Flashback: JC Penney stands by Ellen DeGeneres as spokeswoman

Reuters ^ | Feb 3, 2012 | Reuters

[jimbo123]

J.C. Penney Co Inc said on Friday said it fully backs its partnership with chat show host Ellen DeGeneres after a conservative group urged the retailer to reconsider hiring DeGeneres as a spokeswoman because she is a lesbian.

-snip-

Penney's decision to hire DeGeneres spurred conservative group One Million Moms, a division of the American Family Association, to slam the company for not being "neutral in the culture war."

"Funny that JC Penney thinks hiring an open homosexual spokesperson will help their business when most of their customers are traditional families. More sales will be lost than gained unless they replace their spokesperson quickly," the organization posted on their website, urging supporters to call their local J.C. Penney store manager to lodge complaints against hiring DeGeneres.

[jsanders2001]

It's time to put other big time LGBT agenda promoters out of business as well. I had no ill will towards the LGBT community when they did their thing and left us alone but now that they have heavily politicized it and are actively promoting the lifestyle and athiesm and calling Christians evil and being very hateful about it I can't stand them (their actions; I don't hate them personally just their actions).

[caww]

Well the board actually started calling the shots awhile ago, but the agenda hasn’t changed all that much....recently bringing back coupons...and a marathon to raise prices for that....in order to bring customers back. Has yet to be seen if it’ll work or not.

But I have not seen any changes in the general direction they are taking the stores.....regardless of who is calling the shots or not. It’s still all systems go to change the face and workings of the company.

[matginzac]

Right and shouldn’t these highly paid genius executives who make hideous amounts of money know better? You and I do....

[fwdude]

Thanks. It’s good to hear from someone who sees these effects firsthand.

I also once worked at Penney part-time many years age to supplement my income. Yes, it was nearly all families who shopped there over a decade ago. And family-type people worked there as well. You felt you were safe when shopping there.

I haven’t darkened their door for over a year now. Not sure what type of people work there now, but the last time I was in, it seemed to be nothing but unkempt kids with body piercings, tattoos, and baggy pants, slouching through the store, unable to answer my questions.

[caww]

It’s changing there pretty much every day. We’ll be going to required apparel for employees in the near future. This way the puplic will be able to tell who the employees are.

News organizations revealed today new Jewelery lines coming in this month.... none of us knew about this...we have to find out what’s what the same as the public! So there’s no way we can share with the public what to expect....

[caww]

BTW when you mention the board making decisions now...better to narrow that down to ‘one’ individual who owns the highest number of stocks in the company.....same one responsible for bringing in ‘Johnson’ in the first place.

He tried to get on Target’s Board and was not accepted or they’d probably be singing the same song as Penney’s.

Not to forget also, that Johnson was 25yrs. with Target BEFORE he went to Apple or came to Penney’s thereafter.

As I see it ..between that guy and Johnson they have a straight-jacket on the board....

[jimbo123]

Actually, Bill Ackman isn’t calling the shots as a board member any more. He’s lost his cred about Johnson and he’s being tarred by the other board members and institutional investors for Johnson’s failure. His allies are running away from him now. His enemies are buying JCP debt.

[caww]

Well that's an interesting tidbit....I read about him today, but does he still have his stocks or has he pulled them yet?

Of course Johnson failed...he didn't know what he was doing in the first place...Penney's isn't Apple...nor is it Target, though we at the store thought he was trying to make us look like Target...too many similarities....But I do think Ackman was the heavy weight for a time, if he isn't now.

What can they do at this point? ....Penney's changed so much they can't go back...and most of the merchandise coming in is “Vogue” style.....or junk...or both....The area we're at is a small country city and the products just aren't attracting the people here who want a more conservative style.... ah hum...or the tramp style. Neither of which they know how to dress their body size.

I came from the High Fashion Industry...trust me this is not going to fly here....but who knows at this point...either way they are staying with the agenda I see.