Is ESPN's latest NBA ad homophobic?

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 2:00pm

It wouldn't feel like Super Bowl Sunday without some sort of homophobic sports ad controversy popping up and, sure enough, one has. Ironically, however, it has nothing to do with Super Bowl 43 (nothing too bad there so far).

Rather this controversy has to do with the following ad which recently ran on ESPN starring Shaquille O'Neal

http://www.afterelton.com/blog/michaeljensen/espns-latest-ad-homophobic#comments

[winston89]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 2:30pm

I don't think that the ad is homophobic at all. I think it more makes fun of the fact that the fist pound is something that players do. I think that Shaq was making fun of the fact that the guy wanted one and calling him strange for wanting one after making a good play. I think that people are reading way to much into it.

Posted: 2/2/09 at 2:39pm

We can't possibly decide how we feel about this until Melissa Etheridge weighs in.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 2:51pm

I won't offer my opinion until the BWW gay mafia weighs in.





(just teasing, boys)

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 3:13pm

Eh, I don't think it's homophobic, just unfunny.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/2/09 at 3:37pm

I don't find it funny either. There may be a tinge of homophobia but I looked at it as kind of a stement that fist bumping has kind of run its course and isn't the "in" thing to do these days.

[winston89]

Posted: 2/3/09 at 4:55am

uncageg, I agree with most of what you said. While I don't see the ad as homophobic at all, I do think of it as joking about how the fist bump is something cool to do.

There is an ad that is shown in the NY metro area for a car company (forgot which one). And, in it it shows Eli Manning buying a car and the salesman happy that Manning made a great deal. The salesman gives Eli a chest bump and it takes Eli by surprise to the point that he wants to do it again that way he knows it is coming. The salesman said no because the moment came and went. I think that both were mocking the fact that both the chest and fist bump are things that guys do. Not the fact that wanting them would make someone homophobic.