Comments for

Walmart Pulls Superbad DVD Featuring Fake Hawaii "McLovin" License

2007-12-08T02:48:45Z

Walmart has pulled copies of the Superbad DVD that contained a promotional "McLovin" Hawaii license after Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann objected to the item. The "license" appears to be made with a lenticular lens, and when viewed at different angles shows either Fogell or his ever-sexy alter-ego, "McLovin."

"We're very pleased that Wal-Mart has taken prompt, corrective measures to comply with the City's request to protect the integrity of our driver's license. It was foolish of the movie studio to include this prop in the DVD, particularly because it could be used by unscrupulous people to deceive others who are unfamiliar with our driver's license. For example, those who saw 'Superbad' know the underage teenager used his fake Hawaii license to buy liquor," Mayor Hannemann said in a statement.

Walmart responded. "When this situation was brought to our attention we immediately looked into the matter," said Wal-Mart spokesman Lorenzo Lopez to the Honolulu Advertiser. "We have pulled all of the exclusive bonus movie packs that contained the ID item from our store shelves in Hawai'i." When asked if they would be expanding the recall to include other states, Walmart told the Star-Bulletin that the card "has a shifting, dual photograph and other features to make clear it's not a real I.D."

"We regret that it has caused concerns in Hawaii or elsewhere. This was a one-time promotion and no further shipments are planned."

Our first instinct was to say that no one would ever be stupid enough to try to pass a lenticular "McLovin" ID as real, but then we remembered that there is currently an epidemic of idiots trying to pass fake million dollar bills at stores and banks all over the country, and reconsidered our position. Even so, we still don't think these need to be pulled, mostly because we want one.

CITY'S OBJECTION PROMPTS WAL-MART TO PULL "SUPERBAD" FROM LOCAL SHELVES (PRESS RELEASE) [Honolulu Government]
Wal-Mart halts 'Superbad' gimmick in Hawaii [Honolulu Advertiser]
No love for license in isles [Star Bulletin]

Comment from Trackback on 2007-12-14

2007-12-14T20:29:08Z

Well, after that newsy Thursday filled with the outing of countless baseball players (can anyone believe Roger Clemens was on the list?!? We thought that mid-career turnaround was just a coincidence!)

Comment from Kricket on 2007-12-10

2007-12-10T23:28:57Z

@forgottenpassword:

they would probably get some redneck, podunk response like: "That license is just about the gayest looking license I have ever seen! It has a rainbow on it!"

Comment from vladthepaler on 2007-12-10

2007-12-10T21:05:09Z

Walmart has to take this seriously, because its employees are actually stupid enough to think it's a real license. (Liquor stores probably look a little more closely.)

Comment from MMD on 2007-12-09

2007-12-09T17:50:28Z

There's a grave problem here that none of you are acknowledging.

The fake license says Fogell, *not* McLovin!!

This is an OUTRAGE!

/joke>

Comment from BugMeNot2 on 2007-12-09

2007-12-09T17:07:52Z

I love myself and am gay for thinking I have a 'real life' even though I am bashing people over the internet.

Also, I though myself at night.

Comment from BugMeNot2 on 2007-12-09

2007-12-09T15:08:38Z

Who cares?
This is about a movie? We have a war, and a election, and global warming to worry about.
And we are worrying about a movie that is its own namesake?
And then to hijack such a lame topic with next gen DVD format wars?
No, I do not want to see or buy this on HD DVD.
Get a 'real' life people...

Comment from kc-guy on 2007-12-09

2007-12-09T13:33:16Z

I checked my (3) local Walmarts-- still there. Then again, there wasn't a whole lot of speed on their recall of Nazi memorabilia either.

In case anyone missed that little escapade, here's one of the Consumerist posts from 5 months ago.
[consumerist.com]

Comment from Papa Midnight on 2007-12-08

2007-12-09T03:06:48Z

@LewisNYC: I smell a Sony bashing fan-boy already... Damn.

Comment from EtherealStrife on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T12:58:10Z

For example, those who saw 'Superbad' know the underage teenager used his fake Hawaii license to buy liquor," Mayor Hannemann said in a statement.

And we also know that cops get beer for minors. Oh wait. It's just a movie. And wasn't the whole point of the fake Hawaii license for it to be out of its element? What good is a fake Hawaii license in *Hawaii*!?! So it's going to be available everywhere it could be used, but not in the one place it's obviously fake. Brilliant.

Comment from forgottenpassword on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T11:55:26Z

That license is just about the gayest looking license I have ever seen (with the rainbow & all). WOnder what kind of reaction one would get flashing a hawaii license around in some podunk, redneck town in texas or alabama?

Comment from Trai_Dep on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T11:38:50Z

Hawaii mayors have no sense of humor. If it was Gavin Newsom, he'd not only approve the damn thing, but update the marriage licenses* with a holographic Reverend McLovin saying the vows.

* m/f, m/m & f/f. Sorry, you'll have to travel to Pennsylvania for dog/dog.

Comment from navstar on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T10:05:24Z

Lewis, HD-DVD delivers all the features of Blu-Ray Profile 2.0 (PiP, online content, etc) since the very beginning. 100% of all HD-DVD players sold since day one have this. Blu-Ray you have the Profile 1, 1.1 and 2 confusion.

Also, as another poster said, 100% of all HD-DVDs are region free. While region coding is optional on Blu-Ray, nearly all releases are region locked -- especially big Hollywood releases.

Comment from goodkitty on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T09:51:18Z

Anyone who thinks the HD DVD vs. Blu-Ray battle is about technology isn't looking at the big picture. This is about one evil monopolist (Sony) trying to rule the world at the expense of everyone else, and another evil monopolist (Microsoft) playing proxy warfare through Toshiba. I don't have a preference... but I wish they'd just get it over with already.

I thought the ID was too real myself as well, until I read that it's lenticular... so yeah, you'd have to be a drooling moron to fall for that one. I doubt the 'mayor' bothered to find out about that extra fact.

Meanwhile, having done a stint in Hawaii, I agree with XTC46 completely... people there can't be trusted with anything more dangerous than string.

Comment from takotchi on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T09:22:28Z

@HD-DVD fans:

While Blu-ray doesn't require players to be backwards-compatible with DVD, they do recommend it. Most players I've seen are.

The only thing that really bothers me about Blu-ray is that it still has some region restrictions. These should never exist on any media, period.

Comment from discounteggroll on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T07:40:30Z

@parse:

underage teenagers found our weak spot; quickly! we must regroup at Red Lobster!

Comment from geekiscool on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T07:06:59Z

Also, in the movie, it lisence is recognized as fake, as the cops later reveal...

Comment from mindbender9 on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T06:53:53Z

LewisNYC = troll.

Comment from cryrevolution on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T06:15:08Z

*their, not there. Ugh.

Comment from cryrevolution on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T06:14:51Z

@PARSE: Exactly. How backwards is that? Wouldn't you be LESS likely to pass off a fake Hawaii license IN Hawaii? Um, ya know because they can just whip out there own license and compare? And on the flip side, if I walked into a oh say Michigan bar and presented it, how would they know what a Hawaii license looks like? Crazy.

Comment from jsnorcal on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T06:09:07Z

@THISAINTSWEETTEA
Well darnit if you didn't beat me to that punch line! =P Maybe they will release something with Tom Cruise's new Nazi movie, like eye patch you see him wearing in clips, and we can once again watch Walmart's inaction to truly offensive products. Not so much the Nazi eye patch but a Tom Cruise movie!

Comment from Voyou_Charmant on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T05:25:15Z

Thank god this ID didn't feature anything relating to Nazis. Otherwise this would never be pulled from the shelves.

Comment from xtc46 - thinksmarter on twitter on 2007-12-08

2007-12-08T05:01:10Z

I live in Hawaii and will be checking walmart for it. I want to be McLovin'

and to all those saying "you would have to be a complete moron to fall for it" you haven't visited hawaii...we have too many "complete morons" here. 2% unemployment rate means bottom of the barrel workers doing the minimum wage jobs (like clerks)

Comment from SexierThanJesus on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T04:53:59Z

@Skiffer:

Agreed. My biggest concern with Blu-Ray though is it's lack of backward compatibility (obviously). If I choose to get an HD-DVD player, my current collection can be played on it, while a Blu-Ray player would basically make them all obsolete.

Comment from num1skeptic on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T04:38:01Z

would't be surprised to see these surfacing on ebay......for only 1 million (its to help put their kid through school) lol.

Comment from czarandy on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T04:31:43Z

This makes no sense. The DOB isn't even early enough to allow someone to buy alcohol so who cares?

Comment from MercuryPDX on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T04:28:11Z

@faust1200: For $24 you can get the guidebook all bartenders and ID checkers should be using.

Comment from Pancakes?? FRENCH TOAST!! on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T04:18:52Z

@parse: I'd be more likely to believe Wal-Mart pulled only from Hawai'i to show just how ridiculous the mayor's comments are.

Comment from markedward on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T04:17:34Z

@parse: And also that.

Comment from markedward on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T04:17:20Z

The card is missing the state's seal watermarks, it has an actor's face on it, and it's holographic... only a complete moron would try to pass it off as an actual fake ID, and you'd have to be dumber than that to even fall for it. So what's the big deal of having an obviously fake fake-ID in a movie?

Comment from thetanooki on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:56:45Z

@hi:

You are funny. I am not.

Comment from Skiffer on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:54:34Z

@Skiffer: Sorry, I didn't mention storage capacity re: video. Personally, I don't mind having 2 discs for an entire season compared to 1 disc - since, what happens if the one disc breaks?

But I'm just rationalizing at this point...

Comment from parse on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:49:35Z

The Honolulu mayor says the fake ID is a problem because "it could be used by unscrupulous people to deceive others who are unfamiliar with our driver's license." So Walmart removes the item from stores in Hawaii--the state where you expect people to be most familiar with the actual license--and leaves it in stores everywhere else.

Comment from Skiffer on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:49:14Z

@ivealwaysgotmail10: Price, price, price.

Blu-ray uses a different lens pitch. Therefore, none of the current DVD manufacturing equipment can make blu-rays. (Also, can a blu-ray player play normal DVDs?)

HD-DVD uses the same lens pitch as DVDs. Therefore, HD-DVDs can be manufactured through a simple upgrade to the equipment. Also, I know that HD-DVD players can play regular DVDs.

Hence, $400 blu-ray players vs. $180 hd-dvd players.

HD-DVD can reach pretty high storage capacities, but not as high as blu-ray. But, storage capacity is unimportant to the typical consumer - especially with the rise of thumb drives and cheap external hard drives.

Granted, I'm an HD-DVD fan-boy...so take what I say with a grain of salt

Comment from faust1200 on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:49:00Z

Fortunately Consumerist posted the sample of the real license so you kids have a template to make your real fake id's.

Comment from faust1200 on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:45:59Z

The back should have an organ donor sticker if being true to the movie. I'm not really a student of the film, I happened to just see it 2 days ago.

Comment from Leiterfluid on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:45:25Z

@GreatCaesarsGhost: After having watched that movie, subtle humor doesn't do it for me anymore.

Comment from badgerette on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:44:14Z

In reading this article, I could just hear Peter Sagle's voice quoting mayor Mufi Hannemann for this week's episode of Wait, Wait - Don't Tell Me! Of course a great part of the comedy in Superbad hinges on the idea that anyone would be foolish enough to take a fake ID for someone named "McLovin'" seriously. It is not even somewhat believable.
Also, I am in love with Seth Rogen.

Comment from KingPsyz on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:41:12Z

I got my card last night, honestly, if someone is fooled by this they need to be placed in assistive living care because they obviously cannot function in society.

It's so obviously fake. The entire surface is lenticular and unless the person using it is the young Mr. Vogel, it won't work. The back is plain white with some spirit gum dots.

Comment from GreatCaesarsGhost on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:30:44Z

@Leiterfluid:
You must be humorless to not recognize that was a joke.

Comment from Leiterfluid on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:22:56Z

@Optimus:
You must be a sad, humorless soul. Superbad is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long, long time.

Comment from num1skeptic on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:22:51Z

i bet they start selling on ebay for some rediculous amount. just like those aqua teen hunger force signs that were involved in that scare. i wanted one! but couln't afford a bajillion dollars for a neon sign.

Comment from hi on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:21:29Z

@thetanooki: "this is why Hawaii is far removed from the continental united states..."

Really? I thought it had something to do with a volcano.

Comment from ivealwaysgotmail10 on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:18:13Z

@LewisNYC:
Okay since i havent heard from literally anyone a single benifit Hd Dvd Has over Blu-ray. Please enlighten me to the reason why it is offensive not to release on hd dvd, And include a reason other than you only have an hd dvd player.

Blu ray will eventually reach near its theoretical maximum of what? 250gb? On one disc? So instead of a pack full of crappily made multi Disc holders, you have one disc, in one case, with the whole season of whatever show in HD.

Is it me or do people still think you can just put an HD Dvd Into a DVD Player?

Comment from louisb3 on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:17:34Z

Okay, but does Walmart take it very seriously?

Comment from Optimus on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:07:12Z

@LewisNYC: I 'd say the real real offense is that a movie like this was made, but having not seen it, I suppose I can go no further than saying that the real real offense is that a movie on which the Superbad advertisements were based was made. The fact that it was released on Blu-Ray and not HD-DVD just shows the caliber of movie that is accepted by the Blu-Ray camp. It makes me want HD-DVD. :p

Comment from thetanooki on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:04:37Z

Any bar or liquor store that would mistake this ID for a real one deserves to be shut down, especially when the DOB is not even close to the legal age.

As for the mayor's reaction, this is why Hawaii is far removed from the continental United States

Comment from UESC on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T03:01:50Z

@LewisNYC: you could always download the Blu-Ray, convert it to Divx, and then stream it to your 360 ;)

Comment from Lewis on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T02:58:50Z

Sorry but the real offense here is that the film is being released on Blu Ray and not HD-DVD. Ducking...

Comment from UpsetPanda on 2007-12-07

2007-12-08T02:57:17Z

Is there anything on the back of the card itself? Drivers licenses generally have government information on the back, bar codes or something. I know most bars or stores don't look at the back...but how many people look like the character and couldn't they just send out a general notice to stores saying 'hey, watch for idiots who bought the movie and are trying to pass this off as real'?