Hitler is selling shampoo in Turkey. And at least some on the Internet seem OK with it.
“If you’re not wearing women’s clothes, you shouldn’t be using women’s shampoo either,” shouts Hitler, as he gesticulates forcefully with his arms in a new, 13 second advertisement. “Here it is. A real man’s shampoo. Biomen. Real men use Biomen” says Hitler, before a shot of the product is revealed to cheering crowds.
Since the national airing of the commercial, several Jewish groups have spoken out against the ad, including the Turkish Jewish community and their chief Rabbi, the Turkish Jewish Union, and the Anti-Defamation League.
Media outlets also have expressed disappointment, or outrage.
But that’s just driven more traffic to the videos. There are two copies on YouTube, one of which has subtitles. Collectively, they’ve been viewed half a million times since being uploaded on March 21.
YouTube commenters, at times referred to as the scum of the Internet (behind /b/), are living up to their reputations with especially inappropriate—and overtly Anti-Semitic— jokes. The most common comment was “I did nazi that coming.”
“I see what jew did there…but seriously, these jokes are hitlarious!,” wrote waldiixxl in a top comment. Playing on the puns, QwerV2009 went with “This commercial is insulting and it totally threw me out of Mein Kampfort area.”
And that one was probably one of the least offensive. We won’t repeat all—or even most—of them.
“I wish all commercials had hitler in them. [H]e makes all commercials more interesting,” lamented durflust, before adding “I don’t understand why he doesn’t start a rock band or go on american idol.”
While there were some who expressed anger at the ad on YouTube, many were quick to point out the popularity of “Downfall” parodies, which have now become a bona-fide meme, as the ad agency’s excuse. In the movie version of Downfall, Hitler’s character raves violently as he learns he is losing the war. Several have put in English subtitles, making it appear as if Hitler and his comrades are ranting about something completely separate.
Others noted both Turkey and Germany committed genocide as an explanation for why the commercial would be deemed acceptable in Turkey.
Hitler, responsible for the genocide of six million Jews during World War II, is now seen as more of a pop-icon by some Millennials, mostly due to the ”Downfall” meme.
YouTuber thought it was both “hilarious” and “tasteless,” and the like/dislike bars for both videos were equal at press time.
YouTuber BrendonSmall456, however, seemed to be the only one pointing out the irony of the ad in his comment: “Unfortunately, most nazi sympathetic consumers shave their heads.”
Image by Cain and Todd Benson