Yeah, You Right!!

Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee gave it to Pepsi on the House floor on Tuesday.  Her focus was a disturbing commercial run during Sunday’s Superbowl.  The commercial basically lit up the scoreboard for gender and race stereotypes.

“In this month of African-American history where we’re trying to celebrate what is good and great, it certainly seems ridiculous that Pepsi would utilize this kind of humor,” she said. “It was not humorous. It was demeaning — an African-American woman throwing something at an African-American male and winding up hitting a Caucasian woman.”

Jackson Lee said she has a sense of humor and believes in the First Amendment. She also said the Super Bowl is a great time for “fellowship” with family members.

“That is why I’m so disappointed with the Pepsi advertisement that showed a demeaning role for African American women, in an ad that showed a can being thrown and being utilized to wound someone else or hit someone else,” she said.

“I think that we can come together in a much better way, sell Pepsi, and as well talk about good nutrition,” she said. “But, frankly, I consider this insulting, and so did many other women of all colors.”

There were a ton of ads on display that were an insult to women including at least one  Go Daddy ad.   You all know I’m the ultimate football grinch.   I think it’s the modern day American Empire equivalent to panem et circenses. One important item mentioned by the Congresswoman was the number of views of the thing by families.    Couldn’t advertisers give the traditional bimbo and beer sports ads a rest for a change? This has been a staple of sporting event advertising for years. It still shows no sign of going away. Here’s a sexist blast from the past of 10 years ago.  Remember this one?

“It just doesn’t get any better than this,” boasts Old Milwaukee beer’s TV campaign, which features a gyrating “Swedish Bikini Team” descending upon male campers. But Stroh Brewery, the beer’s maker, is discovering that things $ just might get worse. Five women employees have sued the company, charging that the ads foster a work environment that encourages sexual harassment. “These ads tell Stroh’s male employees that women are stupid, panting playthings,” says attorney Lori Peterson. Her clients have been confronted with pornography, taunted with lewd remarks and slapped on the rear, she contends. The company describes the allegation as “a preposterous link” and says Stroh has a strong policy against sexual harassment.

This particular ad just couldn’t resist the entire racial tie-ins either.  Since I don’t drink Pepsi or watch football, I’m in no position to boycott either.  I’m just glad to see the Congresswoman do what she could do to condemn the ads.  Hopefully, we never have to view the silly thing again.

But, wait!  There’s more!  Here’s another one for you from the same corporate idjits that we will see on a TV near us per CNN and via elephant.

Can a soda can be sassy? Pepsi thinks so.

Diet Pepsi will soon be available in a “taller, sassier new Skinny Can” that the company says is a “celebration of beautiful, confident women.”

Right.  Taller, sassier, anorexic-looking cans define beautiful and confident women.   Can the Congresswoman please go back to the House Floor and make a statement about this too?