Advert banned after 200 complaints

[TinysMom]

NZminilops wrote:

Peg, while I understand a respect your point of view, your wording is a bit harsh :?.

It's not being shoved down anyones throat, no ones reccomending on the advert that you decide to turn gay, or telling you it's the correct way to be.

As a non-religious person I find all the "pray for me" things on here to be very different from hiw my lifestyle works, but I would hardly say that it was being shoved at me or that y'all are trying to turn anyone christian, no more than that advert is reccomending you change your sexual orientation.

My wording is more harsh than being told I'm homophobic because I complain about a commercial like this? WOW.

What I meant by "shoved down my throat" was this...

I have a choice in the tv shows I watch. I have watched shows with gay people - I have no problem with them. I choose those things.

But to watch a gay couple kiss - is not something I would choose to watch. (I don't care to watch a non-gay couple kiss either).

Because this is presented in an ad...it is something I would not choose. Therefore the "shoved down my throat" comment....basically trying to state that it was something I would not choose (like medicine).

In the same manner - I feel like political ads are 'shoved down my throat' - as are a lot of the medical ads I see nowadays. I really don't watch tv that much.

But tell me - when have you heard of (I'm sure its happened) a child saying, "Mommy...why is that lady putting on makeup?" or stuff like that.

I think that a lot of the commercials that are on tv - even pro-life ones (and I am pro-life) - do not need to be on tv.

My point that I was trying to make was this...I would not have a problem with the ad if it was being played during a show that would be " appropriate" for it. Some examples I gave Robin when we were talking about it a bit ago were "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and "Project Runway" and stuff like that - adult type content.

But I think to play this ad during other shows which might be more family oriented - would be inappropriate.

And just for the record....I'm so homophobic - that I watched Brokeback Mountain and loved it and cried at the end. I love Tim Gunn and Michaelo Kors from Project Runway - and they are openly gay. I've enjoyed the show and never once been upset that this designer or that designer was gay - even when they talked about it on the show. I've watched some of Ellen Degeneres (sp?) and even though she's not my favorite person - I've got to say she can make me laugh till I almost wet my pants. I adore Neil Patrick Harris who is openly gay also.

I just don't feel that this ad needs to be out there. Or at least - it could be placed in shows where it would be appropriate (I don't know what shows it was played during).

Would I have called the station to have the ad banned?

Nope - I just would've taken Heinz off my shopping list in the future....just as I've taken other companies off my shopping list in the past - sometimes for non-gay reasons (like people who won't invest in certain companies because they do something or don't do something...).

I'm sorry I was so "harsh" with my being shoved down a person's throat comment - but I was actually thinking about some of my rabbits when I go to give them meds they don't like...

...it was something I didn't care for and didn't have a choice about.

 

[TinysSis]

I thought the ad was pretty funny. Admittedly, I think that the kiss was put in for the mild shock factor ("Haha, not only is it funny to see a big burly guy acting like a stereotypical mommy, it's even funnier to have him KISS A GUY OMG") And the ad didn't really need that extra kiss to sell the mayonaisse. They could have cut it short before the kiss and still sold stuff without offending as many people.

But even though the kiss was gratuitous, I still don't see it as a 'gay' kiss. It seems to me that when there are two male parents, they're both Dad. You don't call one Mum. So, the big burly deli guy was sorta showing the role that the mom was filling just then. The sandwiches were so good that it was like having a deli guy make them. It'd be like having the mom transform into Mr. Clean when she mops the floor. Or like having the dad transform into a big stinky sneaker during an ad for Febreze. Funny, but not meant to be an accurate portrayal of reality.

I dunno, maybe that's just me. Maybe the company really was trying to show a gay couple and their kids (eek, gasp, how horrible!) But it seemed more like a sight-gag to me. Which means, if I were offended, it wouldn't be because 'omg they're gay that is so horrible' but rather 'ugh I don't like seeing/thinking about two men kissing'.

Of course, Tiny'sMom (i.e. my mom) has a point . . this was shown as an ad, not a tv show. Maybe ads should be less likely to make people uncomfortable than shows. And not just on tv, but in radio, magazines. etc. . . It's easier to decide to stop watching a tv show that you're uncomfortable with than it is to avoid an ad that repeats every five minutes.

And I think that there are a lot of people who aren't homophobic, who have nothing against gay people at all, who still don't want to think about gay sex (or even, apparently, two men kissing). I mean, I can think about lots of things that aren't 'bad' that I don't actually want to think about. Like coprophilia. Or whip-play. Or sexual masochism. I have nothing against people wanting to do those things. But actually having to see it makes me go 'ewwww'. Sometimes the thought might actually make me feel sick. (Public spankings? aaaahh nooo run awaaaay. . .) Nothing personal, it's just NMK, Not My Kink, you know? I'm not 'phobic' in the sense of 'you are horrible for doing that'. Just 'phobic' in the sense of 'ahh don't make me watch'. So would not wanting to think about two guys kissing make me homophobic . . ?

Homophobe is a very loaded word. People instantly think of guys who want to beat, bully, terrorize, even kill homosexuals - who see them as less than human. PLEASE don't accuse someone of being that kind of horrible, abusive, evil person when homosexuality just isn't something they want to watch.

What if you were watching the saturday morning cartoons and you saw an ad where one of the people was eating feces? wouldn't you want to complain? would that make you a bad person?

Anyway . .

I didn't find the ad offensive. Obviously some people did. Maybe the ad wasn't well-matched with shows (so that the viewers wouldn't be ones who were likely to be offended). Maybe it just wasn't a well-thought out ad. Maybe there were just a lot more offended by that thing than they expected. And yes, I'm sure that some of the objectioners probably were hardcore homophobic. That doesn't mean that they all were; it doesn't mean that they were all wrong to complain. And apparently there was a negative enough impact that the company and/or station decided to withdraw the ad, which means that either it wasn't doing a very good job at generating favorable publicity or that it did a very good job at generating tons of ambivalent publicity. Either it got pulled for not doing a very good job or it got pulled and did a great job by becoming infamous. Either way . . no big deal. It's done. They'll come up with another ad, and people will keep making shows where guys kiss all the time, and the people who aren't offended by that will keep watching those shows (more power to ya, folks) and the people who are offended by them will at least have a clue to avoid those shows (more power to ya, folks). The world didn't end today, and it probably won't end tomorrow . .

Meh. Sorry for the long rambly post. I just . . hate to see everyone get lumped into a group with murderers because they complained about something. And I also hate to see people saying this ad is omg like so gay when I think it was just done for teh funneh. And most of all I think that all of this arguing and ruckus might have been avoided if the admakers had stuck with something less likely to make people uncomfortable, or at least put it where those people were less likely to see it.

(Still think it's funny. Hehe.)

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Just to correct a few misconceptions...

Being gay is not a choice we consciously make. It is genetically and socially programmed into us in the womb and in the world, as is evident from observing the animal kingdom. There are many same sex couples of all genus and species that roam this planet, and the vast majority of creatures are bisexual. For instance: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15750604/

It is as impossible to turn someone completely gay as it is to turn someone completely straight. There is no moral or religious reasoning behind being gay or straight. It simply is what it is: a range of bisexuality, and we are all at different places in the spectrum. As my boyfriend Nate would say, "I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body":biggrin2:

No one would actually consciously choose to be at the completely gay end of the spectrum, and put up with all of the religious bigotry and social stigmatization the average member of the gay community goes through on a daily basis. There's no set of gay "beliefs": it is a basic part of the person, like hair colour being brown or bleached blonde(natural or dye job)

On a personal level, I feel that being disgusted by two gay ppl briefly kissing on the television is on par with me saying, "euuuu, how evil ! un-natural!" at pictures of babies with deformed hands.

Most rational ppl would say "Just because it's hand is deformed, doesn't mean its parents are evil, or a demon is in the child. It's just a hand! Get over it!"Same thing with akiss between anyone.

A kiss signifies deep affection and caring for another being: a good loving thing, by anybody's measure. By being disgusted based purely on the genders involved is to have a double standard; generally tells me that that person is biased, and their opinion about that area of discussion is probably not well thought out at all.

It isn't wrong if it is sincere love between two consenting adults, gender regardless. Love has a heck of a lot more to do with how you click with someone's personality than what's in their pants.

BTW, Nate's psych classes often theorize that personalityis a combo of traditional female and male traits and sympathies (Psychologist Carl Jung's anima and animus, for those folks inclined to research).

I am also a practicing Christian, and I don't feel it is appropriate to drag Christianity through the quagmire of human sexual relations. Sex has nothing to do with religion. Please don't justify your disgust with gay kissesby you being Christian; I am a Christian too, and I find it offensive for someone to bias others against Christians in that way.

If there are any other LGBT? or questioning members out here on RO, feel free to PM. Maybe we're not all "out and proud", but we're here And we loves our bunnehs too!

 

[undergunfire]

I agree with you 100% northernautumn. I have tried to have civil conversations with people who are religious and won't even consider even a section of what I say to be true about gay people....yet they have nothing to say to back up their argument. It's kinda like losing the battle when saying evolution is the way it was. There is all sorts of evidence to it, yet people believe what they want to believe.

I have talked to my gay friends and they said they have always known they were gay, but some fear they won't be accepted...so they hide it and try to move on with life. In the end, it comes out and you need to be happy with who you are....not what others want you to be.

I actually find more comfort in being around gay people than straight people. I find them to be so open and inviting. I love it when a couple that Ryan and I hang out with occasionally throw BBQ's....they are such a blast and there is never anything to be ashamed about.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Sex doesn't consider religious beliefs. Sex is based onuncontrollable passionate, eroticdesire for another being

Gender is a social construct, developed to help give all of us a few clues about what to generally expect in someone's pants. The "male" and "female"
concept.

Religion is also a social construct. Thus, for religion to have an opinion about sexuality is unfounded. The two don't connect on any level, and shouldn't be discussed as if one "leadsto" or affects the other significantly(minus all the socialization sexual beings go thru)

 

[seniorcats]

Uh - h- h can I be harsh? I am sick of Viva Viagra!!!!!!!!!!!! Also Cialis. That's an issue I wouldn't want to explain to a curious 4 year old.

Peg, I completely understand the 'no choice' factor. As it is, I watch only one TV show regularly and catch parts of Brit Hume, Shepard Smith and Bill O'Reilly as I can. Caring for an cleaning up after 18 animals doesn't leave a lot of TV time.

TV is an equal opportunity offender in my opinion.

 

[pinksalamander]

Woah. I was expecting a few replies on here and I seem to have started some big war!

To be honest, you can't protect people from seeing things. We don't want children watching dirty stuff on TV, but people kissing, well, they are just as likely to see that walking down the street! The simple fact is that sex happens. Its one of our core human desires. I was never sheltered from things like this. Of course my Mum didn't want me watching saucy TV shows late at night but she didn't stop me from watching an advert involving some 'gay kiss', and my Mum is actually slightly homophobic herself (she has nothing wrong with it she just doesn't like to see 'gay men' kissing which annoys me to no end). She didn't even NOTICE this advert either! Just because my Mum didn't shelter me from things like this doesn't mean I've turned into some big lesbian woman who goes around snogging the face of everyone. Gay people exist. Gay people have existed from the dawn of time. Just because it wasn't accepted for people to be gay 100's of years ago doesn't mean they weren't. There are theories that Leonardo Da Vinci was gay, that Shakespeare was gay. Why are we sheltering our children from one of the most basic facts of life? Let them know about it at an early age and they won't ask you awkward questions later!

As for the whole religion thing, well not all christians have a problem with it. I don't want to offend anyones religions (bear in mind I went to a Christian school for 7 years, so I'm not someone who completely doesn't know what I'm talking about!) Are you the same people that would shout offensive things to gay people? Are you the same people I saw waving banners and telling these gay people they were wrong and disgusting? Most of these people were waving banners with words from the bible in 'protest'. Do you really want your religion to be used that way? When Jesus taught we should be kind and loving to everyone, turn the other cheek, treat others as you would wish to be treated..

Please remember these are my opinions, I'm not viciously attacking you, just letting you know my side of the story.

Fran :hearts :brownbunny

 

[Becca]

I personally and this is just my opinion I don't mind the whole gay thing, they are just people that feel attracted to the same sex and it doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I love John Barrowman and don't mind him being gay - him and his husband Scott are so made for each other and really happy together.

I don't think the advert should be banned because it would make the gay people feel like they have to hide.

Thats my opinion anyway.

 

[mouse_chalk]

The main thing is for me with the advert, and I think TinysSis mentioned it, that I don't think it's even intended that the advert be about a gay couple, and a 2 father family- it seems to me like it's supposed to be that there's a guy from a real New York deli in the kitchen, making the sandwiches, because 'that's how good they are'!

So, to that end, if that really is what it's about, then it's not even really a 'gay kiss' at all, just 2 men who happen to kiss on the lips, which to me, makes it no more different than if you see 2 women kiss each other on the cheek and hug to greet each other or something! I also don't think the kiss is overly affectionate either....

It's never even entered my head to be bothered about it, even when I was growing up. I can't remember at what age I learnt about homosexuality, but I can't ever remember my mum trying to shield me from it or anything, and I can't ever remember being shocked by it. My ex-boyfriend was bi-sexual, we're still very close friends now, and it honestly never entered my head to be freaked out by it at all. In fact, we used to, and still do, have conversations about various celebrity guys that we thought were attractive etc!

Anyway, I could go on for ages, but....

I think Naturestee said it perfectly- 'to me, love is love'

 

[Elf Mommy]

pinksalamander wrote:

Why are we sheltering our children from one of the most basic facts of life? Let them know about it at an early age and they won't ask you awkward questions

Honestly, small children aren't biased at all when they ask these questions. They're going to ask about anything they don't understand or aren't aware of. This event isn't singled out. It's how we react to the questions as adults that determines how our children feel about it. If the adult is embarassed or disgusted, the child of that adult is going to feel the same way in response. We shape our children by the information we give them and how we respond to that information.

They're going to see things throughout their lives that they are going to question. We can't protect them from everything forever. Being prepared as a parent as to how one reacts to a situation is very important for how that child responds to the world around him/her. They take their cues from adults they love and respect. All adults need to think carefully about the messages they are sending about what they believe in when responding to those questions.

Minda

 

[TinysMom]

I'd like to change the ad for just a moment....

Picture the same ad - kids running in and getting their food - dad running in and getting his lunch. "Mom" says...."aren't you forgetting something?" and dad goes, "oh yeah..." - reaches over and grabs his lunch and suddenly....across the screen flashes...

"Rabbit - the new White meat. Its better for your health and now available in deli slices. You can find it at ABC and XYZ".

How many of you would be up in arms - posting on here how we need to boycott ABC & XYZ? How many of you would be complaining that we don't need ads like that on tv?

Now I'm not trying to make light of things or anything when I say this..but in some ways - eating rabbit is very much like the gay kiss thing. Let me explain.

Like gay relationships - there are a large number of people in the US who eat rabbit. Many do it for health reasons - as doctors have said its better for your health.

Like gay relationships - many "enjoy" eating rabbit and do it for personal pleasure- they enjoy it.

Rabbit meat - while not openly advertised a lot - is probably available in a large number of grocery stores (especially if you ask for it) - so it is "all around you".

You may be surrounded by people who eat rabbit meat - and never know it. Its something that is often done in private.

But to see it advertised on tv would bother you - to the point of saying, "let's boycott this" or "let's ban this". Why? We don't "need" to see it.

I'm not saying that there aren't gay people out there. I'm not saying they're right or wrong. I'm saying there is not a "need" for this to be an advertisement on tv.

Let me take some of your arguments though and apply it to this ad idea...

Rabbit producers: "We need to desensitize Americans to the idea of eating rabbit....after all - it IS healthy for them - and we have the findings to prove it - at least that it is healthier than beef."

Another argument: "Well - we all the time see people eating steak/chicken/lobster on tv ads....so whats the big deal if we see rabbit."

What "offends" one person - may not offend another - and what crosses the boundary for one person may not bother another.

The company that did this ad did not HAVE to put the kiss in the ad to sell the product. They were pushing the envelope to make a social statement (in my opinion).

I have no problem with making social statements - Robin and I talked last night about Star Trek 30 or so years ago when Kirk kissed Uhura (interracial kiss) and how they were desensitizing people back then. We also talked about other tv shows where things like this have happened.

But once again - to me - the difference is this. I can choose to watch a tv show knowing their mindset - and usually the scene is played once. But a tv ad is repeated over and over and over again (ad nauseum (sp??))....

I just don't see the need for it.

By the way - I really get frustrated by the way people lump all Christians together....why is that? I've never carried a sign that said I hated gay people. I've never done a lot of things that many people have done in the name of Christianity..and yet...so often I hear that "all Christians" do this or they do that.

A lot of people have done things in the name of "Allah" - but we (or I) try to not lump all people of that faith together and say, "they are all extremists".

There are extremists in every religion or other system of belief. I personally think it is unfair to link everyone who shares that belief to the actions of one - or ten or two hundred or a thousand or whatever.

Just because we may read the same Bible - doesn't mean we all act that same or even believe the same way.

Yet so few people are "tolerant" of us.

Anyway - I have to get out the door to work....

By the way...I don't eat rabbit and don't think I could bring myself to do so. Its getting more and more that I don't care for some meat and I think I've cut back some over the years. I was hesitant to bring this into the discussion - but I wanted to use an example that so many of you feel so passionate about - and show how the same arguments could be used.

 

[Becca]

I don't mind people eating rabbit, if they want to they can the same and Peg that was a great example, I only get annoyed when people say to me "When they are going to be fattened up then?" obviously talking about eating my rabbits.

So that was a great example!!!

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

Wow i only skimmed the responses as my back is killing me and i cant sit here too long so i appologize if i repeat anything , or if i missed anything. I saw the commercial and am not offended by it. I have to laugh cause i dont see the big deal with this commercial when there are all those commercials for Erectial Dysfunction, or Ky Jelly, or for a STD, but that is me. I also have kids and they can not be censored from everything , because of the world we live in. Religion aside, I teach my kids that god (whichever god, or religion this might be) loves everyone , and we dont discriminate against someone because of thier sexual preference. I have had the discussion with my 9 year old that there are people out there that like the same sex, boys that like boys and girls that like girls and that they can love whoever and that it is not wrong, so this commercial would not bother me if my kids seen it.

 

[pinksalamander]

Elf Mommy wrote:

pinksalamander wrote:

Why are we sheltering our children from one of the most basic facts of life? Let them know about it at an early age and they won't ask you awkward questions

Honestly, small children aren't biased at all when they ask these questions. They're going to ask about anything they don't understand or aren't aware of. This event isn't singled out. It's how we react to the questions as adults that determines how our children feel about it. If the adult is embarassed or disgusted, the child of that adult is going to feel the same way in response. We shape our children by the information we give them and how we respond to that information.

They're going to see things throughout their lives that they are going to question. We can't protect them from everything forever. Being prepared as a parent as to how one reacts to a situation is very important for how that child responds to the world around him/her. They take their cues from adults they love and respect. All adults need to think carefully about the messages they are sending about what they believe in when responding to those questions.

Minda

Perfect explained the point I'm trying to make. If you sheltr your children from things, they are going to grow up, find out about it, and think that the reason you haven't explained thingd to them is because its wrong and bad. I think its fine to not tell the whole truth to a young child. For example, if a young child asked me 'why is that man kissing that man?' you could just say 'that man doesn't like women as much, he prefers men'. Thats not inappropriate at all for a young child, and if you explain early and then extend your explanation at a later date then they will never have an issue. i personally believe people who shelter their children from homosexuality are insinuating its bad, and are therefore homophobic themselves, and are teaching their children that homophobia is the right thing. And we can all see that this is completley wrong.

I the religious side is one reason why I don't like religion in general! I'm not Christened, because my parents aren't religious and didn't want to impose their views on me. If I convert at a later date, then they have no problem with it. I have many friends who were brought up in religious families and have turned around at a later date and said 'Hey, I don't believe this'. Thats just time wasted.

Fran :hearts :brownbunny

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

Dear lord - what kind of overly conservative world do we live in?!:shock::rollseyes

I could easily get into a heated argument about this but I wont. That being said I ama liberal and hate these kind of closed minded people, I really do. Can't understand why some people are so judgmental in this day and age.

 

[LadyBug]

Luvmyzoocrew wrote:

I have to laugh cause i dont see the big deal with this commercial when there are all those commercials for Erectial Dysfunction, or Ky Jelly, or for a STD, but that is me.

i hate when those come on during dinner! :shock::grumpy::X

 

[naturestee]

Ok, I was finally able to watch the video. I don't even think they were going for a gay couple, they were going for a New York deli guy making sandwiches in your home- buy this and you'll have NY deli flavor!

On Peg's rabbit meat question, I have eaten at restaurants that serve rabbit meat. And I will again, I just don't order the rabbit. I eat meat so I don't think I should complain about others eating meat just because I keep those animals as pets. Does that mean I shouldn't eat pork because pot-bellied pigs are pets too? Anyway I wouldn't mind the commercials although I might feel a bit uncomfortable. I've also watched the Iron Chef America show where rabbit was the mystery ingredient.

 

[seniorcats]

Wow! I am just blown away by the respect and fantastic liberal open-mindedness to Peg's opinion. And I reallylove how popular it is to sterotype Christians. After all, those people are all alike.

 

[pinksalamander]

I'm going to contact someone and get this topic closed. I didn't intend to start a war of all of us against each other. I have my views and sometimes I wish I could just say what I want to say on this site because there are many many things that people say that I downright disagree with, but I can't say.

I intended this topic to be directed at why I am peeved with the company and the people that complained. Not against every member here who doesn't agree with homosexuals (due to their personal beliefs, experience or religion).

Sorry I offended anyone. I think maybe I should be absent from here until things calm down.

Fran:hearts :brownbunny