Rarely has an issue so galvanized Long Island's East End as the
recent contretemps over an ad by the Bermuda Tourism Commission
that pokes fun at the posh group of beach towns collectively known
as The Hamptons.
Flummoxed Hamptonites have been sputtering madly for more than a
week now over the offending ad, demanding some sort of retribution
for what they really seem to believe is a crime against their
little empire's swank-appeal.
The outrage has been palpable. Dan Rattiner, founder of Dan's
Papers, published his own list of anti-Bermuda-isms, which boasts
that while Bermuda residents look up to "Queen Elizabeth, one of
the stuffiest, most humorless, most least accomplished (most least
accomplished?) people in the world," Hamptonites celebrate a more
solid class of hero, one that includes such luminaries as ex-model
Christie Brinkley and her ex-husband Billy Joel.
Finally, the Hamptons fired its big gun. An anti-Bermuda ad in
Sunday's New York Times commissioned by the Long island CVB
attempted to recreate the BTC's style in reverse.
It was pretty flat and more than a little bitter, but hopefully
it will bring wounded East Enders a little peace -- and the rest of
us a little quiet.