Metro Yanks TV Show Ad Over 'Offensive Language'
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An ad for a new TV show that uses what officials called "offensive language" to describe one of the show's character has been pulled from Metro buses, officials announced Thursday.
The move was announced on Metro's Twitter page after the Metro Board Executive Committee was "getting [an] earful from [the] community" about the ad for the Fox network's "Red Band Society."
The decision was apparently made public Thursday at a committee meeting, according to TheWrap.com.
Via another message posted on Metro's Twitter page, and Metro Board Chairman Mayor Eric Garcetti along with other board members said the "agency is sorry ad went up & ad policy needs to be tightened (contd) to prevent ads with offensive language from being used in the future."
Produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, "Red Band Society" stars actress Octavia Spencer, whose character is referred to in the poster as a "Scary Bitch." Other show characters featured in the ad are referred to as "Coma Boy," "The Player" and "The Hot Doc."
A Fox spokesperson gave the following statement to TheWrap.com: "We were notified this morning of the concern around the ads, and immediately offered to remove the language. Metro Los Angeles ultimately decided to take down the ads, and we respect that decision. We sincerely apologize if the copy was offensive to viewers."
