People News
Federline's fast food nation
Jan 25, 2007, 12:30 GMT
Kevin Federline in a scene from a 30-second ad for Nationwide Insurance due to be aired during Super Bowl XLI. In the advert, Federline is shown dreaming he is a rap star but then snaps out of it to face reality -- he\'s working at a burger restaurant. REUTERS/Handout
Kevin Federline has infuriated fast food workers by mocking their job in his Super Bowl commercial for Nationwide Insurance.
The president of the National Restaurant Association (NRA) has branded the ad - which shows Kevin daydreaming about being a rap star while cooking French fries in a fast food joint - "demeaning and unpleasant".
In a letter to Nationwide Insurance, NRA President Steven Anderson said: "This commercial is a strong and direct insult to the 12.8 million Americans who work in the restaurant industry. It would give the impression that working in a restaurant is demeaning and unpleasant.
"If it is aired during the Super Bowl the NRA will make sure that our membership - many of whom are customers of Nationwide - know the negative implications this ad portrays of the restaurant industry."
Nationwide's vice president of advertising and brand management Steven Schreibman insists the intention of the commercial isn't to mock fast food workers.
He said: "We're not making fun of anybody, except maybe Kevin Federline."
The Nationwide commercial - featuring the slogan "Life comes at you fast" - will premiere on the company's website on Monday January 29, before airing during the Super Bowl on February 4.
Kevin's estranged wife Britney Spears, 25, filed for divorce from the 28-year-old in November after two years of marriage.
Both are seeking sole custody of their two sons, four-month-old Jayden James and 16-month-old Sean Preston.
Kevin's debut rap album, 'Playing With Fire', sold just 6,500 copies in its first week of release last November, and it has been reported that a pre-nuptial agreement he and Britney signed will leave him with nothing after the divorce.
(C) BANG Media International
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Older Talkback
page: 1
it's not as safe as selling shoes....
unfortunately not everyone has the luxury of going to college, you twit. but then again you might be right, all those currently working in fast food joints rather be doing that then going to College.
It like this since Federline divorced Britney he needs the cash so thats why he took the job. Not everybody likes that dork so its understandable that they think he'll make their business undesireable.. On my end these people just want to make kfed ( ugh watta name) noticeable to the public so we have these comments about him being bad for business.. as they say bad publicity is still good publicity..so just think about it in a week he's old news...
I am offended by this commercial. I am work hard everyday and one day I may be the head bathroom cleaner and fry cook. Please. Put the 'fast' back in 'fast food' and I'll be the first to stand behind the 'United Burger Workers of Amercia (UBWA)' demand for respect.
Alot of people in the food industry can't go to college either because of grades or they can't afford it. That is the reason they work at a fast food restaurant. They shouldn't be put down for it. I'am sure their are alot of
ass_ _ _ _ _ in every business, but that doesn't give you the right to put the whole industry down. I don't think they should be allowed to put this commercial on T.V.
Okay then if that is offensive then so are all those cat commericals. Finally I can talk about my dismay over all cat food commericals. Those commercials showing happy cat owners and cats completely offends me becuase I am allergic to cats. I don't think I should have to watch a happy family feed a cat when I can't feed one myself. The best I can do is feed my pet rock that is dressed up with cat ears, and Oscar doesn't eat often.
Anyone can go to college. Even if you got horrible grades and were a complete moron all through high school, you can go to community college. 98% of people can get student loans for college, there a millions of grants you can apply for. Anyone who says they couldn't get into college, is just lazy. And about the fast food world. I repect anyone who provides for their families in any way they can, but to say that this is going to make fry cooks all of a sudden realize that their job sucks is pretty funny. Trust me, most of those people hate every single day of their lives. To try and quote Carlos Mencia...'if you are a teenager working at a fast food restaurant, good for you, you are gaining skills. If you are a legal alian working at a fast food restaurant, good for you, you are learning the language and gaining skills. But if you are 30 years old and were born in America, and not mentally handicapped, but didn't use every advantage that you have been born with, then you are retarded......DEE DEE DEE
Excuse me, National Restaurant Association...working in a restaurant is demeaning and unpleasant. It doesn't matter whether you are a dishwasher, cook, server, cashier or management, it is hard, grueling, taxing work. Let KFed have his fun and his moment in the spotlight. One thing we restaurant workers do have is a sense of humor, and we can appreciate the commercial.
Working in a restaurant is demeaning and unpleasant! Even so, it is perfect work for young adults; giving them incentive to work harder for better. It is the american way.
This is ridiculous.
What if political correctness was applied to everything so that nobody's feelings were hurt...
You couldn't have:
Commercials for hamburgers because vegetarians feelings are hurt when people eat meat they consider a suffering animal
Televised sporting events because they make people with paralysis feel badly that they can't move their limbs while others collect huge paychecks for freakish physiques
Reality television showing a people trying to survive on a deserted island because castaways on an island (if they received cable-TV) would feel their situation to be demeaned and belittled
How about people grow a little thicker skin and realize that if their job is a crappy one, it is not because of an advertisement, but because it actually sucks.
You have a good point there.
Just because K-Fed is shown (in a $2.6 million dollar ad) working in a fast food place flipping burgers doesn't mean that real fast food workers in reality have a lousy job.
It is the same as when you watch an episode of Law & Order: it doesn't mean that when you walk around NY City, you're going to become a murder victim.
Why do we have to baby and coddle everyone who whines? What happened to people who actually own a spine?
Or maybe the point of the commercial is that while working in the fast food industry may be demeaning, being known for nothing other than being the no-talent broke-aXX ex spouse of a marginally talented mega pop star is MORE demeaning?
who knows. free market, let them air the commercial. you don't like it, go state farm. classy commercials, experts at deny-the-claim.
He's pissed off the fast food workers union. Who read them the text? What will they do..take even longer with our food?
I am a fastfood manager and thanks to all those better educated people who eat at my stores I have job security.Also alot of the managers who work in my area are degree holders who can not find jobs.I do not have a degree but I make more money then most who have one.I am proud of being in the fast food industry for 15 years it has helped me to provide a good life for my family.Everyone has to work somewhere after all its only burgers and fries just like any other job you have to make the best of it.
What Trish said!
I thought the commercial was so funny. Even if you don't like him, or you work in the fast food industry. There is nothing wrong with working hard for a living. As long as you are working, and not expecting someone else to take care of you. I kind of feel sorry for him, if he has to result to making fun of himself, but at least he has a good sense of humor, unlike people who are offended by this commercial.
page: 1
ceedoubleyouJan 25th, 2007 - 13:50:26
uhhh....the 'impression' that fast food jobs are unpleasant and undesirable? I hate to break it to those people, but fast food is already universally considered to be one of the worst jobs you can get. Yes it is undesirable, and that's why people go to college, so they don't have to work for slave wages flipping burgers. How anyone is trying to protect the entire disgusting fast-food industry is beyond me.
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