Home : Celebrity Justice : Mr. T -- I Pity the Homophobic Fool!

Celebrity Justice
Mr. T -- I Pity the Homophobic Fool!

Posted Jul 29th 2008 11:31AM by TMZ Staff

The ad never aired in the US, but a Snickers commercial starring Mr. T, a speed walker and a pair of snug short shorts caused a huge homophobic stink for the Mars candy company.

After an outcry from the Human Rights Campaign, who say the UK spot "conjured up stereotypes of gay men," Mars pulled the ad -- which featured Mr. T firing snickers from a cannon at a man who was speed walking in what the HRC calls "an exaggerated manner." Obviously, they've never seen a real-life speedwalker before.

Calls to Mr. T's reps for comment were not immediately returned -- but we can't wait to see what he has to say!

See Also



Tags: mr. t, Mr.T, snickers

Comments [44]
SHARE |
4ie6

Reader Comments

(Page 1 of 3) | 1 | 2 | 3 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

1. Everyone has to be so offended. It is getting sick. People need to stop being so sensitive. Geesh!!

Posted at 11:37AM on Jul 29th 2008 by tattooed white trash...

2. TMZ, you guys need to step up your game. I read this news on a gay porn blog days ago.

Posted at 11:44AM on Jul 29th 2008 by rabbit on the moon

3. at first when the truck came busting threw the house...... I was like....

Rampage Jackson.... going for his morning capuchino ??!

Posted at 11:48AM on Jul 29th 2008 by monte

4. That ad is frickin awesome. I'm gay and I'm not offended at all. Speed walkers look funny when they do their walk. It's not a gay thing. It's just funny. Mr. T is so awesome, I can't even sum it up in words.

Why can't modern commercials be as amazing as this one?

Anyone who considers this ad "homophobic" needs to loosen the hell up and obtain a sense of humor.

Go Mr. T!!!!

Posted at 11:50AM on Jul 29th 2008 by Jojo

5. that was totally homophobic and not very funny...nor would it get me to by Snickers...! lol

Posted at 11:56AM on Jul 29th 2008 by Alexandra

6. I didn't really see this as homophobic...just good fun. If they were to make it in a homopobic manner, and the guy was screaming like a little bitch, then that would make it even better.

Posted at 11:58AM on Jul 29th 2008 by Ms T

7. 1. I'm sorry, I have a gay friend and even HE says speedwalking is gay.
2. this isn't really all that offensive. I've seen many straight men speedwalking like this, so how can it be homophobic?

Gay or not... there's no reason to speedwalk. Even women look stupid speedwalking.

Posted at 12:02PM on Jul 29th 2008 by Mayu

8. OMG, that's friggin hysterical

Posted at 12:06PM on Jul 29th 2008 by Rika

9. That advert is soo not gay - ot in the least - speed walking kind of looks like that - as a gay man I am telling you - that is not homophobic - anyone who thinks it is is being waaay touchy.

Posted at 3:51AM on Jul 30th 2008 by garax

10. I can see where someone who was looking for it would think they were poking fun at gays b/c of the way the speedwalker flailed his arms when he jumped to avoid getting hit by the Snickers. But come ON, people - it's not homophobic. Trying to reverse the gay marriage ruling in California, THAT's homophobic.

This is why I don't give money to the HRC anymore - lighten up, ya freakin' Marys.

Posted at 12:20PM on Jul 29th 2008 by Bitchykins

11. I don't see where this is homophobic at all...
Maybe if the guy was playing into some of the gay stereotypes I could see it. As far as I know most people I ever see speed walking look like that, whether man, woman, gay or straight.

HRC is retarded. Just another group of people looking to take EVERYTHING offensively.

Posted at 12:38PM on Jul 29th 2008 by Jeremy

12. Oh Please, the ONLY people outside HRC who think this ad is Homophobic are overly sensitive STRAIGHT people, I'm gay and that ad isn't anyti- gay, if anything it's more of a Butch/Fem or Man/woman thing. I guess the HRC has nothing better to do since none of their initiatives on Capital Hill have ever passed and they really don't do anything beyond fund raising so they can throw a lavish dinner everyyear and pat themselves on the back for doing nothing.

Posted at 12:47PM on Jul 29th 2008 by spindoc

13. What I find remarkable about this commercial is that the advertising agency didn't do there homework. Speedwalking actually is called racewalking and has been an Olympic Event for 104 years!!! Men compete doing a 50K (31 miles and judged by strict rules of racewalking) and a 20K (12.4 miles). Women compete, I think in a 20K and a 10K (6.2miles). Olympic racewalkers records are keeping a racewalking form pace of under 7 minute mile pace. The rule of thumb in racewalking is that the leg taking the weight wil not raise up until the one passing over has made heel contact to the ground. Anything other then this is what is called Lifting. Another rule is "Bent Knee" if you have you knee bent with the leg that has all the weight load on it, then there is running in place. A lot of runners can't do racewalking because it is justs to difficult to abide by the rules. So racewalking takes a lot more discipline then running to maintain.

Posted at 1:41PM on Jul 29th 2008 by TerenceEvan

14. GET SUM NUTS!! AWESOME! I wish they would air ads like that over here in the US!!

Posted at 1:27PM on Aug 1st 2008 by dozer

15. Number #11.

GREAT post! But after reading you telling them to "Lighten up ya Mary's!" I looked down and saw your screename was "Bitchykins" LOL!!!

Posted at 1:08PM on Jul 29th 2008 by spindoc

| 1 | 2 | 3 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments