By Chris Cosci

Television commercials are a prime starting point for up-and-coming actors. While the roles aren't as complex as those found in some of the shows the commercials sponsor, they do give actors a chance to perform in front of a camera and, in some cases, appear on national television.

However, these commercials occasionally seem to strip actors of any pride or dignity they may have. For example, there is a commercial for Pepto-Bismol that shows five people lined up at a copying machine. As the announcer speaks, one person at a time acts out each symptom that Pepto-Bismol treats. One person covers his mouth for nausea. Another person grabs his chest to represent heartburn. This is followed by people acting out indigestion, upset stomach and, for the most unfortunate person in the commercial, diarrhea.

So far, nothing too embarrassing (except maybe for the last person). But then the voice-over repeats the symptoms, and the people repeat their illustrative gestures. The next time this occurs, music starts to play and all five people dance the gestures as the voice-over drones on: "nausea, heartburn, indigestion..." With each repetition, the five people end by throwing their arms up and shouting, "Yay, Pepto-Bismol!" The result is a cataclysmic display of people cheerfully dancing around, grabbing their bottoms and faking illness. By the time the commercial ended, I was ready to reach for my own bottle of Pepto-Bismol.

Equally unsettling to watch are commercials for laxatives. These commercials typically feature a couple of people talking to each other. Suddenly, one person will make a subtle reference to having a slight problem. The second person will then blurt out, in a voice loud enough to be heard within a five-mile radius, "You mean you're constipated?" This is followed by the first person looking horrified.

Why don't they just have a doctor, or an actor playing a doctor, who tells us about the product? Are we supposed to relate to the people in the commercial? Personally, I find it hard to relate to people who, in the middle of a normal conversation, suddenly start talking about their bathroom problems. Furthermore, if I had a friend who seemed eager and excited to talk to me about it, I'd be more than a little concerned.

But the commercials that really make me scratch my head are those for feminine products. In these commercials, women seem to be perfectly comfortable talking about their period and their need for extra protection. Sometimes they talk to the camera, as if they were having a special, one-on-one conversation with the viewer. Other times, you see women sitting around a table, talking about these products as if every group of women talks about this over dinner.

I realize that these actors are just starting out, and they are not going to be offered the same roles as Tom Cruise or Julia Roberts. But it surprises me that the companies who make these commercials are able to convince actors to do some of these things. I can't picture somebody calling up family members and saying, "Guess what? I got a part in a commercial - I'm playing a woman with vaginal itch!"

Obviously, these actors are not doing the commercials for fame and fortune. I'm sure the last thing they want is someone coming up to them on the street saying, "Hey, aren't you the guy in that commercial about impotence? Man, you were awesome in that!"

Like every job, you have to start somewhere. I'm sure these actors would much rather be doing a commercial for a credit card company or a restaurant. But at least these commercials provide them with a little bit of income and a foot in the door to bigger and better things. It will all be worth it down the road - even if they do have to spend a few years avoiding eye contact with anyone who might recognize them.