16907: Culturally Clueless Ketchup, Kicks, And KKKandles…?

 

Advertising Age spotlighted The Biggest Brand Fails Of 2024, including culturally clueless contenders. In addition to Kraft Heinz—which could’ve nabbed two awards—Ad Age called out the following brands:

 

Adidas, SL 72 shoes

 

The sports brand in July was forced to apologize for “any upset or distress caused” over its release of a remake of its SL 72 shoes, which originally debuted during the 1972 Munich Olympics. Critics, including the StopAntisemitism group, pointed out that the games are known for the murder of 11 Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists. The brand also drew complaints for making model Bella Hadid, a prominent critic of the Israeli government, the face of the campaign. Hadid in an Instagram post later said that “I am shocked, I am upset, and I am disappointed in the lack of sensitivity that went into this campaign,” adding that “my team should have known. Adidas should have known and I should have done more research so that I too would have known and understood, and spoken up.”

 

Bath & Body Works, “Snowed In”

 

The retailer in October came under fire for a design on packaging that resembled Ku Klux Klan hoods. The packaging for the Snowed In winter candle included snowflake of white cutouts, a style that drew comparisons to the hoods with eye holes worn by the KKK. Bath & Body Works pulled the candle from store shelves after social media complaints. In a statement it said it is “committed to fixing any mistakes we make—even those that are unintentional like this one.”

 

 

Gee, the Snowed In candle is perfect for igniting cross-burning events.

16873: Overreaction Of The Week.

MediaPost spotlighted a new campaign—#TimeOut Against Hate—designed to combat antisemitism and other forms of hate.

 

The messages involve multiple sports leagues—including the NFL, WNBA, NBA, MLB, MLS, NWSL, NHL, and NASCAR—turning competitive timeouts into national calls against hate.

 

Um, how come Colin Kaepernick taking a knee to call out racial injustice stirred outrage—but this stunt is okay?

 

Robert Kraft’s Antisemitism Group Unveils #TimeOut Against Hate Campaign

 

By Steve McClellan

 

Earlier this year Robert Kraft’s Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS) aired an ad in the Super Bowl featuring civil rights leader Clarence B. Jones. The theme of the ad was that the silence of those who know better allows hate to foster and spread.  

 

Now the group has formed an alliance with multiple sports leagues and some well-known coaches, players and personalities – including NFL head coaches Andy Reid and Jim Harbaugh and former NBA great Shaquille O’Neal – for a new campaign that will air during pro and college sports games and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade over the Thanksgiving holiday break and beyond.

 

The new campaign is called #TimeOut Against Hate, aimed at turning the frequently called for pause in sports contests into a national call against hate. 

 

The new ad spot and campaign is the first of its kind in uniting major sports leagues, their commissioners, and star athletes and managers to champion the fight against hate.    

 

The campaign is from WPP’s VML and stemmed from a closed-door meeting with Kraft and major sports commissioners earlier this year as an opportunity for each league and its teams to take a larger, active role in propelling the fight against antisemitism and other forms of hate. Participating leagues in the NFL, WNBA, NBA, MLB, MLS, NWSL, NHL and NASCAR.

 

WPP’s Mindshare is the media partner for this campaign, with media activations including:   

 

# Real-time timeout ads – dynamic streaming placements that are triggered in real-time by timeouts in NFL and college games. When someone calls a timeout in select games, the 30-second spot then starts playing in streaming. These dynamic insertion placements will be in rotation across NFL and NCAA games through December.     

 

# Content partnerships – with content creators and media voices such as three of iHeart’s top sports podcasters (LaVar Arrington, Doug Gottlieb, and Julian Edelman), as well as @dudewithsign on Instagram; the iHeart activations were launched in mid- November.    

 

# Live sports broadcast coverage – the 30-second spot has started playing in various games and leagues across Amazon Prime, ESPN, Fox, NBC, ABC, and will continue over the next few months.

16486: Google Antisemitic Searches Up—Oy Vey.

 

MediaPost reported that Google searches for antisemitic content have spiked since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. It’s not clear if the search inquiries were rooted in hate, cultural cluelessness, or curiosity. But it will be interesting to see the Google Doodle addressing the disturbing phenomenon.

 

Antisemitic Search Queries Rise ‘Massively’

 

By Laurie Sullivan

 

Mordy Oberstein, head of the SEO brand at Israeli software company Wix, shared data on social-media platforms that had him “literally shaking.”

 

Google searches for antisemitic queries are up “massively” since the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel. What does it mean for marketers?

 

Oberstein, who authored The Mideast Journal’s study, has worked at Wix for more than three years, but he also serves as a communications advisor for Semrush.

 

Search has long been a guide for what people want to purchase or learn more about. Companies float a variety of numbers to determine the number of searches daily.

 

One report estimates that in August 2023, about 8.5 billion searches took place on Google daily, about 99,000 searches per second. Some 15% of Google searches are unique, which is equivalent to 1.275 billion unique queries every day.

 

Analysts working with Oberstein pulled data from Semrush, analyzing the search volumes for particular keywords in September 2023 compared with October 2023.

 

Keywords analyzed include intifada, intifada revolution, from the river to the sea, glory to our martyrs, by all means necessary, why did Hitler hate the Jews, Hitler was right, are Jews bad, kill Jews, and why are Jews bad.

 

Oberstein found misinformation, decay and hatred — not only in the United States, but worldwide.

 

Just prior to Hamas’ attack on Israel in September through October, the data shows an 1800% rise in the number of Google searches for “Kill Jews.”

 

The search term “are Jews bad” rose 182%, and “why Jews are bad” rose 460%.

 

“It could be argued, that as people watched the news unfold, [and listened] to the vocal protests, Google users were searching for the term without any malicious intent toward Jews,” Oberstein wrote.

 

In early September 2023, before the attack, zero Google searches registered for the term “kill Jews” in Semrush’s data. A month later, after the attacks on October 7, the term began to register in the data.

 

“We went from not seeing the term register in the data set at all to seeing the search query accrue more than a substantial amount of monthly Google searches (approximately 500 in the U.S. over 30 days),” he wrote.

 

In October 2022, data also showed a significant increase in the frequency of searches for the term “kill Jews.” At the time, Kanye West had used antisemitic language and NBA star Kyrie Irving struggled with his own antisemitic controversy.

 

The rhetoric spewed by the singer and the NBA player raised concerns about spreading antisemitism. The term “kill Jews” at the time reached a monthly search volume of 170.

 

Since October 2023, searches for the term “Hitler was right” rose 122% and the terms “intifada revolution,” “from the river to the sea” and “glory to our martyrs” jumped in search frequency above 10,000%.

13681: Garden-Variety Lunacy.

Campaign reported on the latest installment of the Erin Johnson-Gustavo Martinez soap opera, with lawyers exchanging pre-trial jabs. Here’s one point worth noting:

Also under contention is the subpoena of Johnson’s medical records. Lawyers for the defense have requested authorization to subpoena her mental health records, which Johnson lawyers have declined to provide.

Earlier this week, Martinez’s lawyer Ricki Roer filed a letter to the court requesting to address “a defendant’s entitlement to discovery of plaintiff’s psychological/mental health records, even when only ‘garden variety’ emotional distress damages are claimed.”

Wow, Martinez and his lawyers are lowdown assholes. Has anyone inquired about Martinez’s mental state? Based on everything recorded to date, the man is a garden-variety bigot, misogynist and moron.

Johnson, WPP battle over access to sensitive documents as TBWA is pulled into drama

By Eleftheria Parpis

The holding company’s lawyers seek to keep its internal investigation private while asking to see Johnson’s emails about an alleged job offer.

As the Erin Johnson lawsuit against J. Walter Thompson, WPP and former CEO Gustavo Martinez inches its way to trial, the legal teams are butting heads over the admissibility of sensitive documents.

In documents filed with the US Southern District Court on Wednesday, lawyers for WPP and JWT requested a protective order to stop Johnson, JWT’s Chief Communications Officer, from subpoenaing documents pertaining to the internal investigation conducted by Bettina Plevan, a partner at law firm Proskauer Rose, in the weeks after Johnson filed her sexual harassment lawsuit. Howard J. Rubin, partner at WPP legal firm Davis & Gilbert, claims that the report, which details the substance of Plevan’s interviews with 32 current and former agency employees, is protected by attorney-client privilege.

The defense is also seeking a protective order to block access to documents related to a report prepared by Merrick Rossein, an employment law professor and human resources consultant who provided equal-employment training to Martinez and counsel to the agency’s legal team after the suit was filed, including advice about the retention of Martinez in an executive position elsewhere at the holding company.

Reports summarizing the findings were shared with Johnson and the legal team from Vladeck, Raskin & Clark “subject to an agreement that Plaintiff would treat the reports as confidential,” writes Rubin.

The defense is also arguing that Johnson should be compelled to turn over documents “relating to her efforts to seek alternative employment, including at another advertising agency, TBWA Worldwide.”

It was earlier revealed that Johnson had been offered a job at Omnicom’s TBWA\Chiat\Day before filing her suit, but turned it down, telling Martinez in a text that she was “loyal” to him and “felt like we had a good year together.” The defense lawyers argue that any documents related to that job offer are relevant “to whether she believed she was experiencing harassment and/or retaliatory treatment,” and whether her working environment at JWT was “as hostile or retaliatory as she claims.”

Asked whether the agency had been contacted by attorneys regarding the case, a TBWA spokeswoman said, “We haven’t received the subpoena yet and can’t comment.”

The flurry of memos filed Wednesday also included a request from the defense lawyers for a 60-day extention of the discovery deadline, citing Johnson’s “voluminous and burdensome discovery requests.” Johnson’s legal team has subpoenaed Plevan and Rossein for all documents related to the case, including communications that concern Martinez’s “ability to use the English language,” a defense lawyers for Martinez and WPP have used to explain Johnson’s claims that Martinez regularly made comments about rape and sex, using terms like “talk about the sex” and “sex of angels.”

The plaintiffs are also attempting to subpoena all documents about behavior and statements Martinez made “with respect to women or their appearance,” “Jews or Westchester County,” “people of color,” the Miami corporate meeting where Martinez was recorded making a rape joke, and female employees like global president Claire Capeci, who Martinez, claim Johnson’s lawyers, said was “bossy” and should be “hogtied” or “raped.”

The legal teams met last month with Magistrate Judge James C. Francis to discuss discovery but were unsuccessful in attempts to reach an agreement.

Also under contention is the subpoena of Johnson’s medical records. Lawyers for the defense have requested authorization to subpoena her mental health records, which Johnson lawyers have declined to provide.

Earlier this week, Martinez’s lawyer Ricki Roer filed a letter to the court requesting to address “a defendant’s entitlement to discovery of plaintiff’s psychological/mental health records, even when only ‘garden variety’ emotional distress damages are claimed.”

At the conference on April 26, states Roer in the letter, Johnson “for the first time stipulated” that she would be “claiming ‘only garden variety’ emotional damages.” The judge approved the team’s request to file a motion.

Calls to representatives for WPP and Johnson for comment were not immediately returned.

The current deadline for discovery is May 26.

13654: Strategic Bullshit Via JWT.

AgencySpy posted on the latest nonsense involving the Erin Johnson lawsuit against JWT and WPP, with Johnson’s lawyers accusing the opposition of attempting to delay the potential trial date. AgencySpy only offered a single item worth spotlighting:

Here’s one interesting tidbit. During the December hearing, Howard Rubin of Davis & Gilbert stated that “things have improved” at JWT’s New York office since last November, when Johnson went back to work and her lawyers almost immediately submitted a letter claiming that agency leadership had engaged in “retaliatory behavior” in pressuring her to resign.

“I know she is having a meeting in January to talk about planning the global strategy for the company, which, I think, again, seems like she and the CEO [Tamara Ingram] are getting along better than maybe when first letters were written,” he said.

First of all, the opinion of a Davis & Gilbert lawyer representing JWT and WPP is BS. Johnson and Ingram met to discuss the agency’s global strategy? Hmmm. Perhaps Johnson masterminded all the diverted diversity smokescreens and shields JWT has recently assembled, fabricating its sly global strategy to appear inclusive and friendly to women and minorities—despite being embroiled in a sensationalistic lawsuit featuring sexism, racism, cronyism and anti-Semitism. It’s more than ironic that JWT is symbolized by an Old White Guy.

13500: Martinez Is Fucking Screwy.

Campaign reported former JWT Worldwide Chairman and CEO Gustavo Martinez officially denied almost all of the accusations directed at him in the discrimination lawsuit filed by JWT Chief Communications Officer Erin Johnson. Specifically, Martinez confirmed making his “too many fucking Jews” in Westchester County comment, but insisted he had “attempted to communicate that he and his wife wanted to live in a diverse community.” Oh, so now Martinez is a diversity crusader. Expect him to nab an ADCOLOR® Award soon. And since when is anti-Semitism less offensive than sexism and racism? Would Martinez also get a pass for declaring there are “too many fucking Blacks” in Brooklyn and “too many fucking Hispanics” in the Bronx? BTW, how many fucking Jews are currently working at JWT? How was Martinez working to transform his former fucking agency into a diverse community?

Additionally, Campaign reported that after Martinez made arguably racist—and rapist—comments at a Miami meeting, JWT Global Chief Talent Officer Laura Agostini and JWT Chief Creative Officer Matt Eastwood counseled their ex-boss about avoiding the use of “rape” in public statements. Of course, the officers apparently didn’t have any suggestions regarding Martinez’s culturally clueless comments involving Blacks.

Gustavo Martinez formally denies all allegations, except one

By Eleftheria Parpis

The former JWT CEO says his “too many Jews” comment was meant to convey his desire to live in a more diverse community.

Lawyers for Gustavo Martinez, the former chairman and chief executive of J. Walter Thompson who resigned in March amid allegations of sexist and racist behavior, has formally responded to the lawsuit filed against him by chief communications officer Erin Johnson.

In the 23-page document filed in Manhattan federal court Tuesday night, Martinez denies every substantial accusation of discriminatory behavior, except one.

In Johnson’s discrimination lawsuit, filed against Martinez on March 10, 2016, the PR chief claimed that her boss—in addition to engaging in an “unending stream of racist and sexist comments” around the office—had met with an industry journalist in February 2016 and “told the reporter that he disliked living in Westchester County because there are ‘too many Jews.’”

In a column that same day, Campaign US editor in chief Douglas Quenqua identified himself as the unnamed journalist in question. He recalled hearing Martinez make the comment, he said, but assumed he had misheard, partly because of Martinez’s accent. The comment was made before the recorded portion of the interview, said Quenqua. In the document filed Tuesday night, Martinez confirmed that the meeting had taken place, and did not deny that he had made the comment. Instead, he sought to clarify his meaning, saying he “attempted to communicate that he and his wife wanted to live in a diverse community.”

In a separate document filed Wednesday morning, the law firm of Davis & Gilbert, representing WPP and JWT, made a similar clarification regarding a conversation that Johnson alleges took place during a work lunch with Laura Agostini, JWT global chief talent officer, and Tarun Rai, CEO of Southeast Asia, in London in February 2015. In Johnson’s complaint, she claims that Martinez told the group that he and his wife “hated” living in Westchester because it was cold and because he “hate[s] those fucking Jews” (a statement he felt free to make “because he was in Europe,” according to Johnson’s suit). According to the WPP document filed Wednesday, Martinez actually said “that his wife also hated Westchester because she was from Europe and not Jewish, and she felt that the community in Westchester was cliquey.”

Both Martinez, who was born in Argentina and grew up primarily in Spain, and co-defendants WPP and JWT have made the former CEO’s alleged discomfort with English a lynchpin of their defense, repeatedly asserting that his comments were not meant as sexual or derogatory. In Martinez’s response filed Tuesday, he states that a meeting between he and Johnson on May 20, 2015, in which she claims Martinez became “angry and aggressive” when she told him his comments about rape were unacceptable, was simply “part of plaintiff’s job regarding his communications and language limitations [because] English was not his first language.”

Last year, when the two sides were debating whether a video of Martinez making a joke about being raped, “and not in a nice way” during an internal JWT meeting in Miami should be admitted as evidence, lawyers for WPP claimed he was only trying to ease the tension in the room because a wild party the night before had unnerved many of the employees, but he was stymied, in part, by his unfamiliarity with the language. “No one should fault Mr. Martinez (for whom English is his fourth language) for at least attempting to address with some humor the events that the employees had experienced,” said the lawyers.

Much like Martinez’ s filing, today’s WPP document also denies the bulk of Johnson’s allegations. In one notable denial, the company counters the PR chief’s assertion that Agostini never took action regarding Martinez’s behavior. “[B]oth Agostini and [JWT chief creative officer Matt] Eastwood spoke to Martinez after the Miami meeting and counseled him that he should not use the word ‘rape.’”

In December, US District Judge Paul J. Oetken rejected WPP’s motion to dismiss the suit, saying that Martinez’s actions created “a workplace cut through with hostility.” He had initially given the defendants a deadline of Jan. 3rd to respond to Johnson’s accusations, but later extended the deadline to Jan. 11th.

Following an eight-month paid leave of absence, Johnson returned to work at JWT on Nov. 2nd. Though she sought an injunction shortly after she returned to stop the “highly visible punishment” she was allegedly being subjected to in the office, Johnson’s lawyers, Vladeck, Raskin & Clark, have since abandoned that request in order to proceed more quickly to trial. WPP’s lawyers have denied the veracity of the claims made in the injunction request.

Neither WPP’s lawyers; Martinez’s lawyers, the firm of Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker; nor Johnson’s lawyers returned calls for comment.

13131: Diverted Diversity Advocates.

Adweek rendered a ridiculous report regarding responses to the resignation of former JWT Worldwide Chairman and CEO Gustavo Martinez, featuring a subhead that read, “Diversity advocates see mixed signals in ouster of JWT’s Martinez .” The ridiculousness comes from using the label of “diversity advocates” in reference to the idiots interviewed.

The first “diversity advocate”—FCB Global Chief Talent Officer Cindy Augustine—offered the following bullshit:

“This is a moment where people will look at us and wonder whether there is progress being made. This is the time to redouble our efforts. There are lots of efforts being made, and I think that will continue; this is definitely not the time to take our foot off the gas. It reminds everyone, whether in the ad industry or society at large, that this is a systemic issue everywhere. We are not exempt.

“We’re pretty proud of our efforts. We have [global chief creative officer] Susan Credle, and we have Dana Maiman who runs FCB Health, which is one of the biggest healthcare practices out there. Under [global CEO Carter Murray], probably half of the team members are women. We are very proud and we are just beginning, but we don’t need to be an exception.”

Augustine is exceptionally dumb. She hinted at her dumbness when ripping Raven-Symoné last year, and confirmed it with this latest verbal vomit. To excuse the industry’s diversity disaster as “a systemic issue everywhere” is dodging responsibility and accountability in grand style. To proudly point to promoting White women as progress is pathetic. Sorry, but FCB today is closer to being like IPG sister agency Campbell Ewald versus the revolutionary company envisioned by former Draftfcb President and CEO Laurence Boschetto.

The second “diversity advocate”—the 100% annoying Kat Gordon—added the following drivel:

“No agency is immune from instances of sexual harassment. Nor does it indicate a toxic agency environment. The single most critical thing is that an agency has a clear no-tolerance plan in place and that it enforces that policy swiftly and emphatically should proof of harassment be in evidence. The JWT case is a cautionary tale of what happens when an agency fails to take complaints of harassment seriously when they are first raised.”

Of course, Gordon only sees a sexual harassment case, despite the fact that the charges include anti-Semitism and racism. Additionally, she’s delusional to believe any agency “has a clear no-tolerance plan” that’s actually being enforced. Hell, she’ll probably have trouble finding takers for her certifiably inane certification program to benefit White women.

The third “diversity advocate”—Nancy Vonk—dumped the following dung:

“If the JWT allegations are true, the world just witnessed that sweeping it under the rug is a terrible strategy. … Maybe at this point we can all agree, there’s a better way to address harassment claims. Now company leaders need to state loud and clear that it’s the right thing to do and it’s safe to do it. The unwritten rules that have been at play from the beginning of time need to be torn up, and new ones that support employees need to be displayed in neon in our workplaces. Nothing short of consistent demonstrations that claims will be met with swift action, with no penalty to the employee, will convince people they can and should bring their problems forward. … This could take a while. If history shows [plaintiff Erin Johnson] told the truth, history will show she was a very brave person who helped us all.”

Vonk views the JWT scenario as primarily a sexual harassment case too, which isn’t surprising, given that her “diversity advocate” title is the result of having spanked Neil French in 2005. However, Vonk’s pontifications regarding protecting whistleblowers are outrageous. The woman is clearly ignorant regarding the many minorities who’ve been blacklisted for protesting the discrimination and racism still prevalent in the advertising industry. It should be noted that Vonk’s French rant was titled, “Female Like Me,” an apparent nod to the popular “Black Like Me” book.

For Adweek to deem these three stooges “diversity advocates” is a sad reflection of the state of affairs in the advertising industry, where diverted diversity is the inclusive bandwagon of the moment. Why has no one been asked to comment on the anti-Semitism and racism in the scenario? Could Adweek even identify individuals qualified to speak on such matters? It would be a monumental challenge for anyone to name five legitimate diversity advocates working on Madison Avenue today.

11667: Tony Parker’s Latest Foul.

From The New York Daily News…

Spurs guard Tony Parker under fire for 'quenelle' gesture, alleged anti-Semitism

Just a day after soccer star Nicolas Anelka was criticized, French media outlets publish pictures of San Antonio guard doing gesture with comedian.

By Mitch Abramson / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

The Knicks and Nets both visit the San Antonio Spurs this week, where the story could be more serious than just a tale of two bad teams facing a title contender.

Spurs star guard Tony Parker came under fire on Sunday for his alleged use of an anti-Semitic gesture described as a “reverse” Nazi salute. Parker was asked by the Simon Wiesenthal Center to apologize.

French media outlets published a photo taken earlier this year of the Belgian-born Parker doing the “quenelle,” as it is known, at the side of Dieudonne, a comedian and accused anti-Semite who coined the gesture, according to The Algemeiner, a New York-based newspaper that covers Jewish and Israel-related topics. The Spurs host the Nets on Tuesday and the Knicks on Thursday.

“It’s the Nazi salute in reverse,” Roger Cukierman, leader of the French partner of the World Jewish Congress, told Reuters.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights group named after the Nazi hunter, urged Parker on Sunday to “apologize for his past use of the quenelle ‘Nazi’ salute,” according to the Algemeiner.

“As a leading sports figure on both sides of the Atlantic, Parker has a special moral obligation to disassociate himself from a gesture that the government of France has identified as anti-Semitic,” Cooper said.

Parker, 31, was photographed in September and October by French media outlets making the gesture backstage at Dieudonne’s concerts.

The NBA, along with the Spurs, had no immediate comment. Parker had 22 points in nearly 36 minutes in a comeback 112-104 win over the visiting Kings on Sunday night.

The Parker news came a day after French soccer star Nicolas Anelka was heavily criticized for his use of the same gesture following his goal for West Bromwich Albion in Saturday’s 3-3 draw at West Ham in the English Premier League.

Anelka was seen pointing his right arm down and laying his left hand near his right shoulder to make the gesture. Anelka tried to explain away the salute by saying it was nothing more than a homage to Dieudonne, his friend, but the action was condemned by French Sports Minister Valerie Fourneyron. And the European Jewish Congress requested that Anelka be disciplined by the English authorities, CNN reported Sunday.

Dieudonne has been fined for inciting racial hatred and hate speech on several occasions.

9926: Hitler Hawks Haircare.

From The New York Post…

Turkish shampoo ad featuring Hitler sparks outrage

By AFP/NEWSCORE

ANKARA, Turkey—A Turkish shampoo commercial featuring Adolf Hitler has drawn outrage from Jewish groups worldwide and calls for it to be withdrawn immediately.

“It’s totally unacceptable to make use of Hitler, the most striking example of cruelty and savagery,” the Turkish Jewish Community said in a statement, blasting the 12-second ad that has been airing since last week.

The commercial for Biomen, a men’s shampoo, shows a gesticulating Hitler delivering an enthusiastic speech, urging male customers to buy the product that is “a 100 percent male shampoo.”

“If you are not wearing a woman’s dress, you should not use her shampoo either,” he says.

Jewish organizations in Turkey have asked the advertising agency to pull the commercial.

On an international level, the United States-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which fights anti-semitism, said it was “repulsed.”

Using Hitler, “who was responsible for the mass murder of six million Jews and millions of others in the Holocaust to sell shampoo is a disgusting and deplorable marketing ploy,” said Abraham H. Foxman, the national director of the ADL and a Holocaust survivor, in a statement.

“It is an insult to the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust, those who survived, and those who fought to defeat the Nazis.”

9290: Rabbi Not A Fan of Mel Gibson.

From CNN…

Mel Gibson’s work on Jewish film ‘frankly preposterous,’ rabbi says

By Alan Duke, CNN

Mel Gibson will not have an acting role in a movie about Jewish historical icon Judah Maccabee, although he may direct the film, Gibson’s representative said Friday.

The possibility of Gibson’s involvement in the Warner Bros. Studios production brought harsh reactions from some Jewish leaders in the United States, including Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles.

“I think it’s, quite frankly, preposterous,” Hier told CNN on Friday. “Judah Maccabee is one of the greatest heroes in Jewish history. Mel Gibson is an anti-Semite. He has made anti-Semitic remarks in the past. I don’t know what Warner Bros. was thinking.”

Maccabee was a Judean priest who commanded the Judean resistance to Greek forces around 165 BC.

“Casting him as a director or star of Judah Maccabee is like casting Bernie Madoff to be the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission,” Hier said.

[MultiCultClassics addition: At the Simon Wiesenthal Center website, Hier is quoted as saying, “…Casting him as a director or perhaps as the star of Judah Maccabee is like casting Madoff to be the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or a white supremacist as trying to portray Martin Luther King Jr. It’s simply an insult to Jews.”]

Gibson’s representative, in an email exchange with CNN on Friday, said, “There are no plans at this stage for Mel to be in the film.” The rep asked not to be identified.

“He is way too old to play the lead character,” his rep said. “(The) finished script will determine whether he directs or not but the studio would obviously prefer he direct than not. It’s an amazing story that should be told cinematically.”

Gibson’s rep pointed to his work on “Braveheart,” “Passion of the Christ” and “Apocalypto” as “all great stories that translate beautifully on the big screen with such a visual filmmaker as Gibson.”

Hier disagreed, saying that “The Passion of the Christ,” which Gibson produced and directed, depicted every Jew, with the exception of Jesus, as a “tyrant, buffoon, or an idiot.”

Hier alluded to Gibson’s infamous rant after his arrest on a drunken driving charge in 2006. The sheriff’s arrest report said the actor asked the deputy if he was a Jew and said, “F---ing Jews. The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.”

“My anger with Mel Gibson is he has never made efforts to fix his past mistakes,” Hier said. He said he would have no problem with Gibson becoming involved in a Maccabee movie if he had made amends for what he did.

“They do have the freedom of expression, which we all welcome, don’t we?” Gibson’s representative said in response to the criticism.

8885: Saturday Sorry Statements.

Apologizing with a MultCultClassics Monologue…

• Tracy Morgan released an apology for his anti-gay comedy routine: “I’m not a hateful person and don’t condone any kind of violence against others. … While I am an equal opportunity jokester, and my friends know what is in my heart, even in a comedy club this clearly went too far and was not funny in any context.” Hey, looks like homophobia is completely curable when your professional livelihood is threatened.

• Russell Crowe issued an apology after being labeled anti-Semitic over comments the actor made about circumcision. “Circumcision is barbaric and stupid,” declared Crowe via Twitter. “Who are you to correct nature? Is it real that GOD requires a donation of foreskin? Babies are perfect.” The anti-Semitism charges emerged after Crowe exchanged tweets with a Jewish pal that included, “I love my Jewish friends, I love the apples and the honey and the funny little hats but stop cutting yr babies @eliroth.” When the complaints escalated, Crowe apologized. Hey, Crowe—babies are perfect, but adults are not.

• Rep. Anthony Weiner received some unexpected support from Rep. Charles Rangel. “I know one thing: He wasn’t going out with prostitutes, he wasn’t going out with little boys, he wasn’t going into men’s rooms with broad stances,” said Rangel, alluding to the respective sex scandals of Republican Sen. David Vitter, GOP Rep. Mark Foley and GOP Sen. Larry Craig. Great, a guy found guilty of multiple ethics violation defends a pervert by comparing him to even bigger perverts.

8828: Glee Is A Four-Letter Word.

Go check out Jim Edwards at BNET, as he examines the Glee PSA that seeks to persuade everyone to stop using the word “retard” by depicting people uttering a slew of slurs. “The R-Word is the same as every minority slur,” declares Jane Lynch. “Treat it that way, and don’t use it.” Ugh. This sort of shock tactic is never really impressive—and likely not effective. Besides, Lynch’s willingness to prostitute herself for any advertiser that comes knocking weakens her credibility in this instance; in fact, it’s almost insulting to watch the woman here. Then again, MultiCultClassics is no Glee fan. Or Lynch groupie.

8728: Mel Gibson Is Mad To The Max.

The New York Daily News reported Mel Gibson insisted he’s “never treated anyone badly or in a discriminatory way based on their gender, race, religion or sexuality—period.” Wow, this guy must be smoking whatever the racist Republican is enjoying.

Mel Gibson: ‘I’ve never treated anyone badly’ based on their gender, race, religion, or sexuality

By Shari Weiss, Daily News Staff Writer

Even though his legal problems are far from over, Mel Gibson is finally opening up about his tumultuous 2010.

“I was angry at me,” Gibson told Deadline.com contributor Allison Hope Weiner about the infamous tapes leaked via RadarOnline.com last year featuring the actor making racist, obscene and threatening comments to ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva.

While the 55-year-old said he “of course” regrets his comments, he stressed that his words need to be put “in the proper context of being in an irrationally, heated discussion at the height of a breakdown, trying to get out of a really unhealthy relationship.”

“It’s one terribly, awful moment in time, said to one person, in the span of one day,” he explained, “and doesn’t represent what I truly believe or how I’ve treated people my entire life.”

Gibson, who has repeatedly been accused of anti-Semitism, added that he’s “never treated anyone badly or in a discriminatory way based on their gender, race, religion or sexuality — period.”

“I don’t blame some people for thinking that though, from the garbage they heard on those leaked tapes, which have been edited,” he said.

And, confirming reports that the movie star had no idea he was being recorded by his former love, Gibson asked, “Who could anticipate such a personal betrayal?”

“The main thing is that it was terribly humiliating and painful for my family, all my kids,” Gibson, a father of eight, added later.

The actor, who also admitted he’s become quite uncomfortable with the level of his fame, clammed up when asked specifically about keeping his relationship with Grigorieva a secret initially (after he split from his wife Robyn in 2006 after 26 years of marriage).

“It’s nobody’s business, my separation, my divorce, any of that stuff. It’s out there, okay, so it happened,” he added later in the interview. “As to the details, I have precious little to keep to myself. And if I can even hold on to even painful things for myself, so be it.”

And when prodded for specifics about the leaked phone conversations, Gibson repeatedly stated that he couldn’t discuss it since “there are all sorts of legal things pending.”

Still, he pointed out, “Everybody has a dog in the fight but me, oddly enough.”

“I haven’t got a lawsuit out on anyone because I think it’s extremely … You have to think about your children,” he said, adding “There are a lot of delicate and sensitive issues and I don’t want to be the cause of grief to any of my children or to friends or family or associates on either side because it’s a matter that should be dealt with.”

But the “Bravehart” star did address his March no contest plea to a misdemeanor battery charge for allegedly striking Grigorieva while she held their daughter. Gibson was sentenced to three years probation, a year of mandatory counseling, 16 hours of community service and fines.

“I was allowed to end the case and still maintain my innocence. It’s called a West plea and it’s not something that prosecutors normally allow. But in my case, the prosecutors and the judge agreed that it was the right thing to do,” he said.

“I could have continued to fight this for years and it probably would have come out fine. But I ended it for my children and my family,” he continued. “This was going to be such a circus. You don’t drag other people in your life through this sewer needlessly, so I’ll take the hit and move on.”

Lucia has remained “blissfully unaware” of the traumatic events of the last year, Gibson said, but admitted he realizes he may have to “address” it with her when she’s older.

Gibson said he’s particularly grateful to have such a young child at his age.

“The whole journey of discovery again and having a different perspective now. It’s different. You learn,” he said. “I mean, I have a daughter who is 30 and I have a daughter who is 18 months. And the 18 month is getting 30 years of benefit.”

8225: Girl Talk.

Talking toons and trash in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Dora the Explorer received mucho dinero. That is, the 14-year-old actress supplying the voice of the cartoon character settled her court battle with Nickelodeon and Viacom after accusing producers of ripping her off. Wonder if Diego will follow suit, so to speak.

• Wayne State University zapped its Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity in Media award after the ex-White House correspondent spewed anti-Semitic remarks. Last Thursday, Thomas declared, “Congress, the White House and Hollywood, Wall Street are owned by the Zionists. They put their money where their mouth is.” So much for the spirit of diversity. Although on Madison Avenue, no one would have seen any hypocrisy or problems with the scenario. Hell, they’d probably create a special ADCOLOR® Award for the old woman.

7860: Mad Men Mention.

Wanted to briefly discuss another moment from the third episode of AMC series Mad Men. As MultiCultClassics has noted in the past, creator Matthew Weiner seems comfortable exploring and exposing certain biases—specifically, anti-Semitism, sexism and homophobia—while pussyfooting around things such as racism. The latest installment showed this again, when Don Draper and Lane Pryce visited a nightclub. A stand-up comic proceeded to taunt the admen, accusing them of being gay lovers. Not sure what inspired such a bizarre outburst, especially given Draper’s clearly heterosexual tendencies. But it’s unlikely Weiner would ever consider staging a similar scenario in a Michael Richards style.

7829: Swastika Gains Universal Recognition.

From The New York Times…

Swastika Is Deemed ‘Universal’ Hate Symbol

By Laurie Goodstein

The swastika now shows up so often as a generic symbol of hatred that the Anti-Defamation League, in its annual tally of hate crimes against Jews, will no longer automatically count its appearance as an act of anti-Semitism.

“The swastika has morphed into a universal symbol of hate,” said Abraham Foxman, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy organization. “Today it’s used as an epithet against African-Americans, Hispanics and gays, as well as Jews, because it is a symbol which frightens.”

Observing the trend, he said that his group had decided it would examine reports of scrawled swastikas for contextual clues. If it appears Jews were not the target, the incident will not be included in the league’s annual audit of anti-Semitic hate crimes.

“A year ago, there was a swastika put on Plymouth Rock,” Mr. Foxman said in an interview. “We saw it as a symbol of hatred against America, maybe against immigrants, I don’t know. But to count that swastika as an anti-Semitic incident would not be accurate.”

Using the new measure, the Anti-Defamation League logged 1,211 anti-Semitic incidents in the United States in 2009. It included 422 cases of anti-Semitic vandalism like swastika graffiti, as well as violent episodes like the murder of a security guard at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.

The tally was down from 2008, which found 1,352 incidents — in part because of the new approach to swastikas. (The group is considering whether to issue a separate report on swastika incidents that were excluded from its audit).

The change was first reported by The Jewish Week, a New York news weekly.

The swastika symbol, a symmetrical, hooked cross sacred to Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, was appropriated by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party and became the defining motif of anti-Jewish hatred. It is still the contemporary calling card of many neo-Nazi groups.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish educational and human rights group based in Los Angeles, said he understood the reasoning behind the Anti-Defamation League’s move.

“The swastika is shorthand for every racist and bigot on the planet,” Rabbi Cooper said. “It is amazing that 60 or 70 years later that symbol has not lost any of its potency.”

7771: Mel Gibson Cultural Clueless Scorecard.

The actor has managed to display ugly bias towards:
• Gays
• Jews
• Blacks
• Latinos
• Women/Russians
• Asians (Based on dialogue directed at Jet Li in Lethal Weapon 4)

7208: Keeping Abreast Of The News.

Busting out the news in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Two Hooters waitresses in Brooklyn, New York filed a class-action lawsuit against the restaurant chain, charging they were forced to pay about $20 for their uniforms. The law in New York states that employers must provide workers with uniforms unless folks are permitted to wear regular street clothes. Streetwalker clothes would be welcome by most Hooters patrons too.

• Construction has been approved to begin working on the National Mall’s Martin Luther King Jr. memorial—about 11 years after originally approving the proposal. Wonder if the approval committee is also heading diversity efforts on Madison Avenue.

• Anti-Semitic attitudes are at an all-time low in the United States, according to a new Anti-Defamation League survey. The results showed only 12 percent of Americans are prejudiced against Jews. It would be interesting to see the survey questions that led to these numbers.

7058: Mad Mention.

Just wanted to briefly elaborate on the latest episode of AMC series Mad Men, tapping the perspective by Latoya Peterson. Creator Matthew Weiner really is culturally clueless, especially when dealing with Blacks. But more importantly, Weiner is dishonest in racial depictions, despite boasting the program is historically accurate. Last night’s installment crystallized the point. Through Carla the housekeeper, Weiner continues to present Blacks as noble and heroic—victims who stand with dignity in the face of adversity. Yet the show’s creator is simply unable or unwilling to reveal the true faces of Whites, opting to go with a cartoonish Blackface scenario that appears wildly outdated. Roger Sterling is so bizarre that White audiences will barely take offense. Weiner hasn’t hesitated to allow the Mad Men cast to display anti-Semitism, sexism and homophobia. Why won’t he let the characters show the true racism of the period?

6829: Fiery Talk.

You’re Fired Up in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Donald Trump fired Miss California Carrie Prejean, although he insisted it had nothing to do with the woman’s politics, porn or general insanity. A pageant official said, “This was a decision based solely on contract violations, including Ms. Prejean’s unwillingness to make appearances on behalf of the Miss California USA organization.” No word if Celebrity Apprentice champion Joan Rivers will take over for Prejean.

• Reverend Jeremiah Wright is saying the wrong things again. While discussing his relationship with President Barack Obama, Wright declared, “Them Jews aren’t going to let him talk to me. I told my baby daughter that he’ll talk to me in five years when he’s a lame duck, or in eight years when he’s out of office. … They will not let him talk to somebody who calls a spade what it is … I said from the beginning: He’s a politician; I’m a pastor. He’s got to do what politicians do.” Actually, Wright often sounds more like a politician than a pastor.

• James von Brunn, the man arrested for the deadly shooting at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, claims he worked as a copywriter for BBDO about 50 years ago. He’s probably just saying that to initiate the inevitable insanity plea.