@erickohn
I was so happy to see this movie poster for "The Change Up" defaced. Ryan Reynolds has been labeled "character?" while each of the two women fawning over him are aptly labeled "prop."
The ad is all over New York City (and probably the buses and billboards in your town, too), and it infuriates me every time I walk by it.
Emily Breitkopf
The full ad
There is just sooo much to be offended by here: the "babes" and "babies" comparison, the two identical women crooning over one man, Ryan Reynolds groping their butts, and on and on and on.
To me the worst part is that the women are clearly props rather than people in the ad, as the graffiti artist noted. What black-marker commentary does this inspire in you?
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I see this ad every day and it bothers me every time I see it. At first I thought it was because of the parallels between the women's panties and the babies' diapers. Then I thought it was the way the guy's hands are digging into the one woman's thigh and the other woman's butt. This morning I realized that the guy with women is actually meant to be carrying them, like Jason Bateman is carrying the babies. The women aren't taller than he is, he's carrying them like groceries. That's why his hands are digging into them.
I think my black-marker commentary would be something sarcastic like "too bad women don't come with handles" or something like that. Anyway, this movie's PR run can't end too soon.
I guess the babies are props too.
I don't think it's that offensive on it's face. One is an exaggeration of single life and one is an exaggeration of married life.
The bad part is that these women aren't even in the movie which makes the "prop" comment appropriate.
For those of you in the Canadian Tennis Poster conversation who thought we were overreacting, please kindly note that we are still having the conversation.
So noted. Kindly.
I made the same point about the tennis poster - what bothers me most is not that this sexist ad gets made but the apparent lack of diversity in the rooms where the decisions to green light this ad (and others of its ilk) are made.
I have to say that what comes to mind as a change-up is Orestes and the Eumenides, the matricidal son being tormented by her avengers. We know how that one turned out, though. Orestes was acquitted in the end. At least he got some sleepless nights.
The counterpart to chick flick: dick flick.
"Dick Flick" is a perfect term for this movie!
um, i think that term for a type of movie is already in use and it's not for anything that can be shown in regular theaters or gets only an 'R' rating.
O.o
I don't think it's a big deal. Certainly no worse than how the video for Nicki Minaj's Super Bass objectifies men.
Clearly the movie is a sex-comedy-farce from a guy point of view.
Seems like there is a freak out every time there are attractive women used to sell something. So what - attractive men are used to sell things too.
Yes, David, you are exactly right. The objectification of women and men occurs with equal frequency and impact in this country. You're also precisely right that there is not even a whisper of institutional sexism left in our society. I had almost forgotten that until your comment reminded me.
At your service!
Of course I never said:
And I never even implied that:
Snark works best when it's based on reality and not made up arguments.
No, Mr. Gagne, you did not imply that institutional sexism is nonexistent. But you did imply that since you can name a few examples of men being used as sales tools, then there is indeed an equality of sexism. Besides that actual lack of equality, since men have had and still have the upper hand in these situations, the objectification of the traditional objectifier (men) is hardly equal to the objectification of the traditionally objectified (women). You are engaging in an activity commonly known as "not getting it".
Very funny. I think it's called a "false equivalent"!
No, Mr. Gagne, you never implied there is no institutional sexism. However, you did imply that, since you can name a few examples of men being used as sales tools, then the objectification of men was equal to the objectification of women. Due to the history of who objectifies whom the objectification of the traditional objectifier (men) is never equal to the objectification of the traditionally objectified (women). You are engaged in an activity commonly known as "not getting it".
My apologies, the above comment should not have been repeated. If there is a way to delete comments I have yet to find it. If the powers which be can delete the repeat and this post, please do so. Thanks you.
Pretty darn sexist ad! This portrays women as being foolish half naked girls fawning all over a guy. Have we not 'come a long way, baby'?
I enjoyed it twice ( ;
Oh come on, that Nicki Minaj video isn't the same thing at all. The men watch Nicki through the whole thing and the video ends with a lap dance.
I think for one show that portrays men as incompetent idiots, I never have to go further than "Everybody Loves Raymond." It was a fun show and all, but oh god, is Raymond a total idiot when it comes to being sensitive, articulate, thoughtful, A HALFWAY DECENT PARENT, anything. And I think that's a problem in a lot of shows and movies, guys are portrayed as utter fools, with perhaps good hearts, but little in the way of capability, and that's a huge problem.
But the difference is that in shows and what not, men are portrayed as characters, rather than objects. Look at something like "Two and a Half Men." I love the show, I think it's hilarious. but about 80% of the young women in that show are shown as two dimensional sex objects, like "Candi." And that's just what this ad does. The men in this movie will likely be idiotic dolts, but the women will be, just as this graffiti pointed out, props.
This just looks like a lame version of Freaky Friday with sex thrown in for profits.
Black marker - "Baby on right destined to be a plumber"
LOL!
hilarious
Jakinbox.
I don't think the poster is offensive and is probably a good communication of what the movie is about in a single picture. Oversexed womanizer being fawned over by beautiful woman changes lives with a frustrated dad who craves the singles life.
It's the classic "the grass is always greener" scenario until you get over the hillside where you learn to re-appreciate what you have.
You are kidding, right?
No, I'm not kidding. Movie isn't out yet, so I can't say for sure what it's about, but I figure they'll make the switch, see that's it not what they want and then try to switch back. It's a mindless jaunt through a guys fantasy. Just because it looks at a guys perspective, doesn't make it sexist.
If you're looking to be offended, then you can find it anywhere and everywhere.
"Hollywood doesn't have a clue who we really are and will continue to grind out R rated filler like this. Enjoy?"
I guess you have to be a woman? My first thought was... "wow, sexy women". Is there enough time in the day to get upset with sex marketing? That's like fighting oxygen. Too busy hating Tea Parties with Tea Bags.
You don't have to be a woman, just someone with a brain.
And the "This argument isn't as important as this argument, and who can focus on more than one thing at a time! Am I right guys?" argument is getting really, really tired. I wish sexists, or just plain apathetic people would adopt a new strategy.
Yawn.
I was going to post a comment but this guy pretty much said what I was going to, so good job Logical-Chris.
There's a local talk radio host in my area that has a "fake outrage of the day" segment a couple times a week, this seems to fit the bill.
Yes! There is enough time every day to get upset at this kind of marketing. Do I know how to deconstruct it intelligently? Sure. But my 10 year old daughter wouldn't, and neither would many grown men and women. They'd see what I know is intended by this and, yes, lots of other marketing crap out there in the world. She'd see that women are props in the eyes of many men and that men are idiots who can barely control themselves, much less take care of babies.
Feminist deconstruction is not just about women. It's also about recognizing the ridiculous roles men are supposed to fulfill in our culture. It's about understanding how unequal relationships between two people of the opposite sex, be they romantic, platonic, or business, can hurt all of us by limiting the view we have of ourselves.
It's not the sex aspect that's offensive. Sexiness is fine. It's the demeaning objectified way in which the women are portrayed that's the problem. Yes, there is plenty of time to get upset over sexIST marketing.
And I'm not a woman.
SexIST marketing implies sexISM is okay. This is the objection. Sexism is not okay, therefore sexist marketing isn't okay. Sexist marketing tells the market-ees that such attitudes and behaviors are acceptable. It perpetuates attitudes and behaviors that are dangerous for women, and reflect badly on men.
The problem isn't sex marketing, it's sexist marketing. The women in this ad are blank slates, there for whatever Ryan Reynolds wants them for. If this were two sexy leads posed in a composition which implied balanced relevance, that would be selling sex, to men and women alike. Trust me, that ad sells me nothing, other than the garbage notion that two women are still less important than one man.
Lighten up, Francis. If labeled, I would be stamped "progressive" but yes, I do eat meat, and yes I do enjoy the female form. Do you really want all males emasculated in your image? Most women I know don't. Again, celebrate the differences and try not to belittle men for their natural urges. Trust me, they're a lot more fun to hang around with that way.
What exactly is emasculating about vegetarianism?
Touche! Thanks for having a sense of humor, unlike so many other folks posting on this thread.
I eat meat that are vegetarian.
Why are both women wearing "little girl" underwear? Why aren't they wearing bras like adults? Why does he have such a goofy look on his face? Is he in no way seducing them? Why are they so eager to jump all over a goof ball? What's in it for them?
To me the tagged post where it says "PROP" really does drive home the fact that American's are thought of a consumers and nothing more.
Whomever tagged the poster truly understand the problem we have in America with how we are marketed to and this applies not just to movies but the news particularly the so-called "Debt Debate" which is a manufactured crisis which is quickly becoming a fully blown depression based on the reaction of the casino stock market.
I've come up with a term to describe most of the sentiment I've read on this post: "Reverse Sexism". Like Chris Randall above put it, it's for a movie about an "Oversexed womanizer being fawned over by beautiful woman [who] (ex)changes lives with a frustrated dad who craves the singles life. A classic "the grass is always greener" scenario until you get over the hillside where you learn to re-appreciate what you have."
To a racist, everything racial is racist. To a "sexist" everything sexual is sexist. Give it a break. Everything can't be didactic Rachel. Once that happens things get morbid really quickly.
That would be cool if "reverse sexist" was actually a thing, which...it's not.
+1
I think reverse sexism is real with say, feminists who think it's rape every time a penis enters a vagina, whether or not it's consentual. I've heard that crazy talk before and that just makes my head hurt.
And I think, as I said in an earlier post, that men are victims of being portrayed as incompetent idiots, which belittles their whole gender.
But seeing ads and shows where women are sex objects almost all of the time, and then getting mad about it, is not reverse sexism. It's being tired of the images and attitudes that conglomerates pump into nearly every household on a nearly daily basis.
This movie looks terrible. I can't believe that we are doing "body switch" comedies again.
I agree that this movie looks/sounds idiotic. I'm disappointed in Jason Bateman - he's better than this.
Jason was a guest on the Daily show and he said it was crap and contrite, but it's rated R and they explore what people would really do that the PG movies couldn't. So he had fun with it.
I have never seen a bill board as lovely as a tree.
Most commercial advertising calls forth my inner Doc Sarvis and Bonnie Abbzug. It makes me want to reach for a chain saw or a spray paint can.
In the Society of the Spectacle where commerce is king the vandalism is the only free speech left.
The irony of using sex to sell products while making the selling of sex illegal is but another layer that alienates people from life and thrust them into a world where consuming is the only function permitted.
imature hetero sexism. equally objectionable with a woman carrying the two "props" this seems to be a stage we go through on our way to middle age or later in some cases. it devalues relationships in a typically male way.
We're going to have to put up with more of this crap until women write a much larger percentage of scripts in Hollywood. By the way, did y'all know that the Daily Show was created by two women?
ahah! so that's why it's AWESOME.
We're going to have to put up with more of this crap until women write a much larger percentage of scripts in Hollywood.
I hate to break it to you, but they do. Women like making money too. HTH.
I believe that anyone who is offended by this can safely be called "prude".
Come on now...I think this is why sooo many people have problems with us liberals...we cant make an issue of everything....this is such a non issue that doesnt need to be talked about...especially on the blog of someone as respect as RM....
This is an ad for a raunchy R rated comedy (which is rare now-a-days) about 2 guys that switch lives...the single playboy with the family man...please explain a way to do this in a billboard and while being PC?
I agree with you. You can't please all the people all the time, so why get upset over nothing. As for me, it looks like it may be a funny movie to watch, so I'm gonna watch it! And I'll most probably LAUGH AND LAUGH AND LAUGH! lol
I wholeheartedly agree with you, ccruse. As a liberal/progressive, I am frustrated with fellow liberals/progressives being upset with just about anything and everything to the point where ideas get very blurry. This is the first entry on the on the Rachel Maddow blog that leaves me disappointed.
The plot of the movie has a main character who objectifies women. Given that, I would say that poster illustrates that quite efficiently. One guy is swarmed by scantily clad women and the other guy is swarmed by babies in diapers. They are two opposing lifestyles.
Do you want to ban movies that involve characters that objectify women? If so, then where does that thought process end? Do you ban movies that have racist characters? Or violent characters? Or characters who insult fat people?
What if this poster attracts men to see a movie where the moral of the story is to not objectify women?
it's sort of horrifying to see so many fans of rachel maddow dismissing sexism as needless liberal whining. holy geez. i'm pretty sure a "respected figure" like rachel maddow would find this ad as abhorrent as the woman who posted the blog entry, and think you all were clueless dudes with no idea about institutional oppression.
Uh... sex sells, peeps. It's as simple as that.
Uh... sex sells, peeps. It's as simple as that
No, you don't have to be a woman. What you do have to be is observant. Sexism hurts everyone of every gender. It's not fair to men to depict them as oversexed womanizers. Still, in this ad the (white) male is still the focus, the active character if you will, in this ad/film. The women, like infants, can't stand on their own two feet.
Is there enough time in the day? Well, let's see, since there are people who build careers out of making these images, then yes, there is time to be upset. This is not about a poor layout or print run, this is about the subtle but perpetual presence of sexism and misogyny in our culture. We're socialized not to see it (for example see your mirror), so when someone points this type of hatred out to us, we should say thank you. Knowledge is power.
I get that you, as a person currently enjoying their perch atop this twisted pyramid of kyriearchy (do look it up), would not be so inclined to have women think about the crap role that we still have. Racism isn't socially acceptable but sexism is. You doubt it? Just think of all the degrading terms used for women; now think of any derogatory word for someone of a race other than white. You are welcome.
Oh and, just so you can avoid doing this ever again: your analogy between the oppression of HALF THE WORLD'S POPULATION and oxygen is, well there is no nice way to say this... very Tea Party.
Oh, get over it, toots!
Oh I have, Carl, my last relationship with a man was over 35 years ago. Very few of you are as progressive as you think and way too many of you are just Strauss-Kahns, except maybe afraid to act on it.
I simply boycott dick-flicks and dick-TV as well as the advertisers who place dick-ads.
I see why you haven't had a relationship with a man for so long. You make all-inclusive assumptions that in no way you can back up. What if I made such assumptions about all women? I would be just like you...stuffy, prudish, cynical and very lonely. Enjoy the small cubicle of life you have chosen for yourself, baby!
I swear, the degree to which some of you read into things scares the hell out of me.
Just stay in the fringes and keep some distance from the rest of us. Please don't purchase any handguns or knives or learn how to make pipe bombs. Thanks.
Well said, Brian. I will now retire for the evening with my wife of 37 years in hopes there will be no more frivolous blogs like this in the future. Talk about much ado about nothing! Nite! :)
Wow, Carl: Toots and Baby? Do these terms enhance your argument, or make you look petty and small?
Would you be comfortable with a stranger addressing your wife or daughter this way? How about your mother? Should strange men call your mother Toots? Is it okay for men she doesn't know to call your wife Baby? How about your sister? Is she comfortable with that?
Think about what you're saying and how it reflects on yourself and those who love you. I doubt your mothers, sisters, wives and daughters would be proud of your behavior on this thread.
As long as there are men like you, there will be conversations like this.
Toots? Have I finally stumbled upon Springerblog? Kewl!