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American Prudery

Jill

I first saw this ad when I was in Germany, and took note of it mostly because the dude is smokin’ and because I was surprised to see men kissing on television (we don’t get that in ‘merica):

Then I saw it again on TV in the gym a few days ago. In the USA. Guess which part was cut out.

23 thoughts on American Prudery

  1. Oh yeah, we got that one in the UK too, uncut. I guess, when I saw it, I thought “oh look, two men and two women kissing, that’s progressive of them” and noted how great it was that we’d moved on so far. I don’t recall there being any media comment on it as such. But then, when you are competing with the Jean Paul Gautier ads for gay and risque, you’ve got to raise the bar somewhat.

  2. Huh? If you take out the guys kissing, then the ad doesn’t make as much sense …

    Oh right, I’m using Earth Logic again. Oops.

  5. I’ve seen that commercial a few times in the States and I thought something was missing! The end didn’t really make much sense without the kissing.

  6. I don’t really understand how the commercial makes sense with or without the kissing. But I’ve seen it with both, actually. Sometimes they cut it out, sometimes they leave it in. Maybe it depends on the TV station? But yeah, Penny Lane is right.

    And weren’t D&G the ones with the gang rape ad? I kind of have trouble seeing them as progressive after that, ust willing to do absolutely anything that they think might be controversial, without caring about whether the ad is actually offensive or not.

  7. I’ve definitely seen the commercial with both a female-female, and male-male ending. Is there something else they cut out? I live in Massachusetts, if that makes a difference LOL we do allow gay marriage here.

  8. I’ve seen it with the dudes & ladies kissing at the end here in KS, and I don’t think it was on Bravo. Perhaps you just saw one of those edited-for-time versions where they chop up a commercial and it suddenly makes no sense??

  9. I swear I’ve seen the non-heterofied version in the U.S. Perhaps on Bravo?

    Bravo does run gay-oriented ads, but it seems only after 10PM, usually during Project Runway or shows like that. At a PR-watching party some friends and I noticed that (I think it was that jeans ad where the two guys walk away holding hands at the end).

    So, men kissing and holding hands is fine in ads, as long as it’s after the kids have gone to bed!

  10. The ABC show Brothers & Sisters often has male-male kissing. Last night’s ep had some, so you can probably find it online. The show is on at 10/9c, so after the kids have gone to bed, but it’s on broadcast tv.

  11. I’ve definitely seen the full version, with the dudes kissing, many times on US television. It may have been on Bravo, or on late night cable, I don’t recall.

    I didn’t even think of it as being gay/lesbian, though, because it isn’t two different guys or two different girls kissing — instead it is each of them kissing split-screen versions of themselves. And getting it on with yourself is not gay at all. I always assumed was supposed to mean something about narcissism or something? I don’t know, it’s one of those commercials where I have no idea what they were even going for.

  12. Given the comments, it seems like it would be worth checking into what stations are actually showing the ad and when before castigating the TV stations (on this issue at least).

  13. I haven’t seen that particular commercial during “Project Runway,” but I’ve definitely seen the gay version of the Levi’s ad. Though I still can’t figure out in that ad why it’s good that the guy’s apartment is destroyed when he puts his pants on.

  14. took note of it mostly because the dude is smokin’

    A dude smoking? Now that would be quite subversive in ‘merica.

  16. I’ve seen the hetero version. And I wonder why they didn’t kiss. It’s kind of like the gay/hetero version of the levi’s commercial where the guy pulls himself to ground level when he pulls up his jeans; he then proceeds to meet a hot person. For a while, I only saw the hetero version, and that’s the most common one, but I saw the gay version on Bravo several times. I give them props for showing that one.

  17. There was an implied three-way and a lesbian one-night stand on “Knight Rider” last night if that makes you feel better. I am sure the fundies will be all over it as destroying the mind of America’s youth.

  18. It’s not two women and two men kissing in the ad, it’s one woman kissing herself, and one man kissing himself. Providing yourself with the luxury you want, would be my guess as to the point of the ad – no self sacrifice. I saw the full ad in Wyoming, so I’m guessing if you saw a cut version, it had little to do with conservative censorship and more to do with time constraints.

  20. I have seen the ad in full, as others have said, on Bravo….BUT!
    I’ve also seen the cut version on MTV (totally lamers, guys)

    Yeah, but they are kissing THEMSELVES. That really creeps me out.

  22. Listen if you want to see guys kissing each other you need to be watching Torchwood. I avoided it for ages because it was a spin off of Dr. Who. but my husband finally convinced me, and oh baby!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xNyiEFiBSk
    One of those guys is John Bannerman who featured recently in International Kilt Day.

    Of course, it’s on BBC America.

    MKK

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