The Volokh Conspiracy
[David Bernstein, February 22, 2007 at 10:03am] Trackbacks
Vapid Comment of the Day:

From a NY Times story about sour frozen yogurt success story Pinkberry's:

In November, a shop called Berri Good opened in Fairfax, with kosher certification and a chartreuse-and-pink logo that is barely distinguishable from Pinkberry's.

"I don't think we're the same," said Uzi Moses, the owner of Berri Good. "We use different fonts." On top of that, he said, "You know we have celebrities here, right? Are you aware of that?"

Abdul (mail):
Not a good idea to get into a dispute with a guy who's first name is "Uzi."
2.22.2007 10:49am
Justin (mail):
Oh come on, it's Jewish Kitsch. We need a replacement for Second Avenue Deli.

Although, truly, there is *no* replacement for Second Avenue Deli. A monument and an icon, gone.
2.22.2007 10:55am
Schmucky Lou (mail):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4427358201227890862
2.22.2007 10:56am
Colin (mail):
Well, he didn’t explain away the similarities, but he did take advantage of the opportunity to inform the entire nation that his store is a good place to spot celebrities. From the perspective of a small business owner, isn’t that actually pretty clever?
2.22.2007 10:57am
WHOI Jacket:
Did they settle the dispute at a Ray's Famous New York Pizza?
2.22.2007 11:08am
Witness (mail):
I agree with Colin. Far from vapid, I think the comment was a brilliant marketing ploy. Like it or not, David, people love to spot celebs.
2.22.2007 11:23am
FoolsMate:
Right on Colin. Far from being vapid, opportunistic Uzi deserves recognition for "Capitalist Hero Comment OTD" because sales and even hucksterism is capitalism's tip of the spear. I can see though why it might seem crude from the lofty perspective of an Ivory Tower, where one never has to perform the coarse day-to-day small business owner activities such selling enough yogurt to pay for advertising, employees, rent, insurance, feeding your family etc. Walk a mile in this guy's shoes first eh?
2.22.2007 11:47am
Duffy Pratt (mail):

Did they settle the dispute at a Ray's Famous New York Pizza?


Yes, and they got the Judean People's Front to act as mediators. Or was that the People's Front of Judea?
2.22.2007 12:30pm
anonVCfan:
"Look... me and the McDonald's people got this little misunderstanding. See, they're McDonald's... I'm McDowell's. They got the Golden Arches, mine is the Golden Arcs. They got the Big Mac, I got the Big Mick. We both got two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions, but their buns have sesame seeds. My buns have no seeds."

-John Amos as Cleo McDowell, Coming to America (1988)
2.22.2007 12:35pm
Adeez (mail):
Justin: 2nd Ave. was indeed a huge loss. But Sarge's on 3rd and 36th I think is better. Try it if you haven't. And if you're a Queens man, Ben's Best on Queens Blvd. in Rego Park is comparable.
2.22.2007 1:19pm
Crunchy Frog:
AnonVCfan: Argh! You beat me to it!
2.22.2007 1:32pm
BobNSF (mail):
Maybe the guy wasn't referring to the celebrity-hype marketing that permeates this entire culture. Think Soylent Pink...
2.22.2007 1:35pm
Waldensian (mail):
Of course, none of this namby-pamby kosher frozen goodie hucksterism can match the immortal promotion of Fudgie the Whale.
2.22.2007 1:49pm
Justin (mail):
Adeez, sadly I've lived in the DC area sinc 2005. The best we have is Krupin's, which isn't saying much - though I hear good things about Parkway and Chutzpah.

A UofM alum, what I really miss is Zingerman's.
2.22.2007 2:25pm

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