‘Ugliest dog’ Elwood stars in TV ad

You might think that Elwood hangs his tongue because he's exhausted.

For five pounds of Chihuahua-Chinese crested mix, the South Jersey sensation sure has had a busy life.

His latest accomplishment: being the punchline pooch in a commercial for a Colorado airline.

Since winning the World's Ugliest Dog Contest in Petaluma, Calif., in 2007, Elwood, with "mother" Karen Quigley, has done countless public appearances as well as a children's book, a calendar, and a line of greeting cards.

"How about a birthday kiss?" one card's cover says. "What do you mean, no tongue?" the inside responds.

Last year, Elwood - with Quigley - was even Gloucester County College's commencement speaker.

A couple of months ago, Elwood even Skyped for the first time, electronically visiting a classroom in Brazil that made the pooch the star of a series of lessons about accepting differences.

No, the teacher didn't confuse him with Sesame Street's cute red Elmo.

Nobody could make that mistake.

In the commercial for Frontier Airlines, its four spokesanimals are at a meeting discussing business travel. Behind them is a sign that reads, "Elwood & Sons."

Bear: "Why are we here exactly?"

Lynx: "What do you mean?"

Dolphin: "Well, in this day and age, why not just do a conference call?"

Rabbit: "Seriously."

Lynx: "Well, since Frontier has more low fares than any other airline in Denver, there's no reason not to meet face to face."

Rabbit: "Uh, well, maybe there's one reason."

Cut to four copies of Elwood in four chairs, all of them draping their draggly tongues, followed by a close-up of one nearly licking his eye.

Lynx: "Oof."

Think of the "sons" as all adopted, since Elwood's a proponent of spaying and neutering, Quigley said.

The ad was shot in New York, after an agency called and sent a car to pick up Quigley and her prized pet. He got $500 for the ad, shot for the Denver market.

"No, Elwood never gets insulted," Quigley said. "We know he's not ugly. Elwood's the cutest dog in the world."

It's a good thing to make people laugh, she said.

That's another of Elwood's missions, along with encouraging pet adoptions.

"We need a little more laughter and fun in the world."

As for what's next, she said: "Everyone wants him to do a movie."

Maybe a tolerance-teaching music video ... to Lady Gaga's "Born This Way"?

For more about Elwood, go to www.loveelwood.com.