• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, May 2, 2008

One gets a little nervous when the jokes over a troubling, life-altering ailment--in this case blindness--come at the expense of another major disorder, autism. With Comedy Central's own Jon Stewart hosting "Night of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Concert for Autism Education," Stewart went with the theory that two serious subjects thrown together can yield comic results.

Comedy Central's "Night of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Concert for Autism Education"- Toyota Corolla

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Along for the ride was a contest for viewers to win a new 2009 Toyota Corolla. And in one skit, it had an actor playing legally blind New York State Governor David Paterson in the driver's seat. Yes, he was actually behind the wheel.

Fortunately, the engine wasn't on, nor was the car moving. But the Governor didn't think so. "Right now, I'm enjoying the sights," said Paterson. Stewart had to tell him otherwise.

Pretty effective for advertising recall, I'm guessing. Of course, the real Paterson wouldn't be found pitching any single car brand, such as Toyota. But, oh, what a feeling!

Comedy Central's "South Park" - Starbucks

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Citizens of South Park wake up one morning shocked to find the Internet is gone.

Desperate to get online, everyone rushes to Starbucks--thanks to the kids of "South Park" --only to find out there isn't any Internet there, either. What did people do before the Internet to get their news? Turn on television, they figure out.

No mention of Starbucks caffeinated drinks or why those kids seem to be so hyperactive. But the takeaway seems to be that Starbucks is good for something that's not organically grown.

NBC's "The Office" - Wendy's

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In future years, we'll always know what a challenge it was to include product placement in scripted shows.

NBC's "The Office" took a left turn in taking the name Wendy to a different place. Michael is attempting to connect with a girl name Wendy for a date. "A juicy redhead," he thinks. He calls and asks to speak with her.

"Dude, this is a Wendy's restaurant." Michael is perplexed and thinks fast: "OK. Could I have a frosty and a baked potato, please?"

"You have to come to the restaurant and order food," says a huffy fast-food staffer. And, by the way, the food is ready now. "We'll send someone to pick it up. Just put it aside."

The takeaway message for Wendy's in these branded-entertainment times: It's all about really fast food--and perhaps a surly manager.

ABC Family's "American Prom Queen" - Cosmo Girl

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If there were anything more organic, it comes when young-skewing model/teen shows hook up with beauty products or those that sell beauty products. ABC Family's "American Prom Queen" had that with Cosmo Girl magazine.

In one episode, contestants vie to become a special correspondent for Cosmo Girl for a year, where they can give advice on proms and being a queen, I guess. They put on special dresses and styling and giggle about whether they should have assistants.

In the future, the only downside for viewers will come when their eyes glaze over such perfect product-placement exposure.

From a branded-entertainment point of view, one would imagine that's the whole point: everything just sinks into our subconscious.