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Aflac Cans Duck Voice After Tasteless Tsunami Quacks

Mar. 14, 2011 9:31pm Meredith Jessup

As the shocking destruction and death toll mount in Japan following last Friday’s devastating earthquake and resulting tsunami, trademark loudmouth Gilbert Gottfried cracked a number of poor-taste jokes on Twitter that his employer, disability insurer Aflac, didn’t find funny.

“Af-lac!” has since canned the quack.

Here’s a sampling of Gottfried’s sick (and lame) humor:

In other messages, the stand up comic used the recent tragedy to plug his new book.

On Monday, Aflac condemned Gottfried’s comments as “lacking in humor,” adding they “certainly do not represent the thoughts and feelings of anyone at Aflac.”

The company said it would soon start a nationwide casting call to find a new voice — and noted that it was already using a different voice in the Japanese market, where it is the No. 1 foreign insurer.

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Comments (224)

Rashomon
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:06pm
come on people, a little song, a little dance
a little seltzer down your pants.

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mlm1137
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:05pm
I feel bad about reporting SLARTIBARTFAST
I hit the wrong button. I totally agreed with their comment. Sorry!!

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Waltermelon
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:04pm
Gilbert is starting to show signs of dementia. I’m really surprised that he is still able to earn.

Twitter is not your friend, when will they figure that out?

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loadingmyclips
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:57pm
Could they keep the duck and can the idiot?

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- vennoye
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:59pm
  They’ll keep the duck..too much money already spent in it’s marketing. It will just have a difference voice.
  
  Report this comment
- omigosh
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:12am
  The billy goat made a far more lasting impression on me than the duck anyway. Keep Gilbert? Nah nah nah.
  
  Report this comment
King Dave
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:57pm
No sushi for gilbert!

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heavyduty
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:56pm
Even though I find the jokes less than funny. I still can’t believe that he would get canned as they say for saying it. I guess he must be a conservative. The fact that he put the jokes on his twitter account I don’t see the connection between the jokes and Aflac. It seems to me that you can get fired for just about anything nowdays. I do agree that they were in poor, poor taste. But if everyone got fired for saying something that someone didn’t like there would be a lot of people out of work.

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- psycodad36
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:17pm
  there are aolt of people out of work .thanx dems. and obama . and rihnos that won’t stand up for American values.
  
  Report this comment
- destinykiera
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 3:53am
  You must understand, that once it goes public and you are tied to that remark (or joke, I say that, timidly) its is YOU representing whom you represent. It has nothing to do with free speech but that of the policies of whom he represents…..get it?
  
  Report this comment
- I_can't_believe_this_stuff
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 7:55am
  “It seems to me that you can get fired for just about anything nowdays.” is interesting … maybe due to the misuse of the purpose and definition of “jobs” in our economy, and unions (really midievil guilds; see Milton Friedman?), jobs may no longer be a useful function. Instead, we’ll become part-timers (consultants?). Maybe that’s what happened to the b/s unemployment figures …
  
  Could this be where we’re really headed?
  
  Report this comment
Autonomous_System
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:50pm
Why does twitter make twits out of people?

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afishfarted
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:50pm
yeah, it’s tasteless.
I’m not condoning the dude in anyway, but after the Challenger disaster, it wasn’t two days and I started hearing jokes about that. Apparently, so say the shrinks, that’s supposed to be a way for people to cope with a disaster of that magnitude. I don’t fond any humor in it, but then I’m not an out-of-touch-with-reality lib either.

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- Marylou7
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:04pm
  Just because people were stupid and cruel after the Challenger disaster does make it right now. Wrong is wrong and that is wrong. Laughter that takes their minds off the disaster may help but not making fun of their situation…thousands of people died, that is not funny.
  
  Report this comment
Leadthemtothelight
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:49pm
DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!! I can find no humor in the death and destruction in Japan.
I guess though that Gibert really Gott Fried on this one……. Serves him right for being such an insensitive jerk.

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simple thought
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:48pm
simply shakeing my head with disbelief,
is he a union liberal????????/ just ask’n

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SAYNOTOSOCIALISM
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:47pm
“trademark loudmouth Gilbert Gottfried cracked a number of poor-taste jokes”, so what else is new?
This jackass has based his entire career on crap like this and is still getting airtime… and I have to agree, who the hell follows this guy anywhere??

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NoMoObama2012
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:47pm
Tame jokes by any standard. Bad taste? Maybe. But not something he should get canned for. I mean he’s a comedian. What else do you expect of him? Lighten up folks! Geeeeeeeeeeeez!

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- starman70
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:34am
  While they might have been “Tame” jokes by some standards, if your relatives or loved ones were in the quake area or missing due to the tsunami, I’m sure that you wouldn’t find them a bit funny.
  
  The prayers of me and my family go out to the Japanese people. This is a tragedy of a magnitude which is almost apocalyptic.
  
  Remember, it could happen here.
  
  Report this comment
JD Carp
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:46pm
No class Gilbert. I loved the commercials but it is time for you to retire.

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conservativeme
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:46pm
Where did comdeians ever get the idea that they are above racism, defimation and poor taste? Go AFLAC! You did the right thing!

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trueblueday
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:45pm
It’s difficult to make jest of a disaster. Was there any about 9/11? I really don’t remember if there were any.

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- psycodad36
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:04pm
  only on CNN and MSNBC.how it was all GWB’s fault
  
  Report this comment
- trueblueday
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:30pm
  Ah, that explains it!
  
  Report this comment
anutter
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:45pm
Too bad. I liked those commercials! Here’s a little tip about comedy Gilbert…Timing is everything!…(and this time you were waaaaayyyy off.)

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psycodad36
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:43pm
well whatever.a man who makes jokes gets fired for making jokes, they may very well be in poor taste,but that is what the paying public expect.(NOT MYSELF) but are we so shallow and pc that we put another man out of work because we didn’t like what he said?we don’t have enough unemployed here already!poor taste YES ,i wont try to defend the undefendable,but i will say relax,.it could be you next

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- AmericanStrega
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:57pm
  AFLAC insures a large majority of Japan. Therefore, his “comedy” was in very bad taste where AFLAC is concerned.
  
  Report this comment
- destinykiera
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 3:49am
  Are you serious, PsychoDad? Really? Where is your compassion? Where is your humanity? The things he said had nothing to do with Political Correctness, but just awful disgust. He is of the Hollywood Elite, you needn’t worry about him being out of a job, he has his puppet master as well. Think about it.
  
  Report this comment
Wildblue3
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:42pm
They aren’t that bad!! They actually are funny.. People are too sensitive..

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- Showtime
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 11:18pm
  When Japan has been hit with as much disaster in the past week, and it is ongoing, it’s not the time to be making a joke about it.
  
  As Boris The Blade said above, “Too soon, Gilbert.”
  
  Timing is important in comedy. “Got-Fried” was waaaaaay off, both in his timing and his rocker!
  
  Report this comment
- anutter
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 11:30pm
  @showtime
  
  Echo?? (see below)
  
  Report this comment
- BehindBlueEyes
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 7:31am
  This type of disgusting crap is funny only to narcissists. Nothing bothers them except when it affects them personally.
  
  Report this comment
- Jim in Houston
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:16am
  How funny would it be if the missing and dead were members of your family? You are a sick puppy.
  
  Report this comment
Showtime
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:41pm
Peach the Chihuahua: Japan’s newest police dog

TOKYO (Reuters Life!) – Meet Japan’s newest police dog — all 3 kg (6.6 lb) of her.
In what is a first for Japan and perhaps the world, a long-haired Chihuahua named “Momo” — “Peach” — passed exams to become a police dog in the western Japanese prefecture of Nara.

The brown-and-white, perky Momo was one of 32 successful candidates out of 70 dogs, passing a search and rescue test by finding a person in five minutes after merely sniffing their cap.

“Any breed of dog can be entered to become a police dog in the search and rescue division,” said a Nara police spokesman.

But he admitted that news a Chihuahua had been entered may still come as a surprise to many.

“It’s quite unusual,” he said.

Television footage showed the 7-year-old Momo bounding across grass or sitting proudly, long hair blowing in the breeze.

Momo will be used for rescue operations in case of disasters such as earthquakes, in the hope that she may be able to squeeze her tiny frame into places too narrow for more usual rescue dogs, which tend to be German Shepherds.

The public response to the news of Momo’s selection took police by surprise, the spokesman said, adding: “The phone’s been ringing all afternoon.”

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- vennoye
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:55pm
  Great Story! Thank you. Those rescue dogs are wonderful.
  
  Report this comment
TumbleBumble
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:40pm
Thank you for not posting the tweets he used to plug his book. I don’t want to know anything about it.

Gottfried is a cruel man.

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Doctor Nordo
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:38pm
I can’t believe he actually has twitter followers…

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- stchuckmom
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:54pm
  Good one, Doc!
  
  Report this comment
boris_the_blade
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:38pm
Too soon Gilbert.

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Showtime
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:37pm
What about a goose? The duck is toast.

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- Waltermelon
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:01pm
  Naaaa.
  
  Report this comment
- Showtime
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 11:12pm
  He could cook his goose.
  
  Report this comment
- MHP
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 4:20pm
  Yea Clarence was our canadian goose. One day he flew into the power lines, and he fried, shut down power for damn near 8 hours.
  
  He’d come take food right out your hand.
  
  Report this comment
Showtime
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:36pm
That’s a shame. He should have used better judgment.

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- Quagaar Warrior
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:57pm
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  @ Showtime,
  .
  He’s a morally deficient dirt-bag. He’s not capable of better judgement!
  …or any good judgement for that matter!
  Betcha he votes democrat.
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
  Report this comment
- Robert-CA
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:19pm
  That was really bad , people are still missing the disaster is not over yet & this loon is making jokes .
  
  Report this comment
- exdem
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 11:17pm
  Japan has suffered a tragedy and the jokes were in poor taste but Aflac’s reaction is more political correctness gone amuck!
  
  Report this comment
twofoot_trucker
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:35pm
Wow. That’s just….wow. Tasteless somehow doesn’t even begin to cover it.

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- SLARTIBARTFAST
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:42pm
  I loved the Duck commercials and had no idea it was Godfried doing them, but kudos to Aflac for getting rid of this JERK!
- Showtime
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:55pm
  Can a duck draw unemployment?
  
  Report this comment
- banjarmon
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:57pm
  There are other people that can be a better quack than him.
  
  Report this comment
- Quagaar Warrior
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 9:58pm
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  @ Showtime,
  
  Democrats will figure a way!
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
  Report this comment
- noline
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:00pm
  How juvenile. Kudos to Aflac for not yanking us around though.
  
  Report this comment
- Showtime
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:00pm
  Banjarmon, are you referring to Broker?
  
  Report this comment
- Showtime
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:02pm
  @Slartibartfast ~
  Me, too. Can they just get rid of Gottfried and keep the duck?
  
  Report this comment
- PrfctlyFrank
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:18pm
  Gilbert’s not a public employee union member is he?? Good!! Otherwise you couldn’t get rid of the jerk.. Gottfried can be funny, but he’s a lose cannon… Live by the sword die by the sword…
  
  Report this comment
- Quagaar Warrior
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:24pm
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  It amazes me how many morally bankrupt dirtbags have such a strong physical resemblance to…
  Well, uh, use your imagination!
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
  Report this comment
- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:32pm
  To bad Gilbert’s goose is cooked. I love his stand up and he really is a funny comic. Just bad timing and material. But that is AFLAC’s perogative, just like when Geico fired their voice over person.
  
  I alway’s thought that was Godfrey as the duck voice.
  A great DVD to watch sometime is “Gilbert Godfreys Dirty Jokes”, not for kids.
  
  Report this comment
- TheRemodel
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 11:03pm
  Too soon?
  
  Report this comment
- taskmaster78
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 11:04pm
  Gottfried’s, never the funniest yet at this point he may need a new job.
  
  Report this comment
- jbl8199
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 11:08pm
  I always thought he was kind of annoying, but this is just sad. Aflak needs to get rid of the duck anyway and get a new mascot. The duck used to be funny, but lately he’s been kind of lame.
  
  Report this comment
- Showtime
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 11:11pm
  @Quagaar Warrior
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 10:24pm
  It amazes me how many morally bankrupt dirtbags have such a strong physical resemblance to…
  Well, uh, use your imagination!
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
  He just needs bigger ears and a little more time in the sun!
  
  Report this comment
- MiketheTrucker
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 11:15pm
  I don’t recall anyone ever accusing G.G. of being the brightest bulb in the hatchery.
  
  Report this comment
- Quagaar Warrior
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 11:32pm
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  @ Showtime,
  .
  If you ask me, both of them have had to much time in the sun!
  After all, Kenya can get pretty sunny and hot!
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
  Report this comment
- missionarydad
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 11:44pm
  @showtime,Can a duck draw unemployment?
  
  Well he definitely got hurt and cannot work.
  
  Report this comment
- TheRemodel
  Posted on March 14, 2011 at 11:58pm
  This is not the first time Gilbert told a joke too soon. Soon after
  9/11 he told this joke: ‘I have to leave early tonight, I have to fly
  out to L.A. I couldn’t get a direct flight, I have to make a stop at
  the Empire State Building,”
  
  Also, about his dead friend and fellow comediam Greg Giraldo just hours
  after he passed away ‘If GregGiraldo is cremated, would that be the Greg
  Giraldo roast?’ (Greg Giraldo was a staple on nearly every Comedy
  Central roast.
  
  Report this comment
- cartercupp
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 12:43am
  Does Aflac provide his much needed insurance?
  
  http://www.cartercupp.info/aflac-dummy.html
  
  Report this comment
- cozmo
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 2:53am
  another hollywood lefty
  
  Report this comment
- destinykiera
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 3:37am
  I am utterly astonished by his remarks! I am stunned that even someone like Gott Fried in his field of work, would even go there. Really? Completely humorless and without any merit of taste. Thank you AFLAC for doing the right thing.
  
  Report this comment
- alikat
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 3:59am
  Please for Justice sake keep the duck, get rid of the jerk. Maybe he could scrub toilets :)
  
  Report this comment
- joseph mitch nixon
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 5:14am
  the true face of the liberals .
  
  Report this comment
- *************************
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 5:35am
  Quack! Quack quack quack quack, quack quack. Quack quack. Quack quack quack quack!
  
  LILI VON SHTUPP: “So, tell me, schatze. Is it twue what they say about the way you people are … gifted?”
  [sound of zipper]
  LILI VON SHTUPP: “Oh, it’s twue. It’s twue. It’s twue, it’s twue!”
  -Blazing Saddles
  
  Report this comment
- *************************
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 5:46am
  Uh, oh. Political Correctness is taking over The Blaze. I suggest a new name … The Red Blaze.
  
  “We will now read from Matthew, Mark, Luke … [stick of dynamite sails in through window] … and DUCK!” -Rev. Johnson, Blazing Saddles
  
  Report this comment
- AriBenTZion
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 6:43am
  Comics and celebs in general are under the illusion that they must make incongruous and tawdry comments in order to be cute or funny. They are wrong.
  
  Gottfried is a certifiable nescient.
  
  Report this comment
- JesusFreak95
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 7:41am
  Give the guy a break. He’s a COMEDIAN, and one with poor taste. It’s like asking a scorpion not to sting. It’s called satire. Illustrating absurdity with absurdity. AFLAC would be better served by asking him to do some spots as the duck asking for aid for the people of Japan. In the midst of tragedy, sometimes, you have to poke fun at the grim.
  
  Report this comment
- Marcobob69
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:30am
  Gee, they were all said by…… a liberal Hollywood loon. Isn’t that a big surprise! Not really. I wonder how spooky dood is taking advantage of Japan’s disaster, watching their stock market dropping like a rock! That is his style, isn’t it??? Taking advantage of countries that are “in trouble”!
  
  Report this comment
- Beeree
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:31am
  I would have fired him too for not being funny, at least he could have come up with some better jokes if he was going to be tasteless.
  
  Report this comment
- Miguelito
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 8:40am
  Keep the duck!
  
  Report this comment
- davidstep
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 9:08am
  Anyone ever hear Gotfried do stand up? Although he is funny as heck, all his jokes are tasteless. I think AFLAC should have known that before they hired him. That is like hiring Charlie Sheen to do commercials for RADD.
  
  Report this comment
- indy1
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 9:17am
  I find the media’s hysterical coverage more tasteless. They ignore the hundreds of thousands killed, hurt or homeless and obsess about how the nuclear plant problems it will affect the US.
  
  Report this comment
- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:51am
  I’m sure they will find someone else who sounds similar. Gottlieb is a has-been, who I found more annoying than funny. Maybe he will show up with the other has-beens on “Worlds Dumbest” on TRU-TV.
  
  Report this comment
- @leftfighter
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 10:55am
  Seriously? This is Gilbert freaking Gottfreid we’re talking about!
  
  Have you ever heard his act? This is totally up his alley.
  
  Report this comment
- SonOfaCommunist
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 12:40pm
  Its sad, but he’s a comedian. Freedom to still speak one’s mind?
  
  Report this comment
- P C BE DAMNED
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 1:24pm
  God, can people ever get a grip. I have spent over a half century being called red neck ******* racist and believe these names could really ruin your life. Especially if they are not true. People are always got to have somebody to be insulted by. Get over it. No I am not offended by his comments. But I am offended by all this silly offended constantly people in this world. Please drop dead. Thanks for your time.
  
  Report this comment
- jackrorabbit
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 1:42pm
  Well, all these jokes will come out eventually. Kinda like the “nappy-headed hoes” comment. As well as the “Sally Ride” comment, on the shuttle disaster. Tasteless, but inevitable.
  
  Report this comment
- I Love Section 8 Housing
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 2:09pm
  So outraged that the racist white blond gets reprimanded but hey good job on canning this liberal douche. when she goes online and makes a video saying she goes to UCLA then she’s representing them. they should throw her out on her designer jeans.
  
  Report this comment
- variable51
  Posted on March 15, 2011 at 7:48pm
  I’m an AFLAC agent, I’m glad to see that my company is exhibiting extra-ordinary ethics when dealing with this afront to the Japanese people. Well done Dan Amos!
  
  Report this comment

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