If there is one advert I miss at the moment from TV it is the Lenor advert with the hearty, chirpy greeting, “Hi! I’m Amy Sedaris, laundry expert.”
The advert always made me smile, with her chirpy voice, the swinging A-line pleated skirts of her stripy or spotty dresses. The shake of the can in a fun way. I cannot help but smile at her infectious energy. But then, alas, the thirty seconds or so of escapism passes. To me it has the added value of helping me see who Amy Sedaris is. Afterall, David Sedaris, in his Radio 4 readings from his books often refers to his feisty sister. The only other thing I recognise her for is Cinderella’s voice in the third Shrek film, whatever that was called, possibly an unimaginative, “Shrek the third”, and as Jill in the cartoon Puss in Boots.
But, above all else, I cannot help but wonder, “Is Amy Sedaris really a laundry expert?” So I decide to google this. Oh dear! My heroic laundry expert is subject to much vitriol on the internet:
“I don’t know who laundry expert Amy Sedaris is, but in this country if your product costs more than five quid a tub I need more precise usage instructions than, ‘use a little or a lot’.” Said U. Lovelight on Reddit.
Another internet commentator who has chosen the name “Catsasss” , yes with an extra “s” to make their name more sensible says,”…she seems to be one of those indigenous who only by-the-way makes a living from her insanity. Get the feeling she is possibly more crazy when no one is looking – she probably tones it down for an audience. “ So, with the authority of anonymity and an expertly chosen “handle” of “Catsasss” poor Amy is assigned to the nut house.
The worst comment came from Dave Herbal apparently a striker for Sunderland Football Club, “Amy Sedaris laundry expert. No you’re not. You’re an actress who probably has no more laundry experience than me. So take your feisty little balls and fuck off.” To add authority to his words he chose the profile picture of Herman Munster.
So in checking out Amy Sedaris’s credentials as a laundry expert I have opened a pit of insults that are a thousand miles away from the good, clean, sassy fun of the advert. I am to be further shocked that the advert is on a list of adverts, “that make you want to smash your TV up.” However, one British web commentator does defend the advert , “Doesn’t really make me want to smash the TV up when I see it but the first time I saw the Cancer advert where all the little bits of cancer start exploding…….did anyone else think they were potatoes and it was some screwed up McCain oven chips advert?”
I must confess I missed the cancer advert, and now wish to see it.
However, in researching the advert I find that in America Lenor is called Downy and the identical advert in America is appreciated far more than it is by the cynical Brits. Quite correctly she is described by commentators as, “adorable” in the advert with the comment, “We buy it Amy. Come teach us your skills, you laundry specialist, you.” Indeed, I find one fan admitting, “Just whispered to myself I want to be Amy Sedaris when I grow up.” Then it gets weird with Daniel admitting to the world on a blog, “I love Amy Sedaris so much it hurts.”
However, I have to admit in the 30 seconds of her advert she just makes me feel happy. Is this a superpower she possesses alongside her laundry expertise?
However, I have not established whether Amy Sedaris is a laundry expert. My final search took me to You Tube where I see her promoting “Crafts for Poor People” where she makes a rabbit feeder, pom poms, and cooks hot-dogs on a garden rake, but alas no laundry advice. However, I chose to believe that Amy Sedaris is not just a laundry expert but also a happiness expert and she is welcome to help with our household laundry any time.