Despite the fact that promos for NBC's upcoming sitcom Animal Practice have been airing every three seconds throughout the Olympics, especially the one with the show's non-Justin Kirk star, Crystal the Monkey, doing gymnastics, denizens of the Internet are very mad at NBC this morning. Why? Because that commercial aired right after Bob Costas did his Bob Costas thing, saluting gymnast Gabby Douglas for winning a gold medal in women's all-around, the first African-American to do so, and breaking down racial barriers.
This has not been a good Olympics for NBC, at least PR-wise (ratings have been unexpectedly strong), but unlike the ongoing tape delay controversy, it's hard to find fault with the Peacock here. It's simply a case of poor timing and seeing racism where no racism was intended. But I'm evidently in the minority for thinking so, as judged by these "HOW DARE YOU" tweets sent to @NBC and @NBCSports.
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Not racist. Moving on.
Do you guys ever run out of white guilt?
Did you bother to read the fucking post, Shithead?
“…it’s hard to find fault with the Peacock here. It’s simply a case of poor timing and seeing racism where no racism was intended.”
I don’t think you understand what white guilt means.
I’m not directing this towards NBC – It’s all these morons who are screaming “how dare you”. Immediately calling out racism when there CLEARLY is none, is fairly white-guiltish, no?
Actually, I think you could make a pretty good case that being aware that having a commercial featuring a monkey following the salutation of a black medal winner might be construed as racist and not airing said commercial is way more fucking racist than just showing a cute commercial with a cute cross-promotional little monkey.
This. Airing the same commercial you’ve been showing throughout the Olympics without regard for race seems like the equilibrium point of not being racist.
I didn’t expect to defend NBC on anything Olympics-related, but come on, y’all. There is no way that they meant to insult an Olympic gold medalist with Annie’s Boobs.
Here I thought the Internet was unanimous in loving Annie’s Boobs.
“This moment brought to you by Chick-Fil-A”
I think the better question is, “why did they make an Olympics commercial about a monkey doing Olympics?” Like, what is it advertising? Monkeys? Olympics?
Uh, it’s advertising their stupid show about a stupid veterinarian with a stupid monkey in it. As the article states, this is cross promotion.
Promotions Exec “Who says NBC doesn’t get the internet. Lets use a cute monkey in a promo. I hear internet folks love cute animals. Is there anything we need to be sensitive to before we air this?”
Programming Exec “Hmmmm…Nope”
I watched this live and my first thought was “Andy from weeds is one of the best characters on TV”
The ones crying foul are just seeking attention…
Remember, we were all monkeys once!
This headline should read “Twitter is full of whiny pussies who will find racism or offense in anything”.
I think that says a lot more about the people complaining that it does NBC.
I can’t believe Twitter is making me defend NBC again.
I also like MatthewC’s comment (slide 4):
“With the exception of the NFL, I will never watch NBC Sports again.”
Way to take a stand there buddy.
But female gymnasts don’t work on the rings. Well, maybe female monkeys do, I don’t know much about the Monkey Olympics.
There aren’t Monkey Olympics? Why the hell not?
LOL…it’s a monkey
what? monkeys are funny.
The commercial in question has been shown throughout the entire olympics. I saw it like 4 days ago and found it somewhat comical (mostly because I always find monkeys dressed as humans comical). I would also be willing to bet that the when that commercial was created they makers couldn’t even name one US gymnast. Also, the monkey is clearly wearing Male gymnast attire. What happened to the days when we could just enjoy monkeys as nature’s clown like they were intended to be?
I’ve seen this commercial like 5000000 times this olympics.
Are people really this fucking stupid.
Did the monkey win gold? They can do all this and more without opposable thumbs!
They showed this commercial throughout the Olympics. When a white person won they still showed it. I’m black but the one think I hate the most is racially sensitive black people.
Ho, ho, well played Bob Costas, well played. Sergei Eisenstein would be proud.
I need to know what Samuel L Jackson thinks about this.
Business Ape sees no racism here. Just more media-driven hype aimed at furthering the monkey agenda, despite monkeys being a much more inferior species than the great apes.