Clear Channel Bans Ads For Harry Shearer's CD Over Anti-Bush Image

Clear Channel, the radio station and billboard powerhouse, has banned an ad for Harry Shearer's new CD "Songs of Bushmen" because it depicts George Bush with a bone through his nose, the New York Post's Page Six reports:

The outdoor advertising arm of notoriously conservative Clear Channel has banned signs for "Songs of the Bushmen" because the cover depicts the president with a bone through his nose. "Their tone turned from genial salesperson to angry schoolmarm - 'This is unacceptable,' " Shearer, the voice of Mr. Burns and Flanders on "The Simpsons," told Page Six. "And it's not like this is a dangerous time to criticize George Bush."

Last October, Clear Channel's Palm Beach arm refused to air an ad for VoteVets during Rush Limbaugh's show because the ad "would conflict with the listeners who have chosen to listen to Rush Limbaugh."

Disclosure: The ad is running on the Huffington Post, and Harry Shearer is a regular contributor to the site.

Comments

[Coronadoman]

Clear Channel reserves the right to refuse service, I suppose.

Now, if they are SINGLING OUT some people to refuse that service, you have a case for discrimination.

THAT'S the American way.

[JulieSA]

Harry Shearer is a white male, so it's going to pretty hard to prove illegal discrimination.

[99hockeyman]

No, you dont have to sell advertising space to someone you dont like or agree with their political persuasion. It depends on if you want the money bad enough.

[darthdarcy]

Bushmen get it that's why the picture Busmen wear bones through their noses or did or a believed to...

The music is great it's a serious bunch of players involved if you want to hear a cut from it here it is...

Harry Shearer and the Bushmen....a great cut I love, 935 Lies....the horns and bass are killin..

http://www.mydamnchannel.com/Harry_Shearer/Music_Video/935lies_687.aspx

Great Job Harry Really Great Stuff..!

[bujeeboo]

If I was a Bushman, I'd be insulted.

That is one ugly mo fo.

[Felicty]

What an insult to the bone.

[66rock]

Please we've all seen it. Take it off.

As much as I detest that rathole, that bone in the nose thing really gives me the creeps! Stop it!

[WIpatriot]

Second that....

[Tenley]

It's given me the creeps as an ad on HuffPo. Now we have the ad and the photo with the story on the top of the page. And sometimes when you click to the front page you have two of the same ads with the bone through the nose AND and the photo accompanying the news story on the top half of the page!

[Phil123]

I find it offensive to do this to the image of the president.

You can disagree with him, and you can say whatever you'd like about him. But disfiguring his image is extremely disrespectful and childish.

You will not pull neutral people to your side with this kind of antics; they will tend to see you as hateful and imature.

[AdobePhsyko]

I'll bet You call yourself a Patriotic American.
You've got it all wrong
CENSORSHIP IS UNAMERICAN / COMEDY IS NOT

[BobEvansZombie]

Yeah, but sending thousands of American's off to be killed and maimed for a lie is ok, right?

[Jaybot]

Aside from the drooling idiots, there are no 'neutral' people left.

[AnnArky]

You find disfiguring his image "extremely disrespectful and childish?"
Try and get your patriotic little mind around the millions, around the world, who have been "literally" disfigured by the "hateful and imature [sic]" antics of of this man you seem to respect and admire. Personally, I would love to shove a bone through Commandeer Codpiece's nose.

[Raymondf]

90% by their own people.

[bujeeboo]

WHAT??? I'll give him respect when he's worthy of it!

Right now, he's worthy of prison and an orange jumpsuit.

[fleetw1978]

Right, clear channel will put limpballs and hannity and the other fearmongers on air and let them deride anyone they please. Talk about drive by media. Talk radio has become and has been for a long time nothing but trash entertainment.

[libmatters]

Clear Channel is owned and operated by Texas Republicans. They don't like to see their little naked emperor portrayed in any negative way.

[darthdarcy]

Bingo...!

[JiminNC]

These people use OUR public airwaves, at our pleasure, to make money. I think it will be time for some licence reviews in January.

[JulieSA]

No one can force them to carry an ad they don't want to carry, and this does not constitute a violation of their license.

[Forester]

I love HS and am a Le Show faithful, but why pick on the noble New Guinea bushmen Harry? GW couldn't hold their p*nis sheaths!

[craneman]

Maybe it should be refered to as a "TEXAS MOUSTACHE"

[Raymondf]

Thats funny I don't care what you say, God Bless the Pigmes in NewGuinia. GET UR DONE.

[tcagle]

A "Texas Moustache" would be a Dirty Sanchez, no?

[YEShavesome]

Texas doooooochebag

[KidSampson]

As David St. Hubbins said, "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever." I think the ad is deliciously clever, and as for Clear Channel, it hardly needs saying which side they're on.

What I want to know is this: will Clear Channel accept a plain black billboard as a compromise?

[RSU]

Would you thnk it just as clever if done to SenObama?

[candycane]

I was thinking the same thing. I bet not!

[LanceJetson]

What...and say "Obamamen?" It doesn't work as a pun. (I get your point, though. And that could be one of the reasons Clear Channel objects. It could easily be seen as racist.)

[Ramirez]

That would be inappropriate, and rascist.

[Raymondf]

I think thats a great Idea.

[JiminNC]

I bet Clear Channel would run it.

[nastyvirus]

No. The people at Clear Channel hate blacks. Make it a white billboard, with a side of Texas-style ribs.

[JulieSA]

"The people at Clear Channel hate blacks."

Prove it.

[Raymondf]

I thought everyone disliked blacks.

[adzeman]

There is a much better location for that bone....

[SlinkyTWF]

You'd have to remove the corn cob first.

[tcagle]

And his head.

[Ramirez]

All HuffPo threads contain at least one reference to putting things up your butt.

[nirek]

you would have to remove Mc Same first.

[AdLib]

So, can we count on an 0bama FCC to tear apart these ideological exploiters and censors of our public airwaves?

[PATina]

Whew... I was wondering why that picture w/ GWB kept popping up.

And while I've never had any good things to say about Junior Bush... this is a bit distasteful. I can only imagine how many car accidents would occur because of this frightening image being placed on billboards.

Now as far as the radio ad... that's just wrong. Nobody ever cared whether or not I wanted to see commercials regarding men's enhancement drugs while watching Law & Order.

[Thron]

I see Bush in the middle of an intellectual bush fire. He would be given some liquid cash from oil company to save himself. Thank you god He would use it.