I'm tired of this whole flap over Don Imus.
The fact is he's been using the phrase "nappy-headed" for years. I've been an on-again/off-again listener of "Imus in the Morning" for about twelve years and know for a fact that this is not the first time he's used the phrase.
This is just the first time there has been an uproar about it.
Still, advertisers are starting to pull their commercials from Imus' program. Both Staples and Proctor & Gamble have announced they will no longer run spots during Imus. Clearly what Imus has said was divisive and wrong and those companies are taking the best option available to them in a capitalist society.
So...what's the problem with the folks who make Claritin and Zyrtec??
See, Schering-Plough Consumer HealthCare and Pfizer are refusing to pull ads on ABC's "The View" after Rosie O'Donnell's conspiracy theorist diatribe about 9/11. Rosie O'Donnell advocated that one of the towers was imploded and that the Government was complicit in that event--comments that are reprehensible--and advertisers on "The View" are alright with that.
Below are the actual responses from the manufacturers of Claritin and Zyrtec.
The brief response from Pfizer:
Thank you for your interest in Pfizer, a healthcare company committed to making your health our priority. We value the relationship that we have with consumers, and are pleased that you have contacted us for assistance.
Your comments are important to us and we have forwarded them to the appropriate department.
It's noncommittal, of course. The response from Schering-Plough is all kinds of interesting, however:
Thank you for your interest in Claritin.
I received a copy of your recent correspondence and have been asked to respond regarding advertising for Schering-Plough Consumer HealthCare brand Claritin during ABC's "The View".
Schering-Plough Consumer Health Care has followed a policy of not advertising on television programs whose host, co-host or format encourage program content that:
1. Convey a destructive influence in our society as a result of dramatic portrayals of needless, excessive and/or bizarre violence;
2. Pertain to or portray explicit sexual matters, and in particular, individual scenes which depict violent sexual behavior;
3. Treat highly controversial subjects that might have deleterious impact on youthful audiences such as incest, physical child abuse, substance abuse (alcohol/drugs).
Schering-Plough is unable to control varying views of TV personalities. We take an active role in screening the programs we advertise in to ensure they adhere to our policies and do not find "The View" to be in violation of these policies.
Thank you for your interest in Schering-Plough HealthCare Products. We respect the varying points of view on programming content, and you can be assured that we will continue to reinforce our policy and be sensitive to the content of company sponsored shows.
Again, thank you for contacting us.
Apparently, charging that the Bush Administration had a hand in the events of 9/11 is not an example of a topic "that might have deleterious impact on youthful audiences" or conveying "a destructive influence in our society as a result of dramatic portrayals of ... bizarre violence."
Don Imus says something inflammatory and companies pull advertising dollars. Staples and P&G don't want to appear as though they support racism in the eyes of their consumers.
Rosie O'Donnell says something inflammatory and absolutely nothing happens. Companies don't do a thing.
What message do you suppose Schering-Plough and Pfizer are both sending to the people who buy their products?
William Smith
ConservativeBlogger.com
