FREEP CBS for False "Gay Marriage" Claims on Amazing Race

Self & Worldnetdaily | 6/4/2003 | Andrew Ainsworth & Joe Kovacs

[Lurking Libertarian]

You think that's bad? Check this out.

[Darksheare]

CBS = Communist Bull Sh...

[4mycountry]

Ping.

[ibheath]

(We've also heard nothing from homophobic types saying, 'How could you?' either." ) Media Bias? NAAAAAAAH!!!

[RonF]

I don't care if two homosexuals want to live together, and if CBS wants to put a gay couple on TV it's their business (I don't watch "reality" crap anyway). But to tout them as "married" and then to have statements like that ("Why can't they say they're married?" "It's allowed in some states, I think.") from some airhead promo spokeswoman is absurd. Not to say misleading and unprofessional. Marriage is a legal term as well as a description of a social condition, and if you tell people that A and B are married, then you should know what they're talking about. And for anyone of any age to not know that no state in the U.S.A. establishes or recognizes a state of marriage for homosexual couples; do you have to have any kind of brain to work in CBS's public relations department? Or at least read something other than People or Variety?

[4mycountry]

>>>On Tuesday, Texas became the 37th state to approve a law preventing the legal recognition of same-sex unions that have been sanctified by a government elsewhere.
>>>"Like the vast majority of Texans, I believe that marriage represents a sacred union between a man and a woman," Gov. Rick Perry said in a statement.

God I love Texas.

[Dutch Boy]

What is a CBS??? I must be boycotting that station too.

[Vitamin A]

Damn, Ron, couldn't have said it better myself.

[Houmatt]

The best way to combat this is to not watch the show.

When the ratings tank, they will understand.

[RonF]

I just left a feedback message at www.cbs.com.

"I have three questions regarding the gay married couple in The Amazing Race. What state issued their marriage license? What state or other authorized agency issued their marriage certificate? And if the answer to those two questions, as I suspect, is 'none', then do your legal and news divisions have the same standards as your entertainment division?"

You know, misleading advertising is a crime. There's a lawsuit here. It's not like CBS could claim that they didn't know there's no such thing as homosexual marriage.

[Vitamin A]

Actually, I think the best way to deal with it is to contact the show's corporate sponsors: American Express, Carribean Cruises, T-Mobile, and others.

[Vitamin A]

I agree there is a potential lawsuit here. I am a lawyer, and I practice false advertising law, though on the defense side. There is a law in California that prohibits any "unlawful, unfair, or deceptive" business practice. I would argue that selling advertising for a show that misleadingly represents two male participants as being "married" is at least "unfair"--i.e., a violation of California's stated public policy against gay marriage, and definitely "deceptive." The law is California Business & Professions Code section 17200 et seq.

[litehaus]

AMEX won't give a darn...Guarantee YA!

[Dilly]

You know, misleading advertising is a crime. There's a lawsuit here.

Were you really damaged by this? Why so quick to suggest a lawsuit? This is part of the problem with American culture; everyone's so ready to sue for any perceived slight. If you're offended, talk about it on FR, don't watch CBS, or don't patronize the show's sponsors. Don't immediately try to drum up a lawsuit. Or maybe you're just a tort lawyer trolling for business.

[Wright is right!]

SeeBS didn't produce the show. They purchased it - complete - from a production company. All the shows have been in the can since the race was actually run, which is many months ago. They'd PLANNED to air it in the Spring, but they didn't want it to go up against Fox's "American Idol." It would involve a lot of re-editing just to remove the Chyron graphic that says "married." A LOT of re-editing.

Frankly, I don't give a rat's patooey - I watch the show for the comedic content of the players and the great footage of their travels all over the world. The presence of this pair on the show is something I cannot do anything about, so I refuse to get all wound up over it. There is a limit to what I consider worth getting steamed about, and that line is usually whether or not I have the power to change it. Or whether or not it really makes a difference in my life. Those two guys, frankly, don't make one ounce of difference in my life, so I just ignore them.

Michael

[dead]

The Amazing Race is one of the most popular TV shows.

Is it really?

I’ve never even heard of it. What kind of ratings does it pull?

[Vitamin A]

More power to ya, then brutha. If you're not concerned, that's cool. Just inviting people who are concerned to take 1 minute to shoot off an email to CBS. You've gotta draw the line somewhere for what you will and won't tolerate on primetime TV. For me, CBS has crossed that line here.

[Vitamin A]

check drudgereport for ratings--he does them sometimes. It usually seems to pull pretty good ratings for its time slot.

[RonF]

Nah, I'm not a lawyer. I just don't like being lied to, and I think that people who deliberately lie in order to make money should be held legally accountable. Maybe I'm wrong. I myself have not been financially injured, true enough.