what's up with jeremy..

what's up with people, upon being introduced to someone, saying "i've heard so much about you" or "___ has told me so much about you" where ____ is the mutual acquaintance, or any such perturbation of that remark? there's no really good reply to that statement, aside from the overused, cliche, and at this point completely unfunny "well, i hope it was all good", or some perturbation thereof.. i see this on tv all the time, and that's usually the response, or occasionally they'll try to be witty and alter the stock reply just slightly, actually making the entire exchange even more banal than it could have hoped to be all on its own..
what's up with commercials for businesses or products seemingly focused on southerners that employ characters who effect what have to be the worst southern accents in the world? it's tractor supply company or something that has a commercial in which some guy in standard redneck gear (flannel, ballcap, farmer's coat) tells the audience about the great new sale, and rather than just respecting the audience and delivering his lines in the standard, non-regional vocal delivery usually employed by newscasters and any actor who hopes to continue to work steadily, he delivers it in some pathetic facsimile of a southern accent.. and i'm sure that this will work in 35 to 40 of the united states, because they've rarely or never heard of anyone with a true southern accent, and i'm sure that some of my annoyance is due to the fact that i live in one of the places where those accents are ubiquitous, and let me tell you, i've heard better accidental attempts at a southern accent than the one in that commercial, and you can bet i'm going to be on the lookout (or hear-out) for more..