NBC nixes PETA ad on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcast
Filed under: Food, Family Money
When you settle in to watch the annual spectacular of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year, your viewing experience will be missing something. No, it's not just the cast of Glee (banished due to the show's unusual popularity on the rival FOX Network); it will also include a PETA advertisement intended for just this audience. And for once, the famously edgy animal rights group is not showing too much skin (of the gorgeous or not-so-gorgeous variety) or brainlessly offending whole classes of society. No. This time, NBC has decided, Americans can't handle the truth about turkeys. Specifically, the truth about how turkeys are raised and slaughtered so they can end up, neatly plastic-wrapped and hard as 15-pound flesh-colored rocks, in supermarkets everywhere.
And here's the thing: Nothing is more sacred, time-honored, respected than the idea of giving thanks on the third Thursday in November over an enormous roast bird, right? And even our cutesy, kid-targeted mythology surrounding the holiday's origins (much though it's been enhanced by those in the faux-nostalgia department) is highly focused on the killing of the bird. Said Pilgrim Edward Winslow that fateful day in 1621, "our Governor sent four men on fowling so that we might, after a special manner, rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as... served the company almost a week..." Numerous drawings of the historic day feature muskets over the shoulders of the men.
We know the bird has to be killed to get to our table. Why, then, would NBC decide the facts detailed in the ad; which depicts a little girl "giving thanks" for such things as "turkey farms, where they pack them into dark, tiny sheds for their whole lives ... how they burn their feathers off while they're still alive ... and killed by people who think it's fun to stomp on their little turkey heads"?
I'm fairly certain, having watched a goodly bit of TV in my lifetime, that there is no "this commercial is unappetizing" standard. A little too much truth? Not according to the network.
NBC, says PETA, responded to the ad by asking the activist organization "to give more information about the cruelty behind turkey slaughter to back up the statements made in the ad." and so PETA sent along a 2003 New York Times article detailing the far more grisly details behind turkey lives. Having been faced with evidence, NBC said delicately, "this commercial does not meet NBC Universal standards."
So you won't see a little girl giving grace for the worst ramifications of the American Right to Cheap Meat (that's in the Bill of Rights, yes?), one which ends with a call for all of us to become vegan. And, in all likelihood, the ad wouldn't do much more than scandalize millions of little girls, who would head off to their families and insist on foregoing turkey. Right?
Not really in the holiday spirit, I suppose. I'd like to point out that not every turkey on American tables is treated this way; a good-but-tiny minority of birds are raised by small, caring producers with plenty of room to run around in the open air and slaughtered humanely, their feathers dispatched in the afterlife. Veganism isn't the only option (much though PETA might disagree). However, I doubt it was that distinction that had NBC telling PETA this holiday, thanks, but no thanks.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-25-2009 @ 9:42PM
Ben said...
Same old crap every year. I'm not a vegan but I am a full time member of PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals.) Thank goodness that NBC decided to bar these sh*t heads from bothering us this year.
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11-25-2009 @ 10:36PM
Jason said...
The longer I'm subscribed to this blog, the more I see articles that have nothing to do with finance.
I could care less whether or not NBC decides to air a commercial about beer, blondes, turkeys, or hamsters. I am here to read articles about finance and this isn't the place to be apparently.
By the way. Your tags for this article....Food, kids and money.....This article isn't about any of those things. This is about a commercial which some corporation decided not to air.
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11-25-2009 @ 11:00PM
Jon said...
DOWN with PETA. I'm so sick of those un-natural freaks who's agenda left animal rights so long ago polluting my airwaves, I don't wanna hear their crap any longer. Someone send THEM to the slaughterhouse.
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11-27-2009 @ 9:22AM
MaineiacSteve said...
I would have been so terribly offended by that ad that I would have changed the channel after the first few seconds of the child's prayer. And here are a couple of things that would have set off the offensiveness alarms:
1) PETA's (and WWF's) arrogance in pointing out their stated views. They automatically presume that everyone-but-unenlightened-neanderthal-slobs agree with what they are saying.
2) Using a prayer -- especially a child's prayer -- as a soap box from which to cram their socio-political views down the throats of the public. Prayer is a sacred act of worship to God, not a tool to use against a captive audience.
11-26-2009 @ 4:47AM
Mandy said...
I'm all for making sure animals are not mistreated, like stopping people from fighting dogs, chickens etc. But PETA is so far left wing that it surpasses the normal compass of reality and where to draw the line. When you start having nut cases not wanting animals used for food, that is when they've gone too far! And they are against using cowhides for shoes or coats, or other animals for their fur. There is a huge difference in PETS such as dogs and cats and horses VS other animals that are for food and clothing.
They are so nutty, they don't even think people should have mouse traps to catch and yes KILL the nasty rodents. Somebody needs to get rid of these nut cases!!
And for the record, they don't burn the feathers off of the turkey's while they are alive.....so many lies and BS they put out there in an effort to try to erradicate any animals from being used as food.
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11-26-2009 @ 9:58AM
Peter said...
"When you start having nut cases not wanting animals used for food, that is when they've gone too far!"
So, animals were only put on this early so you could eat them?
I think PETA does go too far at times, but the way animals are raised to be our food is horrible, as well as unhealthy for humans. If you're not down with vegetarianism, fine. But, at least make the switch to ONLY organic meat. If everyone does that, than these companies will be forced to raise and feed these animals properly.
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11-26-2009 @ 7:02PM
Pam Edwards said...
Factory farming is a huge abomination. It exists and there are people who do actually get pleasure from participating in the extreme cruelty that can be a part of factory farming. It's a basic truth that the 'law of this planet' is, in order for something/one to live, something must die. But c'mon, even if you don't care about these poor hapless creatures, why on earth would anyone want to consume something that has lived a horrific life and death? To say there is a huge difference between PETS and animals raised for food is ignorant. They, like all animals, including humans, have a central nervous system, etc. Shame on NBC for not allowing PETA to run the ad. And double shame on the stupid people who make those ridiculous comments.
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11-27-2009 @ 6:27PM
j said...
I guess I don't understand why stating how a thing is produced would bother a semi-intelligent person. The PETA ad apparently did just that- correct?
If that is the case than the only responsibly assumption would be that you don't care to understand how a turkey goes from being alive to being on your table. And by that I would guess you would be fundamentally against what that animal goes through to end up at your table... logically.
Or of course you just are not the questioning/ intellectually curious type.
Or maybe you just don't want to be reminded how things happen... which I suppose would apply to the above.
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11-27-2009 @ 5:17PM
Ed said...
PETA are a bunch of nut jobs whos stated goal is to give human rights to animals. Of course they distort the truth and try to disgust people any chance they get. Thank you NBC for not airing this drivel.
I don't care that they raise them in sheds. Organic farming is nice for those who can afford to spend twice as much on their food. However, the limitations on space, land and finances will always mean that mass production methods of raising food animals will be necessary. Is it likely that a small minority of workers enjoy their work? Sure, just as likely that a small percentage of dentists enjoy their patients suffering. It is also just as likely that the Animal Liberation Front, whom PETA supports, members enjoy hurting humans and destroying private property when they commit their acts of terrorism.
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12-01-2009 @ 5:08PM
Ben said...
MediaCurves.com conducted a study among 321 viewers of PETA’s “Grace” Thanksgiving advertisement. Results found that viewers were less interested in animal rights issues after viewing a controversial ad. More than one-third of viewers (36%) reported that the advertisement was “not at all effective.” In addition, more than half of the viewers (56%) indicated that the ad was “disturbing.” More in depth results can be seen at:
http://www.mediacurves.com/Advertising/J7658PETAThanksgiving/Index.cfm
Thanks,
Ben
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