Gay Dating Ad Sacked before Super Bowl

CBS has rejected an ad from gay dating site Mancrunch.com, telling the site that the ad "is not within the Network's Broadcast Standards for Super Bowl Sunday," James Hibberd reports at The Live Feed.

CBS released the following statement: "After reviewing the ad - which is entirely commercial in nature - our Standards and Practices department decided not to accept this particular spot. As always, we are open to working with the client on alternative submissions."

The dating site for gay men had hoped it could fork over $2 million or more to CBS in return for 30 seconds of air time.

Hibberd reports that CBS believed ManCrunch was trying to generate free publicity by submitting an ad they knew would be rejected.

"We're 100% serious," ManCrunch spokesperson Elissa Buchter said. "We have the money to pay for it. If the ad showed a man and woman kissing it would have been accepted. You see ads for erectile dysfunction morning, noon and night. It's discriminatory that they won't show this....They should call our bluff. If the ad doesn't air on the Super Bowl, it will air on another network. It's not like it plays like Adam Lambert [kissing another man on the AMAs]."

The Super Bowl, while perennially the most-watched television event of the year, has traditionally avoided the role of political platform, until this year.

Former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow will star in a pro-life spot during the big game, too.

But, these ads have plenty of critics.

Before CBS rejected tha ad, the American Family Association President, Tim Wildmon, released this statement Thursday:

"CBS should not put parents in the position of answering embarrassing and awkward questions from their children while they're just trying to enjoy a football game."

Watch the ad here: