The Homophobe Bowl
Well, sports fans, with all the computer trouble I've been having lately I haven't had a chance to comment on this year's celebration of neanderthalism and lowest common denominator dumb jock ideals, the Superbowl, or as I call it, the Homophobe Bowl. I'm sure I'm not telling you anything new when I say that American football is filled with ignorant, grossly overpaid and grossly overweight "athletes" who are deified by the public and live in a vacuum where being openly homophobic is perfectly acceptable.This attitude has apparently spread to one of the Superbowl's sponsors, Mars, makers of Snickers bars, who launched not only an unbelievably offensive and homophobic ad campaign ("The Kiss" pictured above), but established a website (which has since been pulled) where viewers could watch alternate endings to the ad and vote on their "favorite." Perhaps Mars was trying to measure exactly how homophobic their consumers are for future offensive ads. In addition to this poll, there were clips of NFL Players watching the ads and showing their open disgust at the sight of two men kissing. I assume the players were okay with their images out there on the web for all to see as a kind of public record of their hatred and disgust toward the gay community. Apparently this was supposed to be funny as if to say "Look how much these guys hate fags! That's HILARIOUS! I'm laughing so hard I might wet myself!" Well, hardee har-har, Mars. Thank you.
And I really liked Snickers bars, too. Humph.
Thankfully, after complaints from GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign, Snickers has pulled their ads from the air and the web and have released a statement to the the NY Times in which they defend the ads and explain that humor is "subjective" (as in, you have to hate gays to get it) but no where do they apologize for offending the gay community or perpetuating violence against them. We're still waiting for that apology, Snickers--the sooner the better. Then you can all head off to rehab.
To add insult to injury, the winners of this year's Homophobe Bowl were the Indianapolis Colts headed by Coach, Bible Thumper and Chief Homophobe, Tom Dungy who openly attended and was even "honored" at an event by the Indiana Family Institute, one of the leading proponents of the gay marriage ban in the state of Indiana. On Sunday's win Dungy credits God as the MVP proving that he is one of those misguided Christians who thinks God actually cares who wins a ridiculous sporting event. Sorry Tom, but something tells me He probably has bigger fish to fry, like, I dunno, AIDS in Africa, genocide in Darfur--all that jazz.
Dungy made history this year as the first African American coach to lead an NFL team to Superbowl victory. It is a shame, however, that such an accomplishment should be marred by his openly homophobic views. Once again, as in the case of Isaiah Washington, one can't help but notice the irony of an African American man's apparent bigotry and hatred toward another group striving for equal civil rights. It boggles the mind.
Labels: Gay Culture, Gay Politics, History, Homophobia, Sports
posted by Michael @ 1:52 PM
8 Comments:
I saw the alternate endings before they were pulled. I pride myself on a really good sense of humor which includes multiple shades of political incorrectness -- but these ads weren't funny; they were depressing and scary, and I have no idea why anyone who watched them would want to run out and buy a candy bar.
Hey, candy isn't good for people anyway, rots your teeth. But, seriously, I'm getting really sick and tired of the license people seem to think they have to openly, without repercussion, display their hate, bigotry, and ignorance. We need to call them on it, and stop lying back and allowing it to go unchallenged. This is what you're doing here, Michael. Thanks.
Excellent post Michael... like you it continues to amaze me how one group that faces discrimination screams so loud when it is directed towards themselves, but turns the blind eye to other groups facing the same thing...
Thanks again for this post Michael!
I heard something this morning on the Today Show that might give us hope for the next generation. They were reporting on the Snickers ad as being offensive and controversial. Meredith made the comment to her family that she really didn't see the Snickers commercial as being offensive, "just sort of funny." To which her son commented, "It's always funny when it's not directed at you, Mom." Hurray for Meredith's son, and hurray for Meredith seeing the error of her ways and reporting on herself and her own insensitivity. Maybe there's hope for us yet.
Did you see the story on the former NBA player that just came out? When they asked Commissioner David Stern to comment, he basically said it's a big league with lots of diversity and if the guy can play that's all that counts. One for our side. Then they asked his former coach Jerry Sloan in Utah to comment on the fact that he'd made snide anti-gay comments behind his back. He said he didn't know the guy was gay, but if he did, yes it probably would have mattered. One for their side. I guess some progress is better than none at all.
And here I was spitting my beer across the coffee table over that ad. To me, it was a parody of macho straight men. And they made fools of themselves; which is why I found it funny. I mean, who is really going to manscape themselves over something like this? It was joke. :) I would've been more offended if it were a woman and a gay man; and the gay man started screaming like a nelly queen. I just don't see the homophobia in this commercial. :)
Oh, and as far as the coach - it does boggle the mind. :)
Just because someone speak out about their beliefs doesn't mean they hate people anymore than coming out as gay mean that you hate heterosexual individuals. Lay off pounding on Christian people for standing up for their beliefs, sometimes we feel like we are discriminated against by the attitudes of the gays.
Post a Comment
<< Home