Calvin Klein 'Threesome' Billboard Raises Eyebrows (VIDEO, POLL)

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NEW YORK -- A racy Calvin Klein billboard is raising even New Yorkers' jaded eyebrows, with some passers-by saying the clothing maker crossed the line with its sexy advertisement.

The new billboard shows a young woman lying on top of a man, while kissing another man. All three models are topless. Another male model reclines on the floor with his jeans unbuttoned.

"I think it's obscene," said Rachelle Brunn, who was passing by the extremely large billboard in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood. "They always have ads that are pushing the envelope, but this one is the worst I've seen since I've been here. My biggest concern is that it gives teens the wrong idea."

But Carmen Guzman wasn't bothered by the ad. She said Americans see this kind of advertising everywhere, especially in the Big Apple.

"This is really nothing new," Guzman said.

New York-based Calvin Klein has long been known for provocative advertising. Brooke Shields famously advertised second-skin Calvin Klein jeans in 1981 when she was a teenager, while model Kate Moss has also appeared in sexy ads.

Meanwhile, tourist Jodi Baron, who was visiting New York City from Cleveland, said the billboard's location didn't matter.

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"One girl. Three guys. No shirts. It's not the best way to depict women," Baron said. "I don't care if it's New York City. I think it's really inappropriate."

Calvin Klein sells clothing and accessories, among other merchandise.

A representative for Calvin Klein declined to comment on the billboard.

Calvin Klein is owned by Phillips-Van Heusen Corp., which also owns the Bass and IZOD brands.

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Comments

[KataVideo]

I am not offended, but hardly turned on. Now if it were two women and a guy, that'd be hot. If I were the guy.

[Knowledgeseeker]

lighting people, lighting up !!!!

[Knowledgeseeker]

the billboard is all good..
only right wingers are complaining

[Marina56]

I'm probably to the left of you politically, agnostic, originally from Europe, and find this billboard extremely inapproriate.

[jbrantow]

then look the other way......and be sure to stay out of any art museum.

[white mende man]

You must have left Europe a very long time ago.

[Christina4]

I'm not a "right-winger" and I'm complaining. The billboard is for adults, and for adult magazines, not public streets. I'd never want my young kids to see this image.

[verycold]

Well said.

[Marina56]

It seems to me that this ad is aimed primarily at teens and very young people, and it's designed to make risky sexual behavior look cool. I find it offensive for that reason, and I'm an agnostic and have been a committed liberal for longer than most on here have been alive.

[jbrantow]

have you everseen a daytime soap opera....just channel surf for 5 minutes and you'll see much more explicit things than a bill board drawing.

[Marina56]

I don't doubt it, but from hearing people go on ad naseum about what's going on in their favorite soaps, they are mind chillingly boring.

The difference is, people who don't want to watch soaps don't turn them on, and people who don't want their children watching them can monitor that.

[white mende man]

Where does it say only Liberals love the human body, nude or semi-nude, you need to stop pretending that there is a problem with pictures like these, it's only the way people think that make these pictures bad otherwise you need to go to Africa and go around clothing every nude person in the continent.

[Marina56]

I for one don't have any problem with nudity. I do, however, find objectionable the selling to young people of the idea that risky sex is cool, and even more so when that message is sent just to make money off overpriced merchandise.

[NewYorkStateofMind]

I would have preferred two chicks and a guy and would have liked to be the guy. So I am going to have to join in and disapprove of this ad as it is also.

[jbrantow]

than don't look at it.

[NewYorkStateofMind]

I think you may have missed the humor in my comment

[bla2009]

Why now? I know the ad sux, but it's been up there for MONTHS.

[Crissy Patters]

Watch out Calvin Palin, NOW and the women protesting against David are going to come after you with all they got. One young women being raped by three men is going to get these women riled on behalf of all young girls, women and the men and women in our miliatary.

[uncsportsliberal]

Ho hum. Who cares? My suggestion is to not look at the billboard if you are offended. Americans are so uptight. Move on. Talk about something important, like the fact our health care system sucks. That is what really matters.

[Norak]

Don't look at it? That's like saying don't look at that car crash or avert your eyes from that person in the gutter.

[MakeAWish]

These ads belong behind the counter in Hustler or Playboy. IT'S CALLED DECENCY! I resent porno being forced upon a society. It's called FREE CHOICE ! If you want it, fine, but don't force it upon others who don't!

[AmandaBC]

Move to Iran. You'd love it there!

[sedum]

A Man Duh,

Slipping Iran into the thread shows the severe limit of your alleged intelligence.

SedumBC

[Marina56]

"If you don't like it, leave the country" is a very tired line, whether it comes from the right or the left or the middle.

[jbrantow]

Why don't you just wear blinders or don't look at it.

[distance88]

A lot of people here are underestimating the power of advertisement and the unique quality of billboards--presumably because they are so ubiquitous they blend into the urban backdrop. Advertisements in electronic and print media are easily avoided: you can change the channel, close your Internet browser, or choose not to read certain magazines.

However, billboards are strategically placed along routes that we take on a daily basis: to our jobs, to school, wherever. They are not so easily avoided. So just because the content of this billboard isn't offensive to some of you, the fact that we are so bombarded by advertisements should be considered offensive.

I, for one, hope that Banksy or some like-minded individual can find the time to tag the **** out of this garbage in a true display of 'free speech'.

[MakeAWish]

Totally agree! It's inappropriate garbage! Calvin Klein must be hard up to make a buck if the company has resorted to prostituting it's wares in this manner.

[Nicon]

Offended? Please people.

Step 1, firmly grab your neck with both hands.

Step 2. Pull hard enough to remove it from your butt.

[sedum]

Too often we forget that Nicon is the official arbiter of what and what not we should be thinking.

I wonder though, if one of those teeny boppers were a family member, would Nicon have such a uber liberal view of this advert.

Probably yes.

Obama/Iggy/SedumBC

[Nicon]

lol. if you kids are influenced more by a CK billboard then they are by you, why should the rest of us have to care?

[alaskan]

Look at that woman's thighs! She's about the size of an eight year old! Gross.

[Bill Swadley - Huffpost Blogger]

I drive by this billboard on Sunset Bl. every day. The MSNBC reporter calls it a "threesome," but it's actually a foursome. (The guy on the floor just finished sooner.)

[PAposter]

eeewwwwww or yuuuuuuuuum, I can't decide, LOL!

[sngfx]

There's nothing wrong with this as far as adults are concerned, but this is ENTIRELY inappropriate to be posted up for children to see. Unfortunately, this country is filled with self-absorbed jackasses who never consider other people.

[AmandaBC]

The reality is, as soon as kids are old enough to get the "urge", they start downloading porn from the internet. And it doesn't take long before they become s.exually active. The rest is just good ol' conservative hypocrisy (if I don't see it, it doesn't exist!)

Time to stop demonizing s.ex and join the XXI century. Or move to Iran/Saudi Arabia...

[Marina56]

"If you don't like it, leave the country" is a very tired line, whether it comes from the right or the left or the middle.

Not all kids download porn, and not all kids have sex before they're physically and emotionally mature.

By your "logic, parents might as well give their kids a Penthouse subscription for their thirteenth birthdays.

The kind of parenting you're advocating is why so many children fall prey to internet predators.

[whocan]

and you wonder why liberals will defend Letterman's pedophilic rape jokes

[Jaxy]

"Letterman's pedophilic rape jokes"?

Dude, do you ever tire of being a hyperbolic, inauthentic Drama Queen? Apparently not.

[AmandaBC]

Another "wide stance" republican? ;)

[lakat]

It's the filthy minded right (biggest purchasers of porn in the country) who see pedophilia in Letterman's joke. Your talking points are showing.

[Jaxy]

And just so you know, the Calvin Klein billboard ad, while racy, is no worse than the adevrtising served up than Candies.

Candies, as you should know, is the shoe company with which Bristol Palin and her "Abstinence only for you - regardless of what I did or didn't do!" group have affiliated themselves.

[Jaxy]

"Advertising served up by Candies", that is.

[CeeCee]

Quit lying.

[Strywever]

Do you believe everything Sarah Palin tells you? For pete's sake, think for yourself. You sound ridiculous.