Ex-Pats Cheerleader Eyes Crunch Time Win in Ad Contest

By Tenley Woodman
Boston Herald

Take heart, Patriots [team stats] fans – there’s still hope for a New England victory at the Super Bowl.

Former New England Patriots [team stats] cheerleader and Stoneham native Elizabeth Hanson is a finalist in the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl commercial competition.

Hanson’s team is vying with five others to get the most votes for her original commercial at crashthesuperbowl.com by Jan. 31. The winning ad will air during Super Bowl XLIV and earn a cool $1 million.

“It’s positively ironic that I got to go to the Super Bowl as a cheerleader and now, fingers crossed, I’m going back as an actress in a commercial,” said Hanson, who cheered the Pats on to their 2004 victory in Houston, Texas.

Hanson plays a mourner at a funeral in the bit titled “Casket.”

Her character weeps, but is comforted that her friend received his dying wish: to be buried in a casket full of Doritos.

What the church full of mourners doesn’t know is that he faked his death and is munching away on the snack chips inside the coffin.

Erwin McManus, a pastor from Whittier, Calif., created the concept and shot the commercial on a budget of $3,000.

“I feel like the idea was really unique and the production value is amazing,” Hanson said.

Hanson hopes loyal Pats fans will rally for her and the rest of the “Casket” cast.

“I am disappointed that the Pats aren’t coming to the Super Bowl this year. Maybe I can lift their spirits by making it to the Super Bowl with my commercial. I can represent the team spirit and we can still win,” she said.

Cast your vote at CrashTheSuperBowl.com