Super Bowl Ads, Hype, And Reality for 2/5/26

Super Bowl ads cost more than ever, yet the creative often underdelivers, while a celebrity lingerie launch, an IVF mix-up, a viral BBQ scandal, and a mid-fight toupee slip test how we judge truth, taste, and trust. We question hype, honor humanity, and look for proof over polish.

• Why ad spend outpaces impact and what makes a memorable spot
• Teasers and the cost of diluting surprise
• Sydney Sweeney’s Siren launch and the product versus perception gap
• IVF lab errors, ethics, and safeguards for families
• The tenderism controversy and food marketing credibility
• When vulnerability goes viral and grace under pressure
• Our upcoming Horror Nerd show details

Thank you so much for watching and listening to us. We really appreciate your support
If you want to see something totally different and funny, definitely go check out Meryl
It’s not as creepy as it sounds

Tired of surface-level inspiration? This raw, transformative documentary digs deep into turning pain into purpose. Mainstream platforms wouldn't touch these powerful stories of resilience, but you can access them now on elrodvnetwork.com.

Tired of surface-level inspiration? This raw, transformative documentary digs deep into turning pain into purpose. Mainstream platforms wouldn't touch these powerful stories of resilience, but you can access them now on elrodvnetwork.com.

Tired of surface-level inspiration? This raw, transformative documentary digs deep into turning pain into purpose. Mainstream platforms wouldn't touch these powerful stories of resilience, but you can access them now on elrodvnetwork.com.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 1:12

Hello everyone. This is Lawrence L. Rod with Thirsty Topics.

SPEAKER_02 1:19

And I I have Meryl Klima with Thirsty Topics. How are you? Well, Meryl, how are you doing today? I'm doing good. I am very, very good.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

Good, good, good. How about you? I am doing great. It's a beautiful day today, not too cold. Finally in the double digits, no more single or below below zero. So very happy about that.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

Well, that's so funny because I'm like finally a day that we're under 80 degrees here.

SPEAKER_00 1:51

So oh nice. Hey, you want to switch weather for a week?

SPEAKER_02 1:55

I would. See, I want I want snow for like a week. I feel like it's good for everyone to switch for a week.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

Really?

SPEAKER_02 2:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:04

What would you take the zero-degree weather to?

SPEAKER_02 2:07

For one day.

Super Bowl Ad Prices And Value

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Well, talk about interesting stuff. Now we all know that next weekend is a Super Bowl. And I was totally blown away by this number here, but um NBC Universal has sold several 30-second super bowl super bowl spots for over$10 million each. Notice I said 30 seconds.

SPEAKER_02 2:41

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 2:44

Um I would love to know where they get this kind of money for a 30-second spot. What do you think, Meryl?

SPEAKER_02 2:50

I mean, are we paying for yeah? I don't know how this money how they get it. Is it just like part of their yearly budget, I guess? But that is crazy. Give us some of that.

SPEAKER_00 3:01

Yeah, it's amazing. And you know the sad part is that over the last few years, the commercials haven't to me been all that great. They're okay. Um, but are they$7 million,$10 million worth? Uh, I don't think so. What about you, Mira?

SPEAKER_02 3:19

Um, I agree. I think that it's definitely like, I mean, now, especially with AI and just computer generated, it doesn't seem like we need that much of a budget. Like, I see people making TikTok videos probably on like a$200 budget, and uh that are just as good, but it's very interesting. Now I feel like they're just trying to outdo each other. And don't you feel too that like the the buzz of the commercials are almost like the commercials itself now, too? You know, what everyone's talking about?

SPEAKER_00 3:48

Yeah, I mean, I remember years ago watching the the the Super Bowl commercial, especially during halftime, was one of the biggest events next to the game because you saw something different, you saw some over the top, very hilarious. Um, in fact, I remember this was years ago. In fact, Cedric the Entertainer was doing a commercial, I want to say it's for Blood Light, and he was on a date, and his girlfriend or his date got into a porta potty, and he heard his music and he started dancing, whatever, and he actually bumped the porta potty and it rolled downhill. And you can hear the water splashing in there. It was hilarious.

What Makes A Memorable Commercial

SPEAKER_02 4:30

Oh, that's funny, that's very good. That's see that and that's like a good use of everyone's time and money. I think and that's a memorable one.

SPEAKER_00 4:38

Yes, yes. So I remember that, and like I said, there have been some good ones along the way, but to me, that was for so many reasons, that was the absolute best one because I was cracking up.

SPEAKER_02 4:50

That's funny, that is super funny. That's great. See, I can't even remember one.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 4:56

Uh like I think there was this is so funny, but I know I know last week I talked about my love of influencer and now Grammy nominee Addison Ray. And I think she had one that was with nerds, like the the candy nerds, and I love that one. And that one was just simple. Like, I mean, I don't know how much that costs, but um, that one was like memorable to me, but still good.

SPEAKER_00 5:17

Yes, that's true, that's true. And you know, the other thing they started doing, which I think is crazy, is they started showing little bits and pieces of some of the commercials that will be airing. And to me, you're taking away from the commercial itself because if you're showing like a little teaser, a little piece of it, you kind of take it away because you kind of like uh okay, and then when you do see it, it doesn't have the same effect because you both commercial now exactly.

SPEAKER_02 5:51

Remember there was one about like I feel like how you said like sports stars and just uh to me, it's like the simpler the better and the more powerful they always are too.

SPEAKER_00 6:01

Oh, exactly, exactly. Because I think that when you when you do something that kind of relates to everyday life or everyday situations, people could go, oh my god, yes, I can see, oh my god, that's me. That I I I've done it many times.

SPEAKER_01 6:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:17

Though though I've never knocked over a porta potty with my wife in it or something like that.

SPEAKER_02 6:21

So that's always one of my biggest fears if I'm at a festival, too. I'm I'm like, please don't let me get trapped inside of this.

SPEAKER_00 6:31

Yeah, if that was a first date, that won't be a second date.

Teasers, Hype, And Diminished Payoff

SPEAKER_02 6:34

No, there'll be no date again. Definitely not. There'd be me calling the police or something. Well, someone that I would think would almost be good at having a Super Bowl ad would be um Sydney Sweeney, who's constantly in the public for better or worse, you know, with a lot of her antics. Now, this is so funny. So, like basically there's a few things here. She just she launched with a lingerie line called Siren. Um, it's spelled S-Y-R-N. And I think the funny thing is too, like, I mean, okay, so also I think Jeff Bezos is a partner for this. Um, so it's like a lingerie collection uh called like Seductress, and that she got a lot of um, she did like a publicity stunt where I think she like put a bra or whatever on the Hollywood sign. Now I'm saying this with quotes because I also know people who know people, and like I want everyone to realize that what we see is not exactly what happened. So when it looks like she's doing something on the Hollywood sign, it may have not actually been that. So um I have a good authority to tell people to like question everything you see and don't believe anything you see. Basically, the part that interests me the most is that she gets a lot of women saying, like, why would we buy lingerie from Sydney Sweeney? You know, she appeals more to a male audience than a female audience. Now, to me, as like a consumer, I would love to get Sydney Sweeney lingerie and just like see what it looks like and at least give it a try. Like, I definitely think that I would give this, you know, if I had the budget for it or whatever, I absolutely would purchase it. Um, and I'm not the biggest Sydney Sweeney fan, but I do think it's funny that it's named Siren, like S-Y-R-N, but no one could figure out like the younger people are like, what's a sear? So to me, the name is kind of a flop. Like, I understand like what a siren is and everything, but S-Y-R-N, it's a kind of a stupid business name, I think. For Sydney Sweeney, I think she could do something much better, like name-wise. Um, but I saw a lot of women complaining saying she should make like a beer or a football or something that is like men related, but females are usually the more of the consumers, and I'm like, well, she is known for her boobs and body and stuff, so like why wouldn't she make lingerie? Like, that makes total sense to me.

SPEAKER_00 8:57

Oh, yeah. And you know what? I think the name probably meant to have people talk about it. Um, I know it's just kind of stupid. I mean, to be honest with you, it was an interesting spelling that she did, but yeah, it's getting people talking about it. So as they talk about it, you know, maybe um it'll kind of influence them on possibly buying the brand a little bit better. So I I think in a way it's kind of an evil genius when you think about it.

Sydney Sweeney’s Siren Lingerie Debate

SPEAKER_02 9:27

Exactly. I feel like it's almost trying to give like skims, you know, like Kim Kardashian's brand skims, where it's just a word that we don't really like know why it's that way and it's spelled weird and stuff. But I think the success that Kim has had with skims, well, I guess Kim isn't the word skims, but like it is the fact that it got so much word of mouth where people were wearing skims and talking about how good it feels and you know, really liking the product. So we'll see if Sydney Sweeney's actual clothes and like lingerie can do that. Because right now I haven't I've I don't know one person of my friends or anything that was like excited to order it. Um, and then they were also saying, Men, don't buy this for your women, your woman, because she's gonna take it as like a hint that you she he wants you to be Sydney Sweeney, and I'm like, oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 11:13

Yeah, I I don't think I don't think, I mean, again, I don't know, but I don't think women would take it that way if if a man buys it for not me too. Yeah. I mean, if they're thinking like that, like, wow, they must be really deep into into Sweeney there.

SPEAKER_02 11:29

Exactly. I'm like, I would not take it as an insult. I would be like, you know, excited or whatever. I would gladly take it.

SPEAKER_00 11:37

Yes. Well, talking about something that really um is not very good, but I did want to at least mention it. Um, do you remember the movie The Blind Side? Yeah. Uh well, the actor that played in his name is uh Quentin Aaron, is now on life support. So her Martin Luther uh Wardlaw, who's Aaron's firmly manager and president of Ascension Studios, who was in communication with Aaron's wife, told ABC News on Monday that Aaron was on life support with a blood infection. Um he stated that I can't tell you that things are looking more positive today than they were yesterday, Bordolo said at the time. So um I did I did want to at least acknowledge that and and um you know say that I'm definitely sending out uh prayers for his his family and close friends that he that he does uh make it through this and hopefully make a speedy recovery.

SPEAKER_02 12:44

Yeah, that's really sad.

SPEAKER_00 12:46

So all right, Merle. What do you have to see?

SPEAKER_02 12:53

Um let's see. I have oh no, they took it down. Um that's so funny. You always know it's a good news story when I go to see, yeah, it was it was up for like a day and then they took it down. Let me I'll I'll find another source for it. Basically, it was about um a Florida couple suing a fertility clinic. Let me get the right one. Okay, here we go. Um, Florida couple sued fertility clinic after being implanted with the wrong embryo. I thought this was the story was crazy. Uh a couple said that they uh, you know, they love their daughter, obviously, but now they have a moral obligation to try to find the child's real biological parents. Um this couple, Tiffany and Stephen of Florida, learned that they were implanted with the wrong embryo, and now they are going public with the attempts to find the parents. Um they have filed a lawsuit against IVF Life Inc., which operates as the fertility center of Orlando. And they said that um, yeah, they said that like the viable embryos were created with her eggs and his sperm, and an embryo was successfully implanted in April 2025. Um, they noticed that the baby appeared to be a different race than either of the parents, and genetic testing confirmed that the child had no genetic relationship to the parents. Um, I mean, this is crazy. To me, they they seem like they're totally like normal about this. Like they're saying we love this baby and they're not, you know, they're they're doing everything right, I would think that they would want to, where they're finding they're taking care of this baby, and they're saying obviously we're grateful, but like that is a medical thing that you could cut that you should sue over. And also, they're also trying to find this baby's real biological parents and vice versa for them.

SPEAKER_00 14:42

Yeah, that's a very, very difficult situation, and I would say that's probably one of the biggest fears of people going through the IVF procedure. Um, yeah, having embryos, um, embryos, or even sperm mixed up um if using the wrong one. Um, because it is a situation of wow, what do you do? And um obviously, you know, the baby is clearly a different race, and once they did the genetic testing, it confirmed no, it's not their baby. So, but then again, what happens to the other family that is experiencing, okay, I have a baby and the baby doesn't look like us.

SPEAKER_02 15:26

I know.

SPEAKER_00 15:27

I mean, it's it's it's a tough call. I mean, you know, I mean, I guess what they're doing is what they want to reach out to them and switch babies, I guess.

Prayers For Quentin Aaron’s Recovery

SPEAKER_02 15:37

I guess. I mean, that could be the making of actually like acute friendship. If it's like, hey, weird story, you know, when you like kind of you take someone's jacket home by accident at a party and then you're like, whoops, I actually have your your coat. But I I mean, I think if done correctly and hopefully legally, this can be a situation where people are no one gets out hurt and everyone is like kind to each other, and then these babies would maybe have like another set of people that love them, even if they don't see them. And um, and also I totally understand suing because I mean IVF costs so much money and with the medical tests and hospital bills and all that kind of stuff, that it's like I don't think these people are just looking for a payday. I think they've probably spent like thousands upon thousands of dollars to have a baby.

SPEAKER_00 16:24

Like tens of thousands, it's very expensive.

SPEAKER_02 16:26

Tens of thousands of hours, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 16:30

Um, I mean, I guess looking at it from uh an an objective view, if they were to find the real parents and then switch the babies back, and obviously there's you know legal, you know, like birth certificates and stuff have to be corrected and stuff, I guess it won't be as bad because they're they're infants, they're babies, you know, versus let's say they're five, ten years old or something down the line. So I agree with you. I think if it's done correctly, the damage will be minimal. Um, though it'd be a hell of a story to tell your child one day though.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

I know. And I also think too, like I've I screw up at my job, or my job is like every now and then, but it's like you know, I'm not switching babies, and so it's a tough thing because it's like we do have humans working on this, but could you imagine if you're the person that was like, hey, sorry, I didn't have my coffee in the morning, and I just by accident like switched up these babies, you know. That's why I think there needs to be so many checks and balances, too.

SPEAKER_00 17:32

Oh, absolutely, and you know, depending on who made that mistake, they may be out of a job now.

SPEAKER_02 17:37

I know, I know. But I think about all like the little mistakes that I've made where I'm like, whoopsies, okay. I'm gonna feel better now about not like actually ruining someone's baby.

IVF Embryo Mix-Up Lawsuit

SPEAKER_00 17:48

That's true, that's true. Because, you know, look at it like this, Merle. We've all made our mistakes, but there's someone who's always made way worse mistakes than we have.

SPEAKER_02 17:57

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 18:01

Well, my topic, uh, last topic, is a very interesting one. So, this gentleman, uh, Keith Lee exposed the tenderism scam. So, basically, what they're talking about, um the tenderism scam, it's this gentleman that went viral, and he talks about this meat that he has, you know, has ingredients for he's created that falls off the bone. So literally, you you buy this meat, it's very good, very tender, and you can have a big chunk on the bone, and he'll hold it up in the air and it just falls off. It's just that tender. Based on recent reports, a controversy arose early this year, 2026, involving Keith Lee and Destination Smokehouse in Marietta, California, which is famous for their tenderism, a term associated with the viral tenderness of their barbecue, often promoted by Walter Johnson, also known as Mr. Tinderism. So the allegations is that social media users and viewers of Keith Lee's content pointed out that the viral fall-off, the bone tenderism, shown in some of the restaurants' videos appeared to be staged or manipulated. So many people argued that the beef ribs were cut beforehand to make it appear more tender to fall off the bone artificially for the camera. So, following a review of the visit, the restaurant faced significant backlash. The owner Nick uh Yuppermane faced criticism regarding his response to the situation, leading to a public discussion about the legitimacy of at times viral tenderism trend. Controversial details include that some commentators accused the establishment of using decoy methods such as utilizing a smoker for show while potentially using other cooking methods, which led to the accusation of a scam regarding the quality and preparation of the meat. So, following that at times intense online scrutiny, the restaurant and Mr. Tinderism personally share their own perspective on the backlash. What do you think, Merrill?

SPEAKER_02 20:35

Um, I think you're I think it's interesting because obviously when restaurants are like promoting or doing videos, of course they might manipulate it a little bit to make it seem more juicy or make it seem more, you know, fall off the bone. But I think when someone like Keith is just doing a straight up review and we're like believing that what we're seeing is what we're getting, then that's when we start to get into stuff. Um, to me, like of all the things to worry about in the world and all the things we have going on, someone's meat not being like exactly how it looks in real life is is like not even on my radar of like things I would get upset about. But I could see if you go to a place and spend money thinking that it's a certain way and that it doesn't taste anything like that, that is false advertising. But at the end of the day, like I think it's either good or it's not. And I don't know, like maybe also do more reviews than just this video. Like, I tend to look at more other people and their thoughts as well, not just like one person.

SPEAKER_00 21:32

That's true. And you know, let's face it, it's been going on for years how you see perfect example. You see burgers from uh very well-established burger establishments, and the burger looks beautiful, it's juicy, it's full. Yeah. You go to a restaurant, it looks nothing like that video that you saw on TV.

SPEAKER_02 21:54

Exactly. I have that a lot too, where it's just it's like, okay, obviously it looks wild. I mean, that's all the time. A lot of these TikTok places, too. Or like the restaurant will even look a certain way outside, and then you get it and it's like, ew, this is smaller and not that good, you know, that I thought about. But I don't know, the tenderism of it all. I think to me, also, hopefully, if it's kind of fall off the bone, then hopefully it's like at least close to what they're advertising.

SPEAKER_00 22:21

And you know, the thing is too, is um, I know a lot of people feel hurt because a lot of people felt like the the the gentleman that's on these videos that he and Creed he made these recipes and stuff, and supposedly and allegedly, the owner of the restaurant kind of stole his recipes and is making all the money off of them. I don't know if that's true or false, but if that is true, then that's a whole different situation. But you know, again, sadly enough, Meryl, this doesn't surprise me. This probably happens way more than we think it does.

SPEAKER_02 22:57

Oh, yeah, definitely. And people will get paid to do reviews or paid to do it, but yeah. But I do I do love a good fall off the bone moment with barbecue.

SPEAKER_00 23:09

As long as it falls off and it's seasoned very well, not overly or seasoned just perfectly.

SPEAKER_02 23:15

I'll have to see if any of the places that he's naming are in Los Angeles, and I can go and like do a I could be like an investigative reporter for all of us, and then immediately go there the next day and be like, let me see what is this rib situation like.

SPEAKER_00 23:28

Oh, that would be awesome.

Checks, Balances, And Ethical Fallout

SPEAKER_02 23:30

Right. But this is still better than remember last week we talked about like the mick rib not even being a mick rib at all. So at least as long as it's like an actual rib, then it's okay.

SPEAKER_00 23:40

Amen to that.

SPEAKER_02 23:42

Right. Um, well, my last one. Oh, I thought this was so sweet and sad, whatever. So, okay, so um Jarell, big baby Miller, loses. A hairpiece mid-fight. Um, Big Baby delivered one of the wildest moments boxing fans have seen in a while, and it had nothing to do with the knockout. Uh he earned a split decision win over Kingsley, IB, hi-be, uh, at Madison Square Garden. But when the fight went viral in round two, it was when uh Miller had a right uppercut right off that sent his toupee flying off his head. So, like, I thought this is so sweet and sad. I hate videos where people like lose their wig or lose their toupee or anything because I just think that's like an embarrassing moment for someone. Um, he handled it well before round three. He ripped a bit off and threw it into the stands where it was grabbed by heavyweight champ Fabio Wardley. Um and he said he's only gotten the hair piece a few days earlier after a grooming mishap. So I think that's like I don't know why, but that's so sweet and sad to me. Um and yeah, I hope I hope he wasn't embarrassed by it and whatever. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:54

Unfortunately, uh you run that risk because you know, now the big thing now is uh men getting hair pieces where let's say they're maybe bald or half bald, uh the hair is really not the greatest, and they get the hair piece that makes them look like they have a full head of hair, maybe they look like they have dreadlocks, which is nice and everything. And don't get me wrong, the the the barbers that do this are artists, it looks beautiful, but you're really not fooling no one if your hair looks jacked up one day and the next day you come in and you look like a model.

SPEAKER_02 25:27

You know, I know, I know it's kind of funny. There's one video on TikTok that went viral of like a woman on a podcast, and her wig falls off during the interview, and they she laughs so hard, like she took it so funny, and the guy interviewing her like can't speak, he's like shaking with laughter, and then it just gets like worse and worse, and the wig falls behind the couch, and they're they're so funny about it that every single time I see it, I will like stop and watch it and laugh. But but you could tell she's talking and she's like, Oh my god, what just happened? And but you know, I just I hate the I hate people feeling embarrassed or like insecure about that.

SPEAKER_00 26:04

Yeah, and you know what?

SPEAKER_02 26:05

The best way to do it is to laugh at yourself and just keep exactly, exactly, because to me it's silly, and I'm not judging the person, and who cares? There, he's a this person is like a a rich athlete, you know, whatever, get a toupee, that's fine. But obviously, I'd be how mad would you be at the place? Like I would call the place that put it on and be like, you idiot, I'm a professional boxer. Like, you know, put it on the right way.

SPEAKER_00 26:29

But here's the crazy thing, too. If you only put it on a couple of days before the boxing match, why not just wait till after the match is over to put it on?

Keith Lee And The Tenderism Controversy

SPEAKER_02 26:40

Exactly. I know he's in a grooming incident, so I have to wonder what it was.

SPEAKER_00 26:45

Yeah, that's um code for the liners went too far. And like, no. I mean, a little bit of a mess up, you could probably play that off, but you know, if you're like, oh boy, no, so yeah, that that probably happened, like, oh boy.

SPEAKER_02 27:04

So I don't know why, but that definitely like hurts my little heart.

SPEAKER_00 27:10

Well, you know what? He took it in stride, just all right, let's keep going.

SPEAKER_02 27:14

Yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_00 27:18

Well, Meryl, this was wow, this time went by very fast.

SPEAKER_02 27:22

It did. This was super fun.

SPEAKER_00 27:25

Well, Meryl, what do you have coming up?

SPEAKER_02 27:28

Um, I'm gonna pick a weird one. Um, okay, I'm gonna pick a weird one. So February 27th. Um, I've you guys have heard me talk about this before where I do like a series, I'm part of a series called Horror Nerd, which is about you know horror movies and stuff. This one is really fun. It's February 27th, and it's at a mortuary in Pasadena, California. So, like an actual real functioning mortuary. Um, it's called Missing at the Mortuary, and there's a bunch of us. And the headliner for this one is um a man named Dana Gould, who's like a pretty big comedian. So um, I'm looking out, it's like a great, great lineup, it's a really cool lineup, and it's like it's if you like horror and you like kind of darker things, then come on out.

SPEAKER_00 28:13

Sounds like a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_02 28:15

It should be very fun.

SPEAKER_00 28:17

Well, everyone, thank you so much for watching and listening to us. We really appreciate your support. And if you want to see something totally different and funny, definitely go check out Meryl. We would definitely love this.

SPEAKER_02 28:30

Exactly. It's not as creepy as it sounds. Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_00 28:34

So they're not gonna have any corpses there to kind of like liven up the my toupee might fly fly off, but yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_02 28:41

Actually, I'm looking at myself in the zoom and I'm like, I I I either need a toupee or to like wash my hair today, so I know what I'm doing after this.

SPEAKER_00 28:51

Well, everyone, thank you so much for for supporting us and being here to watch and share. I am Lauren Selrod. And I'm Merrill Climo. Have a great day, everyone. Bye.