Dunkin Donuts Pulls Ad Featuring Rachael Ray In A Scarf That Looks Too Arab

Dunkin Donuts has pulled a commercial featuring pitchwoman Rachael Ray wearing a scarf because Michelle Malkin and other conservative observers thought the scarf looked too much like a keffiyeh, what Malkin describes as "the traditional scarf of Arab men that has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad."

The Boston Globe reports that Dunkin Donuts caved to pressure from the conservative blogosphere — and the fear of a mass boycott — and removed the ad:

The company at first pooh-poohed the complaints, claiming the black-and-white wrap was not a keffiyeh. But the right-wing drumbeat on the blogosphere continued and by yesterday, Dunkin' Donuts decided it'd be easier just to yank the ad.

Said the suits in a statement: ''In a recent online ad, Rachael Ray is wearing a black-and-white silk scarf with a paisley design. It was selected by her stylist for the advertising shoot. Absolutely no symbolism was intended. However, given the possibility of misperception, we are no longer using the commercial.''

Malkin praised the decision in her column, writing,

It's refreshing to see an American company show sensitivity to the concerns of Americans opposed to Islamic jihad and its apologists. Too many of them bend over backward in the direction of anti-American political correctness....

Fashion statements may seem insignificant, but when they lead to the mainstreaming of violence -- unintentionally or not -- they matter. Ignorance is no longer an excuse. In post-9/11 America, vigilance must never go out of style.

Malkin has previously lauded Dunkin Donuts for its support of immigration laws.

Below, watch Ray promote Dunkin' Donuts in a 2007 ad.

Comments

[Oilygarch]

Oooooh! Now, WHERE can I scarf one of those scarves up??

I think this STUPID broad-brush ''anti-Ayrub'' campaign is about to back-fire.

I get this feeling that we may see quite a few people wearing these black & white scarves just as a fun sociological experiment and get a thrill out of discerning those who aim to fetter whether or not we're allowed by these fear-mongers to wear a stupid scarf or not.

Many people like Malkin and some others who truly hide behind a thin veil by calling themselves ''conservatiives'' have turned into Nazis on the beat. Next thing they'll be stopping folks from entering establishments because they look ''too middle-eastern'' or ''too ethnic''. These are the same exact folks who will deride Native Americans and tell them to ''go home'' all-the-while mistaking them for Mexicans.

If we could levy fines on social stupidity, would we probably pay off our national debt? Michelle Malkin should get the first summons and the shooting your own foot award too while she's at it.

[TruEngineHearing]

I thought we went through this once before: a malkin is what you use to wipe your coulter. It has no other value whatsoever.

[Libertarian78]

Michelle Malkin reminds me of Dave Chappelle playing a black white supremacist in that skit on Chappelle's show.
Here's the link if you missed it by an act of God...

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=24404

[JasonQuiggleGivesaDamn]

OMFG SHE'S WEARING A SCARF, SHUT DOWN THE AIR SPACE JESUS CHRIST WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE HAVE YOU SEEN WHAT THIS WOMAN CAN DO WITH A ROTISSERIE CHICKEN!?!?!?!? OH MY GOD WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE HAS DONE WITH OUR DONUT SUPPLY!?!?!?!? AAAAAA!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!......AAA­AAAAAAAA!!­!!!!!!!

Thats what people sound like to me over this, effing moronic.

[ZimboChick]

lol

[dadw5boys]

RAISE THE GAS PRICES!!!!!

[THATGUY]

Huh. I must be a little confused about political priorities; a week or so ago on FOX News Liz Trotta makes comments, which she later dismisses as a joke, suggesting that Senator Obama should be assassinated and she still has her job. Rachel Ray wears a scarf in a donut commercial - something utterly benign - and two days later the commercial is pulled? So an annoying woman wearing a scarf in a commercial is more of a threat than an utterly detestable pundit or reporter "joking" about the assassination of a government official? Wow! I suppose next there will be secret service men posted outside Dunkin Donuts shops.

[yngcelt]

And what about pundits and others who "joke" about assassinating President Bush or "joke" about committing crimes against his daughters? I suppose when it's a liberal doing that to a conservative it's acceptable to you?

[mccabe49]

Never heard a left wing or liberal news person joke about assassinating Bush. You've been drinking the Koolaid Yngcelt. Point to and give us one example of this. You Can't! You right wingers are like 2nd graders but he did it too or he did it first. Grow up joking about assassinating anyone is serious and nor at all funny

[Bozwellian]

...have NOt heard libs joke about assassinating Bush or his family ...have heard too frequently from righteous righties, the ones who profess to be such great patriots and good christians wail out...recently that fem on Fox who thought she was being too cute by three when advocating such for Obama and aligning it with being ok as she advocates the same for Osama and figures they are akin in all aspects so makes it A-ok !! Have heard rants against Sen. Kennedy..one rightie professing he prefferred Ted NOT die from czncer but from assassination...You folks prove yourselves so totally desengenuous each and everytime and attempt to slime others while taking NO responsibility for own !~

[THATGUY]

You would be wrong to suppose that, as I feel that it is despicable for ANYBODY to make such "jokes". Your response however causes one to think perhaps you approve of such jokes against "liberals".

To me this is not a matter of political stance, though obviously it was to Trotta. Rather the issue is making light of anyone being assassinated. It's a sad reflection of the disregard people have for one another these days, as is your response.

[THATGUY]

yngcelt: You would be wrong to suppose that, as I feel that it is despicable for ANYBODY to make such "jokes". Your response however causes one to think perhaps you approve of such jokes against "liberals".

To me this is not a matter of political stance, though obviously it was to Trotta. Rather the issue is making light of anyone being assassinated. It's a sad reflection of the disregard people have for one another these days, as is your response.

[dawlishgal]

Time to let Dunkin' Donuts know that all of a sudden their donuts don't look at that delicious. My husband ..a statistician-- loves to go through their drive-throughs and order "a dozen random donuts," even though I keep pointing out that he is getting whatever didn't sell yesterday when he does that. Either way, don 't reward companies that knuckle into to this kind of insane pressure by continuing to give them your business.

[dadw5boys]

NO THEY THROW THE DONUTS AWAY AFTER THEY CLOSE THAT ARE 3 HOURS OLD.

[mcquaid]

Michele Malkin needs a Louisville Slugger upside the head. And Dunkin Donuts needs a good talking to about caving into the lunatic fringe. And whoever styled Rachel Ray needs a lesson in putting someone together for video (hint: an intricate visual like that scarf, with it's frail pattern and knotted fringe is almost guaranteed to end up a blobby mishmash and a target for cheap publicity seekers like Michele Malkin.)

[yngcelt]

You know what would be funny? How about if everyone here buys a keffieh and sends it to Michelle Malkin? And have 5-10 of your friends do the same thing?
Think she'd get the message?

[ohiodem250]

This is brilliant! I will be doing this over the weekend.

[GravitonX]

This is the Tolerant Beacon of Democracy that Michele Obama should be proud of.... LOL

[klynnrn]

This is one of the most ludicrous Right Wing actions that we have seen yet. I can't believe they're targeting a SCARF! Do these people even get that the state of affairs in this country has been caused by their radical "conservative" rantings? These people have taken religious values and turned them into a terrorist call to action. This is exactly the reason our forefathers penned the separation of Church and State into the Constitution: to prevent religious factions from becoming more powerful than our government and setting the agenda for this country!

[Blivet]

This whole brouhaha was started a couple weeks ago by some ugly tart named Pamela Geller on a blog called AtlasShrugs2000. That is where Michelle Malkin stole the idea.
The whole crew of phonies steal from one another. What a bunch of class acts.
BTW, my wife has had a scarf like this for many years and she looks great in it. So does RR. She's almost as cute as my wife.

[olorinstaff]

interestingly, since most of Dunkin Donuts are franchise stores, most of the owners are probably wearing 'scarves'

[proudloudlib]

Beyond ridiculous.

[charmedgreenquark]

Dunkin donuts is owned by Carlyle Group, but Dr. Pepper is owned by the Dr Pepper Snapple Group (formerly Cadbury Schweppes), so drink up. Boycotting Dunkin Donuts for not having backbone against the squeals of idiots wouldn't be a bad idea, though. Has anyone proposed this yet?

[petsounds]

Yep! Keith Olbermann did on his show last night.

[TrevorAlan]

C'mon, forgetting that Malkin is insane and should be ignored in all cases, Rachel is just too cute to overthrow anyone.

And I used to have one of those scarves, I wonder where I can get another?