MSNBC Pulls "Inappropriate" Michelle Obama "Hardball" Ad Depicting Silhouetted Female Dancers (VIDEO)

MSNBC ran an ad for "Hardball" Thursday morning teasing a segment on Michelle Obama's image makeover. The ad featured background artwork of female silhouetted dancers while the phrase, "HER NEW OUTLOOK?" was displayed on the screen. When contacted, an MSNBC representative said the ad was pulled after only running "once or twice" because it was deemed "inappropriate." The full statement:

The artwork should not have been used, it was inappropriate. We pulled the spot this morning and it was re-done without those images.

Watch the "inappropriate" ad below ("inappropriate" artwork slo-mo'ed at end if you miss it):

From MSNBC, 6/19

Comments

[GeorgeKaplan]

More sexism. Nothing new.

[olivia]

You don't see the racism there?

[pleeezzze]

But i guess ," this " time It's different ,huh ?

[worrierqueen]

Is this news?

[Deaninphilly]

No it's not news. But the extreme (everything offends me and you must stop it) left along with the outrageous O supporters have made it news. Notice how it started out as sexists but has now turned into racists.

[Bozwellian]

FOOL, it is BOTH sexist and racist and perhaps your blindeyedness is due to embracing such !!! Shall we OK McBush being shown in a wheelchair perhaps to level it out a bit ? BEYOND all the nonsense , the ballyhooing that Michelle is out to REMAKE her image, that too is absurd ..what they are doing is showing her AUTHENTICITY shine in contrast to the COUNTER CLAP TRAPPING that seeks to segregate her from being more like the real average person she is. Stigmitize her with innuendo and falshoods, not a problem for some SEEKING any excuse in order to NOT admit to their own failings which are inherent racist /seist inclinations showing in their innane claptrappings !!!

[gulopartisan]

The "news" is the overwhelming double standard of the media in their treatment of Cindy McC*n and Michelle Obama. Michelle is not a go-go party girl (or a trollope) trying to look respectable. A news outlet would not even consider treating CIndy McC*n with that kind of disrespect, much less the smug, elitist racism of calling her Obama's "baby mama."

Yes, it's racist AND sexist, because it is, fundamentally, elitist and entitled. Those of us who only appear to be in the club (old white men with money) get sniffed out by the "racists" and "sexists" quickly enough. The true elitism of America is not the stereotyped latte liberal but the tired old white men -- and their lackeys and catamites -- unable to even see their position of privilege, much less examine it.

[writeaway]

MSNBC doesn't do news.

[ROBOT8]

The mind of a bigot is like the pupil of an eye: the more light you pour on it, the more it contracts."
Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, U.S. Supreme Court

[robXdion]

Good one.

[ZimboChick]

right on

[muggsrocks]

It was a play on pop culture. No big deal to this 40-something female.

[newview]

I am voting for Barack - I am crazy for Michelle but what the heck was wrong with the ad?

I am a woman AND I am black.

We are starting to sound like nervous nellies - calm down people.

[bbbear]

And no big deal to this 74 yr old white male and ardent Barack/Michelle supporter. Maybe I'm just an old sexist, but, LOL, Hey, I'm no fan of Tweetie Bird Mathews, et al, but I kinda liked it! It seems to me it's smart, sexy and today!

[Vern58]

Give them what you will, the pundits are going to sensationalize every story for the ratings game. Chris is far more effective than others on this score. It does not make for either objective truth or real hard news. Sad that he would have to focus on this sort of crap.

[DrFitz]

I'm so glad someone posted about this. I saw the teaser they replaced this one with. It still had a single silloute, and I thought even that version was tasteless and bizzare. (not that the story in it's totality wasn't bizzare) But this version is Fox level stuff.

I'm an Irish Catholic woman who's been a strong Obama supporter from the beginning, and I cannot STAND Chris Mathhews! It's just completely maddenning and embarrasing that he gets to host a show and they haven't given one to Rachel yet. How is that possible?? He is a complete disaster, and she's regularly the smartest person on any panel. I can NOT believe that I've heard it even remotely floated that Matthews might be in the running to replace Russert. I'm sure he'd roll over in his grave, and I for one would be in on any effort to raise an unbelievable ruckus!!!

[lizr]

Yes, it's incredible that they reward the sexist grandstander and not the smart and competent woman~

So typical MSM and MSNBC.

[lizr]

I'd like to see Maddows replace Russert. That would be a bold move but it would show that MSNBC can recognize competence even if it involves a woman.

Or it could be Judy Woodruff. She'd be great!

But Rachel deserves her own show. Amazing that yuccy Chris has one and she doesn't./

[buzzy]

Replacing Russert with a gay female would be more than bold. maybe suicidal, certainly unconcentional. I like her, but it would a big risk on NBC's part. Is Sunday morning ready?

[sandtats]

Judy Woodruff is my choice too! A true class act. And I've had enough of the why can't Obama relate to the good ol', "hardworking, white, blue collared, ethnic, Irish Catholic American" meme This from a man who proudly states that in his entire academic life, he never, ever had an AA as a classmate. Gee, maybe you're the one with the "can't relate" problem, Chris.

[ZimboChick]

This comment might sound silly but I am curious. Does stating that I am Irish Catholic also mean I am white? I ask that because I am Welsh, presbyterian, black and i kid you not. I am Welsh because i was born in Wales BUT am Zimbabwean because my parents are Zimbabwean. Damn I am confused even thinking about it - but anyway yeah - is that a code word? I did not quite understand why being Irish Catholic mattered to being an Obama supporter....yeah some mornings are slow help me out

PS I speak Celtic too

[gulopartisan]

It's only "code" in the sense that most of us would assume that "Irish Catholic" would mean "white with white roots." Just like "Zimbabwean-born" would lead most of us to assume the person was black....

[DontBeFoolish]

Chris Matthews on the FLIP-FLOP. On no, say it ain't so. Chris, com'onnnnnn. Your better than this.

[lincheryl]

Chris needs to come on AFTER Keith so he can get the facts straight and not embarrass himself. Referring to 528's? Incredible. If he is going to show a short clip of Obama's explanation, he should snip off the end part that helps clarify the situation. Bad journalism. He gets 5 million for that.

[sytgrl]

This is not offensive to me, but it is quite tacky...

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

Not offensive to me either, but it looked more like an ad for "Charlie's Angels" than a serious story about Mrs. Obama. I didn't get it.

[Isaiah40j]

This election has shown so much ignorance in people. It's been hard for me to make excuses for some of the behavior. Many would like to blame it on the people in Appalachia and the Pat Buchanan's of the world but it is ubiquitous. It's in people I never would have imagined.

This monkey they are selling of Obama is despicable and this ad with Cris Matthew's is inexcusable as well as disrespectful. I really thought he knew better. Not to mention the RNC convention selling a button that says "will you still call the white house white". Come on, really are these adults!

I have white friends that are just as appalled as I am. So, I'm not naive to believe this conduct pertains to all white people. This election has taught me that I was living in a fairy tale. I had no idea the immoral behavior in this great country was to this towering degree.

One day we will not be devided on the basis of physical characteristics such as skin color or sexual orientation but by our compassion and integrity.

Look at the coverage of Russert this week. His life was reflected on so wonderfully because of the decency and integrity he portrayed in his life. I never met him, but I watched meet the press and I felt he was a good man. Think about it, when it's all said and done would you rather be remembered as a Tim Russert or a Pat Buchanan!

[Sparhawk]

Agree. Mistakes are made every day. This might cost a little more than they planned. If the Spouses of candidates step into the ring, they are fair game, though.

[crease]

Just as tasetless as ever.It is a crying shame to what has become infotainment.There is only a handful of journalis in this country left anymore and they are Bill Moyers who I have been watching since I was a kid in sixties and seventies and that`s really all I can come up with.Olbeman is fun to watch but is he real news all of the time? Our MSM is a disgrace to journalism everywhere......

[Tulka2]

David Schuster. I remember he said the Clintons were "pimping Chelsea" by sending her out on the campaign trail, but i put that down to Schuster's youth. Young English uses the word "pimp" in a more casual way than we older people do. He was certainly punished for that gaff. I hope it was not career ending because he is usually professional, objective and straight forward.

I am extremly impressed with Rachel Maddow who I am told by people here is a lesbian and i don't care. I wish she were my grandaughter. She is a Rhodes Schoolar and always so SMART and fair. Would love to see MSNBC just put their best person on Meet the Press. That would be Rachel Maddow.

Otherwise, as others here have suggested....? Why not bring a panal format back to Meet the Press?

[Bozwellian]

Until we can quell the righteous righties, Maddow would become too confrontational and the story wold be her rather than the subject matterings for Sunday morn..so THE PANEL idea is by far THE BEST and on that panel, indeed Maddow should be included.

[army193]

Clinton supporter get your facts right...When Chris Matthew made his remarks just before New Hampshire we all supported Hillary even though I was for Obama...We can't get accountablity on the Bush Administration and you want accountabilty on MSM.

[iswideopen]

Every journalist, journalist "wannabe", anchor, commentator, CNN, MSNBC, have lost me as a viewer, except, of course, Keith Olbermann. He is the only one, no matter what, who is trying to educate the voting public who are not aware of how to find factual information. I applaud him for it. It was hard for me to stop watching at first. Now that I place them in the category of "tabloid tv" the same as Fox News, I have no regrets. Keep your eyes on Keith, hopefully he will be going places sooner than later. If today's show was any indication, (he is "fine-tuning and toning), he's on his way. Go KO; GO GET EM'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (In loving memory of Tim Russert; journalist of integrity).

[Bozwellian]

Presently Keith gets lambasted for "seeming" to be PRO DEM or etc...LOL, am figuring it is due ACTUAL FACTS that HAVE been displayed thru these Bushlerized years of reign and it is his merely pointing out the NUMEROUS gaffings by the Bushlerites and expect once the Dems hold reins , THEY TOO WILL BE SO SCRUTENYZED and equally attempted to be held accountable...He acdtually dos that now...and gets lambasted for being a Barrack supporter when not accurate either and has hit Obama as well but with the Clintons, he did point out certain obviousnouses , much like the "king/queen has no clothes" which was obvious but few DARED contradict the Clinton inevitibility until the VOTERS howed why the Clintons were NOT actually inevitible !!!

[ArabianMonkey]

Tasteless, and simply a bad ad.

".....an MSNBC representative said the ad was pulled after only running "once or twice"....

What? so was it once or twice?

And now it's on the www forever!

eh....

[papa1893]

Chris Matthews is old politics,rude to his guests,never allows people to finish their reply to his question....He is into himself. Yesterday after the memorial He started the show with a stupid laugh of his,commented briefly on the memorial (which was fine) and then started the "bitter crap" the PA.folks crap,the Hillary crap,etc. Pat. B. is the biggest racist out there. You will never see Pat B. on Keith O. program He would demorized him to the point that He would never be on a TV program again. Keith O. explained the public financing on his program tonight...I think Chris,Dan,David need to watch his program to get to the real facts....Joe S. is another right wing nutcase trying to say he is independent. I would be insulted If I was an Independent. For Chris Matthews to say anything about someone's wife the way He does about Michelle Obama or even if He said anything about C. McCain is totally wrong...He is becoming tabloid.....Chris Matthews is a sh..disturber.

[cariintexas]

You forgot David Gregory. He is so in the tank for Mc Cain, really anyone with an "R" in front of their name. Every night he sits there making his own personal attacks against both Obamas. I cannot watch that creep one more minute. People are noticing the about face MSNBC has taken since Tim Russert passed away.

[GBartrem]

Chris Matthews is such a goof ball... sometimes I can't seem to get the image of the "Three Stooges" skit "The Women Haters Club" outta my head, every time he trys accidently on purpose to slander a women in govt.

[lizr]

Goofball is a nice word.

Sexist is the word I'd use.

Never watch him anymore.

Skip directly to Abrams who is not so bad.

Love KO cause he often has the fabulous Rachel Maddows on - who I cannot believe does not yet have her own show~

[lennix]

they just getting startded all of the msm except olberman and moyers and cafferty are doing the job they was train to do but the rest are just plain silly and chris just talk about how a good friend he was to tim russert but he have not seem to do him justice with the junk he puts on his show he could do tim memory a lot of good if he try to be more like him and stop being this cartoon news man tim whould have never done this so please stop letting tim name come out of your mouth it's so fake