Gay Super Bowl Ad Rejected by CBS

Man Crunch x390 (Screen grab) | Advocate.com

The much-derided ad for a new gay dating website called ManCrunch.com was formally rejected by CBS on Friday, reports CNNMoney.com.

"After reviewing the ad, which is entirely commercial in nature, our standards and practices department decided not to accept this particular spot," CBS spokeswoman Shannon Jacobs told CNN. "We are always open to working with a client on alternative submissions."

CBS said it turned down the ad partly for financial reasons, but ManCrunch believes there's antigay animus behind the decision. "It's straight-up discrimination," said Elissa Buchter, a spokeswoman for ManCrunch, told CNN.

Jacobs wouldn't comment on the discrimination accusation, but she did counter that that CBS also could not verify ManCrunch's credit. Buchter claims they planned to pay for the $2.5 million spot in cash and that the Toronto-based website is flush with tens of millions of dollars. On Thursday, a different ManCrunch spokesperson, Dominic Friesen, declined to tell The Advocate who the owners of the company were.

CBS's decision regarding ManCrunch follows their approval of a Focus on the Family-sponsored ad that features college football player Tim Tebow and his mother advocating against abortion.

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Reader Comments

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Name: Zach
Date posted: 2/12/2010 1:13:49 AM
Hometown: Atlanta

Comment:
I think it takes a while to dissect the components of this story. I interpret this story in a number of ways: 1. The name itself, ManCrunch, has sexual connotations. And without a doubt, it only reinforces the notion that gay men are overtly sexual. 2. It's obvious the commerical is a PR stunt. Let's get real! This company is chasing too many dollars for a very small target audience. Are bears and otters worth this huge expense? 3. The exact date the commercial was submitted should be established. I would guess many commercials were submitted months in advance of the game. Bank accounts should be verified. 4. To be perfectly honest, this company should focus on other tight ends and wide receivers. 5. Since this company is apparently rolling in dough, give some money to the earthquake victims in Haiti. Or to the unemployed. A lot of folks are hurting these days. Forget this stupid game.
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Name: Mal Evans
Date posted: 2/7/2010 10:03:14 PM
Hometown: liverpool, NY

Comment:
I notice that one of the traffic signs on the wall behind the couple says "No Entry". Hmm....
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Name: Jeff
Date posted: 1/31/2010 12:51:03 PM
Hometown: Glendale, CA

Comment:
This ad is perfect! I am glad they are not accepting the ad as it will be broadcast over and over in many publications and forums. Brilliant marketing work on the part of ManCrunch.
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Name: Rich Kennedy
Date posted: 1/31/2010 8:46:42 AM
Hometown: Orlando

Comment:
Mancrunch is brilliant. They knew that commercial would NEVER make it on a network. FREE PUBLICITY for them. SMART MARKETING!!!!!!!!!
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Name: Clayton
Date posted: 1/30/2010 10:12:33 PM
Hometown: chicago

Comment:
Jay...thanks and I apologize it wasn't you that said all gays hate each other I think it was actually Jonathan. He's the one I should have responded to.
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Name: Jay
Date posted: 1/30/2010 9:28:31 PM
Hometown: Tucson

Comment:
Clayton, David Bears suggested that gays don't like each other and I was responding. Thanks for the suggestions about friends, but I plenty of both gay and straight friends, thanks. The other point is that yes, FOTF has an agenda that attacks us. It also has an agenda against abortion. The CBS ad is about Tebow's mother having been recommended to abort Tim prior to birth. The ad is about ABORTION, not gays.
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Name: Clayton
Date posted: 1/30/2010 9:11:00 PM
Hometown: Chicago

Comment:
@ Jay. I don't think it's just an add about abortion or Tim Tebow just 'expressing hs beliefs'. I mean please; why does anyone need to spend 2.8mil to express a belief'? I think it's a political campaign. Focus on the Family has an agenda and gay people are on it. Who ever said below that gay people don't like each other...well can I gently suggest that you find some new friends? I probably will never get married either but the kids who are 25 years younger than me just might. I look at the fight for marriage as an investment in the future rather than what I can get out of it right now. And really all of the discrimination we face is based on who we choose to love or sleep with. If our marriages were equal, and by equal I mean use of the word marriage, and protected under the law, it would be much harder to legally discriminate against us in all walks of life--even if we choose not to get married. Even if we don't necessarily believe in marriage.
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Name: Jeff
Date posted: 1/30/2010 8:42:53 PM
Hometown: Seattle

Comment:
I wish that the United Church of Christ would re-submit their gay inclusive commercial that all the broadcast networks rejected a couple of years ago. That would put CBS "new policy" to the test. If they take religious ads, they need to take ALL religious ads.
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Name: jay
Date posted: 1/30/2010 7:58:12 PM
Hometown: Tucson

Comment:
Why should there be a common ideology for gay men? Our sexuality is only a part of who each of us are. I don't think there ever was a common ideology, nor should there be.
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Name: David Beards
Date posted: 1/30/2010 7:29:05 PM
Hometown: Sydney Australia

Comment:
This ad exemplifies the problematic nature of 'gay' in today's society. No longer denoting a sexuality, 'gay' represents a commodified identity. It is both straight and and gay capitalists who control this identity: they want us to spend big bucks to try and achieve this unrealistic notion of 'gay'. Anyone who has used online services knows that it is not a quick fix solution for meeting men. The commodified heteronormative representation of homosexuality is on full display in this ad. Shame on these people for appropriating our sexuality for their profit. I agree with others comments here that gay men have diversified to the point where there is no longer a common ideology uniting us. How can there be with stupid ads like this? And lesbians - please come back to us. We need you in our lives to make us decent people again.

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