Duncan Hines Pulls Racist Ad

88 Comments

1. 1
   cattyfan
   Posted December 13, 2010 at 12:09 pm

   I would have never thought “blackface.” I only saw chocolate frosted cupcakes. Then again, I don’t look for racism everywhere including food.

2. 2
   vallegirl
   Posted December 13, 2010 at 12:25 pm

   It’s not about “looking for racism” or even that the creative team considered the implications, but they did, either intentionally or not, create an ad featuring a close approximation of blackface.

   It was likely borne more out of a complete disinterest in cultural sensitivity rather than active racism but the end result is still a really anachronistic commercial that crosses the line into offensive, even if that wasn’t the intention of the creators or you weren’t looking to be offended.

3. 3
   Nikki Hughes
   Posted December 13, 2010 at 12:53 pm

   Where is the line in being racist and just having chocolate “black” covered singing cupcakes. ugh

4. 4
   itchy
   Posted December 13, 2010 at 12:58 pm

   Definitely in poor taste. Especially the deep black-sounding voice at the end. Wonder what Sarah Palin has to say about this?

5. 5
   LAC
   Posted December 13, 2010 at 1:01 pm

   Wow….did someone get “Mad Men” drunk at the Duncan Hines pitch meeting?

   vallegirl, if it isn’t about Sara Palin, cattyfan could care less

6. 6
   vallegirl
   Posted December 13, 2010 at 1:02 pm

   @Nikki – it’s the caricature of the bulging eyes and thick lips, too. There were ways to make “singing” cupcakes work, but if chocolate was the only flavor of glaze available, it would likely have been a better idea to just do something else entirely.

7. 7
   vallegirl
   Posted December 13, 2010 at 1:02 pm

   Heh, thanks for the heads up, LAC. I was unaware.

8. 8
   sarcasatire
   Posted December 13, 2010 at 1:03 pm

   I agree, in that I don’t believe it was intentionally created to be offensive. But it does come off as culturally insensitive, especially given the name ‘hip-hop cupcakes’, which leads us to believe that the cupcakes were designed to ‘impersonate’ people, skin/lip tones and all. Only things is, not many people actually look like that outside of makeup. Blackface makeup, lol.

   Black people aren’t the only ones who may be offended by the stereotypes present in the ad. I mean, look at the last cupcake. It had absolutely no rhythm until it was turned ‘brown’. Now just what do you think Duncan Hines meant by that?

9. 9
   LAC
   Posted December 13, 2010 at 1:06 pm

   Sarcas…LOL! You funny, girl…

10. 10
    Nikki Hughes
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 1:12 pm

    I missed “hip hop cupcakes”. Was that really in there?

11. 11
    Nikki Hughes
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 1:13 pm

    Oh, I see it’s in the title. Well, that’s just stupid, b/c that wasn’t even hip hop. I actually thought it was kind of cute, but whatever. And I’m totally intrigued by the product…..I found out last week that I am a horrible cupcake icer!!

12. 12
    JC
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    I am OUTRAGED and DISGUSTED by the singing cupcakes! This demeans all the cupcakes who are not able to sing.

13. 13
    cattyfan
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    LAC and vallegirl….I’ve been hanging around TVGasm for a long time…and I think people who pay attention know I care about more than “Sarah Palin.”

    I originally stated if the headline hand’t been about racism, I wouldn’t have seen it in the ad. I just would have seen an annoying ad with cartoonish cupcakes. I think many people are far too sensitive and need to worry about more important things than a poorly conceived ad for sweets…like areas where REAL discrimination are taking place (and there are scads of examples.)

    Sorry if not seeing racism at every turn offends your delicate sensibilities.

14. 14
    LAC
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 1:52 pm

    And I am sorry that my delicate sensibilities upset your need to immediately scoff at people’s reactions to an uncomfortable ad.

15. 15
    itchy
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 1:58 pm

    Okay, you guys realize you’re starting a catfight about cupcakes, right?

16. 16
    cattyfan
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 2:06 pm

    LOL thanks for putting it in perspective, itchy.

    I think I’ll go bake a non-Duncan Hines product…(I’ve always been more of a Betty Crocker, girl, anyway.)

17. 17
    LAC
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 2:25 pm

    Not starting a catfight – just get tired of “since I don’t see, it doesn’t matter” folks – any hoo, now I think I will stop and get a cupcake at my fav bakery. Maybe a vanilla/chocolate combo…

18. 18
    Nads
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 2:37 pm

    lol at the cupcake fight. honestly gasmii, i don’t think they were thinking racist when they made the ad. I think it was an after the fact thing, but it is is racist when you think about it. honestly, i thought the ad was cute, and i wasn’t offended by it, but digging deep into it–it’s a bit racist.

    whatevs. i’m hungry.

19. 19
    sarcasatire
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 3:53 pm

    I bought a Duncan Hines Red velvet cake mix last week on sale. I will attempt to make my first cake (ever!) sometime within the next two weeks. Just tryna build up my nerve…

20. 20
    melange
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 3:58 pm

    Meanwhile, thousands of adults and children in Holland last week put on blackface for the annual return of Sinterklass and his “helpers”.
    We are just a bit too sensitive in the US.

21. 21
    georgiababe
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 4:01 pm

    This isn’t racist. It just happens to be chocolate. If it was green icing, then nobody would give a shit. Or people would be offended on behalf of frogs.

    Everyone is – as usual – getting their underwear in a knot over nothing.

22. 22
    Nads
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 4:07 pm

    @georgiababe – “Everyone is – as usual – getting their underwear in a knot over nothing.” –but that’s what we Gasmiis do best!

23. 23
    sarcasatire
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 4:16 pm

    @melange: So, because a bunch of Europeans dressed up in blackface and no one heard about it or complained about it, somehow that makes it less racist?

    Actually, i just googled “Sinterklass’ “helper” Black Pete. Dutch and Belgian tradition states that Saint Nick had a helper help him deliver toys. A Black man, some believe was a devil ‘tamed’ by the saint. Others believe him to have been a slave. But there is no denying his African heritage or the fact that when Dutch locals dress as Black Pete, they don huge afro wigs, jet black skin, and bright red lips. Surely an homage, wouldn’t you say?

24. 24
    sarcasatire
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 4:19 pm

    @Georigababe: frogs DO have big eyes and thick red lips, so..

25. 25
    vallegirl
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 4:49 pm

    I don’t think being too sensitive is a problem you suffer from, melange.

26. 26
    Rebecca Fialkowski
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 7:12 pm

    I didnt see it as racist — but Damn its late stores are closed and now im craving some of that yummy duncan hines glazing! Ty for that nads!

27. 27
    Nads
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 8:06 pm

    give me cupcakes.

28. 28
    lestermaddox
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 8:29 pm

    If it hadn’t been pointed out as racist, then I don’t think I would have associated as such. What I saw was chocolate glaze put on cupcakes that then had creepy eyes and mouths pop out. Not an appealing ad in my estimation but not because I found it racist. I just found it creepy. Then again, I don’t like any of my food to have animated faces.

29. 29
    vallegirl
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 8:32 pm

    The irony that your name is Lester Maddox is not escaping me.

30. 30
    Pixielated
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 9:02 pm

    I’m with LAC. I have no problem with people thinking it IS or ISN’T racist, but I do have a problem with people saying if you think it is racist, you are overly sensitive or “looking for racism” and if you don’t think it’s racist, you are insensitive.

    I think it may have something to do with age. Some people are old enough to remember the bad old days, so it might strike them as a throwback. I wonder if the people who came up with this were young enough that it didn’t occur to them that it looked like blackface.

    I don’t think it’s comparable to anything going on in Europe because they don’t have the history or the black population that we do, so have no reason to be sensitive about it.

31. 31
    JC
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 9:16 pm

    Memo to self: Never put chocolate icing on a vanilla cupcake. Must remember that I am a racist whether I know it or not.

32. 32
    Robinez
    Posted December 13, 2010 at 11:57 pm

    My My..The racist shit again, Brings me back to the RH thread all over again. Also,

    I remember seeing a clip of you, Nads. You were doing stand up and used the word “Nigar” many times. Used in the context that you intended it was in the same catagory as this commercial. IMO.

33. 33
    kdfinjpn
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 12:14 am

    Robin – I sent you a PM.

34. 34
    itchy
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 1:47 am

    In Nads’s defense (and not having seen this particular clip of her), there is a huge difference between a comedy routine, which often employs extreme and/or politically incorrect language to underscore exactly the OPPOSITE sentiment, and an advertisement employing culturally insensitive material in order to sell product.

    What’s most offensive about this advertisement is the thought that the people who created it either had no awareness of how extremely insensitive the imagery might be, or that they simply did not care.

    It’d be like a bank running an commercial featuring a Nazi-style Jew stereotype. Or a beer company featuring a bunch of drunk Irishmen. Or a laundry detergent company that only ever uses women in their advertisements…

    I’m trying to put this into perspective. YOU may not find this commercial racist or insensitive simply because it doesn’t directly touch your life. It should, but that’s another issue. It all depends on what kind of society you wish to live in.

35. 35
    classy drunk
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 5:20 am

    I don’t think that it’s a racist commercial. I do think that it is insensitive. I don’t think it’s fair to say that someone is overly sensitive when the cupcakes clearly look like they are in black face and are called hip hop cupcakes.

    That being said I want cupcakes which is weird for me because I don’t even eat sweets.

36. 36
    Matt Lam
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 5:22 am

    @Itchy: They only use women in laundry detergent commercials. I think?

37. 37
    Snootchy Bootches
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 5:23 am

    I just saw a cute ad trying to sell cupcakes. I never would have thought “blackface” in a million years if someone hadn’t made me look for it. The way I see it, chocolate is probably their biggest selling flavor. They were making a commercial for their new glazes so naturally they would choose the flavor that appealed to the most people. And I thought the concept was cute too. I can’t speak to what Duncan Hines intended because I can’t read minds.

    I would like to comment about some of the behavior on this thread though. Look… NONE of you are the house mother here. NONE of you are the arbiter of site etiquette. So get off your fucking high horses! Also, others of you need to stop being so darn sensitive. Get over yourself. A word here or there that you don’t like is really small in the grand scheme of things. Go read a newspaper and you might get the concept that there are bigger issues in the world. That is not to say that condone outright attacks on people. Those should be dealt with immediately. But the rest of this nonsense is just stupid. Now then… Happy holidays.

38. 38
    nyccookie
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 5:29 am

    Does anyone honetly beleve that a huge company like Duncan and Hines would intentionally make a racist comercial with CUPCAKES! This is so silly.

39. 39
    nyccookie
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 5:31 am

    Thank you snootchy!

40. 40
    Moli
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 5:33 am

    I’m coming to the party late but………….I can’t figure out what type of face the cupcakes would have? I’m a brown person and saw creepy cupcakes singing…….that’s about it. I don’t even consider them ‘racially insensitive’, there weren’t any head scarves, bamjos or watermelon involved!

41. 41
    atlgirl
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 5:50 am

    The thing that bothered me the most was the big pink lips on the cupcakes, it reminded me too much of the old-time, racist minstrel show make-up. The commercial could have been cute minus that.

42. 42
    itchy
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 6:13 am

    I think some of the people were upset that the white cupcake couldn’t sing until they poured chocolate sauce on him. I took that as a Justin Bieber reference.

    One of the things I like about TVgasm is that the discourse usually remains civil and there’s very little personal insult-flinging. I never mind people expressing their opinions and don’t mind at all them getting on their high horse once in a while, as long as they don’t let their horse shit on my head.

43. 43
    itchy
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 6:14 am

    Oh yeah, Matt: exactly.

44. 44
    classy drunk
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 6:21 am

    LOL @ “don’t mind at all them getting on their high horse once in a while, as long as they don’t let their horse shit on my head.”

    I love jokes that go over my head and then I have that ah ha moment. It makes the joke that much better. Thanks Itchy for waking up my brain.

45. 45
    thiajok
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 8:39 am

    This is the funniest thread on TVGasm as of now.

46. 46
    notwithoutmytv
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 9:07 am

    If a vanilla cupcake has a chocolate cupcake for baby daddy, what does their offspring self-identify itself as “marble”? Or is that racist, too?

47. 47
    xqzmoi
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 5:24 pm

    Nobody had a problem with the California Raisins. Just sayin’…

48. 48
    TeaLea
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 5:38 pm

    I don’t think I have the energy to be offended by this kind of crap anymore.

    To be perfectly frank though, they MUST have known this would be portrayed as offensive. Do you know how many people see a commercial before it’s released into public viewing? This company is probably looking at this as press, even though it’s negative. Because guess what? Look at how many of us are talking about this cupcake commercial with potentially racist intent?

    Duncan Hines is smarter than we’re giving them credit for.

49. 49
    sarcasatire
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 6:16 pm

    The California Raisins weren’t sporting thick red lips, either. Well, their girlfriends were. lol No one is saying that characters designed to portray Black people are offensive. But when the characters’ features are a little exaggerated, it can rub some people the wrong way. Haven’t met a soul singer or hip-hopper yet sportin’ thick red lips. Man or raisin.

50. 50
    TeaLea
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 6:19 pm

    At the moment, I think the real offense is that I’m on a 1200 cal diet and craving a cupcake like I now am will put me over my cal limit.

    Thanks alot Duncan Hines, you guys are @$$holes.

51. 51
    sarcasatire
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 6:44 pm

    1200 calories!! I am impressed at your discipline! And inspired.. what would a typical day’s meal/snack plan look like?

    I try so hard to be good..I make hearty veggie soups, blend smoothies for breakfast, then I get cabin fever from not being able to go outdoors (too cold for the baby..and humanity), so I snack and snack, which defeats the purpose. No cupcakes..but plenty of popcorn or salt & vinegar chips. Tell me how you do it, TeaLea!

52. 52
    Snootchy Bootches
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 6:48 pm

    I can eat all of the cupcakes I want. But I just had ankle reconstruction surgery so I can’t walk to the kitchen get any!

53. 53
    TeaLea
    Posted December 14, 2010 at 7:05 pm

    @ sarcasatire – It’s a little bit of a yo-yo honestly. I work 8 hours a day 5 days so I don’t have the ability to eat all day. But for breakfast I go with eggs and toast, no butter involved…anywhere. Fruit or string cheese for a snack, soup (280 cals a can or less) or a lean pocket (those things can be very addicting…) for work, and dinner varies. We aren’t big cooks at my home, so it could be anywhere from more soup, to a bowl of green beans or a sandwich. Sometimes I go over the cal limit, but some days I’m under. It primarily depends on my day and the mind set. I allow myself ice cream, but anything under 100 cals a serving and limit the portion. I’d probably lose more weight cutting it out, but my sweet tooth overpowers me sometimes.

    I love fruit and eggs, and I know I can overindulge in fruit at least. It’s about control and finding a healthy food you love and keeping it around in the event you can’t control yourself. Honestly, I haven’t been on this very long, but I’ve done it before and did well. I think it really just came from me being fed up and deciding now was the time. And I miss some stuff, but while I’m thinking of pizza I’ll put a kiwi in my mouth and be happy

    I hope that helped! Are you looking to do something similar?

    @ Snootchy Bootches – LoL that sounds like a badass investment!

54. 54
    itchy
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 12:45 am

    There’s another word for a 1200 calorie diet: starvation. Seriously.

    The worst part is, it won’t work. You’re setting yourself up for problems later. Because you’ll lose some weight now, but your body will panic, go into starvation mode, pack on the fat cells. As soon as you go back to ‘normal’ eating, you’ll pack on more weight than before. Guaranteed.

    It’s amazing that, with all the research showing that diets DO NOT work, and certainly never ever work in the long-term and actually always make things work, that they’re still around.

    Look, you need to burn more calories than you put in. That’s pretty simple. Find an exercise you like and stick with it (even better, start doing yoga everyday — when was the last time you saw an overweight yogi?)

    And choose for quality calories — eliminate all junk foods, and especially all industrialized foods. Learn to cook! Make your own cupcakes — you can control exactly what goes in there, use higher-grade flour, whole cane sugar (which is very nutritious), real eggs, real butter. The cake will be 1000x better. And less expensive. And takes less time.

    The real travesty with this commercial is the lie — don’t let Duncan Hines or anyone else fool you. Cooking is not that difficult. And surprisingly satisfactory. And much less expensive too.

    Sorry. This is one of my ‘trigger’ topics. Oops! [/rant]

55. 55
    itchy
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 12:46 am

    “actually always make things work, ” — should read “worse”.

    Curse you, the demons behind the no comment editing function!

56. 56
    sarcasatire
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 1:17 am

    @itchy, I see your point. @TeaLea, I still admire the discipline it requires to lower one’s daily caloric intake. I, for one, who have never had weight issues in the past, have found that not only am I struggling with losing the ‘baby weight’ (whenever I say this my mom is quick to point out that I lost the baby weight..she’s sitting in my lap), but it’s hard to find the time to exercise. I am at home with the babes all day and am nervous about leaving her alone with anyone but my mom. But I would to take yoga classes again. Or even Zumba, it looks like so much fun!

    I do agree that the best weight loss success comes from eating healthy and lots of cardio and exercise, but what if you don’t have the time? I try to cook healthier meals but I also know it is so easy to order in, rather than strap an active baby into a high chair while I try to prepare a tasty recipe for rainbow swiss chard.

    I really need to learn to cook. That would solve all of my problems right there. Mostly, I prepare soup, using canned broth (vegetable, chicken, turkey) and a mix of fresh and frozen veggies. But how tedious! My palette is bored and then I find myself reaching for savory snacks like salty chips or popcorn. And dry wine!

    I like being inspired by someone else’s meal choices and how to make healthy food just as tasty. That’s why i asked TeaLea what she ate daily. I know I possibly couldn’t sustain myself on 1200 caloris a day, but it doesn’t mean I can’t adopt some of the meal/snack options and incorporate them into my daily lifestyle. Like lots of fruit as snacks. Although, not sure a kiwi can stand in for a pizza when the pizza is what I’m craving, I do appreciate killing hunger with an apple or pear, instead of a bag of chips. And allowing oneself a treat every now and then like ice cream (or chips). As long as we don’t deny ourselves too much, maybe we can stick to a healthier lifestyle. I’m all about rewards..mine just happen to be fried.

57. 57
    sarcasatire
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 1:24 am

    or a red velvet cupcake from Magnolia’s!

58. 58
    whoochile
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 5:05 am

    not to continue beating the danged dead horse of this thread but here goes. Sarcas, I totally understand your situation. Luckily my “job” is fitness, I teach group fitness and pilates. I don’t have any weight to lose, but like most people, losing 3-5 lbs would make me look a little better. Do I care too much? not really. That being said, I have had fun with the BodyBugg, it is the arm band thingy on “the biggest loser”. The thing I like about it is that it measures (decently accurately, but not 100%) your calorie expenditure and steps for the day. You can monitor your movement and then choose to move around more to burn more calories. That might be a better option right now for you while you have your baby. Combine that with some of the on-line food diary sites and you’ll quickly figure out what choices you need to make.The body bugg is expensive, you could also just just a pedometer, but the bugg is way more fun!

59. 59
    Snootchy Bootches
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 5:32 am

    Huh? This horse isn’t nearly dead enough! Look I saw it’s tail twitch!!

    I see what Itchy is saying and have seen it over and over with friends and family. My husband and I aren’t cooks. Neither of us learned that particular skillset. As I like to say, I am good at some things, but that isn’t one of them. I don’t derive any joy at all from cooking. To me, it is just a necessary evil because I am otherwise a foodie. I love cooking shows, cooking competition shows, cookbooks, and fine (and not-so-fine) dining, but I hate to cook. I just love to eat things that taste good. Luckily, my husband and I have a healthy diet without starving or going without. We just do everything in moderation. Well, except coffee. They’ll have to pry my coffee from my dead grasp! (Coincidentally, my husband just brought me a cup LOL) But I digress. My main issue at the moment is burning calories. I have had two bum ligaments in my ankle which have made most activities involving my foot painful. And that has allowed weight to creep. It isn’t diet. It is lack of activity. Pure and simple. But now that I have had that taken care of, I look forward to being able to do more once it finishes healing. And that bug thingie sounds interesting. I might have to check that out!

60. 60
    Snootchy Bootches
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 5:34 am

    And yes… I know it is “its” and not it’s.

    DARN YOU NO EDIT THINGIE!!

61. 61
    cattyfan
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 6:55 am

    How did we go from a conversation about lovely, calorie-laden cupcakes to…dieting and exercise? UGH! LOL

62. 62
    cattyfan
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 6:56 am

    And by “lovely,” I mean delicious.

63. 63
    itchy
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 7:12 am

    Well, having a baby is different…you just have to resign yourself to being its prisoner for the next few years, although daycare helps a lot…

    I learned to cook in my 20s, when I had no money and had to keep myself and my equally poor girlfriend alive on a budget of about 5 guilders (that was about 2 dollars) per day.

64. 64
    itchy
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 7:13 am

    Also, I’d put my homebaked cakes up against any industrially processed packaged crap anyday.

65. 65
    cattyfan
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 7:26 am

    itchy…I will happily be the judge if you wish to send the cupcakes here

66. 66
    TeaLea
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 12:37 pm

    @ itchy – I understand your concern, but I don’t think you’re taking into account how many calories I USED to consume and how little activity I involve myself in. I have portion control issues along with what I put in my mouth. I don’t have a lot of time to exercise and I’ve read enough and played with my diet enough to know that I’m not starving myself. If I was on, let’s say a diet of 500 cals and you came at me with that, I’d understand. But as I said, sometimes I go over and sometimes I go under, it just depends on how hungry I am. If all I do is stand at a computer all day, and then go home and watch TV, how many calories do I really need? Not that many. If I start becoming more active, I’ll add more calories.

    Thanks for the input though.

67. 67
    Flipit
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 12:44 pm

    i am kinda in love with you guys right now

68. 68
    Classy Drunk
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 12:44 pm

    If 1200 is starvation how many is needed for a healthy diet?

69. 69
    sarcasatire
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 12:53 pm

    You know you’re a fat ass when…

    You’re walking down the street and hear a honk and you look over to see your diner delivery guy waving at you enthusiastically as he drives by.

    Happened to me last week. Of course I tried to convince myself that it was because I’m such a good tipper but the truth is that man has spent more time in my foyer than my umbrella stand.

    I need an intervention!

70. 70
    Angela Parisi LaRoe
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 1:13 pm

    @sarcasatire: LOL. I like the walking down the street. I am sure you are not fat though. Oh, I never told you but your baby is really cute.

    I don’t see it as racist but I guess I can understand why people think it may be. The hip-hop remark might have been a little bad but I wonder if it was just a mistake. Either way, the ad is gone now so all is well now.

    I thought the ad was cute but stupid. I have seen too many singing objects on my son’s various cartoons. When you see Mr. Soap or Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper on “Blue’s Clues”, you become immune to the cuteness.

71. 71
    whoochile
    Posted December 15, 2010 at 1:29 pm

    I finally watched the stupid ad and I can see how someone could take it as stereotypical, however i would never consider the “music” as hip-hop, I have no idea how anyone could get hip hop out of that, it very much seems like techno which doesn’t really remind me of any ethnicity at all. I guess reaching, i could see the cake at the end could seem aunt jemimaish, but it was not nearly as bad as I thought.

72. 72
    sheesh
    Posted December 17, 2010 at 6:12 am

    I wish they would come out with a Jersey Shore cupcake.
    Vanilla inside with orange frosting, Ed Hardy sprinkles and sporting tiny fossil watches.

73. 73
    Sunshine
    Posted December 17, 2010 at 1:31 pm

    @sheesh – best idea ever! That would be hilarious. Ronnie’s could be super sized from all the roids. Ha ha

74. 74
    cattyfan
    Posted December 18, 2010 at 8:35 am

    Is that a Snookie poof? Nope…just an air bubble in the batter.

75. 75
    Fan-Ann
    Posted December 18, 2010 at 10:57 pm

    I have decided that I feel the same about singing cupcakes as I would about singing tampons. If it goes in my body in any shape or form I don’t want to be haunted by nightmares of perky tunes emanating from my insides.

76. 76
    sarcasatire
    Posted December 18, 2010 at 11:17 pm

    Fan-Ann, what about a dancing suppository?

77. 77
    Fan-Ann
    Posted December 18, 2010 at 11:36 pm

    LOL @Sarcas; another horror to consider. You are right, I only mentioned 2 out of 3 possible song and dance sites. In a couple of months if I have a nasty winter virus I hope that my subconscious doesn’t torment me with fevered dreams of internal musical theater. Damn you Duncan Hines!

78. 78
    2muchbravo
    Posted December 19, 2010 at 12:08 am

    Singing tampons! HAHAHAHAHA!!

79. 79
    cattyfan
    Posted December 19, 2010 at 8:34 am

    Ranks right up there with that damn partying mucus family on the one commercial. Disgusting.

80. 80
    (J)ustPeachy
    Posted December 20, 2010 at 3:27 pm

    Okay, I’m late and off topic, but I have to throw in my two cents about the detergent commercials. I have noticed lately that the laundry detergent commercials are about washing clothes to cover up a lie. What is that about? There is one where the dad gives the boys barbeque (which, apparently, is forbidden.) Then he tells the boys to lie to their mom about it and just wash everything. WTF? There is another one, too, but I can’t think of it right now. Ridiculous!

    [/rant] (c)2010 itchy

    ON topic, here’s what I think. They knew what they were doing. I think they were too young to think of offending someone. In comedy, especially standup, there are tons of jokes (and even whole shows) based on racial jokes that are supported by all races. It is different when you are marketing. The immaturity shows in the decision to put this together. Someone higher up saw it and squashed it, but not before it was leaked to the public.
    Also, racist or not, as shown in comments above, the ad was successful in its attempts to make the consumer crave cupcakes. <3

81. 81
    Pixielated
    Posted December 20, 2010 at 3:42 pm

    There’s also that other detergent commercial where the mother borrows her daughter’s green top and goes out for a wild girls’ night out, then stuffs the shirt into the clothes hamper and forgets it.

    For one thing, couldn’t she just tell her daughter she’s borrowing the top? She probably paid for it. And if she did want to keep it a secret, wouldn’t she have washed the shirt and returned it to the daughter’s closet right away?

    Why all the secrecy? It’s not like she was having an affair and got jizz all over it.

82. 82
    (J)ustPeachy
    Posted December 20, 2010 at 3:49 pm

    Yes, that is the commercial, thank you!!!

83. 83
    sheesh
    Posted December 21, 2010 at 8:27 am

    All this talk about detergent is making me hongray…damn you.

84. 84
    Jimbob Jones
    Posted December 27, 2010 at 10:42 pm

    I’m way late to the game here, but I feel that in many ways (assuming this commercial wasn’t MEANT to be racial imagery) people not assuming something they’re doing has racist connotations is a GOOD thing. I’m not saying white people should start whipping out the “N-word” or something, but that someone made a commercial likely not intended to be racist shows that these images, indelible as they are as racist iconography to many of us, may not be thought of as so to others (who were just making a commercial about animated cupcakes).

    Should they have pulled the commercial? Of course, once they knew the issue.

    But I, for one, am HAPPY there’s a group of people where race wasn’t the first thing they thought of. It hopefully shows that, in many ways, we’re growing. (That is assuming, of course, that it wasn’t intentional. If it was, then DH are just a bunch of dicks.)

85. 85
    Robinez
    Posted December 28, 2010 at 2:27 am

    Are we still talking about this shit? Didn’t folks get enough cake-like treats during the holiday?

86. 86
    LAC
    Posted December 28, 2010 at 6:02 am

    Hey, Jimbob…thanks for your thoughtful comments.

    Just didn’t want the last comment to be what a boob you are for commenting on it. We have some former high school hall monitors in the mix.

87. 87
    Thatswhatshesaid
    Posted December 30, 2010 at 9:49 pm

    LOL! I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the discussions! From cupcakes, to dieting, to partying items inserted into. various orifices, it’s been grand!

88. 88
    JimbobJones
    Posted January 1, 2011 at 9:24 pm

    @LAC – Thanks LAC. I’d be concerned if the “complaint” comment was from someone whose opinion I actually care about.