Warren Buffett as Axl Rose? He Should Have Left It to the Geico Lizard

Warren Buffett's turn as Axl Rose (fake tattoos, wig, bandana, the whole thing) in a new Geico ad, below, has me scratching my head. I don't want to sound like a party-pooper -- it's good natured, mildly amusing, and it certainly will get attention -- but I just can't get past the question: Why?

I'm not alone. The Guardian advises the Oracle of Omaha not to give up his day job. The Washington Post shuddered at the video. But the thing that strikes me most is that by being in this ad, Buffett ignores the advice that his other ads for Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A)'s Geico unit have been offering for months now: Leave it to the lizard, because the hapless CEO doesn't know what he's doing when it comes to advertising.

That's the punchline of a current Geico commercial in which the cockney gecko is accosted in the lunchroom by his boss, who's just off to present some truly awful ad ideas. The lizard suggests sticking with the tagline, "15 minutes could save you 15 percent or more on car insurance."

So, is the Buffett video a joke about the lizard spot, or is the lizard spot a joke about Buffett's terrible ideas about what constitutes good advertising? Compare and contrast: