2nd Advertiser (Bertolli) Pulls Ads From Big Brother

[Guest guest]

Looks like we are making some progress in having our voices heard.

According to a blogger over at http://goodjobmama.blogspot.com Bertolli has now yanked their ads from CBS' Big Brother.

This is great news, considering CBS does not seem to care one bit about the hurt they've caused to special needs families by airing this stuff.

Speaking of which, here is an article talking about the damage CBS may be doing to itself from all of this:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/630117/cbs_autism_controversy_may_cause_lasting.html

CBS Autism Controversy May Cause Lasting Harm to Network

To the dismay of CBS producers and executives, the controversy surrounding remarks made by Big Brother 9 contestant, Adam Jasinski, is showing no signs of abatement. CBS' initial and subsequent handling of the incident has been nothing short of disastrous and the network now faces the prospect of significant damage to its reputation and credibility for some time to come.

The original remarks made by Mr. Jasinski first aired on a February 13, 2008 episode of Big Brother 9: Till Death Do Us Part. Jasinski was heard telling contestants that he worked for the United Autism Foundation and wanted to donate some of his winnings to build a hair salon for children with special needs "so the retards can get it together and get their hair done."

The comment created instant outrage in the special needs community, with many autism groups calling on CBS to pull Jasinski from the show and to apologize for airing the insensitive slur.

However, in what was largely seen as a slap in the face to parents of children with autism, CBS did not apologize and failed to take any meaningful action to address the issue. The attempt to sweep the incident under the rug has only created more controversy for the network.

As it turns out, significant questions have been raised not only about Jasinski, but also the foundation that he claims to represent. According to a video news report by a CBS affiliate, the United Autism Foundation may be facing an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General of Florida, mainly stemming from questions raised by some about the legitimacy of the organization.

Furthermore, there are many contradicting details surfacing about Jasinski and his potential affiliation with CBS prior to him being a contestant on the show.

If any wrongdoing by Adam Jasinski or his foundation is uncovered, CBS will have a far bigger problem on its hands than once thought. Ironically, this all could have been avoided had the network taken quick and decisive action as it did with the Don Imus incident last year.

It is evident that Jasinski's comment was aired to create a "buzz" and further draw in viewers to a show that was experiencing lackluster ratings. However, the calculated risk backfired and an unusual decision has been made by the network to stay quiet on the issue, hoping it will go away.

This could be yet another strategic move that backfires. If CBS continues its perceived apathy to the pain and anger it has caused the special needs community, there could be lasting damage to the network's reputation long after Big Brother and Adam Jasinski are gone.