"Fathers4Justice" ad attacks Kate Winslet's kids

It's a low-res image, but this ad (found on Daily Mail) reads:

Kate, every child deserves their father this Christmas.

We congratulate Kate Winslet on the birth of her new baby boy. 

However, in a recent interview, the actress was quoted as saying, 'My kids don't go back-and forth, none of this 50/50 time with the mums and dads — my children live with me; that is it. That is it!' 

We disagree. This year nearly 4 million children will wake up without a father this Christmas, often as a result of outdated and prejudiced views with treat a nation of first-class fathers as second-rate parents. 

We hope that Kate and her son never experience the profound pain and loss of being separated from their loved ones as millions of fathers and children will, not only at Christmas, but throughout the year.

The Mail reports that Ms. Winslet has threatened to sue Fathers4Justice. She has three children by three men: film directors Jim Threapleton and Sam Mendes, and Virgin Galactic's Head of Marketing Promotion and Astronaut Experience, a man who legally changed his name to "Ned Rocknroll". Although it doesn't make a difference these days, she was actually married to the first two dads when their children were born, and is currently wed to Ned. (I'm thankful she kept her maiden name!)

Sam Mendes is reported as saying "It is inappropriate for this organisation to involve my family and I when they know nothing of our personal circumstances. Whilst I fully support fathers’ rights, I can happily state this has never been a concern for me or my son."

Apparently, Jim Threapleton has been supportive of the group (in 2004) as he claimed he went long periods without seeing his daughter.

Ms. Winslet's lawyers sent Fathers4Justice a letter this week calling the ad "misleading and seriously defamatory."  A group spokeperson, however, commented: "We believe the content of the advert is accurate, balanced and reflective of her comments. Fathers4Justice has not made any comment in our advert about the personal arrangements of Kate Winslet and the fathers of her children."

No, they just happened to say that every child needs a father, and implied that she was wrong to say that her kids stay with her rather than "flown here and there with nannies."

I'm a dad. And my son is everything to me. I can't imagine not being able to see him. So I can imagine the passion with which these estranged dads fight for parental rights. They just need to leave Kate Winslet's kids the hell out of it.

As well, I respect and honour the many households that don't have fathers — single mothers due to divorce, death, or simply choice, and those started by same-sex women couples.

I thought we were already over these kinds of blanket statements 21 years ago, when US Vice President Dan Quayle went after a fictional character on TV for deciding to have a kid on her own.

The ad hasn't been placed yet, but in this digital age that is almost beside the point in a discussion about advertising ethics. To lawyers, however, it will make a big difference.

Anti-cellulite jeans? Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt!

Via Brit + Co

We're all used to sketchy beauty claims by lotions, potions and pills, but this is a new one. Wrangler is apparently releasing a line of "Denim Spa" jeans for women that have been impregnated with extracts that "soothe" or "moisturize" skin. One pair, "Smooth Legs," even claims to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

According to the Telegraph:

Infused with algae extracts, retinol and caffeine, the style was clinically tested by the Institut Adriant in France, where after four weeks of wearing the jeans for eight hours a day, five days a week over six weeks, 69 per cent of the panel claimed that the appearance of their thighs had improved. 

The Smooth Legs style reportedly lasts for 15 days' wear (or four to six washes), after which a reload spray can be applied after each wash to continue to reap the jeans' beauty benefits. In total the jeans can retain their cosmetic effects for around 67-95 wears, according to Wrangler.

Yeah, about that. First of all, the cellulite cream industry is a great big fraud. There's no medical proof that any chemical can actually reduce cellulite, especially when applied topically. Retinol, which is part of the "Smooth Legs" jeans, can thicken the skin when applied therapeutically, so it may reduce the outer dimples by making legs... plumper.

All that aside, the idea that a pair of cosmetic-soaked jeans could do anything meaningful is absurd. But this is fashion advertising. When have fashion's promises ever been based in reality? Plus, Wrangler has just signed Lizzy Jagger as the "face" of their new line:

I despise this kind of marketing, promising impossible results to gullible consumers. Interestingly, in the UK, the notoriously twitchy ASA has already started cracking down on anti-cellulite advertising. This month, they banned an ad featuring Mila Kunis that claimed its cream could help anyone "Get Mila Kunis' Esquire look" — beside a sexy underpants shot of the "Sexiest Woman Alive" from the magazine in question.

Thanks to Adland.TV for the tip.

Laura Vandervoort goes "V" for PETA

No, it's not "vegan" this time. The Canadian actress, known for her portrayal of reptillian alien in the remake of "V" (video in new window), has gotten herself undressed and herped up once again, but this time it's for a cause:

That's right, it's PETA. But at least her ads have some cultural context beyond "hey! look! I'm naked over here!", plus the slaughter of exotic reptiles in the wild for shoes and handbags is pretty unconscionable. (Yes, I know there are also farms...)

F'd Ad Fridays: Horrifying Amy Winehouse memorial bust

And by "bust" I mean "chocolate bony cleavage".

Via The Superficial

(if hotlink doesn't work, here's the URL: http://www.thesuperficial.com/amy-winehouse-topless-statue-09-2011/0908-amy-winehouse-topless-statue-06)

A PSA on how to make tea from Brad Pitt's intoxicated, half-dressed, assistant

So this is bizarre.

Lara Marsden is Brad Pitt's personal assistant, and the trash press are having a field day speculating about what her duties may include.

Me, I just love watching people embarrass themselves in the name of internet fame.


How to make the perfect brew!!

Lara | Myspace Video

Video via Robby Nova's Pop World

The most selfish $68,000 anniversary gift you will see today

Zsa Zsa Gabor has emerged from her coma, but she probably isn't travelling Sunset Boulevard much these days. Which is a shame, because her Prince of a husband tells TMZ that he paid $68,000 to put this billboard up there for a month:

How very romantic of him. Too bad she can't enjoy it.

F'd Ad Fridays: Sly Stallone directs flying children, has some soup

Yes, it's a Japanese ad. Why do you ask?

Erin Andrews faces the hatelust of the internet

Erin Andrews is a sports reporter at ESPN. She is also an attractive woman. Good for her, right? Making it in a male-dominated profession.

But, rather predictably, her sex and her appearance have inspired the legions of losers on the internet to stalk, threaten and abuse her. She has even received death threats via e-mail.

Perhaps the worst attack she has endured was having a stalker actually shoot secret video of her nude in her hotel room. The so called "peephole video" became such a viral success that it has since become a popular lure for malware sites.

Is this fan love, or fan hate? Frighteningly, for all female journalists, it's a dangerous mix of both.

Check out this "fan" video, posted just this week:


(Skip to 2:10)


The "kid" (who does not sound like one) yells at her from the stands at the NCAA College World Series, demanding an autograph. When she says "no" rather sternly, he yells "I’m gonna watch your video tomorrow!"

This is what these "sexy" celebrity pictures and videos are really all about: power. By bringing up the video, he is threatening to rape her privacy. Out of anger.

Am I reading too much into this?

Here are some comments from the YouTube page:

"lol whoever shouted about the video is a champ. If she's gonna get offended by stuff like that then she shouldn't be such a bitch in the first place."
- jediknight328

What a big bitch. She's not doing jack shit and she can't sign a fucken ball. I would have been like I'm gonna watch your video tomorrow and J/O to it even though I disagree with what the guy did. She's not even that hot. Looks like a fucken witch
- GrammatonCleric24

"lol, what a whore."
- plzenjoymybigolpenis

Granted, YouTube comment threads are the sewer of social media, but they are also a peek into the dark side. You could call it sexual sour grapes—the unattainable woman is a bitch and a whore who is "not even that hot,"  and she deserves to be pseudo-raped.

This is not appreciating a beautiful woman. This is sexualized hate. And it is something to think about next time you check out that celebrity nip slip, upskirt, or sexting link you see online. Are you aroused by the idea of seeing beautiful people naked, or is it the opportunity to participate in humiliating a person more popular or famous than you that really turns your crank?

In Erin's own words, "Man up!"

Lindsay Lohan is shooting commercials from her house arrest

There's shameless, and then there's LiLo:



Popeater says, "Apparently you can't keep this working girl down. Lindsay Lohan who has been spending some court ordered time at home as of late hasn't let her staycation go to waste. The house arrest ham filmed a commercial from the confines of her cozy quarters to the tune of more than $25,000."

$25 K for 18 seconds hawking penny auctions? That's some hard time she's doing...

F'd Ad Fridays: "Fell Out of Love With a Girl"

Jack White (who still carries the assumed surname of his ex-wife and former White Stripes bandmate Meg) is such an old fashioned romantic:

Via The Daily What