Acura Apologizes for Seeking ‘Not Too Dark’ Black Actor for Seinfeld Super Bowl Ad
- Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:26am by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Image source: YouTube
Acura apologized Wednesday after it was revealed that the luxury carmaker sought a “not too dark” black actor for its Super Bowl ad with Jerry Seinfeld.
The ad features Seinfeld attempting to barter for the first new Acura NSX, offering the famed “Soup Nazi,” among other things.
TMZ had posted the casting sheet earlier in the day, which it said it obtained from a disgruntled actor who didn’t fit the profile and was passed over for the role. The name of the role was “African American car dealer” and the document specified he be “nice looking, friendly. Not too dark.”
In a statement, Acura apologized to anyone “offended by the language on the casting sheet” but insisted it made their selection “based on the fact that he was the most talented actor”:
We apologize to anyone offended by the language on the casting sheet used in the selection of actors for one of our commercials.
We sought to cast an African-American in a prominent role in the commercial, and we made our selection based on the fact that he was the most talented actor.
The casting sheet was only now brought to our attention. We are taking appropriate measures to ensure that such language is not used again in association with any work performed on behalf of our brand.
As USA Today pointed out, the spot — considered a success — was Acura’s first Super Bowl commercial and was created by its ad agency, RP&, a division of the Santa Monica, Calif.-based RPA.
See the casting sheet below:
Image source: TMZ
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Comments (98)
mdbd
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:39amOh good grief, too light oops sorry, too dark oops sorry oops sorry sorry sorry enough already last time i noticed (can’t remember when) there are all shades of all races!!!
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:30pmSelections are made all the time of those who look multiculture ie half white half chinese/latino/black/other asians. Look at any kids show and most commercials! The most recent being the Sandals Hotel commercial showing a diverse cast.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:55pm.
Report Post »Always go with the High Yellow, with good hair…….
wdittgasn
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:01pmThis is what we need……http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3yJomUhs0g&feature=related
Report Post »wolfinshdo
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 3:28pmIf they can ask for boob size, hair color, height, weight limits, figure types and everything else, whats the big deal about skin shade? whiners be dam3d
Report Post »anOpinion
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 2:40amThis is ridiculous, are they implying it would be less offensive to ask for a black actor rather than asking for a ‘not too dark’ black actor?
None of this is offensive, its business. They want a certain look for the commercial and they should be able to choose anyone they want using any criteria they want.
Report Post »Mil-Dot
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 7:08amOk, so what about the ADT and other Home Alarm Service commercials? Ever notice that whenever the homeowner interrupts a burglary it is always a white guy that is doing the “burgle”? I bet when they do a casing call for the “criminal” they absolutely dictate the shade of skin. Oh, but wait, its white guys. Nobody cares if they are insulted or offended.
Report Post »Tek
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:34amHate to break the news to you, but though we are all equal under the law, we do not photograph equally. I own a Black Lab and is is VERY difficult to get a good photo of him due to a lack of shadow to give him form in a two dimensional image.
Report Post »ShyLow
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:31pmThe female in this JCP commerial is too light skinned…If I were a black woman , I would be very offended…I am a white male , so I guess I just have to grin and bear it…have a chocolate everybody
Report Post »ShyLow
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:49pmThe commercial .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKoUmUCgbEM&feature=related Have a chocolate everybody…See if the shepherd will recognize you as one of his and allow you to pass under his staff
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:33amTry the wh…. he isn’t BLACK and he is an actor. Oh, sorry, you probably are looking for someone with talent.
Well, on with the search…..
Report Post »elosogrande
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:26amThe fact that they asked for a black actor, rather than the best actor (white, black, brown, yellow, red), seems rather racist, doesn’t it? I’m sure there a lot of white American, Hispanic and Asian actors who out of work; yet they were denied an opportunity for this job.
Shame on Honda.
Report Post »obfuscatenot
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:36amPerfect comment! “Not too dark” is akin to blond but not too blond, or tall but not too tall. It is a description. I am also offended that it’s considered alright to ask for a black over another color. How about the best actor? THAT is where the discrimination lies.
Report Post »wdittgasn
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:13pmThey are trying to portray that a black man can on a dealership. But for this to be possible he must be a little white. Can’t be to dark and own a car dealer you know.
Report Post »only easy day was yesterday
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 4:09pmGreat point, no one is going to fuss because they were looking for a black, just the wrong shade of black. Did you catch the spokesperson say they wanted to put him in a prominent role. Most commercials portray the black as a authority figure and the white male as the idiot. I’ve been watching this increase in recent years, pay attention they are trying to get a certain mind-set.
Report Post »Mil-Dot
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 7:12amYou hit the nail on the head Only Easy. “Black man-smart and honest, White guy-idiot criminal”. Just look at the ADT commercials and many others.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:19amWhen you watch the Allstate commercial, why do you think they have Dennis Haysbert outside? Because outside lighting is best when you have darker skin. The facial features get illuminated. Why do they sometimes use his voice only now? Not all situations work when filming.
Report Post »BreeZee
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:35amGEEZE!!!!!! would everyone QUIT apologizing for crap. They hired a blk man, so what if they wanted light not dark What if they wanted a midget, fat, skinny green? I for one am glad as hell when someone speaks their flippin mind that way I know their true self. This left wing attack on free speech is getting old and this is one of the reason I say **If you vote for BHO, you are to blame** I support even Bill idiot Maher’s right to voice his opinion and I have the right to CHANGE THE CHANNEL! This attack on Nuge is the same old game by the Dem’s, restricting the freedom of speech. So you ppl that voted for the socialist BHO and the others like Debbie poo wasserman S , you are to blame for the 10,000 regulation enacted by this regime. Remember for ever reg there is cost and LOST OF FREEDOMS AND LIBERTIES. So if BHO is reelected and America goes Bye bye you are to blame.
Report Post »wdittgasn
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:15pmIt’s probably cheaper to just use his voice.
Report Post »landowner
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 2:37pmWell said Breeze.
Report Post »Mr.Fitnah
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:16amDid they say no gold teef?
Report Post »Penn
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:13amExcuse me!? Light skinned African-American? How many people ,today, would by a car from ” clean, articulate” Obama? Acura has stepped in it and is now in the process of thrashing around in it.
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:13amWhy pick a black actor to begin with? Is this a predominantly black nation? No! I am tired of ‘black’ this and ‘black’ that. If you watch TV at all you would see that almost every commercial features a black or at least has a black person prominent in the commercial somewhere. You can have a complete white family sitting in a car and there will be one black kid. Where did he come from? This is getting ridiculous and sickening. “We must have a token”. I am tired of it. That is one reason I have cut my TV viewing in half.
Report Post »Ilovethisland
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:49amWOW, that’s exactly the way I feel, I’m tired of this BS!!!!!!!!
Report Post »wdittgasn
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:23pmThat is just what they do. from movies to commercials to cereal boxes. You have to have all the races represented or somebody is going to be pi–ed. Have you seen kiddie cartoons lately, They are green ,purple,orange,blue, and that is just the colors. The characters are animals or something else so weird so as not to offend.
Report Post »Welcome Black Carter
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 6:01pmWatch the evening news…any channel. You would never know blacks are only 11% of the population.
Report Post »Did they choose the most qualified people?
kaydeebeau
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 6:40pmso you actually keep a tally or something? So the first thing you do when you see a commercial is count the different races presented and keep score? Odd, I never notice that sort thing – but hey I have other hobbies
Report Post »Mil-Dot
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 7:16amI know. Check out the latest 7up commecial. Everybody wants to have a black guy on their commercials. You would think that they were 75% of the population based on how many commercials you see them in. You know what I do. I do NOT buy the products that use the gangster and other AA culture to advertise. I flat-out do not buy those products anymore.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:11amWhy did he have to be black in the first place ???? Why not white, Asian or Hispanic ???
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:25pmMaybe they should have used Al Sharpton, he’d be perfect. Even has straight hair. Why would a man like Al or Charlie Rangel want straight hair anyway?
Report Post »wdittgasn
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:09pmGood question Gonzo. Straight hair why would they want that??
Report Post »rebelwuf
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:10amWhat if the actor that was chosen had NOT been chosen because he was NOT BLACK ENOUGH? STOP THE RACE BAITING!
Report Post »Eric_The_Red_State
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:08amYesterday – eight million gun owners did not kill anyone
Yesterday – over 2000 crimes were prevented by guns
How about that for news.
This story is not a story.
Report Post »MammalOne
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:07pmDo you have sources to cite that statement or are you just talking to talk?
Report Post »Pardawg
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:57amJust wait… in the near future hiring managers won’t be able to select candidates based on anything…How is any one to make a ‘choice’ if you have no criteria to choose from? Absurd….
Report Post »Apple Bite
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:53amAcura didn’t have to apologize for a damn thing! Stop apologizing for trivial stuff! They had an idea to host a black actor, because they were seeking a specific looking person. They do the same thing for acting roles on television and movie scenes. If you don’t fit what they were hoping for, that’s that. Moveon.org!
Report Post »Bob DD
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:44amAffirmative Action, Diversity? Where are the Asians, or the Puerto Ricans in TV ads. The car company needs to do some soul searching? Or a black female?????
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:02amWhat about the grossly obese? Why not a 380lb Acura salesman? Or a guy with a bad hair comb over?
Report Post »What about those with food stains on their clothes? Discriminating against someone just because they have a grease stain from a Popeye’s Chicken drumstick on their suit.
biohazard23
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:43amI apologize for not being first in line for the new NSX. :)
Man, I miss our old one. But since it was not exactly a family-friendly car that could accommodate a car seat, we had to sell it. Darn those 2-seaters!
Report Post »I.Gaspar
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:43amWhy don‘t they hire obama’s uncle oybongo???
Report Post »He could probably use the work…
teddrunk
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:58amIs he out on bail?
Report Post »RightUnite
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:59amAnd he’s really, really dark too!
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:09amGeorge Hamilton??
Report Post »Calm Voice of Reason
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:42am“We apologize for having to accommodate the delicate sensibilities of a demographic who feel discomfort when faced with ethnicities far removed from their usual palette.”
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:42amIt is no secret when you cast a very dark skin black or Hispanic for that matter, the lighting has to change dramatically to get their facial features to appear thus washing out the remainder of the set. This is not discrimination, it is finding the best person suited for the job. If anyone gets offended for this fact, then they just don’t understand the nature of the business. When lighting does not matter than the darkness of the skin does not matter. Not everyone is suited for every job.
Report Post »sooner12
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:54amI liked the last sentence in your post.
Report Post »jbhansen
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:40amDon’t forget – they’ve also excluded anyone who is white, hispanic, asian, middle-eastern, etc. etc. etc. I don‘t fit the description of what they’re looking for either – should I call them “racist” and get offended? Absurd.
Report Post »cloudsofwar
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:40ami don’t think the black man in the ad is complaining. this PC crap is way out of hand. and now on another matter Romney says Obama is a good man. hello McCain all over again, Romney better knock it off. Obama is NOT A GOOD MAN. he is a MARXIST. he is un-American and he blames this country for all the ills in this world. if Romney keeps this nice guy crap up he will lose. Romney has to toughen up and confront Obamas marxism.
Report Post »sb36695
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:38am“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
How I long for that day.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:14amYou are comparing apples and oranges. Do you know anything about commercial productions? Lighting? This has nothing to do with the capability of the person, it has to do with the lighting needed to ensure the facial features of the person are seen. Very dark skinned people need enormous lighting, thus it washes out the remain set. Also we can go for the opposite on the spectrum, very light skinned people also do not work well with the lighting as they get washed out. They require less lighting, but then it darkens the remainder of the set. You need to strike the right balance overall to shoot a commercial.
This has nothing to with MLK and his dream.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 12:11pmum I am pretty sure MLK want caring if a whiny liberal actor didn’t get a part but another black guy did. good luck to this guy who released this ever getting a job again. what a jerk he is.
Report Post »sb36695
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 3:57pmActually, I long for the day that they are not looking for an “African American Car Dealer”. Isn’t that being judged by skin color?
Report Post »TEARS FOR AMERICA
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:37amWonder who outed that bit of information? Acura has a right to say who they want in a major role for their commercial, whether they are black, red, yellow, red or alien. They are putting up the dough. Offensive is letting political correctness put businesses out of competition.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:45am“TMZ had posted the casting sheet earlier in the day, which it said it obtained from a disgruntled actor who didn’t fit the profile and was passed over for the role.”
So basically it was a whiny lib who felt entitled to the part. This was his version of a temper tantrum. It would have been better if the whiner had just stood in a corner holding his breath.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:46am“TMZ had posted the casting sheet earlier in the day, which it said it obtained from a disgruntled actor who didn’t fit the profile and was passed over for the role.”
^Right in the article.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:34amIsn’t Acura a Japanese company? Now the Japanese, there’s a real bunch on non-racists. (sarc.)
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:34amwho cares? so they did not want a very black guy doing the ad just like they chose seinfeld to do this not donald trump or some other celebrity. where is the issue? so tired of this country’s whiny attitude
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:32amI apologize… for not seeking out a Supporter of Obama… to give em Money!
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