Right-wing Bush Administration censorship
Posted by ken on November 18th, 2004 (All posts by ken)
The right-wing socially conservative Bush Administration has ordered a sexually suggestive commercial off the air.
Our friends on the left will be up in arms any minute now about this latest infringement on the First Amendment rights we all hold so dear, right?
Right?
November 18th, 2004 at 5:15 pm
Give ‘em a break; they’re exhausted.
November 18th, 2004 at 8:19 pm
The bigger problem with the ad is not the suggestiveness of it, but rather the marketing strategy which moves it from a treatment drug to an enhancement drug. Like “cosmetic neurology”, we’re going to have to face the issue of drugs which make “normal” people better than they ever were (greater memory, reflexes, attention span, etc.)
The FDA’s most important complaint was that the ad never mentioned E.D.– Do we want to open the door for enhancement drugs?
November 18th, 2004 at 8:21 pm
By the way, my last comment used the word Via___, and your comment program rejected it for unsuitable language! Maybe the ACLU should look at you, too!
:)
November 18th, 2004 at 8:47 pm
Tony,
The spam filter didn’t mean anything personal by it, honest! Anyway, glad you figured it out. I might listen to the ACLU if they helped to administer this blog, but so far all they do is make nosy comments and ask for money.
My favorite ED-drug commercial was the one where the guy is tossing the football through the swinging tire while his woman gives him the come-hither eye. Nothing sexually suggestive there. Ha.
BTW, what gives the FDA authority to censor speech?
November 18th, 2004 at 9:32 pm
Best marketing line ever: “If your erec_____ should last more than 4 hours contact your physician”
November 19th, 2004 at 7:50 am
I thought that the concern was also that the ad didn’t mention side effects and of the medicine. IIRC, when the FCC permitted drug companies to begin advertising on television, part of the agreement was full disclosure on what the drug treats and on any side effects or warnings associated with it. The “Wild Thing” ad did neither.
Personally, I thought it was a pretty effective marketing tool. I wonder if they were to put a low talker in at the end that rushed through all of the “legalese” in order to make the ad conform if the FCC would have an issue with it.