PSA by Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds encourages people to "touch themselves" on Valentine's Day

Deadpool the movie about a wise-cracking, foul mouthed mercenary with a love for chimichangas from the Marvel comic book universe who has mutant powers that provide him with accelerated healing through enhanced cell regeneration so that he is never permanently injured, but which also has the side-effect of causing him to suffer from psychosis and mental instability, arrives in theaters across the United States on February 12, 2016.  While not as well known with mainstream audiences as  pop cult icons such as the Avengers and Spider Man, Deadpool has become one of Marvel's most popular characters with teen and adult comic book readers.  An interesting aspect of the comic book, which is also being incorporated into the film by Ryan Reynolds who is portraying Deadpool, is that the character has an awareness that he is a fictional character, breaking the so-called fourth wall of media, and often communicates directly to audiences with humorous quips that have bestowed upon him the nickname "the merc with a mouth."  While this film will most likely be an action-packed, joke-filled adventure that will appeal to Deadpool's comic book fans due to obscene behavior, sexual content, and violence this is not a movie to take children to go see.  I let my son sit on the movie's promotional display for a picture but that is as close as he is going to get to Deadpool.  That being said as a big comic book fan, I'll probably be picking up the movie when it is out on DVD to watch myself after the kids have gone to bed one night.

To promote Valentine's Day weekend debut of the movie, Ryan Reynolds has released a true-to-character PSA filled with Deadpoolish smart ass bravado and sexual innuendo encouraging men to "touch themselves."  Actually though there is an important message here (actually complete with diagrams)  as Reynold's promotes awareness of testicular cancer, which primarily impacts the young men who are the key audience for the film, and urging us guys to do self exams because early identification is crucial for treatment.  So whether or not you plan on seeing this movie, this Deadpool video does have some important details making it really worth a view for boys and men between the ages of 15 and 35 years old.



Of course not all comic book fans are men, and Deadpool didn't want to leave out the lovely ladies this Valentine's Day.  So here's a PSA on breast cancer from Deadpool (complete with charts and graphs) on how to do a self exam because early diagnosis can greatly improve a person's chances in combating the disease:



While Deadpool may be a bit silly, he is addressing a very serious topic. So go ahead and touch yourself this Valentine's Day! Your doctor would want you to do it, your family would want it ...and Deadpool would want it too!