Former Dell Dude Now Works In a Mexican Restaurant

These days, Ben Curtis, also once known as "the Dell dude," is more likely to say "Dude, you're gettin' a tequila" than "Dude, you're gettin' a Dell" (the catch phrase/slogan he made famous as the on-air Dell spokesman back in the early aughts). That's because the affable everyman that showed up in many a commercial for Dell Computer now works as a bartender at a Mexican-restaurant-cum-bar in New York City!
Is this what happens after you get busted for trying to buy marijuana and then lose your job on a high-profile ad campaign? Apparently, yes, but it's not as bad as it sounds.
First of all, the guy is busy. When not participating in anti-war protests (as evidenced by the picture above) or playing gay dudes off-Broadway to critical acclaim, Curtis does episodes of Law & Order and has a role in the upcoming movie,' Proud Iva.' Curtis also sings in the band Whale. According to the funny interview with Curtis on New York magazine's Grub Street blog, the former Dell dude has also found girlfriends (as well as friends in DEA agents) at the Tortilla Flats restaurant where he's been working his "day job."
Turns out that the Dell dude is less of an everyman and more of an indie hipster, which, surprisingly, is about the last thing we'd associate with the computer company he once represented.
So, what do you think? Isn't it time we gave this guy a break? If he were now to become a national spokesperson for a company or product other than Dell, what company or product would that be? Let us know!
From Grub Street/NewYorkMag
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Comments
220
Subscribe to commentsscorpiauxNov 9th 2007 4:04PM
All this guy needs, if he doesn't have one, is an agent and some PR.
BRUCE FORRESTNov 9th 2007 4:07PM
THERE'S A REASON THEY CALL IT "DOPE"
Kenny1960Nov 9th 2007 4:11PM
Dude,,,Youe gettin a Margarita!
judyNov 9th 2007 4:20PM
he's the reason i bought my dell, he was good at his job, should have given him a chance, guess i'll get a different brand next time!
GregNov 9th 2007 4:56PM
The "dude" was and still is a dork. Let him have his last few minutes of fame and let's get back to what Brittney hit with her car. You know the important celebrity gossip.
GregNov 9th 2007 5:01PM
jayman says:
If he were a female teacher having sex with a child, some people would make excuses for him. as they did with Mary Kay LaTorneu (sp)
If he tortured and killed dogs for his own kicks, as Vick did, people would be saying " everyone makes mistakes"
So why shouldn't THIS guy get another chance... becasue he smoke weed? A drug that's barely illegal in most states.
Maybe he would have been better off raping children and torturing animals... at least THAT was there would be a segment of the population whould give him a second chance
Man, we are one seriously messed up country... and I'm not talking about politics either... the AMERICAN PEOPLE are lost and the AMERICAN SPIRIT is dead. We're little more than meat with eyes and wallets, and we have only ourselves to blame.
If someone else smoking a joint is going to ruin your day, than YOU'RE the problem. Stop being a facist pig and get your own lives on track.... hypocrites!
That's worth repeating! And it's the damn truth!!!
Captain YahtNov 9th 2007 5:11PM
greg, you got it, bro. i'm always saying the american spirit's about getting it. if you can bring it in by gambling no harm no fowl. even if it's a kind of sport most people don't like. get over it. and, not for nothing, if my teacher let me do it, i'm there. if everyone who's reading this smoked a bowl they'd know there's better things to do in the afternoon.
~yaht
tejur jeturNov 9th 2007 5:34PM
I thought he was a stoner or a surfer dude as soon as he uttered the dude word. commercials use rappers, sex appeal, prestige, celebrities, flashy clothes, good looks, tough guy images, kid appeal, music, (etc. etc. etc. just use your imagination)to sell something other than just letting the product sell itself. So what's so wrong with or different about this picture?
AgMom04Nov 9th 2007 6:55PM
ROFLAMO....cum bar....cum really means:
cum, a Latin word with several meanings, including with, when, since, and although (that othe word use is slang)
I'll bet the writer of this article is regretting a choice of words today! I'm still ROFLAMO at some of you guys! It's a Mexican restaurant WITH a bar. Duh!
And I liked the stoned Dell dude. What's a little weed...I haven't seen too much perfection coming out of Hollywood lately.
torryNov 9th 2007 7:39PM
If for some reason the subject that we are discussing{ben} does not help him get jobs,he should be very happy that people remember him, and that should and could help him in the long run. Good luck!!!!Dude,you're getting a JOB!!!
PyroNov 10th 2007 11:04AM
Dude! Yer gettin' a CELL!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
ELAINENov 10th 2007 11:13AM
I THOUGHT HE WAS ADORABLE. HOWEVER, THESE COMPANIES KNOW WHERE THEIR DOLLARS COME FROM AND THEY AIN'T TAKIN ANY CHANCES.
NOW, FOR O.J.......JUST KIDDING.!!
LNov 10th 2007 3:32PM
First of all you moron's, the use of 'cum' in the sentence is simply a way to represent the duality of the place that he works.
Secondly, for all of the men lusting over him ... did you not read the part where he found a GIRLFRIEND at work? And that he is merely PORTRAYING gay characters while ACTING off Broadway?
Get it right, learn how to read, and buy a dictionary before you go off and make yourself look foolish again.
jtNov 12th 2007 8:14AM
cum is latin , making the name say mexican restaurant with bar
netzdudeNov 12th 2007 8:44PM
Dell ought to give the guy his job back...smoking pot is nothing compared to the rebates Dell has stalled on paying people, some people just decided they will never get their rebate.........SOURCE rebatereportcard-dot-com
ron sloanNov 13th 2007 12:31AM
how could anyone think dell would want to be associated with any HINT of a drug abusing spokesman? that would be corporate suicide what this punk does with the rest of his life and future is up to him and it should be easy as dell
C. MarionNov 13th 2007 4:09PM
For the less than functionally literate..."cum" is the Latin word for "with".
CHICKYNov 14th 2007 3:22PM
Some kind of soda commercial, Coke or Pepsi, even seven up. I can see him doing something like that. He seems to have the energy.
As for the dorks making stupid of his other roles, get over and pass it. He's a performer and everyone deserves a second chance.
A major consumer.
timNov 14th 2007 3:57PM
How about viagra..."duuuude you're getting a boner" lol
Mr. PerfectNov 20th 2007 8:43AM
"Sarah says:
"cum" is latin, idiots. Pronounced 'cOOm'
it's like saying 'mexican restaurant-AND/ALSO-bar', indicating that the restaurant has two functions, as a place that serves food and a place that serves alcohol. . . I hope some of you who commented about that were joking, or else you're all really pathetic and uneducated.
And you know what else? I'm a bona fide (latin again! Literally, 'good faith', loosely translated 'authentic') pot head. No, we're not all stupid. . .but I'm starting to think everyone else is.
My advice? hit the bong and read a book."
Hey idiot, they are sarcastic comments. Rather than suggesting what other people need to do maybe you should look at yourself and get a goddamn sense of humor, you fucking hippy.