Heidi Montag Mocks Own Plastic Surgery in Plea for Financial Overhaul Legislation
Spot defends establishing a consumer financial protection agency.
March 10, 2010— -- A new pitch for the creation of a consumer watchdog agency has stirred up a lot of buzz because it includes a popular reality-TV star poking fun at her own controversial cosmetic surgery procedures.
In a spot produced by movie director Ron Howard for the humor Web site FunnyOrDie.com, Heidi Montag, the star of MTV's "The Hills" who famously underwent 10 cosmetic surgery procedures in one day, playfully mocks her surgery.
"With hidden fees and standard interest rate increases, that $11,000 jaw line can end up costing upward of $50,000," she said in the short feature. "Being in debt for elective surgery is bad enough, but when I think about the thousands of Americans whose only method of paying for food is with credit cards, it's enough to make me cry without moving my new face.
"A consumer agency will stop banks and credit card companies from being such sleazy jerks," she added.
Montag's spot is part of the unorthodox marketing technique employed by Americans for Financial Reform, the group that joined with Funny Or Die to create clips that would get the public's attention. So far, the campaign seems to have achieved that goal.
Since it was posted Tuesday on FunnyOrDie.com, the Montag clip had received more than 765,000 views, according to the site.
An earlier spot featuring mainly former "Saturday Night Live" comedians reprising their roles as former U.S. presidents also proved popular.
In the sketch titled "Presidential Reunion," President Obama, played by cast member star Fred Armisen, dreams about getting a late-night surprise visit from former presidents George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter.
In the dream sequence, the former presidents give him pointers about the need for the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency.
Ronald Reagan was played by Jim Carrey. Michelle Obama was played by Maya Rudolph.
The other presidents were played by Chevy Chase, Darrell Hammond, Dan Aykroyd and Dana Carvey.