Slim-Fast Sheds Whoopi Goldberg After Bush Riff

Netscape News ^ | 7/14/04

[11th Earl of Mar]

Slim-Fast Sheds Whoopi Goldberg After Bush Riff

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Comedian Whoopi Goldberg will no longer appear in ads for diet aid maker Slim-Fast following her lewd riff on President Bush's name at a fund-raiser last week, the company said on Wednesday.

Florida-based Slim-Fast said it was "disappointed" in Goldberg's remarks at last Thursday's $7.5 million star-studded fund-raiser at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

"Ads featuring Ms. Goldberg will no longer be on the air," Slim-Fast General Manager Terry Olson said in a statement, adding that the company regrets that Goldberg's remarks offended some customers.

Republicans have expressed outrage over the fund-raiser for presumptive Democratic nominee John F. Kerry and his vice presidential running mate, John Edwards, in which entertainers lined up to skewer the president.

The New York Post said of Goldberg's appearance at the event: "Waving a bottle of wine, she fired off a stream of vulgar sexual wordplays on Bush's name in a riff about female genitalia."

A spokesperson for Goldberg declined immediate comment.

Slim-Fast is a unit of Anglo-Dutch food-to-detergent group Unilever Plc .

© Copyright Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved. The information contained In this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of Reuters Ltd.

[11th Earl of Mar]

WWHHHOOOOPPIIEE!!

[facedown]

Excellent!

[TheBattman]

So - do you think the massive reaction and email flooding had anything to do with the decision? I would like to think so.....

[Solson]

Wonderful! Now, continue to boycott Slim Fast because their CEO makes big contributions to the Dems 527's!!!!

[martin_fierro]

[SanityFromTheLeftCoast]

I second that emotion!!!

[Chuzzlewit]

Yowsa , Yowsa Yowsa !!!

[Viet-Boat-Rider]

FReeepers!!! We did it! Don't ever think that your voice dosn't count! Congratulations!

[Frank_Discussion]

And with that, I bid all a good evening, and good cheer. Go back to bartending, Guinan!

[The Iceman Cometh]

Hopefully, more ammo to get the tape out. I am just dying to see what the heart and soul of our country looks like.

[cripplecreek]

Thats one way to get rid of 150 lbs of ugly fat. What do ya know, slimfast really does work.

[So Cal Rocket]

Ads featuring Ms. Goldberg will no longer be on the air," Slim-Fast General Manager Terry Olson said in a statement, adding that the company regrets that Goldberg's remarks offended some customers.

Notice the wording of this so-called apology... they don't regret hiring Whoopie, they don't regret the Whoopie made these disgusting comments, they regret that her remarks offended someone.

Very Clintonesque apology.

[Mears]

Good news!!!! I had sent them an E-mail but never expected anything this quickly.

[bannie]

I HOPE that picture of whoopie was made at someone's computer and not an actual likeness!!!!!

[cmsgop]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nachum]

Hmmm, a right hook to the bank account.

[Solson]

That would be a heck of an ad!

[StayoutdaBushesWay]

Good News!!

[blanknoone]

I'm actually surprised the lefty's that run the company had enough sense to not stand by her and protect her from 'censorship' (which apparently, she really really needed)

[hoosiermama]

YES!

[Pit1]

Earlier post from the New York Post

>>Slim-fast company president F. Daniel Abraham is a major Democratic donor who, with his wife, has given $1.2 million to groups working to defeat Bush.<

So one hand doesn't know what the other is doing. Slim-Fast can go jump.

[kayak]

Frankly, I would prefer to think that it had to do with their own sense of decency and propriety but that's probably hoping for way too much. In the absence of any standards of their own, they were probably persuaded by the potential effects on their finances.

[buffyt]

Are we GOOD Or what??? I emailed them. Saw the request here on FR asking everyone to email Slim Fast. Heard on TV the other day that Slim Fast was being bombarded with emails, etc. WE WIN! This feels SO GOOD!

[hattend]

Holy Crap...is she the snake crawling out of toilets?

What a picture. I have to go clean my lunch off the floor.

[wingman1]

"So - do you think the massive reaction and email flooding had anything to do with the decision?


I GAROWNTEE you that it did.

[linn37]

buh bye you (insert obscenity here)!

[AmericanR76]

Way to Go Freepers! How can we get the tape out? Does anyone have it?

[joesnuffy]

SLIM FAST REALLY WORKS.....IT JUST SHED 200 LBS OF UGLY FAT....IN ONE AFTERNOON

[raccoonradio]

Remember of course that while we do have freedom of speech in this country, people should also keep in mind that what they say has consequences: boycotts; being fired by your
employer, and so on. Presumably she has more than enough money to go around and this is no biggie to her. But maybe some celebs will learn a lesson from this--especially if their "gig" matters enough to them. (Much like Pepsi with Madonna and later Ludacris...)

[Petronski]

It's really in their best interest anyway. I can't believe the Whoopster could sell anything but anti-ugly salve.

[expat_panama]

One hand doesn't care what the other is doing-- business is business.

[truthandlife]

Wow, this is the Dems worst nightmare. Since Slim-Fast did fire her now people are going to want to see why she was fired.

This is going to get interesting.

[M007]

Not only were her filthy remarks offensive to President Bush but I, as a woman, was very embarrassed.

[Jenya]

Canned Whoppi....Love it!!!

{{Does Toyota Jump, clicks heels}}

[auboy]

A spokesperson for Goldberg declined immediate comment.

Calling all spinmeisters.

[AmericanMade1776]

WOWWWWPIEEEEE...WOOOOPIEEW WOOOW...haha...

[Ruth A.]

May she be forever sidelined like the Dixie Chicks.

[GVnana]

OK Mom. You can have your SlimFast again.

Thank goodness I don't have to give up Best Foods mayonaisse. I had to buy the store brand today for my potato salad for the GWB party tomorrow and I know it won't be as good.

[RobbyS]

NO$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

[Bush_Democrat]

...they were probably persuaded by the potential effects on their finances.

Well, we'll still take the win. It has the added side benefit of denying Whoopie any residuals on future play of the commercial.

[finnman69]

I'm A BIIIIIIIIG Loser!

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

That picture will likely reappear in a nightmare. Thanks loads.

[Wphile]

I thought she was a pretty poor pick for a spokesperson too. Sheesh...she was stilling wearing pants with an oversized top that was untucked. She didn't look too slim to me.

Anyway, way to go freepers!

[Coop]

:-D

[Coop]

:-D

[Dog]

Yes!!!!!!!

[Petronski]

[GeorgeBerryman]

This is the actual Slim-Fast ad featuring Whoopie that Yahoo! posted with the story.

[JoJo Gunn]

Holy Mother of God!