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Way Back Wednesday: “Get off Your Butt and Do It!”

Posted by Nicci | Posted in Business and Finance, Way Back Wednesday | Posted on 15-09-2010

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On last week’s Way Back Wednesday, we discussed the overwhelming desire to get results with no effort.  With the Hawaii Chair, the goal is to achieve a toned core while sitting on your tuckus doing nothing.  For today’s post, we’ll look at an infomercial that encourages its viewers to “get off your butt and do it!”

In the late eighties and early nineties, Tom Vu appeared on late night television promoting a free 90-minute seminar that promised to show its attendees how to make millions in real estate.   Profiting from real estate investments is a popular money-making method, and many programs, including the Carleton Sheets Real Estate Coaching Network  and Dean Graziosi’s Profit from Real Estate Right Now, can still be seen on TV today.  What made Vu’s infomercials so unique were his “rags to riches” story as a Vietnamese immigrant, his entourage of bikini clad models, and his complete lack of command of the English language:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K853GykeGH0

Actually, it seems that none of the speakers in the infomercial are native English speakers.  That also reminds me of last week’s post, what with its “thawed and loosened redundant fat.”  For a man with such strongly accented speech, however, Vu had some great lines, including:

  • “Do you think these girls like me? NO, they like my money!”
  • “Are you afraid to ask your Boss for the day off to come to my seminar? Well then you don’t deserve to be rich.”
  • “Don’t listen to your friends. They’re losers!”

Tom Vu became so popular through his late night real estate infomercials that he has been frequently referenced in pop culture, including an “appearance” on The Family Guy and in the lyrics to “Professor Booty” by The Beastie Boys.  

Vu has since retired from real estate, but he continues to make the money necessary to be surrounded by mansions, yachts, and bikini babes as a tournament poker player.  To date, he has won over $1,500,000 playing poker and placed second in the 2007 World Series of Poker.

From busboy to babe magnet, Tom Vu is living the American dream.

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