In the wise words of Beyoncé, it doesn't seem Fox and ABC are ready for all that jelly ... at least when it's attached to a plus-size model. According to BrandWeek, both major networks have either censored or banned sexy lingerie ads by plus-size clothiers Lane Bryant.
The clothing company for size 14–32 women took to its own Inside Curve blog to explain the frustrating matter to fans. As the company puts it:
"ABC and Fox have made the decision to define beauty for you by denying our new, groundbreaking Cacique commercial from airing freely on their networks. ABC restricted our airtime and refused to show the commercial during "Dancing With the Stars." Fox demanded excessive re-edits and rebuffed it three times before relenting to air it during the final 10 minutes of "American Idol," but only after we threatened to pull the ad buy. Yes, these are the same networks that have scantily clad housewives so desperate they seduce every man on the block, and don't forget Bart Simpson, who has shown us the moon more often than NASA, all in what they call 'family hour.'"
So, what's the real issue? Read on to see the video -- and curves -- causing all the commotion.
So far the ads have been pulled from YouTube and Lane Bryant, but are they really all that offensive? Take a look and judge for yourself. All we see are a few gorgeous plus-size brunettes wearing the new lingerie while lounging around a large and luxe French-style house.
The most risqué part of the video is perhaps the tie between the sultry-sounding voice-over and the scene in which one of the models appears to be heading to lunch wearing nothing but a lacy bra and underwear under her trench.
But, no, it's actually the flash of ample cleavage that's behind the complaints coming from the networks, says Lane Bryant.
That's right, cleavage -- on full display on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," "All My Children," "General Hospital" and "One Life to Live" and in pixelated form on Fox's "Family Guy."
Adding insult to injury, it's not as if these two networks only feature ads with Amish women. Both ABC and Fox have televised the Super Bowl. And the last time Fox did so (in 2008), the broadcast was littered with ads featuring busty Victoria's Secret models, not to mention all of the scantily clad ladies hawking beer.
And this time-honored tradition of showing commercials featuring svelte women dripping with sex appeal continues today on both channels, so it's likely the real issue is the fact that the networks weren't ready to shock their viewers with with imperfect bulges and natural curves.
This, combined with new research that says women's self-esteem actually drops when seeing plus-size women in advertisements, just makes us shake our imperfect heads.
More Good Stuff on the Web:
Why fifth base might be bad for you (Lemondrop)
If "Law & Order" investigated my sex life(Lemondrop)
Could you stop shopping for five months? Here's how she did. (Lemondrop)
I had an office affair ... with another girl. (Lemondrop)












Comments:
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Tuesday 27 April
By Sprinkle Cookie
That's what you get when networks let their winkies do the talking. It's discrimination pure and simple. Ladies: this is the time to get out your pens-pencils-emails and write those networks and tell them how you feel. Believe me, if enough people write, it can change things. You make an issue and maybe someone will come up with a good campaign to show these idiots how idiotic they are. SOBs!!
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Tuesday 27 April
By conC
Slender and beautiful, large and busty, maybe all sex should be left out of the equation.
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Wednesday 28 April
By Laurie!
STOP. A Breast is nothing but yellow globs of fat(/or silicone-water) with a gland (with the appearance of a spider ) draped over the glad. A secretion area, this all on top of a pectoral muscle. OK the obese model has a truck load MORE fat than average, ok. so what?
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Wednesday 28 April
By Laurie!
over the glob of fat
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Tuesday 04 May
By carefreeisme2
Finally some lingere I would actually fit into and look sexy in. I will buy it and after all isn't that what its all about.
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Thursday 06 May
By kt11
honestly as a teenager who is slightly larger than all of my peers, i find it absolutely wonderful to see plus size models out there making it known that being larger is not a bad thing. i am a very self concious young woman and although i am often told that i shouldn't be, i still feel it. seeing these women accept their sizes makes me feel more comfortable about myself. when i watch a victoria's secret commericial all i can think is how i wish i had their bodies and how terrible i must look in comparison, but seeing someone more like me makes me able to accept myself better and not worry so much about my size. the fact that this was refused to be aired is absolutely ridiculous. maybe if people were to see more ads like this and begin to accept people no matter what size they are, there would be less girls starving themselves to look like the victoria's secret models.
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Thursday 06 May
By Liz
Oh my god, why do they even call those models "plus-size"? They're curvy but mostly in the chest area. It's nowhere near as sexy as some of their shows.
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Thursday 06 May
By kmhjbh
Plus size... I wonder how many out there know what size the modeling world considers plus size... my daughter is 5'9" and a size 10... she was informed that the only jobs she would be able to get would be in plus size ads.
Size 10... now think about how many of the ladies out there in this world would classify as plus size??
Skinny women are the minority in this country and on this planet.... I say hit em where it hurts... boycott these stations and their advertisers until they cry ...
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Monday 10 May
By B
I am about the same size as your daughter, and although I work with independent artistic photographers, I would never be accepted in the modeling world except as "plus sized" which is ridiculous. I would never want to get sucked into that pill-popping-finger-down-throat-high heeled hell anyways.
Monday 10 May
By Liz Regan
I am not a plus sized woman, but just like every other woman on the planet I know what it feels like to be pressured into feeling you should look a certain way in order to be "beautiful". The woman in this commercial is gorgeous and those television stations that banned it should be ashamed of themselves. And as far as a study showing women getting depressed by seeing a curvy woman, that is crap. I know I feel much worse every time my Victoria's secret magazine comes in the mail and see the bodies that are not even realistic!
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Monday 10 May
By Khassi
What the hell? You see more than that on Victoria Secret commercials! Are they going to stop showing those too?
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Monday 10 May
By B
I am not plus-sized, but I am still upset that these ads won't run. Why can't we be who we are? I think this model is very sexy. It seems today that social norms have been completely reversed. For example, during the Renaissance, curves denoted health, and a pale complexion displayed wealth, as they had little contact with the sun. Now everyone wants to be sickly skinny and fake baked? That just looks sickly to me.
I applaud the company for creating the ad in the first place, but shame on the networks for banning it. It's tasteful and sexy.
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Wednesday 12 May
By LESLIE
This model is not plus size...............................She's NORMAL!
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Monday 06 September
By Jerome Topac
I like that only hot women get on tv (although i am against anorexic or bolemic measures) I think that fox and/or abc can take out whatever they want. I think this ad was ok though i mean at least she wasn't fugly like most +sized women.
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Tuesday 19 October
By hannah
sooo sexy!! i like the plus size bra... i actually bought plus size lingerie at plus size lingerie
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Monday 20 December
By Plus Size Lingerie
The idea of banning a plus size lingerie ad on account of cleavage is kind of ridiculous. There is so much of that on TV now that this action just seems discriminatory.
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Sunday 17 July
By GiGi
I'm a fit size 6 and honestly, the woman in the ad is gorgeous. I have plenty of friends who have paid plastic surgeons for her breasts....her curves are sexy and does not promote an unhealthy lifestyle at all. If anything, the photoshopped images of VS models makes most women uneasy about themselves, whereas Lane Bryant does the complete opposite given that they portray a more realistic image of the average woman in America today. To all the men calling her a cow or disgusting, think about your mothers, sisters, wives, girlfriends, etc....because I'm pretty sure all the women in your lives are not stick thin. Have some respect and compassion. Not to mention, I'd bet my left nut if I had one that none of you have washboard abs. Grow up.
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