As buyers grumble about paying more for shrinking, distracted audiences, a big piece of American commercial culture seems endangered. In the age of the remote control, of HBO and endless cable choices, and of TiVo, the marriage of mass entertainment to "a word from our sponsor," appears to be in trouble.

Commercials aren't really interruptions to our entertainment but a major component of our common culture. As Madge the manicurist would say, we're soaking in it.

Even the dumbest commercials insinuated themselves deep into people's psyches.