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Pepsi cans Ludacris after complaints from O'Reilly, public
Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 8-29-02

Posted on 08/29/2002 5:28:47 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

LOS ANGELES -- Pepsi has canned Ludacris.

Pepsi-Cola of North America said Wednesday that it was was pulling its television spot featuring the Atlanta-based rapper because of consumer complaints about his sexually explicit, profanity-laden lyrics.

"We have a responsibility to listen to our consumers and customers and we've heard from a number of people that were uncomfortable with our association with this artist," the PepsiCo Inc. unit said in a statement.

"We've decided to discontinue our ad campaign with this artist and we're sorry that we've offended anyone."

"There are many different types of talented celebrities and artists, but not all of them are compatible with our brands and what consumers have come to expect from us," the statement said.

The move comes a day after Fox News' Bill O'Reilly blasted Pepsi for using Ludacris to promote its product and urged his viewers who drink Pepsi to switch to Coca-Cola.

"This guy Ludacris is harmless to mature adults, but not to impressionable children that lack parental guidance. Obviously Pepsi could not care less about those children, because they're promoting a man that espouses violence, degrading sex and substance abuse," O'Reilly said.

"I'm calling for all responsible Americans to fight back and punish Pepsi for using a man who degrades women, who encourages substance abuse, and does all the things that hurt particularly the poor in our society," he said on Tuesday night's "The O'Reilly Factor."

Ludacris was one of several entertainers, including Colombian-born singer Shakira and TV star Bernie Mac, enlisted by Pepsi this year as part of a new "multicultural" ad campaign aimed at minorities.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ludacris; oreilly; pepsi; thefactor
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To: RedBloodedAmerican
You are the one who based your comments on appearances.

That was directed at Constitution Day, correct.

I have seen you do that before where it involves a black person.

Really? Where? Thread and post number, please.

Just going by what I have read in the past on FR. If skin color is not an issue, then why point it out?

I didn't mention skin color at all, did I? That's YOUR assumption. It has nothing to do with me nor what I asked. The same question is applicable if the rapper in question were Eminem.

You mentioned appearances, not tomkat or I.

You're right. You didn't. Neither did tomkat. Constitution Day, did, however.

41 posted on 08/29/2002 6:59:23 AM PDT by rdb3
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To: RedBloodedAmerican
I tend to agree with rdb3 on this. Commenting on this rap arteest's personal appearance is irrelevant to any meaningful issue. Hiz muzik iz pluntee uglee enuf 2 earn my disrespect. But if I were to offer my irrelevant comments on his personal appearance I would say that he has quite regular and well-formed facial features.

On the other hand, my guess is that Tomkat was venting--as we all do from time to time. I wouldn't read any racism into the comment. I'm sure Bill Clinton is considered physically ugly by many sharp-sighted conservative blacks and handsome by many nearsighted liberal whites. But does that imply racism on the part of black conservatives?

42 posted on 08/29/2002 7:03:43 AM PDT by Kevin Curry
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To: RedBloodedAmerican
You are the one who based your comments on appearances. I have seen you do that before where it involves a black person.

Again, thread(s) and post number(s) where I did this, please. I'm just dying to know.

43 posted on 08/29/2002 7:10:14 AM PDT by rdb3
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To: rdb3
A little anal retentive this morning aren't we? Try a diet of Raisin Bran.

If the guy wants to espouse an opinion about Ludacris' looks, intellect, etc, asking him to explain ANYTHING about how he arrived at his conclusions is ludicrous...How he arrives at his opinion is none of our business.

44 posted on 08/29/2002 7:12:27 AM PDT by Wondervixen
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Comment #45 Removed by Moderator

To: IHateLibrals
And just what have I said or done that has given you the idea that I'm not a real American?
46 posted on 08/29/2002 7:15:07 AM PDT by rdb3
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To: Wondervixen
A little anal retentive this morning aren't we? Try a diet of Raisin Bran.

The ad hominem attacks continue.

If the guy wants to espouse an opinion about Ludacris' looks, intellect, etc, asking him to explain ANYTHING about how he arrived at his conclusions is ludicrous...How he arrives at his opinion is none of our business.

True. But he answered the question, which was his prerogative, not yours.

Since you want to play the "business" card, just what business of this was yours since the question wasn't directed at you?

You can't have it both ways.

47 posted on 08/29/2002 7:17:26 AM PDT by rdb3
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To: IHateLibrals
Answer, just signed up yesterday newbie.
48 posted on 08/29/2002 7:18:07 AM PDT by rdb3
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
and we've heard from a number of people that were uncomfortable ...

Sounds like the rapper wrote this c*** too.

Wonder what "a number of people" means?

12? 212,000?
Ha ha ha ha ha ha

49 posted on 08/29/2002 7:19:02 AM PDT by Publius6961
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
I like the idea of Shakira promoting Pepsi. She's a great singer who writes most of her own stuff (to produce an English CD, she sat down with a Spanish-English dictionary and sounded it out as she went along). Her lyrics are sensual without being trashy. (Lyric: "Baby, I would climb the Andes solely/to count the freckles on your body") I think she's 25 years old, so sensuality isn't Lolita-ish with her.

Britney Spears, on the other hand, is absolutely insidious. She promotes herself as a squeaky-clean role model for young women, then sings lyrics like, "(Moan) I get nasty!" while heaving and moaning into a microphone. Or the oh-so-empowering "I'm a Slave 4 U." Give me a break. She is totally disgusting. I'd have more respect for her if she'd just pose for Penthouse, star in a porno and be done with it. At least it would be honest.
50 posted on 08/29/2002 7:23:24 AM PDT by LibertyGirl77
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To: rdb3
Check out his posts while there's still time. He's kinda funny, in a lame, transparent, inept sort of way.

I will almost miss him when he's gone.

51 posted on 08/29/2002 7:26:14 AM PDT by hellinahandcart
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To: LibertyGirl77
Britney Spears, on the other hand, is absolutely insidious. She promotes herself as a squeaky-clean role model for young women, then sings lyrics like, "(Moan) I get nasty!" while heaving and moaning into a microphone. Or the oh-so-empowering "I'm a Slave 4 U." Give me a break. She is totally disgusting. I'd have more respect for her if she'd just pose for Penthouse, star in a porno and be done with it. At least it would be honest.

Britney Spears is the spawn of Satan. I thoroughly agree that her public statements about virgnity and chastity are totally out of alignment with her on-stage persona, though recent articles have suggested she is breaking with her off-stage innocence - if it wasn't a myth to begin with.

But the biggest argument against Britney Spears is much simpler than that. Look at her. She is the embodiment of ignorance and stupidity, yet she has not been damned for this - rather, in her case, it is deemed a virtue.

To top it all off, she has no talent whatsoever. Admittedly, my view is jaundiced by the fact that I listen to classical music, but her entire repertoire appears to be the same puerile, crotch grabbing routine that Madonna exhausted over a decade ago.

Regards, Ivan

52 posted on 08/29/2002 7:28:32 AM PDT by MadIvan
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To: Wondervixen
We're dealing with young turks on the rise here...Youthful executives who have been taught to go with focus group data over all else. All they did was ask the opinions of a bunch of black youths & inner city white youths

Well, It sounds like they polled the Blue zone and made a decision. THEN they heard from the RED zone and changed it real quickly! ;-)

53 posted on 08/29/2002 7:33:25 AM PDT by peteram
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To: rdb3
Let me ask two questions then:

1. What is it in tomkats comment that made you think he was basing it on the rappers appearance, and

2. What is it about the rappers appearance that made you assume tomkat was referring to his appearance.

As for past threads, find them yourself.

54 posted on 08/29/2002 7:35:57 AM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: MadIvan
Yeah, I agree on both counts. I should have said "croaks into a microphone" instead of "sings into a microphone," in the interest of accuracy and all. The best description of (what passes for) her singing voice that I ever heard was, "Martian in heat."

She IS stupid, but it really is kind of sadly endearing. It makes me almost feel sorry for her, in a way, because I don't think she fully understands just how badly she's being used and abused by the pop culture machine. I suspect she knows something's not quite right, but the money keeps her contentedly oblivious, or at least causes her to turn a blind eye.

She is now an adult, and since she's willingly participating in the wholesale coarsening of American culture, I have very little pity for her. But I do wonder what will become of her when she fills out a little in the hips or her breast implants fall just a touch. She can only play the cute card for so long. The way she's going now, I suspect that Britney will probably die a young and untimely death due to spiritual emptiness and too-fast living. She'll be the next Marilyn Monroe-style or Elvis-style tragedy.
55 posted on 08/29/2002 7:55:25 AM PDT by LibertyGirl77
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To: Wondervixen
"You'd think they would at least LISTEN TO THE ARTIST THEY'RE PICKING TO PROMOTE THEIR PRODUCT!!!"

HA!!
Of course they listened to the bilge; &, you already got know that, too.

Just as they listened to Jeff Gordon, Brittany whatsherface, & the absolutely intolerable Austin Powers, *character* to front their awful product for 'em.

Appears the sugary garbage-water-makers wanted to cover all their marketing bases, to me.
Directly per the himbos & bimbos at the 5th Ave ad agency Pepsi hired to do so, at that.

Pepsi's merely "playin' the room" & got whacked in the process when this consummate deadbeat *rap* artist's "message" was outed; this time.

Because Pepsi's not gonna change their tack; &, will try this kind of crap again, & again, & again.

Remember whose behind the first bank to cater *exclusively* to Lesbians & Homosexuals, now?
Yea, Pepsico.
After all, Pepsico must remain consistent with their targeted market's ad campaign, eh?

..."Pepsi Drinkers *Think* Young."

56 posted on 08/29/2002 7:59:02 AM PDT by Landru
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To: RedBloodedAmerican
The answers to your questions #1 & #2 are found in post #41. Asked and answered.

You made an accusation about me and who I defend and how I argue. Therefore, the onus is on you to prove it by quoting me directly. You made the accusation, therefore you must have some evidence, right?

Either back it up, or shut the hell up.

Or, I can continue to make a complete fool out of you.

The choice is yours.

57 posted on 08/29/2002 8:01:26 AM PDT by rdb3
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To: hellinahandcart
Dang! He's been vaporized already.

What was his angle anyway?

58 posted on 08/29/2002 8:02:54 AM PDT by rdb3
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To: rdb3
I think he was attempting a parody of what he believes is conservatism.

Liberals have a hard time writing comedy, though.

59 posted on 08/29/2002 8:11:14 AM PDT by hellinahandcart
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To: Shryke
Quick, apply your Mason arguement here! Doesn't work too well,does it?

ROFLMAO! No,it doesn't apply at all. It doesn't apply BECAUSE THEY ARE DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.

60 posted on 08/29/2002 8:44:35 AM PDT by sneakypete
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