Lasik Surgery Gimmick – Sing for Your Surgery

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In a tasteless display of self-promotion, a Los Angeles Lasik surgeon has created a singing contest where the winner gets a free Lasik surgery procedure. It’s being called Lasik Idol™, at least until the folks at American Idol shut it down for infringement.

This contest is the creation of the self-proclaimed “World-renowned eye surgeon” (and all-around glory hound) Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler.

This reminds me of a contest I saw on the news recently, at one of the strip clubs near the Austin airport. They called their contest “Stripper Idol,” and they were sent a cease-and-desist notice from the company behind American Idol. The Lasik version is just an unoriginal twist on something hundreds of other businesses have done.

To enter the contest, contestants (i.e., viable business leads for the good doctor) simply have to sing and dance like a trained monkey, film it, and then submit the video through a special website set up for the purpose. That’s the gist of it. You humiliate yourself, and the Lasik surgeon gets hundreds or thousands of business leads from people seeking Lasik surgery.

Shrewd marketing or shameless promotion? You be the judge.

Personally, I will file this one under “I” for “I love myself.” But what else would you expect from somebody who uses his own face as a website logo — someone who glamorizes a medical procedure that has serious risks?

The contest is open to California residents 21 years or older [who have no sense of self worth]. The part in brackets is an editorial contribution.