Ben & Jerry‘s Apologizes for ’Lin-Sanity’ Fortune Cookie Ice Cream
- Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:36pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Ben & Jerry's "Lin-Sanity" (Image source: Boston Globe)
The Vermont-based Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company has apologized for putting fortune cookie pieces in its commemorative “Taste the Lin-Sanity” flavor honoring New York Knicks phenom Jeremy Lin.
The frozen yogurt pints — available for a limited time in the Ben & Jerry’s Harvard Square, Mass. location — were originally made with vanilla frozen yogurt, lychee honey swirls and pieces of fortune cookie. The fortune cookies were swapped out for a fresh waffle cone cookie on the side after complaints of racial insensitivity.
“We offer a heartfelt apology if anyone was offended by our handmade Lin-Sanity flavor,” read a statement issued Friday on the company’s behalf, CNN reported. “We are proud and honored to have Jeremy Lin hail from one of our fine, local universities and we are huge sports fans. Our intention was to create a flavor to honor Jeremy Lin’s accomplishments and his meteoric rise in the NBA, and recognize that he was a local Harvard graduate.”
“We try [to] demonstrate our commitment as a Boston-based, valued-led business and if we failed in this instance we offer our sincere apologies,” the statement said.
Ben & Jerry’s general manager Ryan Midden told the Boston Globe they “obviously weren’t looking to offend anybody.”
“There seemed to be a bit of an initial backlash about it,” Midden acknowledged, though he told the newspaper the primary reason for swapping the fortune cookies out was because “a couple of [pints] got returned because the cookies got so soggy.”
It’s hardly the first dust-up to surround the Asian-American point guard’s meteoric rise to fame: Last week, ESPN was forced to apologize after it ran a headline about Lin using the phrase “chink in the armor.” The network later announced the employee responsible had been fired and that another employee was on suspension for using the phrase on-air.
The fired headline writer later released a statement saying he had had a “lapse in judgement” and did not intend the phrase as a racist pun.
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Comments (154)
Crazy Times
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:34pmFreakin people are loosing there minds…
Reminder this is from free lovin hippies whose free lovin hippies came up with this idea. hypocrites!
Report Post »AmazingGrace8
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:55pmRemember years ago someone said they would give a million dollars to parents who would call their newborn baby, STUPID. Believe…there were parents that did that, and collected ,never giving a thought how it would effect their child. That was extreme but now-a-days this PC is going way over the top. These former “hippies” are probably just as stunned….they didn’t mean any harm, just a joyous expression of this young man’s appeal to the sports world. Good grief! A war against PC words or a war against capitalism?
Report Post »Santorum_is_a_douchebag
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 5:31pmBetter change the name of Chocolate too.
ShyLow
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 5:59pmI bet these racist have an Oreo flavor to…they should give their company to the government so ice-cream can be used as currency…one quart of chocolate and 3 quarts of vanilla for a days pay
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 7:19pmMy favorite Chinese recipe is authentic Szechuan Shredded Beef cooked the old way. Not what you get in the Americanized Chinese restaurants. I cooked Szechuan style for 9 years and I judge every restaurant by this one dish. However, I don’t think it would make a good ice cream but, it would be funny to eat an ice cream that made your face sweat. ; )
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 7:34pmThe next ice cream by Ben & Jerry’s to be banned by the WH and MO will be, “Chunky Monkey”.
Report Post »what4
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 7:51pmStop buying these left coast ftards product! there is better ice cream made at home!
Report Post »b00x
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 7:58pmMany years ago, the “free-lovin’ hippies,” as you call them, sold out to Unilever, one of the world’s largest food conglomerates. Yes, Ben and Jerry were hypocrites, but not for the reason you thought. I doubt that Unilever cares much about Boston, Harvard, or Jeremy Lin, but the boys in the boardroom sure to care about ice cream sales . . . and so the apology. Once you can fake sincerity, you’ve got it made . . .
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 8:12pmI, for one, am quite sick of this PC garbage.
Report Post »JayCee
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 10:14pmWhat, no more Chinky Monkey?
Report Post »Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 10:57pmHow the hell is this offensive?
Report Post »It’s fried rice you plick!
The-Monk
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 11:41pm@Uranium Wedge
Report Post »I thought it was, “Flyed lice with the peeking **** you plick”?
WeDontNeedNoSteenkinBadges12
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 12:14am“The Vermont-based Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company has apologized for putting fortune cookie pieces in its commemorative “Taste the Lin-Sanity” flavor honoring New York Knicks phenom Jeremy Lin.”
Wassa malla you! You no likee? You no buy!
Report Post »Now shoo! Shoo! Les honolable chinese genleman eas cookie ice cleam!
Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 12:49am@THE MONK
Report Post »Benny said it… And not the Benny from BJ.
Good stuff.
db321
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 1:18amIs America eaten up with the Dumb A$$ or what. Corporations should not allow anything like this to ever happen – Heads need to roll. We use to have a saying – be a Good Corporate Citizen – Get rid of your Gay Liberal Ad Agency and hire one that know know how to promote with decency.
Report Post »@leftfighter
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 11:32am@JayCee
Wait… lemme get this straight:
From your post, I see we can write “chinky” without The Blaze editing the word, but not “***** in the armor?”
I may be wrong and this may be fixed by now, but if not, wow. Just. Wow.
Report Post »Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 6:24pmLet me see. I’m gonna spell the word in question. *****
Report Post »Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 6:28pmOk, Let me spell it like this…. CH!NK in the armor
Report Post »Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 6:32pmWow! the Blaze is losing respect fast.
Report Post »Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 6:42pmLets see what racist words they censor:
Report Post »***
HONKEY
***
******
****
SPIC
KYKE
NIP
RAG HEAD
So what’s left?
Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 7:01pmOk I got it, according to The Blaze
Report Post »You can only be racist towards Italians, Japanese, Vietnamese, African Americans, and Chinese.
Good to know.
So how do you explain to someone that you have a weak spot in your armor, without being racist?
How do you tell someone that speaks only spanish that your car is the color black, without being racist?
You know there is a popular children‘s toy that’s called “guk” It’s kinda like slime.
Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 7:05pmWhy doesn’t everybody just kill them selves? Then no one will be offended cause, everybody will be DEAD!!!!!
Report Post »oneshiner
Posted on February 28, 2012 at 6:11pm“Weren’t looking to offend anyone?”" Then, WHY did you do it? I’ve refused to eat your ice cream
Report Post »for years now, nothing gained, nothing lost, so who cares?
OhSnappage
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:31pmHow come these race baiters never had an issue with “Chinese Food” ? or ethnic stereotype titles like “Panda Wok”? There’s plenty of Chinese oreinted resturaunts that use very racial names. But they seem to be acceptable…. why is that?
We should probably put a ban on Fortune cookies in this country too.
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:34pma taste of their own medicine! How ironic! Haagen D’s is better!
Report Post »MCDAVE
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 7:06pmMy guess is that ben and Jerry’s donation to the Obama campaign fund is not as large as it should be….remember Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and Microsoft for not giving campaign donations to the Democrats
Report Post »MEANS2RESIST
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 1:22amWhats the big deal? We have a restaurant down here called “Gooks Dinky Dau Vietmanese Buffet”..owned by none other than vietnamese…..In Okinawa we called them gooners….
Report Post »Thighmaster
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:21pmThere goes My idea for lin a mints candy. Get yours now, chop chop..
Report Post »Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 11:01pmChop, Chop. As in chop sticks…?
Report Post »You racist!!!!
TexBork
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:18pmIf I were a Ben and Jerry exec I would have ignored those race baiters and let them sit and spin. No apologies. None. Ben and Jerry’s are actually celebrating the man, not putting him down. The race baiters are the only ones who need to apologize for their stupid, dumb ass, intelligence insulting morons who are pretending that Time and Ben & Jerry’s are racist. Ben & Jerry’s makes a great chocolate brownie ice cream and I never hear any BS about the brownie ice cream being racist and BJ changing it and apologizing over and nor should they. Now, that I think about it, I believe the brownie ice cream would taste great with fortune cookie chips in it and not because it would be racist, but it would taste great. Race baiters would necessarily have to call me a racist for eating it anyway. Screw em.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:39pmSomeone really had to think long and hard to come up with that stretch of “insensitivity”. Unless Lin was complaining, and it is an honor to have Ben & Jerry formulate an ice cream in your name, they should have ignored those ridiculous accusations. This jumping when the nuts snap has got to stop – it makes us look like the crazy ones for acknowledging their rantings.
Report Post »000degrees
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 6:13pmBen And Jerry’s and “honor” just don’t seem to go together…..
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:16pmWhen I eat ice cream, I like generic or local dairy sellers. I would rather pay for ice cream than stupid, liberal, hoaky, titled ice cream. You’re just payin for the package anyway.
Report Post »TurboCat
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 4:59amPeople are getting stupider everyday. This is how they try to control you. ‘Hate speech! Hate speech! We need more laws!’
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:15pmi intend to offend and i dont do pc dont like it , TOUGH i dont really care
Report Post »Case_Logic
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:14pmI believe ESPN should officially boycott B&Js but sneak some late at night when they are crying over why they get no respect.
Report Post »antiprogressive
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:13pmWho will be the one to be offended and file a lawsuit, raising the price of ice cream and creating yet another new law?
And I wonder if Lin was consulted or offended?
Report Post »chips1
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:24pmHOW DARE YOU!!!!!!! The liberals will tell you when your insulted and don’t argue about it. Don’t think until you have permission.
I said that the next appology given to the liberals, will be crossed off my Christmas list. Ben and Jerry are now history.
Report Post »antiprogressive
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 5:27pmmy bad.
But in fairness you don’t have to think too hard to see that coming…
Report Post »Sort of an automatic reaction these days.
PERSERVERANCE-2012
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:12pmI wonder what the fortune messages were….Your lucky numbers are…6-6-6. You will live in PC hell for eating this ice cream. HAHAHAHA
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:15pmI don’t buy their commie ice cream .. period.
Report Post »Uranium Wedge
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 11:03pmMmmm… Commie ice cream.
Report Post »tromso
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:12pmY’know, I don’t particularly like the Ben and Jerry commie philosophy, but enough is enough. Every five minutes, someone is apologizing for something that’s just so minor and stupid. First, if anyone’s offended, grow a skin. Second, the _vast_ majority of these stupid apologies are insincere and dumb anyway, and is simply a way to appease some lame professional victims group. Grow up and grow a backbone. Sometimes it’s best to just tell people to fo rather than make a meaningless apology.
Report Post »crackerone
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:11pmRule # 6
Never apologize. It’s a sign of weakness!
B O
Report Post »GENE BLISTER
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 10:08pmTo which I would add Rule #3 “Don‘t believe what you’re told. Double check.” and Rule #42: “Never accept an apology from some someone who just sucker punched you.”
Report Post »pghpatriot
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:09pmthis country gets more and more ridiculous by the day. almost nothing can be said or done that doesn’t offend some group, religion, or race! and we wonder why politicians just babble when asked a question.
while we are apologizing for burning copies of the Koran, Afganies are killing our countrymen and soldiers! you don’t see them apologizing to us. yeah, that seems fair.
you don’t like the fortune cookie in B&G’s ice cream? don’t buy it? you want to make a racial incident out of it? BS! Maybe you’re just too sensitive? just because someone accuses you of something doesn’t make it so.
Report Post »pavepaws
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:08pmThey should sell their company to appease PC.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 10:12amThey are two of the most PC, Obama loving leftists in the country.
Report Post »enderwiggen
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:04pmThe word “if” is the key word here. “If you were offended we feel very sorry for you,” would have been the much mo better apology. Can I say that,
Report Post »PERSERVERANCE-2012
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:03pmBetter make LIN-SANITY the 38th food item to hoard.
Report Post »kschmud
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:58pmThey must not have gotten the AAJA guidelines…no fortune cookie references allowed
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/heres-the-deal-with-reporting-guidelines-on-jeremy-lin-from-the-asian-american-journalists-association/
Report Post »chips1
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:40pmIf he gets traded to Los Angeles, don’t mention Zipper Clipper.
Report Post »ForSuchATimeAsThis
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:56pmWho the hell is offended by ICE CREAM?! My gosh, the PC insanity in this world has reached a boiling point. Ben and Jerry’s was wrong to apologize. Stop with the apologies!!
Report Post »burnteye86
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:58pmand you know they’re not really sorry
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:14pmBen and Jerry’s is a big LIBERAL company .. funny that they got caught up in the P.C. crap … Lin needs to speak up .. no one at ESPN should have been fired and what‘s next Chinese Resturants can’t give out fortune cookies anymore either? .. THIS IS INSANE!
Report Post »SFsuper49er
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 5:23pmThey have to apologize when money and sales are on the line.
Report Post »JustPeachy
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:54pmThis is stupid. This company DELIBERATELY did this with an OBVIOUS play on the words and now they’re all concerned about losing a few “sensitive” customers so they apologize.
OK.
I’ll just continue to eat my BlueBell ice cream. LOL
Report Post »oldguy49
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:56pmat least nike won’t be making yellow mamba sneakers in china
Report Post »flatbroke
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:03pmBluebell ! they make the best ice cream EVER! awesome!
Report Post »Iwanttogobacktotexas
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 5:25pmI miss Blue Bell! The best ice cream ever!
Report Post »burnteye86
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:53pmlet‘s not forget the Oreo’s
Report Post »PERSERVERANCE-2012
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:00pmDont get me started!
Report Post »UBETHECHANGE
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:04pmRacial slurs has it’s own database! http://www.rsdb.org/
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:07pmHa ha ha ha ha!!!!! I‘ll bet those aren’t found in the WH pantry for more than health reasons! OK, besides the fact that Moochelle probably hoards them all in her bathroom, there‘s OTHER reasons why they aren’t in the pantry….. Tee hee!!
Report Post »flatbroke
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:13pmWhat about the vanilla with chocolate cream in the middle, and DOUBLE creams??? wanna talk about cookies do ya! LOLOLOL! i am sure there is a race in there some where!!!
Report Post »PERSERVERANCE-2012
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:53pmOMG… Get a life. It was a great idea. Anyone who got OFFENDED by this, well EXCUUUSE MEEE!!! This PC crap has got to go. Its stranglling America!
Report Post »UBETHECHANGE
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:51pmI am offended by Ritz crackers! Please change the name Nabisco! This pc crap is absurd! Oh the insanity! The pc commie police are taking away our free speech!
Report Post »fatsomann
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 7:01pmAnd Nabisco needs to apologize for it.
Report Post »mcmeador
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:50pmIt’s funny when liberals get a taste of their own politically correct medicine.
Report Post »opinionista
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:48pmSome people don’t have enough to do, apparently. Get a job. Get a life. Words, just words.
Report Post »flatbroke
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:46pmThis does not make any since! if you were worried about appearing racially insensitive, they why would you put pieces of fortune cookies in the frozen yogurt anyway??? This seems to be a set up! and this would not be a surprise!
Report Post »Tresse
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 4:16pmSince? Isn’t the word cents? lol
Report Post »blanco5
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 3:45pmIt’s ok for leftists to be racists. Wait…..they’re white?
Report Post »fatsomann
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 6:54pmSo much for vanilla.
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