUY who cares about me and my little idiosyncrasies enough to paint my nails, should I ever ask.
December 7th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
I want “that guy,” not the diamonds.
December 7th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
I have to agree that it’s a bit depressing to see the disdain heaped on men who do things that most are assuming women do.
“Why would anyone want their man preening over them, doing their nails, hair, makeup, massages or anything servile? Yuck. ”
first of all, many people have at times hired men or women to do these things. Are they thus degraded human beings?
second, they are things that women are expected to do regardless of being paid. Are we degraded and servile?
does servile mean “something servants do and at the same time contemptible”
What a sad view to take of your fellow human, considering the large numbers of people who do those things! And what a sad view of men and of women too, if activity that is expected for women is disgusting in a man! we are all bigger than these silly stereotypes
On that note, diamond industry: the ads are insulting to us all
December 7th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
I HAVE that guy!
December 7th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
Aside from the fact that I’m not a big diamond gal, any man who thinks it’s okay to buy me a significant piece of jewelry AT THE MALL is obviously not the man I’m looking for. I don’t care if he paints my toenails or not, if the way he says I love you is to buy me some mass-produced, we-made-a squillion-of-these-because-we-thought-they’d-be-a-hot-seller crap at a store around the corner from the Sunglass Hut, he is off the list.
December 7th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
Having had my toenails painted by a man before, I can attest to it being quite an enjoyable experience. Quite the turn on in fact. So yeah, I’ll take that guy.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:19 am
I’m an independent woman who works and attends college while helping to take care of her sick mother, not some gold digger who wants jewelry more than love, and I’m here to say that I’ll take an intelligent, masculine (not necessarily rich) man who picks out gorgeous jewelry that fits my style any day before I take a man who sits at my feet chattering inanely about whether my toenails need another coat of polish.
Yay run-on sentences!
December 8th, 2007 at 6:10 am
i say the right guy obviously.
and my right guy got me a diamond recently so now i can say: both
ehehehe
December 8th, 2007 at 7:28 am
I can do my own toenails and buy my own jewellery.
And I’m also married to That Guy - and I would give every sparkling thing I own plus Tiffany’s and Harry Winston and the British Crown Jewels just for him.
No diamond could ever be what he is for me.
Sing the last line along to any cheesy song you like :)
I don’t think being sensitive and caring turns man into a douche. As soon as men start thinking about what makes a man they usually get it wrong and head down macho road. Wrong. I want a gentle man, not neccessary a gentleman. And that’s who I have.
December 8th, 2007 at 9:06 am
I pay a very nice professional to paint my toes already.
So, diamonds.
But really? I’d prefer shoes.
December 8th, 2007 at 10:15 am
It seems like everyone who interprets the ad literally picks the diamonds, and everone who has That Guy picks That Guy. I like the way Twistie put it, and i think everyone who says that That Guy would probably buy you diamonds if they could is right.
For me? I also have That Guy, and wouldn’t trade him for the world.
December 8th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Would cheap, mass produced, conflict diamond jewelry the price of which has to come out our joint household budget and whose sole purpose is to make me shut up while simultaneously aggrandizing the man’s position in the relationship be preferable to an intimate personal service supplied by someone who loves me? Don’t think so.
On the other hand, this time around I chose “that girl” and have been joyfully happy for 17 years, so maybe my opinion is not typical.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
I agree with an above commenter. Ladies, you haven’t lived until you’ve been involved with a foot fetishist. Massages, shoes, and pedicures whenever you like. And if he pisses you off, all you have to do is show up wearing clunky boots that cover your feet and he’s begging for mercy, and will do anything to get some more time with your lovely feet. That guy, every time. In fact, I have three “that guy”s right now, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
Any man can buy you a pedicure, but when he’s willing to get down there and get the job done? That’s devotion.
@ripley: Preach it, sister!
December 8th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Ugh. Diamond commercials. Show her you care by buying this mass-produced, not unique pendant instead of putting effort into personal taste and preference.
I’m happy to shout out loud that I’m married to a THAT GUY. He’d paint my toenails if I asked, but I never would. My THAT GUY makes me coffee even though he doesn’t drink it himself. He also knows my feelings toward diamonds and had a sapphire engagement ring custom-made for me.
But he’s also a manly man. He’s a former marine and currently a cop. You don’t get manlier than that. But he takes more time in the mirror preening than I do! Being manly and being sensitive are not mutually exclusive.
December 8th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Diamonds… but only because That Guy, at least as he appears in the commercial, doesn’t appeal to me.
It is one thing to be thoughtful, and sweet, and give me back massages after a long day, but That Guy seems like the type that would constantly be fussing over me (Are you comfy sweetpea? Are you sure? Really? Etc.) , which I find stifling. I like being treated like a lady, but I’m not some delicate little thing that’s likely to keel pver at the slightest whiff of physical exertion or stress. I like a man who gives me credit for being a stronger person than that.
December 8th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Well,let’s see: the commercials say that I should want [blood] diamonds, a Lexus, a Mercedes-Benz, a flatscreen TV, and a larger-than-life-size wall sticker of a sports hero.
What I really want is a good Christmas cookie.
December 9th, 2007 at 2:04 am
I find neither diamonds nor having my toenails painted particularly romantic. So, I’d go with the diamonds as they have a higher resale value.
December 9th, 2007 at 3:20 am
That guy doesn’t seem sweet and caring. He seems snarky and sarcastic. Which I love in most situations, but not in this commercial. He seems insincere. And so do those $99.99 diamonds. So in this case if I had to choose irritating commercial guy or a cheap, badly designed necklace, I’d choose the one I could hide away in my jewelry box.
Obviously in real life, given the choice between a wonderful man and some outstanding diamonds, I’d choose the man. But this guy sucks.
December 9th, 2007 at 4:45 am
Los diamantes!
December 9th, 2007 at 7:22 am
This is nothing compared to that crap ad, running for years in my area, with the tag line “Every kiss begins with Kay!” (Kay Jewelers is in the SF bay area, not sure about elsewhere.) Can you say, “prostitution”? Barf…
December 9th, 2007 at 8:22 am
The guy!
Diamonds? Never. Not interested.
Chrisitina and SisterCoyote said it better than I could.
December 9th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
to quote a line from my fav book written by the Divine Miss M herself (Bette Midler for those not in the know…), The Saga of Baby Divine; “More, she said…”
More of “that Guy” and more diamonds….. being one of excesses myself… always hated having to chose between two things that I love…
December 9th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
I prefer diamonds to dudes with foot fetishes.
December 10th, 2007 at 7:51 am
Diamonds, definitely.
But not from Helzberg.
December 10th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
I thought about replying to this post on Friday.. then decided not to. Funny thing, my husband and I were watching TV last night and this commercial came on. He says to me, ‘Why can’t I be that guy and buy you diamonds?’, as he proceeds to take my socks off to give me a foot massage. So, I ask him, ‘but would you paint my toe nails?’ Of course, not that it matters, I don’t really want him painting my toe nails.. not totally sure how they’d turn out. Then again, I may change my mind soon. I’m 5 months pregnant and as Leah points out, I may not be able to reach them on my own much longer.
What would I rather have? I’d rather be able to stay home with our baby than have my husband spend ‘our’ money on something I don’t really need. If it’s not taking away from that, I know he will spoil me in any way he can.
December 10th, 2007 at 11:56 pm
The Guy (I’m married to him)! He first painted my toenails when I was pregnant because I could not reach them myself. He did a better job than I did (and I liked it…oh yeah!!), so I have him paint them for me on a regular basis.
Oh, and he gives me diamonds too…!