My hunch is that most of the TV exec's like most conservative politicians have small families, and well, if you have less then 3 or 4 kids and aren't using BC, you are either celibate, sterile, or damn lucky.

My hunch is that most of the TV exec's like most conservative politicians have small families, and well, if you have less then 3 or 4 kids and aren't using BC, you are either celibate, sterile, or damn lucky.

I responded to this, too.

FOX states: "“Contraceptive advertising must stress health-related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy.�

My questions are:

1. Isn't pregnancy prevention the purpose of contraception?

2. At what point in the ad was the topic of pregnancy broached?

3. Since condoms are one of few contraceptives that protect against STD's, isn't a "condom advertisement" inherently addressing health issues?

Silly, silly FOX.

Isn't pregnancy a health-related issue?

Planned Parenthood is doing a giant campaign about this issue right now. They're actually asking supporters to mail in ideas for effective ways to convince FOX and CBS to change their policies. Check it out here.

On that same blog you can also send a letter to FOX and CBS.

I just love how they have ads for pills for men to keep an erection but pregnancy is still taboo?
This is ludicrous and extremely sexist. And yes, great point whoever said pregnancy IS a health issue.

Are they seriously oblivious to the fact that most people, I'm betting at least 99 percent of the population, knows that condoms prevent pregnancy. It's not like "Oooh we can't show that commercial because people might find out that condoms keep you from getting pregnant" cause most people know that and if they don't I feel really sorry for them and their IQ.

Are they seriously oblivious to the fact that most people, I'm betting at least 99 percent of the population, knows that condoms prevent pregnancy. It's not like "Oooh we can't show that commercial because people might find out that condoms keep you from getting pregnant" cause most people know that and if they don't I feel really sorry for them and their IQ.

How is that not a health issue?

Actually, I regert signing Planned Parenthood's petition about this.

I do think the reasons these networks gave are absolutely asinine and hypocritical, but I've also seen the ad on Comedy Central and I'm really not a fan of it.

The commerical starts out in a bar, filled with normal human women and talking pigs. One of the pigs is talking to one of the women, excuses himself for a moment, leaves the bar, and walks to a hallway that has a condom machine. A hoof turns the lever and a hand grabs the condom as it falls out of the machine. The pig has transformed into an attractive young man who goes back to his conversation with the woman. The screen reads "Evolve. Use a condom every time."

I hate the ad because of the "men are pigs" cliche. It's just plain sexist and insulting.

I think that Trojan needs to come up with some better marketing.

Actually, I regert signing Planned Parenthood's petition about this.

I do think the reasons these networks gave are absolutely asinine and hypocritical, but I've also seen the ad on Comedy Central and I'm really not a fan of it.

The commerical starts out in a bar, filled with normal human women and talking pigs. One of the pigs is talking to one of the women, excuses himself for a moment, leaves the bar, and walks to a hallway that has a condom machine. A hoof turns the lever and a hand grabs the condom as it falls out of the machine. The pig has transformed into an attractive young man who goes back to his conversation with the woman. The screen reads "Evolve. Use a condom every time."

I hate the ad because of the "men are pigs" cliche. It's just plain sexist and insulting.

I think that Trojan needs to come up with some better marketing.

Sayna, I think the first time this ad was discussed, most of us thought that it wasn't saying ALL men are pigs, just men who would try to sleep with a girl without a condom or who left the birth control entirely up to the girl. The guy who steps up and takes the birth control into his own hands is the one who becomes a man. I think that's a good message, if sloppily delivered.

I thought the commercial was vague enough that it could be implying that you should use condoms for STI prevention OR pregnancy. I don't get why FOX and CBS are all up in arms over this, it's no worse than the stuff on some of their shows or the aforementioned Viagra/Cialis/whatever ads.

I'm going to take pity on the poor execs at Fox and CBS because they probably believe that sperm, smart as whips and just as fast can just turn around, go back the other way and come out of the top so that they (but not those stupid, bumbling STDs)can get into the vagina safely and impregnate women no matter what. Despite what the word "contraception" means. I'm sure they're rewriting the definition now [/sarcasm]

And Sayna, the ad isn't saying all men are pigs, but pointing out that if a man doesn't want to use a condom he's a pig, hence the word "evolve" because there are a LOT of men out there who don't take the health of their partners seriously and that's who this ad is addressing.

I agree that the ad isn't saying that all men are pigs. I think it's really emphasizing the point that safe-sex and birth conrtol are up to men as well who want to have sex, and with sex comes (no pun intended) a responsibility to protect yourself and your partner. And in my mind those men who don't want to use condoms are pigs since they're really not concerned about the health and well being of their partner. That's plain selfish and most often sexist.

To reiterate the point, the ad is only saying that MEN WHO DON'T USE CONDOMS are pigs. And they are. And I actually kind of like the ads, mostly the part about how wearing a condom is the responsible thing to do because it protects your partner. Normally we just hear about protecting yourself, which is a great message but certainly not the WHOLE message that should be out there.

Also, this whole thing is kind of old news by now.

And actually Sayna, Planned Parenthood has nothing to do with the ad itself. Its position is that networks that make so much money off using sex shouldn't be refusing to air ads for condoms, and especially not for the asinine reasons that FOX and CBS listed. Planned Parenthood's petition was addressing public health, pregnancy prevention, and network hypocrisy, not endorsing Trojan or their advertisement. You have nothing to regret.

After seasons 1 and 2 of "Flavor of Love," "I Love New York," and "Charm School," it's hard to imagine VH1 coming up with still more offensive programming. But alas, tonight marked the premiere of "Rock of Love with Bret Michaels." Here are some of the least offensive quotes:

Bret on his workaday life: "I got to hook up with some of the most beautiful girls in the world!"

Bret on his quest for love:
"Rock'n'roll is an insatiable bitch goddess, but I love her, and I'm just looking for that one woman in my life to participate in that threesome." Aw. So sweet.

On one of the contestants:
"I look at her, and I see hot, nasty rocker sex."

After seasons 1 and 2 of "Flavor of Love," "I Love New York," and "Charm School," it's hard to imagine VH1 coming up with still more offensive programming. But alas, tonight marked the premiere of "Rock of Love with Bret Michaels." Here are some of the least offensive quotes:

Bret on his workaday life: "I got to hook up with some of the most beautiful girls in the world!"

Bret on his quest for love:
"Rock'n'roll is an insatiable bitch goddess, but I love her, and I'm just looking for that one woman in my life to participate in that threesome." Aw. So sweet.

On one of the contestants:
"I look at her, and I see hot, nasty rocker sex."

the controversy over the trojan ad brought to mind, for me, the question as to whether other birth control ads talk about pregnancy prevention: i don't think so. all the ads i can think of talk exclusively about shorter periods or better moods or ease of use or less dreaded PMS. don't get me wrong, some of those type of side effects of birth control are excellent and marketable, but to be quite honest, i pop my nuva ring in so i don't get pregnant. not for clearer skin. so while i don't love the look of the trojan ad, it's matter of fact in a way that ISN'T CONTROVERSIAL.
it's not like its tagline is, use a condom so you don't knock her up. it ain't crass and it ain't advocating bad choices. so the fact that the networks will show boner enhancer ads and say no to this commercial is gross. that they show bikini beer ads or 70% of the ads they show but won't show this is gross.
and, as i mentioned, it really brought to light that pregnancy prevention just isn't talked about during commercial breaks.
oh yeah. or ever.

I loved the ad. I think it is cute, and the idea what men who refuse to use birth control are pigs is true and therefore awesome. Of course, the networks hate it, which I don't understand- its not about pregnancy a la that foriegn commercial for condoms with the screaming kid. The only way I could think that the pigs have to do with pregnancy is that few women want to get pregnant wth some one night stand.

So the ad isn't sexist because only men who don't use condoms are pigs. I'll buy that, but why is every man in the bar a pig until the one guy buys a condom. Then he's the ONLY guy that isn't a pig. Guys that want to use condoms are in the single digit percentiles? I don't buy it and I don't like it.

Hyperbole is a perfectly valid rhetorical tool, my dear Coast.

Then he's the ONLY guy that isn't a pig. Guys that want to use condoms are in the single digit percentiles? I don't buy it and I don't like it.

Nooo, he's the only guy who fucking GETS IT. That's the POINT of the damn ad. All the other little piggies keep trying to hit on these women who they'll have unprotected she sex with and the women aren't having it until one little pig gets it in his head to use a goddamn condom. Who knows, when the other pigs see that he's going to get some then maybe they'll head off to the bathroom as well and be rewarded for taking their partners health into consideration.

What really hacks me off is that they keep saying "must stress health-related issues" as though being pregnant has absolutely *nothing* to do with your health. Wtf?

What really hacks me off is that they keep saying "must stress health-related issues" as though being pregnant has absolutely *nothing* to do with your health. Wtf?

"I think that Trojan needs to come up with some better marketing."
This is a big improvement over the creepy ads they used to have...does anyone else remember the weird "Trojan man" ones? I hated those. So much
This whole thing is idiotic, especially the policy. Since most of the reason why it's ridiculous have been covered, I want to add a new one.
Why do condom ads have to stress anything to be aired anyway, even "health related issues?" People buying condoms know what they're used for. No one buys a condom because they're "curious what that condom craze is all about." The commercial is for the brand. It's wonderful when condom brands start campaigns to educate people, but why do they have to be required to do so in every commercial? Do clothing ads on Fox have to stress the "protection from the elements and fulfillment of social norms" that clothes provide, or are they allowed to just trick people into thinking one brand is superior? Do food ads need to emphasize that eating "keeps you alive?"

"I think that Trojan needs to come up with some better marketing."
This is a big improvement over the creepy ads they used to have...does anyone else remember the weird "Trojan man" ones? I hated those. So much
This whole thing is idiotic, especially the policy. Since most of the reason why it's ridiculous have been covered, I want to add a new one.
Why do condom ads have to stress anything to be aired anyway, even "health related issues?" People buying condoms know what they're used for. No one buys a condom because they're "curious what that condom craze is all about." The commercial is for the brand. It's wonderful when condom brands start campaigns to educate people, but why do they have to be required to do so in every commercial? Do clothing ads on Fox have to stress the "protection from the elements and fulfillment of social norms" that clothes provide, or are they allowed to just trick people into thinking one brand is superior? Do food ads need to emphasize that eating "keeps you alive?"