The three prolly-gays (two are brothers) wearing Abercrombie & Fitch shirts behind Barack Obama during his Pennsylvania speech were not part of a guerilla marketing stunt by the homoerotic retailer, though one of the guys does work at an Abercrombie store. They were just three Obama supporters who happened to all wear obnoxious A&F tees on the same day. [The Caucus]
In honor of Barack Obama???s Abercrombie moment, here are some snaps of Vision Men model David from Europe???s new ???adults only??? Abercrombie & Fitch catalog.
We may hate the company, but we love their dedication to the male body.
On the eve of yesterday’s Democratic primary in Pennsylvania, the Edmonton Sun published this op-ed:
The problem the Democrats will face if tomorrow’s outcome is less than decisive is right there to see at these campaign events before you even get past the parking lot.
Hillary is minivans and American sedans, Barack is Range Rovers and Hondas. Hillary is cross-trainers with jeans, Barack is Abercrombie and Fitch and Banana Republic. Hillary is Dunkin Donuts, Barack is Starbucks. And their supporters are equally vocal, in different ways. [Ed Sun]
Funny, then, about this photo taken last night:
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If baseball fields can name their stadiums after corporate sponsors who send millions in naming rights their way, why not hospitals? An Ohio hospital renamed itself Nationwide Children???s Hospital when the insurance company Nationwide wrote a $50 million cheque. They also named the lobby after two retailers who sent in seven figures. And now they’re offering the name of its emergency and trauma unit to Abercrombie & Fitch, the sexualized clothier who’s paying $10 million for the privilege.
And though the gift might go a long way toward improving the health of children, plenty of outspoken groups are furious the hospital would sell itself to a company many think is a glorified child porn ring. Some 15 organizations don’t want the unit named after a company who has shirtless male models, who might still be in high school, greet store customers, or a company who began re-publishing its quarterly magazine that sells apparel with models who don’t wear any.
Nevermind that UCLA named its children’s hospital after toy company Mattel, and Rhode Island Hospital slapped Hasbro’s name on its own kids’ unit; nobody cried foul there. Of course it was Mattel who had to recall nine million Chinese-made toys that contain lead and magnets that could harm children if swallowed. Good thing they have their own children’s hospital.
• On the plus side, Diane Sawyer scored an exclusive with Tuberculosis patient Andrew Speaker. On the minus side, Sawyer has started to develop ‘cold and flu-like symptoms.”
• Valerie Plame to sue CIA for right to publisher her memoirs. You know, because the CIA tends to frown on “Behind-the-scenes at CIA headquarters!” tell-alls
• As newsroom jobs fade, demand for them continues to grow, presumably because most English and Journalism majors had to pass/fail Econ 101, and hence know nothing of “supply and demand.”
• Studies show primetime television has lost its allure. And no, this isn’t another anti-Katie Couric piece.
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Abercrombie & Fitch is more than the epicenter of teen homoeroticism, racial stereotypes and reversing decades of feminist progress with mere T-shirts.
It’s also the place to be on Fifth Avenue if you’re looking to sleep with a carbon copy of yourself, so long as “yourself” is a 17-year-old seashell necklace donning post-pubescent slogan T-shirt wearer with spiky blonde tips.
Alex Kuczynski takes readers on a tour inside this four-story “sprawling nightclub” of a flagship store – where jeans are served instead of Ketel One martinis at the bar – to discover even the youngins will fork over nearly $200 of their parents’ money to procure an identity.
And god bless Alex, because we’re going near this place. Until Black Friday of next year, when the greeter models don’t wear shirts.
Browsing Out Loud [Alex Kuczynski, NYT]
Aw, are those Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirts upsetting some minority again? Don’t get us wrong, we don’t support racism, sexism or any “ism” that isn’t narcissism, at least when it’s done gratuitously. But when A&F makes news for its offensive slogan tees instead of a homoerotic magalogue, we’re just tired of hearing it.
But hear it we will. If it’s not Asians up in arms over A&F’s stereotype pushing, it’s young women (”girls,” we hear they’re called) the retailer is pissing off with tees that read “Who needs brains when you have these” and “I had a nightmare I was a brunette.”
Apparently these slogans are degrading, offensive, immature and sexist. That is: They’re selling like hotcakes, so get yours before they’re out of your size!
Teenage girls protest Abercrombie T-shirts [Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]
• If you think the prospect of K-Fed rapping is scary enough, Michael Jackson can top that. As part of his new “butch” image, Jacko is going the Madonna route and reinventing himself as hip-hop booty chaser. Which, we’re nearly certain, is what originally got him into a “jam.”
• Kanye West was reduced to (gasp) Oprah-like levels of celebrity, getting snubbed at the London club Chinawhite when bouncers didn’t recognize the President Bush basher.
• Star Jones donned her Bridezilla getup once more at a Hurricane Katrina relief telethon, throwing her snide remarks at reality TV persona Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth. The former Apprentice candidate, however, wasn’t there to fight: She was busy trying to hookup with everyone from Q-Tip to Matthew St. Patrick.
• Renee Zellweger can’t stay away from those music men, now finding herself in the arms of Irish singer Damien Rice. She’s planning a trip to Ireland to “hide out” from the media, but we’re sure it includes looking for Kenny Chesney’s leprechauns.
• Abercrombie & Fitch is said to be courting Jessica Simpson’s sometimes husband Nick Lachey for an upcoming campaign. Not that he’s a walking advertisement for them already.