It’s always good to see Patrick “McDreamy” Dempsey on two wheels. Being a cyclist is part of his brand. He aligned with Specialized and Amgen a few years ago for the “Breakaway from Cancer” initiative and annual "Dempsey Challenge" to benefit the cancer center he founded in honor of his mother, who is a survivor. (BTW, the 2012 Dempsey Challenge will be held October 13-14 in Lewiston-Auburn, ME. http://www.dempseychallenge.org/)
Dempsey’s proved to be the consummate celebrity endorser for the Specialized brand, a cause close to his heart, and the sport in general. For one thing he is believable. He looks like a true cyclist riding along Pacific Coast Highway on a Tarmac complimented by S-Works shoes and Specialized kit. Cool! And very HOT!
On the other hand we have Gwyneth Paltrow tangled in a scripting nightmare during the filming of “Thanks for Sharing” in New York’s Central Park. One look at the photos below leaves cycling purists gagging on their Gu Gel. If you’re going cleat-less in shoes meant for cleats, with yoga tights and a t-shirt, don’t put someone on a Serotta with aero bars and flat pedals. Put her in sneakers, call Trek and get a hybrid for the scene. And isn’t it ironic to see such a bad fit on a brand that makes custom bikes? Generally, when a brand is used in a script, it is either a paid product placement or the production company requests permission from said brand to use it and allows control over how it's represented in a scene. Maybe Serotta should have given them some tips? Cut!
