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Why Is GLAAD Coming Up Short on CBS’s Super Bowl Ad Controversy?

GLAAD is in the middle of one of its cutesy “call to actions” with CBS over the television network’s disparate policy on advocacy ads during the Super Bowl. But what’s notably absent from the organization’s latest note about the controversy is a threat to actually, like, doing anything to CBS if it refuses to see GLAAD’s side of things.

From “asking for answers” about CBS’s rejection of that terrible ManCrunch ad to noting the network’s acceptance of an ad from an anti-gay group to calling out CBS for rolling back its positive representations of gays, what we’ve got here are a lot of talking points. And yet, a week before the big game, still nothing from CBS. And we wouldn’t be surprised if that’s how it will stay.

Because CBS doesn’t care all that much. Without an ultimatum from GLAAD or any Gay Inc. group — i.e. reject the ad or we’ll mount pressure on your other big bucks advertisers — there’s really no reason for the network to give credence to our concerns about it letting the vehemently anti-gay Focus On The Family run its anti-choice ad. The Super Bowl is, after all, one big day of high-definition heterosexual machismo, and a few fags queening out over a dating ad can be ignored.

Moreover, Sunday’s game is a huge contributor to CBS’s bottom line. Which means the network may get around to addressing the scandal, but only after it’s collected the $2.5 million checks from those 30-second suckers. Which explains why it appears CBS is, quite literally, sticking its fingers in its ears and pretending GLAAD isn’t even talking.

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