Olbermann Names Dunkin' Donuts Worst Person In The World, Calls For Boycott

Wednesday night on "Countdown," Keith Olbermann declared Dunkin' Donuts his "Worst Person in the World" for caving to the lunatic fringe and pulling an ad featuring Rachael Ray wearing a scarf that the far-right thought was too Arab looking.

"They were as weak of their decaf," Olbermann said of the donut and coffee company, and proposed a boycott of the company:

How about this? How about the rest of us boycott Dunkin' Donuts for giving into fascists like Michelle Malkin? And for giving weight to perhaps the most absurd idea the lunatic fringers have ever belched forth: that there are terrorist scarves! Terrorist scarves! Dunkin Donuts: time to stop buying the donuts.

Watch, and be sure to notice 1:05 in when, in reference to Time critic James Poniewozik's critique of him, Olbermann says (of Joe Lieberman), "I'd lapse into self-parody here, Senator, and mock you, but obviously you're doing too good a job mocking yourself."

Comments

[XME]

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Are we now going to be accused of being anti-American because of the close we wear???

[spqesq]

Uh, yeah. Where have you been? Remember lapel-gate?

[XME]

Very true...the good ol' USA is seriously xenophobic. (btw, I did mean "clothes"!)

Silly season indeed!

[amanda85]

Thanks to my wise parents, I've been boycotting peddlers of unhealthy foods since I was born.

[Jidge]

I hate to say it, but the scarf was in an ad for Duncan Donuts. If the spot was going to drive business away, then can we really blame the company for stopping broadcasting their own ad? It's not as if Rachel Ray was trying to make a statement with the scarf, after all, and she's not being fired for her political beliefs. I think there may be other things for us to care more about.

[Cynth]

Exactly, the scarf was never a part of a statement -- it's just a scarf and it should have become a big deal.

To add context, and as I posted below, some of our savvy soldiers have been using keffiyehs while serving in the Middle East. It turns out that they more comfortable in the climate and it keeps sand out of their eyes during sandstorms. So much for "terrorist scarves"...they're actually helping our troops keep comfortable and safe.

DD should have put out a statement pointing *that* out instead of giving power to ignorance and domestic extremists. Sometimes, by not succumbing to irrational bullies and by putting out a reasonable press statement is the way to go. This would have underscored the foolishness of the protesters, this matter would have blown over more quickly, and the blowhards will simply move on to being outraged by someone or something else. By pulling the ad, DD has shown poor judgment, given this matter more life, aliented yet others, and is driving other business away. A bad business decision.

[Cynth]

Ooops...meant to say "it's just a scarf and it should *NOT* have become a big deal." Big difference... :-)

[badnfluence]

You think they were going to lose business because of the lunatic rantings of D-list blogger Michelle Malkin? Yeah, her audience is HUGE...they might lose a whole 6 customers!

The problem here is that Dunkin Donuts caved to a ridiculous demand instead of telling Malkin "it's a SCARF--go be offended and hideous somewhere else."

[ladyv]

It's really more that the whole thing is...outdated. This would've been a longshot for Malkin 3-5 years ago, but back then I wouldn't have been surprised. These days with similar accessories being sold at every Wal-Mart in the country - I mean, Megan McCain was just photographed in a nearly identical one, worn the same way - I'm just surprised the company bothered to even acknowledge it.

Plus, it's funny, and it gives us the opportunity to see some of favorite contorted-in-rage shots of the what passes for a Hot GOP babe, with Malkin's twisted crazy mug popping up in the background in these segments.

[LeanLeftAmerica]

Dunkin Donuts Sucks.

I hear Osama Bin Laden eats Dunkin Donuts.

Don't want anyone to misconstrue my eating their donuts for me supporting Osama.
Hmmm... better not eat any of their donuts ever again.

[zippywpinhead]

I hear Homer Simpson loves donuts

he must be one of them sleeper turrists

better stop watching Fox...

[LiberalBuzz]

Well if we had a DD anywhere near where I live I would love to boycott them, but we haven't got ANY within a very large distance.

BUT I did at least write them and called them cowards easily bullied by some rightwing nutjob mental midget like Malkin.

HEY anything to try and help.

[dezzertguy]

Well Thomm Hartman will have problems with Olbermann since he called a corporation a person. Hartmann hates that. Maybe we see two old socialsts go at it. What a year, Hartmann vs Olbermann and Odrama vs Hillary. Wonderful.

[CoulterIsASuccubus]

Let's also boycott Michelle Malkin since she claims to be the originator of this harassment. She looks like a Commie to me.

Here is a link to the Dunkin Donuts website:
https://www.dunkindonuts.com/aboutus/contact/Feedback.aspx?type=5

[Cynth]

Thanks for the link. There seems to be a site error when I submit. Maybe they're getting flooded with comments.

America may have run on Dunkin', but Dunkin' runs from good sense...

[1differentdrummer]

Any publicity is good.

[auramac]

Thanks for the link!

I just wrote and told them I'm boycotting until they issue an apology and the commercial airs intact- complete with the Italian-American scarf.

[tombollocks]

Here is the response I received yesterday from them:

Thank you for sharing your comments. We always appreciate hearing from our customers. As of this past
weekend, we are no longer using the online ad featuring Rachael Ray wearing a black-and-white silk scarf
with a paisley design. Our decision was based solely on the fact that the possibility of misperception
detracted from the intent of the ad, which was to promote iced coffee -- nothing more, nothing less.

At Dunkin' Donuts, we value all our customers and are committed to making your experiences with us
memorable and pleasant. Thank you, again, for making us aware of your concerns.

[meanguy]

thanks for the link-i just wrote to tell them to concentrate on making donuts, run whatever ads they feel is in their business interests, and to ignore politics...and i included a gratuitous slam on krispy kreme...which is, by the way, on a par with rest area vending machine food. i've lived in VA since '84, and i cannot fathom the popularity of those greasy, oversugared lumps of lard...they're just NASTY

[nonofyabusiness]

Someone has to stop Maukin and the neonazi-commiecons from playing God! Even if donuts and terrorist scarfs are ridiculous. Go Ketih......

[ethancorso]

I heard a rumor that Arabs also drink water. My boycott of 'jihad juice' starts tomorrow!

[Raymondf]

Keith, Bill told me to tell you to keep up the good work, giving him publicity, it's helping his show even more, cause ABC, CBS, CNN, hardly mention him. He wants you to keep helping make his show even bigger.

[LiberalBuzz]

Yeah sure, keep telling yourself that bit about KO and BIll-O because that totally explains why BIll-O wants KO fired.

Himmm now why would BIll-O want someone fired who is "helping" his ratings???

Hmmmm, Maybe because you haven't a clue?

[auramac]

What's the "f" stand for- "friggin' idiot?" Oh, sorry- it's what Bill-O said in response to your delusional theory.

[spqesq]

Caution: Don't feed the trolls.

[Wiredwilly]

BOYCOTT EXXON / BP
Target $ 2.50 a gallon Premium

A boycott of donuts w/ everything else going seems trivial. If Mr. Olbermann wants to publicize a Boycott it should be the Boycott of Exxon / BP .

[Raymondf]

At four dollars a gallon it takes 68.00 to fill my car up if it is completely empty. Since I'm Retired and only go to the grocery store once a month, I have 4 different doctors I see every 3 months at the VA. I get 16 miles to a gallon in town and that 68.00 will last me a month and a half the grocery store is 2 miles from my house. the VA is 4miles from my house I am going to splurge and go to Tennessee about 4 hours from my house, make it their and back on a tank and a half of gas,because on the highway I get 22 miles to a gallon. I don't eat out, but about once a month. my doctors appointments I make on the same day. Just spend the day visiting the vets, and talking to them, between office visits. so why boycott, will just make matters worse.

[spqesq]

It's ALL ABOUT YOU, isn't it Raymond? You're just ducky so the rest of us should just stay trapped in a 5 mile radius of our homes like you and run off to TN once a year.

Have the VA up your meds.

[MarkKienan]

The people who wanted the ad pulled clearly have a political agenda to attack all things arab. Anything arab or muslim is linked to "terrorism"
This is part of their agenda. It is propaganda pure and simple.
They don't want americans to see arabs or muslims as fellow human beings with legitimate complaints about their treatment by the US government and the Israelis.
This is just more of the same.

[ornovscot]

To the extent that this story reflects the direction in which this country has been going for the past several years, I think it is signally newsworthy.


A civilized society is one that is tolerant of all cultures. When any group can dominate the discourse and tenor of that society, to the detriment of others, then even a matter as ostensibly unimportant as this advertisement assumes a meaning more important.

[Cynth]

Some of our savvy soldiers have been using keffiyehs while serving in the Middle East. It turns out that they more comfortable in the climate and it keeps sand out of their eyes during sandstorms. So much for "terrorist scarves"...they're actually helping our troops keep comfortable and safe. Wish DD would have put out a statement pointing that out instead of giving power to ignorance and domestic extremists....

[olorinstaff]

During a tour of the Middle East this week, Laura Bush again donned a traditional hijab given to her as a gift by a Saudi Arabian doctor. Subsequently, several progressive bloggers questioned whether similar “opprobium” would follow from the right wing this time. Now we have our answer.
Guess ring wing nut jobs would like us to boycot that traiter laura bush

[Raymondf]

When a foreign dignatary goes to a middle eastern country it is customary to wear the habits of the women of that country I see nothing wrong with it, just like I saw nothing wrong when Obama put on the African outfit, I think both are non-issues.