More than rainy nights in this Georgia

No 131: GEORGIA DEPT OF INDUSTRY, TRADE & TOURISM

What fascinating things people do when they're not doing what we know them for in the places we expect to see them. The fact is that artistes and ex-presidents have Other Lives and After Lives - they're Big in Japan, on the corporate concert circuit, or they've started a Foundation. Thus the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade & Tourism's commercial for Georgia's attractions stars Elton John and ex-President and Mrs Carter. Jimmy Carter's connection is obvious enough, and now he has the Carter Center in Georgia, so he and Rosalyn appear in longshot, looking dull, to exemplify Georgia's people.

But why is Elton singing up a storm with one of his anthemic numbers, looking for all the world as if he were a Georgia Peach? "Oh Jordan, take me to your southlands," he starts. That's the cue for a golfer in a deep sandpit illustrating Georgia's places: "329 challenging golf courses."

"I sometimes feel that life has passed me by," Elton continues, leading us on through Georgia's roster of cultural achievement to a Waltons-like shack-store, where a boy is running towards a old pick-up truck.

Who was born here? Actually its the Coca-Cola sign we settle on; Georgia's "the home of the real thing", you see. "Oh Jordan, lead me through your heartlands," Elton choruses again, as we see him at the piano, wearing his latest auburn weave and a very restrained black T-shirt and jacket. "I need to see them one more time before I'm gone."

Then a lot of messages start appearing - "It's all in Georgia" and "USA - Georgia on my mind" - in a sort of roundel, followed by the official sign-off of the Department.

It's an awful pedestrian lash-up. The notion that Carter, golf and Coke between them constitute Georgia's principal attractions seems more than usually pathetic. And why Elton, who can name his price and doesn't do many ads, is in this provincial line-up is wholly mysterious. I think we should be told.