Paging Ellen

So, how did our little Homeskillet become a pitchwoman while no one was looking? The more I’ve seen of Ellen Page shilling for Cisco Systems, the more I’m perplexed. Who knew deadpan irony sold information technology specialization expertise?

Now, when I first saw Ellen pop up in a Cisco ad back in early November, I thought it was perhaps a one-off thing. The ad coincided with a rather clever product placement in “30 Rock” as Jack videoconferences on – what else – a Cisco system. But more ads keep popping up and there Ellen is on the Cisco homepage looking relaxed with a dog and the supreme confidence in “the human network.” Whatever that means.

Her series of ads (three so far) are actually sort of funny in WTF-is-that-Ellen-Page kind of way. I’ll post them chronologically, because I think they get better (or possibly Ellen just gets cuter) as they go along.

Also, did you know Lunenburg, Nova Scotia is a real place? I wonder if the whole town got networked flat screens courtesy of Cisco. Now that, that would be something to sell out for.

Look, actors and actresses lending their names, faces and talents to sell products is nothing new. But I’m slightly befuddled at some of the recent moves. Like, how is Luke Wilson looking a little paunchy and possibly lost for AT&T a good career move? The thing is, these endorsements have usually been limited to a certain sort of celebrity – the mega stars or zeitgeist sirens. Think Catherine Zeta Jones, Ashton Kutcher and Kim Kardashian-Paris Hilton-thenextbigwhatchmacalllitgirl.But now the indie and – I say this with as little snobbery as possible – credible actors are entering the fray. It’s disorienting.

Not that I’m necessarily complaining. Anything that brings a cutie like Ellen into my living room more is welcome, I suppose. I just never guessed that one day she would be the cheese to my teleconferencing macaroni.