Jimmy Johnson to Pitch Extenze - and Tempt Fate With the FTC

(MoneyWatch)  What the hell is former Dallas Cowboys head coach and current Fox NFL Sunday host Jimmy Johnson doing making ads for Extenze, the dubious herbal pill advertised on late night cable that offers "an increase in size"? Courting legal disaster, that's what. His lawyers ought to point out to him that the FTC recently made celebrities liable if they endorse products they know don't work.

And there's good reason to believe that Extenze does not work: This 2010 study of the use of natural substances to treat libido concludes, "There is little evidence from literature to recommend the usage of natural aphrodisiacs for the enhancement of sexual desire and/or performance."

Moreover, Extenze is currently* was the subject of a class action complaint alleging that not only does the pill not work but that the company, Biotab Neutraceuticals, enrolls customers in automatic credit card billing without their permission. (*That complaint was dismissed without prejudice on technical grounds in an order that all but invites both parties back to court once their jurisdictional issues are sorted out -- so expect to see it return.)

More weirdly, Johnson will be lending his name to a company that has produced some of the most unintentionally stupid infomercials ever aired. Ron "The Hedgehog" Jeremy was a spokesman for a while, and he appeared in several spots (video below) where he interviewed porn stars about Extenze's effectiveness, and touted its "science."

The FTC should nail Johnson to the wall if any of his ads ever air.

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