Earnest P. Worrell (played by national treasure, the late Jim Varney) might be the most successful example and maybe the most confusing. The Earnest character was created by an ad agency based in Nashville, Tennessee in 1980. The character was basically used as a pitch man for several different brands including Coke, Chex mix, and Taco John’s. His first use in a commercial was in an ad promoting an appearance by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders at Beech Bend Park. He was known for saying “KnowwhutIMean, Vern?” Vern being the target consumer on the other side of the TV screen. From 1986 to 1998 Earnest starred in 10 films. 4 of those films had theatrical releases by Disney’s Touchstone Pictures and grossed over $90 million in ticket sales. After Earnest Scared Stupid did not perform well in the box office they dropped the character and the rest of the Earnest films were independently produced. There were rumors of 6 more Earnest movies in various stages of production in the years before Jim Varney’s death but alas, none were filmed. The last we saw of this character in film was 1998’s Earnest in the Army but the character lives on forever through my father’s inability to say “Know what I mean?” without calling me Vern. Every. Time.