If you’re like me, you’ve always been bugged by those ads for The Brown Hand Center that are shown way too much during Houston Astros games. Maybe it’s that whole Stepford family thing, or the way the wife looks terrified, or the girl talking about being daddy’s little girl. Or perhaps it’s because I know about the good doctor at the center of the ad, and how he lost his medical license and is on probation for beating his second wife.
So yeah, that whole thing just bugs me. But now, hopefully, the Astros and Fox Sports Houston will stop running that damn thing. ย
For those that missed the news,
everybody’s husband of the year and favorite hand surgeon attacked his
third wife a couple of weeks ago and was, several days ago, charged by
the police, forced to surrender his passport, and given a bail of
$40,000. This shouldn’t really be news as his wife sought a restraining
order against him in 2006, alleging domestic abuse dating back for
several years. She also called 911 on him in 2009. ย
So, along
with wondering why the Astros have been allowing commercials for this
creep to run during their games, the question should be asked about why
his wife was still with him. Especially seeing as he was already on
probation for beating his pregnant, second wife with a bedpost. ย
So yeah, he’s not exactly the nicest of guys, and anybody who read the Houston Press article from way back couldn’t help but wonder why this guy got to advertise on
television during baseball games, especially seeing as how Drayton
McLane famously once dumped a player who was charged with domestic
assault but whose wife refused to press charges. Then again, Drayton
wasn’t making any cash off Julio Lugo while he’s making cash off of Dr.
Michael Brown.
Leaving all of that aside, it’s kind of puzzling
that the Astros would allow the advertisements to run anyway, seeing as
how the guy’s lost his license in Texas and can’t practice medicine. And
the reason he can’t practice medicine is that he tested positive for
cocaine use during a probation-mandated drug test in 2006. ย
The
Astros claim to be one of those organizations that are all about family.
You can’t listen or attend a game without being lambasted with
advertising for one of those faith and family nights. And Roger Clemens
hasn’t exactly been a welcome presence around the team since he appeared
before Congress. Yet despite all of this, Brown’s Hand Center
commercials have constantly appeared during Astros games.
I
suppose it’s possible that the advertising folks with the Astros did the
same level of due diligence that the front office did when they
acquired Miguel Tejada a day before he was named in The Mitchell Report.
But just as the suspicions regarding Tejada were well known before the
report came out, the facts and stories surrounding Brown were just as
well known and evident. Yet just as they ignored everything with Tejada,
they ignored everything with Mr. Hand Center.
Then again, maybe
it’s just me. Maybe I’m the only one creeped out by the ads and the
Stepford family and a guy who can’t even practice medicine boasting
about his medical abilities. But I’m really hoping that I’m not going to
have to see those ads anymore. That might, just might, start making the
Astros watchable again.
This article appears in Arts Guide 2010.
