Jaunted

Of course it's odd that a Caribbean island would choose a renowned crank as its pitchman, but I guess that's the whole point. If the charms of Aruba can calm a curmudgeon like Black, imagine what it can do for you. A solid idea, but can Black deliver the goods while hewing to the company line? Anybody who's seen his rants on the Daily Show or his HBO specials knows that iconoclasm, lack of restraint, and frothing rage are his hallmarks. Is it possible for Lewis Black to say something nice about the fully-developed tourist mecca that is Aruba and be believable?

Sure it is. In a series of nine short videos on aruba.com, Black deftly walks the line between funny and offensive, riffing on the the perplexing friendliness of the island's 90,000 residents and joking about how island life is bound to make everything else pale in comparison. In one skit, he observes that "Aruba's got to be the worst place in the world to get married." But what about the great weather, wonderful food, and romantic sunsets? Answer: "It does nothing to prepare you for the harsh realities of marriage. Trust me, get married in Hackensack, honeymoon in Trenton. It can only get better from there."

Hiring Black might be doubly smart, because his bitter persona seems to mirror the stressed-out psyche of so many people these days. After all, the standard Caribbean boilerplate adverts - blue sky, shimmering waters, and goofy dad careening down a water slide in an inner tube - seem a little tired these days. The reality is that we're all cranks, but even cranks need some sunshine. Hey Caribbean tourism officials: if you need somebody to complain about how nice your islands are, I'm in the book.

Related Stories:
· Lewis Black in Aruba [aruba.com]
· Lewis Black [Official Site]
· Tourism Marketing Coverage [Jaunted]