You know, it used to be that when you used a spokesperson, you only had to worry about actual humans doing something that would be an embarrassment. But now, you even have to worry about cartoon characters! I mean, first the Teletubbies are gay and now Sponge Bob? Don't you just miss the old fashioned cartoons of our youth, when Bugs Bunny wore a dress and kissed Elmer and nobody made a fuss? Ah, for the simple life again! Of course, SpongeBob has been in the news for other things as well, like being kidnapped from Burger King's around the country. See below for more on SpongeBob's recent press.
This week, Reuters reported on how SpongeBob is now under fire from the American Family Association and Focus on the Family. These are two nutball organizations that pretend to be looking out for families when instead they merely use e-mail, direct mail and the soap-box too frequently given to them by the Fox Network to bully advertisers into restricting freedom of choice among consumers. The last time AFA surfaced was to protest advertisers that had purchased time during Desperate Housewives.
Focus on the Family is after SpongeBob, alleging that a video aimed at school children featuring the character promoting multi-cultural tolerance and diversity is a covert plot to "brainwash" kids into accepting homosexuality as an acceptable alternative lifestyle. This group and the AFA complain that they don't want such a video distributed in public schools. AFA and FOF further argue that SpongeBob is an icon in the gay community, and thus is being used to drive a gay agenda into the classroom.
Link: Brand New Day: BusinessWeek Online's Daily Blog on Marketing and Branding.
Link: BBC NEWS | Americas | US right attacks SpongeBob video.
Link: CNN.com - Christians issue gay warning on SpongeBob video - Jan 21, 2005.
Link: AN UN-FUNNY VALENTINE: Greeting card picture evokes race stereotype .
Link: CBS News | The Odd Truth, Nov. 24, 2004 | November 25, 2004 17:38:50.
The 700 Club's Pom Pom squad is in full effect! Screw the screwballs who question his sexuality. Does anyone remember Bugs Bunny's cross-dressing tendencies/political incorrectness? Anyway, I still love Bob's yellow, chunky butt.
Posted by: Lori | January 26, 2005 at 01:07 PM