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Every week, msnbc.com entertainment producers Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, Denise Hazlick, Paige Newman, Kurt Schlosser and Anna Chan weigh in on topics ranging from TV commercials to movie hype to the latest celebrity blunder. We're not ashamed to admit our love for bad TV or reveal what's on our iPods, and invite you to join the conversation via your comments.



Digger's baaaack: Toenail monster returns

Posted: Thursday, August 06, 2009 6:00 AM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
Filed Under:

He's baaaaack. Reader Katie posts: "Stop the presses. There's a new Digger ad. I only saw part of it once. Now I have to go buy a new TV. Or maybe I'll wait a few months until this one gets booed off the air too. Gag me."


Digger's baaaaack. Lock up your toenails!

Those of you who've followed the commercial contest in past summers need no translation: The first-ever worst ad winner in our contest, way back in 2004, was Digger the Dematophyte, the little monster who manhandles a cartoon toenail like he's sliding up a garage door.

I can't actually describe the old ad any more than that because I refuse to watch it again, but let's just say it's the absolute worst commercial I've ever seen. Whe he lifts that toenail up ... and then he jumps in there ... brrr, I've said too much already.

I can confirm Katie's news. I did see a return-of-Digger ad on TV recently, though I can't find it onYouTube and frankly, I'm not looking that hard.

Technically I suppose the new ad could win the "worst ad" title this year, but it's not going to, because that would require I watch it, possibly more than once, and I refuse. Like Brett Favre, Digger should really stay retired.

Is the toenail monster your absolute most-hated ad of all time, or are there others that are even worse? Discuss in the comments. Oh, and if you choose to watch the video below (of his old ad, not the new), don't blame me if you feel kind of sick afterwards.

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Comments

I can't believe he's back. Who okayed this?!?!

Alison in NY, NY (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 9:49 AM)

ewwwwwwwww

John Holmes (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 10:03 AM)

I'll admit digger is bad but the commercial that makes my brains feel as though they are leaking out my ears is the ad on Dish Network channels for the Reels channel.  It has a hokey voice sing channel 299 over and over agian sort of like the Head-on commercials but with a tune.  Ugg it makes me immediately change the channel and not to Reels that's for sure.

Vandy Jones, Laramie, Wyoming (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 10:20 AM)

Hey i Think Digger is Cool and gross... Like a Train wreck you just got to watch. Dispite the gross ad at least its informative.

SmearODeer, PA (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 10:46 AM)

This is seriously the most disgusting, nauseating ad ever!  I was horrified when I saw a new one the other day and am afraid it could come on the tv again at any moment.

Lindsey B, Northampton, MA (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 10:46 AM)

The Quiznos Subs ADD with (Dead Mutant Rat Things) was the Worst most Disturbing Add Ever...

Scared (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:18 AM)

Who ever uses this product as a sponsor is losing out.  I immediately change channels when it comes on.  It is just too disgusting to watch.  Often times I never do go back to the program I was watching when this commercial came on as I am not interested in what I changed to.  So, my advice... lose this commercial or lose your viewers.

Susan, Atlanta, GA (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:27 AM)

I can't stand any Subway ad. Any of them. And there are so many. That awful '$5 foot long' song is the worst thing since 'Break me off a piece of that Kit-Kat bar'. It gets in your head and does something to your brain similar to what Digger does to toenails. And now the new American Idol-esque amateur try-out versions of the song are somehow even worse.

Iz (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:28 AM)

seriously is he any more disgusting than the fat green mucous man that moves into your lungs on the ad for mucinex

vlechuga (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:28 AM)

Come on, are you really telling me that this commercial is more disgusting than those talking about yeast infections and monthly periods? They may not be animated but they conjure up images I don't need to visualize.

ramboz, pa (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:34 AM)

I think the green mucus guys are much, much more gag inducing.

Lori, Allentown, PA (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:37 AM)

Digger is definitely horrible and for me a tie for the worst. In his absence I have been really disgusted by the Six Flags commercials that run every 5 minutes. I HATE HATE HATE that fake dancing old man. He is the most obnoxious spokes 'thing' on the airwaves right now. For me he gets 1 flag.

Ellie, Tarrytown, NY (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:39 AM)

no the ped egg is worse when they flip it ove and it looks like parmesan cheese coming out, I sill can't put cheese on my spagetti anymore

dan allegrini (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:44 AM)

Digger is still the worst!  But, what's up with the talking warts in the ads for the stuff to freeze them off?  Just creepy...

Katie, Spring, TX (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:50 AM)

The boost mobile ad with the girl on a bike made for 2, with long arm pit hair flying behind her into the mans face, that is the most digusting thing I have ever seen.

rhonda, california (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:58 AM)

I have seen the new digger commercial and I can confirm ICK!,however the armpit hair girl is more disgusting, and the sour skittles milking David Groh commercial really turned my stomach, although I find Digger disgusting, I think that the Musinex guy is worse... I really don't want to see talking snot, I'd rather not see talking foot fungus either but given the choice I'd take digger over the talking blob of snot...

jrzygrl (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:58 AM)

I LOVE Digger!  He's sleazy and cheezy and makes me laugh.  But seriously, Lamisil was the only thing that worked on my fungus.  3 months of Lamisil, another 6 months for the nails to grow out, and for the first time in years my feet are fungus-free.

Kitty, Great Neck, NY (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 12:05 PM)

Ped egg is the one that makes me physically queasy.  Digger just makes my toes hurt.

marilyn, florida (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 12:05 PM)

i can't believe this is worth writing a piece on...isn't there any real news out there?

The Bass (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 12:12 PM)

Y'know all you hyper critical TV junkies should take a look at the GREATEST channel ever created that pre-dates the invention of the CRT by Paul Nipkow in 1884 (Yes, that's right, I said 1884.  See http://inventors.about.com/od/germaninventors/a/Nipkow.htm).  Turn OFF your TV and LOOK OUT YOUR WINDOW.  

Yes, there's a world out there that's more real then reality TV and far better for you.  If you look real close, you'll see things better in real life then HD TV could ever present and stress a lot less over idiotic things that have NO RELEVANCE IN YOUR LIFE.  

If you have a medical problem, GO SEE A DOCTOR.  If you're bored and just gotta get your TV Fix, then GO OUTSIDE and do something.  Walk, cycle, go to a museum, go swimming, fishing, boating, anything and while you're at it, BRING FRIENDS!

If you absolutely MUST watch something then try www.zeitgeistmovie.com.  Maybe then you'll start to see clearer...

Scott, Montreal, CANADA (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 12:15 PM)

Yeah, the mucinex commercials are the worst to me, too. But there are also those pops cereal commercials that never fail to be just really really freaky.

Elaine, Dallas, Tx. (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 12:24 PM)

Not exactly in love with the Scrubbing Bubbles ad for the toilet bowl cleaner, where they take out the old one and the bubbles all go "eeewww"...ICK!

Patty, NW CT (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 12:28 PM)

or the precription med that mentions notifying if have an erection for more than four hours ???????

Talk about causing a visualization

Kay southern city (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 12:51 PM)

This digger add is a bit easier to take than the last one.  The one that makes me want to smack somebody is the stupid acting woman that actually drinks the yogurt in the store without using her hands and lets the cup drop to the floor without a speck on her face.  Then she looks all sheepish.  I like yogurt, but no yogurt is that good!

Jill Worman Indianapolis IN (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 1:04 PM)

Hey Gael -

Please, Please PLEASE consider those annoying, over-baked GEICO 'cavemen' commercial for most annoying commercial of the year honors.

ENOUGH already of this tiresome ad campaign. We've gone from the cute, clever concept of cavemen, to seeing the cavemen become increasingly annoyed by the ads we're actually watching (go figure) and now, we have the 'edgy' cavemen, running down streets ripping their clothes off while a rocky pop song plays in the background. How, WHY are these supposed to inspire us to switch to GEICO? And even if we do, these ridiculous, moronic commercials have worn out their welcome.

Jay N., New York, New York (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 1:08 PM)

Right... but you'll watch these stupid reality TV shows and women killing their husbands on "Lifetime"... get a grip people it's just a TV commercial.

Don Jacckson (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 1:24 PM)

The first time I saw the first Digger commercial was a few years ago at friend's house during a small get-together.  A room full of adults all screamed at the same time when he pulled up that toenail. Some hid their faces in pillows, grown men looked away and blocked their eyes from seeing anything more in their periphery vision. I can't believe this commercial made it past a market research group somewhere.

Deanne, Greensboro, NC (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 1:53 PM)

The Quiznos ads were the worst. they used a booger as a mascot. gross

KP, Orlando, FL (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 1:54 PM)

I love the commercials with the Scrubbing Bubbles! They're so cute! I also find Digger hilarious, disturbing but hilarious. The big Mucinex snot is the worst. And the guy disgusted by the period and yeast infection commecials; GROW UP!

E. Gonzalez, Temecula, CA (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 1:57 PM)

Worst is Smilin' Bob and his natural male enhancement for Enzyte.  The 'chubby Santa' commercial is truly awful and creepy.

John, Nashville, TN (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 2:13 PM)

I saw a survey done in Jamaica and the last Digger commercial was the winner for FAVORITE commercial!  Now when I see the new one, I have to just laugh. Bizarre, but not any more than all the other ones mentioned in these posts!

mary (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 2:25 PM)

I absolutely cannot stand the woman in her car singing horribly off key, "I wanna go to Friendly's"....I turn the channel every time.
And every time the "Stanley Steemer makes your home cleaner" commercial comes on, my dachshund howls and howls and we laugh and laugh!!

Sandi, Richmond, VA (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 3:09 PM)

Objectively speaking, you may find ads like this disgusting or gross but the effect is obvious and people remember it.   It you're ever in the market for a toenail fungus remedy you'll certainly think of the product.

Rob, Seattle WA (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 3:17 PM)

Digger get the point across because you remember what the ad is for. It might be a little gross but as long as you can remember what it's for it does the job. The ad agency should get credit for that much.

Lori, Madison Wis. (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 5:20 PM)

the Carl's junior ad with the annoying announcer and people dripping condiments on themselves and sucking their fingers... now that's gross!

bo seattle WA (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 5:37 PM)

Can't stand the pepto Bismal adds, that stupid dance it's just gross !!

Pqalm Springs, Ca (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 5:45 PM)

Digger is not the absolute worst.  How about those "Wake Up With The King" Burger King commercials.  Yuck!

Al (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 5:54 PM)

Just saw the Lamisil commercial as I was reading this... Digger makes me cringe every time, although the commercial is for something to get rid of him (foot fungus). Second disgusting commercial is the Staples commercial with the kid who spells out another word for mucus on a calculator... and third on my list is the Hardee's one with all things French. Yeah, that really makes me want to eat there. Let me guess who came up with each... A MAN!!! lol  

Kristin M., Charlotte, NC (Sent Thursday, August 06, 2009 6:07 PM)

OK.  I love the digger commercial.  It's the ped-egg commercial that really, really, grosses me out.  Yes...sluffed off skin is almost as disgusting as seeing my husband's toe nails left on the end table after he's clipped them off.  EWWWWWWW!!!

Sonjia, Kalamazoo, MI (Sent Friday, August 07, 2009 12:57 PM)

I'd rather watch digger than listen to ED and sexual lubricant commercials

Jean (Sent Friday, August 07, 2009 12:59 PM)

Kitty?  TMI sister!!

Actually the ad that creeps me out worse than Digger these days is for some shave cream or aftershave or something.  You see the guy putting stuff on his face and then it "zooms in" to his beard hair, which each has the guy's face on it.  CREEPY!

Ow my toe! (Sent Friday, August 07, 2009 2:09 PM)

To the person telling us to turn off the TV and go outside: Turn off the computer and follow your own advice. Don't like the subject matter? There's billions of other websites to look at. Boo Hoo!

CM (Sent Friday, August 07, 2009 3:05 PM)

gross!!!!!! i would not buy the product because of this ad..so thought this was a good thing?????

lucy (Sent Friday, August 07, 2009 3:18 PM)

He'll never be as gross as the King from Burger King.  Gross, yes; nightmare inducing, no.  And the King is nightmare inducing in a big way.

Kymber, Charlotte, NC (Sent Friday, August 07, 2009 6:39 PM)

i would have to say its a tie with digger and the musnex talking mucas as the most annoying commerical for both are so nasty that i switch channels when they come on or mute the things.

chad robson madision , south dakota (Sent Friday, August 07, 2009 7:07 PM)

The "Clean Coal" and "Learn More" commercials made by the coal and oil industries (also throw in the current ad campaigns against healthcare reform) that are 100% lies & propaganda are much more disturbing to me than Digger the cartoon dematophyte.

If there's a real reason to be annoyed by ads like Digger, etc., its that prescription drugs have become a giant money-making scam in this country and they are advertised on television these days in the same style and quantity as commercial products such as beverages, food, etc. The only difference is that at the end you'll hear "ask your doctor about..."

Try to excersise some discipline and perspective when deciding what to get all annoyed and disgusted by people.

Dave, Anywhere & Everywhere, USA (Sent Friday, August 07, 2009 10:00 PM)

Hey, no way Digger will win.  Have you seen that effing annoying Febreeze commercial?!?!  "Carl, aren't you having friends over . . . " God.  My skin crawls each time it comes on!

Annette Suh, Issaquah, WA (Sent Saturday, August 08, 2009 5:02 AM)

The fact that we're even talking about Digger proves the ad is successfully attracting viewers.  An ad isn't always ment to entertain us but it DOES have to get our attention.

Beauregard Gustavson, Farmington, UT (Sent Saturday, August 08, 2009 9:39 AM)

I hate Digger worse than the bing dot com "Search Overload Syndrome" commercials, and that is saying something!

HH (Sent Saturday, August 08, 2009 4:26 PM)

I have no problem with "Digger". I laughed when I saw him back on TV.

Here's my problem TV commercials: The Danon Light Yogurt with the woman sluuuurrrping the yogur out of the container. It's right in line with past Hardee's commercials with the only sound (sans announcer at the end) is the smacking and slurping of some idiot eating a burger.

Those that think this type of thing is funny: going to think that when these advertising goons sign Viagra, Cialis, Valtrex, or the like?

What kind of sounds will we hear then?

James, Georgia (Sent Saturday, August 08, 2009 6:08 PM)



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