In times like these we are constantly reminded about bigotry directed at
all sorts of groups, but when it is directed at you it comes with the
disheartening burn of shock and dismay. This was how I felt when I learned that
my brand new Boy Butter commercial, currently
airing on this season of Rupaul’s Drag Race on VH1 in NYC, LA, San Diego and
nationwide on Canada’s OutTV was banned from airing on cable TV in Chicago.
According to ComCast TV in the so-called liberal windy city of Chicago
did not think viewers could handle the level of gayness in this ad starring
sexy ginger, Seth Fornea, who is showing us all how to properly use a butter
churn. One would think that in the Mid West the sight of a butter churn would
bring back nostalgic feelings of nearby dairy farms, but alas if a gay man is
churning that butter, not so much. One of the best things about owning a personal lubricant company is the marketing, creating fun tongue in cheek ads that push my products as well as my own gay point of view. If you take this case of blatant censorship in Chicago it smacks of nothing more than a sexist and homophobic double standard. Our intention with this commercial was to make a gay version of the sexy Super Bowl ads and tame it down to be as “PG” as possible, so as to avoid this type of ban. Take for example the 2015 Carl’s Jr. Super Bowl ad starring Charlotte McKinney, which is basically porn in comparison. A sexy busty woman being suggestive and showing a lot of skin is fine but if you just replace that woman with a gay man, it is a much different story.
“I think it’s Chicago’s loss and a clear representation of how shamed and stigmatized our sexuality is.” says Daniel Robinson, the director/producer of this banned Boy Butter commercial. Even though this ad is meant to be aired on a drag queen contest reality show on VH1 at night, that distinction matters not when homophobia and sexism rear their ugly heads. It’s also possible the big budget ads of Burger King or Carl’s Junior helps them skirt the prudish censorship rules but it still does not feel fair. My hope is that by continuing to push the boundaries of what is acceptable and palatable on TV, Boy Butter can create a space where gay men can watch images of themselves, not only in the shows that we watch but also the advertising that sponsors them.
