MetaChat - Today's moment of WTF?

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19 June 2006

Today's moment of WTF? I was just walking into the elevator and walking out was this chick holding a cellphone, but plugged into it was a red handset (complete with curly cord) from a old school landline phone. Tech problem? Retro Fashion Statement? Delusional Psychosis?

post by: jonmc at: 15:06 | 32 comments

Retro Fashion Statement. You can buy them at Urban Outfitters.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 19 June | 15:09

That's an awful long way to go for a fashion statement. And dosen't it defeat the purpose of a cell phone?

posted by jonmc 19 June | 15:11

I just saw those in a catalog at my grandparents' house.

posted by sisterhavana 19 June | 15:13

dosen't it defeat the purpose of a cell phone?

Yeah, you can't send text messages, take photos OR play games on an old school handset. I mean, really!

posted by I Love Tacos 19 June | 15:14

If the purpose of a cell phone is portability and convenience, the purpose is, yes, defeated.

posted by Hugh Janus 19 June | 15:17

hipster pretentiousness. You should have knocked it out of her hand and stepped on it. Or at least gotten in her face and yelled "LOOK HOW FUCKING COOL YOU ARE!"

posted by puke & cry 19 June | 15:22

Seriously? Urban Outfitters?! I got one from ThinkGeek and thought I was all nerdy-cool.

You know what? Screw all y'all! Anachronism is cool. I declare it.

posted by Capn 19 June | 15:24

No, cool would be getting a telegraph attachment for your cell. No, a smoke signal generator.

Half measures avail us nothing, people.

posted by jonmc 19 June | 15:26

That's brilliant, puke & cry.

Possessing one of those is okay. Actually using one is too much.

posted by halonine 19 June | 15:28

Retro Cell Phone Receiver.

posted by ericb 19 June | 15:30

Capn, I agree. Those things are awesome.

posted by dame 19 June | 15:33

Then again, I *am* a pretentious hipster.

posted by dame 19 June | 15:34

My recent WTF moment was seeing a car with a bumper sticker on it that said "Photons have Mass?? I didn't even know they were Catholic."

I had an urge to ram the car.

posted by kmellis 19 June | 15:35

On the other hand, you could actually hold it between your ear and your shoulder. Cell phones are too tiny to do that effectively.

posted by matildaben 19 June | 15:37

Friends of ours got my boyfriend one of those. It is bluetooth and is a safe way to be on the phone while driving.

posted by k8t 19 June | 15:38

On the other hand, you could actually hold it between your ear and your shoulder. Cell phones are too tiny to do that effectively.

Well, that's why people buy those headsets that make them look like Borg.

posted by jonmc 19 June | 15:39

walking out was this chick holding a cellphone, but plugged into it was a red handset

heh, you said but plugged.

posted by Hellbient 19 June | 15:40

It's a red phone. Red phones are always some kind of fashion statement. Unless it's a direct line to the Kremlin... and even then, maybe.

posted by wendell 19 June | 15:44

Well, that's why people buy those headsets that make them look like Borg.

And those headsets are lamer & less red.

posted by dame 19 June | 15:45

I don't really like those freaky little clippy headsets either but they aren't huge and red so it's not as bad.

posted by puke & cry 19 June | 15:48

I'm sorry puke & cry, this calls for a cage match.

posted by dame 19 June | 15:50

dame, you and me, tag team.

posted by Capn 19 June | 16:05

I'm in with P&C. It's not retro if you lived through it.

posted by warbaby 19 June | 16:23

Well, the little clip thing is small and convenient. The giant red phone is neither. Anyone talking on a big red reciever hooked into a cellphone in public is just dying for attention.

posted by puke & cry 19 June | 16:27

I don't think I would have been able to stop myself from laughing at her, loudly. Enslaved to a twisted sense of cool.

p&c, especially if they're dressed up like Strawberry Shortcake at the same time but at least the red phone would match the ensemble!

posted by fenriq 19 June | 16:33

I was thinking of hitching my car to a horse... or maybe just install a saddle behind the steering wheel... tone my thighs while I drive...

Gittyup!

posted by Pips 19 June | 16:39

This guy needs a big red phone.

posted by puke & cry 19 June | 16:41

You know what the coolest phone would be? Those Vietnam-era military phones where you need a subordinate to carry it on his back like a rucksack and you get a handset with a curly wire and when you shout into it to order an airstrike or maybe a pizza he has to stay within 3 feet of you. That would be cool.

posted by blag 19 June | 17:00

check out my new cameraphone:
≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by Hellbient 19 June | 17:33

I think you should've said, CAN I GO TO THE BAT CAVE TOO???

posted by chewatadistance 19 June | 17:34

nah.. it's lol. if i were lame enough to have a cellphone, (im not and i dont. suck it, borgs) i'd totally get one... just for the sheer ridiculousness of it

or better yet, one that looks like a payphone... wearable as a backpack

on preview, i see that blag has already half-stolen my idea. thanks

posted by Wedge 19 June | 23:12

On the other hand, you could actually hold it between your ear and your shoulder. Cell phones are too tiny to do that effectively.

Exactly. Wasn't there an episode of Futurama where they had to use a "cellmate" to make their tiny future phones usable? Google tells me there was, but supplies no picture, alas.

Not that this means hipster red handsets are the way to go. Blag's idea is awesome, except I can imagine that if Cellphone Chick has enough clout where she works, she would be working to get a blagphone even as we speak. Quick, patent it now!

posted by GeckoDundee 20 June | 08:41

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