“The Cable Guy” Super Bowl Commercial — The End of Cable, the Rise of Inclusion
The presence of diversity raises potential discussions in global phone advertisement.
By Meghan Kadambe Dhawan
EVERY YEAR WHEN THE SUPER BOWL IS ANNOUNCED, I put on some comfy clothes, grab some pretzels, mozzarella sticks, alcohol, and various other Super Bowl-themed snacks to prepare for a fun night. While most people watch the Super Bowl for the game itself, which is *technically* the intended purpose of the national television event, I watch the game purely for two things: the iconic and well-designed halftime performances, and the commercials.
When I was much younger, around the age of 13 or 14, I began to take interest in the Super Bowl commercials, with them having a longer runtime and incorporating the voices and personalities of various celebrities of different importance and statuses. I began having an affection for the sillier, more “unnoticed” commercials, such as the M&M commercials, which were much more subdued at the time and aren’t the subject of controversy for the leaked information that their parent company, “Mars,” uses child labor to make the famous chocolate brand, as well as the recent news regarding the “modern” transformation the company’s well-known characters went through to be more inclusive to the general public, with mixed opinions as a result.
I have always enjoyed these commercials, as well as the Doritos chips brand, Planters Peanuts, and the release of new movie trailers. These commercials held much significance to me, as they helped shape my interests and overall identity regarding my passion for the Film and Television industry. However, as the years went by, the rise of thought-provoking topics such as racial justice and accountability were introduced through social media, which opened my eyes to glaring issues within my favorite industry. Through careful exploration and research, I began to ask the noticeable question to the conspicuous issue: “Where are all the Brown people?”
Recently, in mainstream media, there have been a surprisingly high increase of South and North Indians being represented in the media, such as Maitreyi Ramakrishnan in the hit Netflix series “Never Have I Ever,” Priyanka Chopra in the TV show “Quantico” and her most recent film, “Matrix the Resurrections;” Kuhoo Verma in the Hulu film “Plan B,” and Geraldine Viswanathan in the TBS show “Miracle Workers;” starring alongside another Actor of Indian descent, Karan Soni, from the hit Marvel film “Deadpool,” as well as Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi.
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when it came to the 2022 Super Bowl commercials, but I knew that many famous white celebrities were going to make an appearance, such as Actor Seth Rogan and fellow friend/Actor Paul Rudd, as well as Anna Kendrick, my personal favorite, and many more. As the commercials went on throughout the evening, my eyes were drawn to a particular commercial for Verizon, which starred one of my favorite celebrities, Jim Carrey, who was a big influence in my childhood years. In the commercial, Carrey reprised the role of Chip Douglas, an oddball cable installer, a character he portrayed in the infamous film “The Cable Guy,” alongside Actor Matthew Broderick, known for his role as Ferris Bueller in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986). The film had moderate success, but was heavily panned by critics, later gaining a cult following.
However, years later, and The Cable Guy is back! Jim Carrey’s reprisal as the kooky character was unmatched, as he utilized his ever-evolving facial features to perfectly capture the very essence of the character people grew up with and loved.
In the commercial, Chip Douglas, speaking with a lisp, movements quick and rapid with some still moments to increase tension, knocks on the door of an apartment screaming “Cable Guy!” in true energetic nature. Whilst Douglas waits after knocking, the camera pans to the closed door, which is then opened by none other than one of the previously mentioned Actresses, Geraldine Viswanathan! This was a pleasant surprise, as while Geraldine’s work is getting more recognition, and with the knowledge that she is currently still far from being considered an A-list Actress, her appearance in the commercial spoke volumes to me. It gave me assurance that Indian and brown girls are starting to be more recognized in mainstream pop culture and media, and that it is ushering a new wave of fresh faces for today’s predominantly white audiences that consume this type of media to start recognizing, admiring, and even valuing!
This commercial was a huge leap forward for Geraldine Viswanathan, as this opportunity could open more doors for her career-wise, potentially earning her more opportunities to expand her filmography, by being featured in commercials, television shows, and even more feature films. Viswanathan has been expanding her filmography in addition to her work in the popular TBS series “Miracle Workers,” which she became a part of in its inception in 2019. Before that, Viswanathan garnered attention with her performance in “Blockers” (2018), where she portrayed best friend Kayla, opposite Actress Kathryn Newton, and starred alongside A-List actors Ike Barinholtz, Leslie Mann, and even John Cena. She appeared in a few more films, more notable ones including “Bad Education” (2019), in which she had a supporting role, and even a starring role as Lucy Gulliver in “The Broken Hearts Gallery” in 2020, which was advertised in movie theaters amidst the pandemic. She has also had some voiceover experience, lending her voice to the recurring character, Tawnie, who appeared a few times throughout the entire six-season run of the Netflix Original Series.
Geraldine Viswanathan seems to be soaring in her career, especially starring alongside iconic actor Jim Carrey as he reembodied his nostalgic character, Chip Douglas, from The Cable Guy for the Verizon advertisement. Personally, I would love to see Viswanathan soar even further in her career, hopefully one day becoming a household name like Priyanka Chopra is today. If she is recognized even a small fraction behind Chopra, Geraldine Viswanathan could be the next Brown girl to take center stage and win the hearts of Hollywood.
About the Author
Meghan Kadambe Dhawan (she/her) is a Canadian-born, Indian American cinephile, film reviewer/writer, poet, singer, dancer, painter, aspiring actress and podcaster. She has written for various online publications, such as Dear Asian Youth, Justice for Society, SheMade Digital, and The Pillar, her university’s newspaper club. Meghan served as a Contributor, Staff Writer, and Student Voice Editor during her time at The Pillar. Her writing specialty is entertainment review content along with societal commentary. Meghan is currently a Freelance Writer and is in the process of creating and hosting her own podcast and establishing connections in the film industry. She serves as a Board Member for the non-profit organization called Glamour Gals, and volunteered for the Riis Settlement organization in New York. Check out her work:
