Most would say that we now fear our tongue too much. Their was a time when that was not so, and it was in your lifetime. A friend just sent me images of print advertising that ran mostly pre 1965. Allow me take you down memory lane.

Picture a most authentic looking Santa Clause making a pitch for Lucky Strikes while holding the weed in his right hand and smoke billowing around his beard, no caption needed. Imagine a mother with her toddler holding a coke bottle saying "it's never to early to start drinking Coca Cola." How about the full page ad with a doctor sporting a white lab coat, saying more doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette.

It's a history of popular culture thru advertising, a woman holding ketchup bottle with the caption "you mean a woman can open it?"  Check out the ad for Kellogg's "Pep cereal" a women in heels and apron with the man admiringly stating the harder she works the cuter she looks.

My favorite, and just in time for Christmas is a faded newspaper ad for Dormeyer appliances with images of a mixer, coffee maker, electric skillet and can opener. The caption urges  wives to circle the appliance they want for Christmas. Most likely they would want an iron skillet to use over their husbands head, if he brought any of those gifts home. Too bad, what was once natural is now continually second guessed.  

My point in relating all this, is that just a few years ago it was ok to tout cigarettes, wives home working and babies enjoying soft drinks.

In view of all the facts on the danger of cigarettes we still have more than 20 per cent lighting up. I'll bet it's less than 20 per cent of men who would bring home an appliance for Christmas. it reminds me of a friend who is not politically correct who once said ya know Dan I don't understand it, the more I drink the meaner Darlene gets. Come back with me to those politicaly incorrect days weekday 9 to noon on the Dan Rivers show.