PG Tips – Mr Shifter

Sitting in a car park outside the post office the other day, I found myself browsing through some music videos on YouTube and this little gem popped up in the sidebar – oh, how they have me so profiled!

It was a TV ad from the 1970s by the tea company PG Tips. The stars in the ad were two hard-working chimpanzee piano movers: Mr Shifter and his hapless son.

The ad itself is funny, but I had forgotten the punchline, which comes right at the end – and, boy, what a stinger!

"Dad, do you know the piano's on my foot?" "You hum it, son, I'll play it!"

On hearing the punchline, I burst out into uncontrollable laughter. I laughed so hard and so long I had tears running down my cheeks. I repeated the punchline to myself, over and over, and I just couldn't stop the fits of laughter. I was almost oblivious to the strange-looking stares of passers-by. Later that evening I replayed the video to my wife and nearly choked on a spoonful of spicy vindaloo. That would have been one hell of a way to go. Cause of death: hysterical laughter.

They don't make ads like this any more.