What strikes me, watching the ad, isn't his ticking: it's that he pronounces the name of the state with a schwa sound at the end, instead of a long e. I don't think I know anybody not from the central U.S. who does that. Anybody else? Could that be a subtle political calculation? I guess I don't know whether the Show-Me folk say it that way themselves, even in certain parts of the state.
aabassplayer, can you help me on that question? (BTW, I know I'm currently losing our bet... but I'm far from giving up hope.) 