Emerging countries tend to find a strange sense of satisfaction in erecting the tallest tower/building in order to demonstrate the ’strength’ of their economic infrastructure. Much like Dubai actually!

So this is a tribute to all the Dubai’s of the world.. who just cant stop comparing sizes….

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

option click
2005
an illustration conceptualized and designed by Amritraj Gupta.

Amritraj Gupta

Amritraj Gupta

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A couple of months ago, ‘Sorry Dubai’ posted what i would call ‘the funniest of his Dubai funnies’ – A multiple choice testing eligibility to become a UAE citizen.

This post is a tribute to Sorry Dubai’s tasteful sense of humor and my realization that the average ‘man of the emirates’ has an uncanny urge to enquire if someone else’s pets are for sale (even if they are not interested to own one). Hmm… UAE Idiosyncracy # 247

Sibling, pet and myself were down at the local cafeteria waiting for our order in the car, when a ‘Man of the Emirates’ waltzes upto us, knocks on my window and the following conversation unfolds-

“YOU WANT TO SELL DOG? HOW MUCH?”

‘err.. no’

“BUT WHY??”

‘huh?? i dont want to sell my dog to you!’

“BUT WHY??”

‘…’

“I MAKE NICE FRIENDSHIP WITH YOUR DOG”

’she doesnt need any friends.. thanks’

“BUT WHY???”

‘………….?????’

Needless to say it was time to drive away. So yea! ‘Sorry Dubai’ i am convinced there is a much deep rooted history to the phenomenon of making ‘nice friendships’ in this part of the world that extends way beyond our comprehension … perhaps we have been miunderstanding them all this while ….

“Women don’t make it to the top because they don’t deserve to. They’re crap.”

…said a cigar-chomping Mr French, when asked to explain the dearth of women in advertising.

He added that women inevitably “wimp out and go suckle something”. During the discussion, Mr. French, 61, had a waitress wearing a French maid’s uniform serve him drinks.

hmm…
Needless to say Mr. French found his position terminated after such sexist comments.

With an arguably colorful past of being a porngrapher, bullfighter and a henchman, Neil French has been one of the most prolific worldwide creative directors of our generation and an icon of British advertising’s golden age in the 1970s. So good infact that he has come to be called ‘The Godfather’.

Its just sad to see someone as good as him being asked to leave the arena for his own wrong doing.. especially when it could be easily avoided. I guess, when you are that good at what you do, you do pack on a coupl’a extra balls and an ‘S’ on your chest. Question is ?? is he apologetic ? – i dont think so…

He admitted using the word “crap” but claimed he had been trying to argue that women could not work the hours required by the industry if they had families to look after. “I didn’t say all female creative directors are crap. If you can’t commit yourself to any job then, by definition, you’re crap at it. Nobody deserves a job unless they can commit to it.”

i see the logic there.. but it doesnt change the fact that he was being an ass. When a personality such as himself decides to externalize his personal opinions and make such extreme generalisations (extreme enough to call women the slacker-breeders of our community).. you kinda wonder if he saw the boot coming !

Lets face it!! The man is NOT stupid, arrogant perhaps but NOT stupid.
Click here to see some of his work. This Dove Ad – smart and simple

Mr French’s remarks hit a nerve in an industry that has long struggled with a lack of high-ranking women. “It’s a widely held view in this business [that] most men look at women as breeders,” said Judy John, chief creative director at the Toronto office of the agency Leo Burnett.

Oh well c’est la vie! – Gods make mistakes too! .. plus, i doubt Mr. French is setting off in search of Shangri-la, instead am quite positive he is screaming out loud his you-havent-seen-the-last-of-me’s.

quotes from news.telegraph

to my muse …

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

option click
2005
illustration for illustrationfriday conceptualized and designed by Amritraj Gupta

Amritraj Gupta

Amritraj Gupta

–>