NBC has some explaining to do.
Reports HipHopWired:
The network ran a commercial promoting their new show Animal Practice directly after Gabby Douglas had a history-making performance at the summer Olympics.
The clip that they chose to run showed a monkey doing gymnastics, which of course upset many viewers, and now the peacock network is claiming that the move wasn’t intentional. “Gabby Douglas’ gold medal performance last night was a historic and inspiring achievement. This spot promoting Animal Practice, which has run three times previously, is one in a series with an Olympic theme which have been scheduled for maximum exposure. Certainly no offense was intended,” the network explained in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter.
In honor of the summer games, NBC has put together three commercials with Olympic themes which also incorporate swimming.
Douglas earned two gold medal, one alongside her team, and the second for her solo performance. The 16-year-old has become the first Black woman to earn a gold medal in the solo-competition, the second Black woman earn a gold medal in gymnastics. Since grabbing the gold, Douglas has been congratulated by the likes of Condoleezza Rice, and President Obama.
And now…the commercial.
I see said the blind man. And now…
This is EbenGregory.com…telling NBC your best work involves timing. If someone wrote the best hip hop song of all time in the Middle Ages, he had bad timing. I’m just saying.
You have absolutely got to be joking with this. This story belongs on The Onion. How can anyone with a functioning brain honestly believe that an ad that had aired prior to this instance, featuring a naturally acrobatic animal performing on rings (which, as mentioned above, isn’t an event Gabby competes in) is somehow a racist swipe by a network who would have NOTHING to gain and everything to lose in such a move?
I recall another clever commercial for the same NBC show with a beautiful Golden Retriever doggie-paddling to pseudo-serious narration about Olympic swimming. If that had aired after any swimming event would anyone claim that the athletes were being called dogs? This is so damn absurd and sad because you should be focused on what the kid (Gabby) achieved. Nothing but division at every turn.
The individuals who think this was a racial issue are the ones who should check themselves. The even that the monkey performing ( the rings ) Gabrielle does not even compete in………. The fact that people are making this even a small deal indicates we have not come as far as we may think in America. I am saddened not by the commercial but by people’s reaction!
Frankly, I’m starting see why white folks don’t want to be around us. This is Waaaay to serious. Blowing it completely out of proportion….like NBC said, “you know what, just in case that little black girl wins, let’s play this commercial here….we’ll show those colored people.” Get a life and stop acting like niggas.
Just a bad coincidence. Everything isn’t intentional at first glance. I don’t think they pick what commercials air in real time. It would make sense that it’s preset, otherwise you’ll have some joker there 24/7 on no-doze trying to keep it right.
hey fuck NBC . FUCK ALL THE RACIST PEOPLE . FUCK THAT SHIT. GABBY DOUGLAS IS A very TALENT GIRL. HEY IF THIS IS THE POINT…FUCK WHITE NASTY PEOPLE
Whatever the case…… NBC can’t take away what the young woman accomplished.
As much money as NBC gets paid, you would think that their commercial management wouldn’t ‘monkey’ around with timing like that.
Dead