CBS – You’ll Show an Anti-Abortion Ad During the Super Bowl, What About a Gay Dating Ad?

You know how it is, guys; you’re watching the game, your team scores, you get a bit rambunctious and the next thing you know, you’re making out with the guy sitting next to you who, in football terms, is your sworn enemy. No? Oh. Well that’s the premise of an ad that’s been submitted to CBS for the Super Bowl. Here, watch it for yourself:

As you may have gathered, the ad is for the gay dating site ManCrunch.com (may or may not also be a breakfast serial).

First of all, let’s be honest, the ad is lacking in some serious values. Lighting values, production values, they’re all a bit shoddy. There are some neat little background jokes though. Check out the signs behind the two on the couch, one of which reads, “This Equipment Starts and Stops Automatically,” and how the sign in the middle lines up when the guys start making out. While clearly not a lot of money went into the making of this ad, a lot of thought did, leading some to wonder if this is a well constructed prank.

It isn’t going to win any prizes as an advocacy ad though, that’s for sure, as it looks like something that two straight male college students cooked up as a joke. In 2004, CBS refused a much more palatable advertisement by the United Church of Christ which affirmed the group’s pro-LGBT stance and message of unity and equality. I’d prefer the latter over the ManCrunch ad, and, to be truthful, this ManCrunch commercial looks like a second-rate Mad TV skit (click here for the much funnier sketch called “It’s a Football Thing”).

Brilliant media ploy by ManCrunch though who, anticipating the hype around this ad, haven’t even bothered to create a good tag-line (“Where many many many men come out and play”– seriously?) or include, you know, their actual web address. But it serves a purpose for a larger debate.

You may have heard that CBS accepted an anti-abortion ad starring player Tim Tebow. Fellow blogger Jessica Pieklo wrote a great, detailed post about this controversial decision which you can read by clicking here.

Long story short, the ad, which cost $3 million, was funded by Focus on the Family, a conservative group who, as well as being anti-abortion, are also known for their anti-gay stance. CBS have a policy of not advocating for any political agenda, and yet they have chosen to make room for Focus on the Family’s anti-choice campaign.

ManCrunch, unlike Focus on the Family, appear to be a private business rather than a political lobbying group. The team at ManCrunch apparently handed the ad to CBS two weeks ago. CBS say they haven’t yet reviewed it. Now there’s been some back and forth over whether there’s actually any spaces left for the ManCrunch ad, which has prompted the ManCrunch execs to label the CBS stall-tactics as “anti-gay action.” It may be that CBS doesn’t want a repeat of the trouble of a few years back that resulted from a Snickers commercial which saw two men “inadvertently” kiss.

Whatever the reason, I think this ad should run, not because it’s particularly good – it isn’t – or because it shows gay men in a particularly progressive light – it doesn’t – but because CBS, with their non-advocacy policy now conveniently exfoliated away, can’t hide behind that shield to stop this ad from being broadcast.

Turning down the ManCrunch ad will be interpreted as a clear signal of CBS’s new conservative leanings, and such action will only heighten the growing disquiet surrounding CBS’s original decision to air the insensitively placed anti-choice commercial. If they do air the ManCrunch ad, expect the folks at Focus on the Family and their affiliates to be none too pleased. With their actions, CBS opened the veritable Pandora’s box on these kinds of social and political issues, and now they have to live with the consequences.

Care2 Petitions:

Demand CBS Pull Anti-Choice Super Bowl Ad

UPDATE: CBS have officially declined the ad. You can read their rejection letter by going here. As a reason for the rejection they cite a credit issue. No official word from ManCrunch yet, but when there is a response, I’ll also post a link here.

UPDATE 2: ManCrunch have responded to the CBS snunb, saying, “We’re calling on every same sex advocacy group to petition CBS and let them know this…behavior will not be tolerated.” They reject the notion of credit difficulties, saying that they offered to pay cash, and are calling CBS’s actions “straight-up discrimination.” Read more here.

Screencap taken from the ManCrunch Ad.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Alicia A.

12:43PM PST on Feb 13, 2010

Anti abortion and anti LGBT do not go hand in hand. Some of us believe all lives are precious and that all people should be free to love.

send a green star

Adrian H.

4:56PM PST on Feb 5, 2010

Actually, this is doing the same thing. Both are imposing opinions that effect other people's lives instead of allowing their own decisions to be made. How typical!

Leia P.

6:46PM PST on Feb 1, 2010

so hypocritical

Robert W.

6:37PM PST on Feb 1, 2010

Gay marriage supporters are the real HATE groups. Every time they demonstrate you can see the murder in their eyes as they hate the truth when christians speak out that God says that He created MAN and WOMAN to be united. All the man made excuses to sin will never excuse us when we stand before God . The majority of people on this blog spew hatred toward christians for speaking truth, I have never seen a group of individuals so militant against Biblical truth as the homosexuals. So, go ahead, spew the hate and extreme anger toward Christian groups like Focus on the Family when they stand up for marriage and the protection of the child in the womb. I pray that someday all will see the sacredness of marriage and sacredness of life in the womb.

Jaime J.

3:52PM PST on Feb 1, 2010

Focus on the Family is NOT a hate group. Just because they see the gay marriage issue differently does not make them a hate group; please don't propagandize this site with such insults. I can understand that you may disagree with their beliefs, but don’t make them out to be so vile. They present their issues and beliefs in a very tasteful manner; maybe you should consider their approach.

On another note, I highly doubt our television stations have resorted to censoring your media. If that were the case, this ad would not air. Many of you are advocating for its removal, and that would be blatant censorship. Network television has entire shows dedicated to celebrating homosexual relationships. Let Focus on the Family have 30 seconds.

Elaine D.

3:29PM PST on Feb 1, 2010

good story

Doug C.

10:40AM PST on Feb 1, 2010

NFL is as boring as religion is stupid. CBS is a right wing echo chamber, as is ABC NBC BBC CBC CTV PBS etc.. Ever see an ad for less consumption?

Glenna J.

6:38AM PST on Feb 1, 2010

By the way, I wish we in America would spend as much money educating our children in academics as the ad agencies spend on ads for this one event each year. I wish Focus on the Family spent even 1.5 million dollars on public school education.
I wish we celebrated academics as much as we do this game! It has always amazed me that school districts will float a bond to build a bigger sports complex; but not to keep music and art education; to buy textbooks; to add aids in every classroom or to pay teachers better. Most schools celebrate their football, basketball, soccer, baseball & volleyball teams. If it is a sport, newspapers cover it. How many cover UIL competetions? You know, UIL where students compete academically against other schools? They will even televise Cheerleader competitions but not an event that pits kids academically. And we wonder why we are behind in education...
When millions of dollars, ad campaigns and commercials are used for academics like all the energy put forth for this ONE game each year - I will begin to feel that our priorities are finally in order in America.

6:30AM PST on Feb 1, 2010

I think that one of the best ads for gay unions was not American. It featured a man walking all over and stopping & asking everyone if he could have so & so's hand in marriage. He walked through lots of countries, cities etc. The ad ended with how would you feel if you had to ask every person if you could marry someone. Essentially, this is what the ability for gays to marry is and it really brought home the point about the inequality of gays to marry.
This ad seemed like a SNL or a MAD TV skit. While I know there are some very dumb ads on Super Bowl Sunday; and the ads really are why some people watch the Bowl; this one didn't make much of a point.
I don't think they should air the FOF ad; unless they also present the other side - a woman who didn't listen to her doctor and whose baby was born severely deformed or with great medical problems or who died several hours after an agonizing birth or who was stillborn. This is the other side of Ms. Tebrow. I also think it would have been good if someone made an ad about a woman actually weighing all the choices she has and making the decision based on what was right for her - without the GOD will make it right position. I don't even care if the woman decides to have the baby and keep it or give it up for adoption - as long as it is honest. Because that is where most people are in real life. The choice is so much more than if you believe abortion is killing.
CBS should air neither of these ads.

Nyack C.

11:06PM PST on Jan 31, 2010

Its just more proof that television is nothing more than consevative propaganda.

They decide what you will, and will not see. Makes you wonder what other truths in America they refuse to even allow us to THINK about in a public forum.

Total brainwashing.