Erectile Dysfunction Ads Too Hot For Tv?

[Miranda]

From CNN’s Bob Ruff

You’ve all seen them. Those ubiquitous TV ads where a simple little pill transforms a man suffering from erectile dysfunction, or ED, into a virile tiger who puts a smile on the face of his now beaming wife.

Well, Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) has seen them too, and you’d be hard pressed to see a smile on his face when he talks about the ads.

“A number of people,” he says, “have come up, including colleagues, and said I’m fed up. I don’t want my three or four-year old grandkid asking me what erectile dysfunction is all about. And I don’t blame them.”

Enter H.R. 2175. That’s a bill that Rep. Moran introduced last month that would prohibit any ED ads from airing on broadcast radio and TV between 6AM and 10PM. The bill advises the Federal Communications Commission to treat these ads as “indecent” and instruct stations to restrict their broadcast to late night and overnight hours.

So, could it be adios to all of those “Viva Viagra” commercials that play on network television on weekends and during the evening? Could the same be said for the Cialis couple sitting in outdoor tubs looking out at the sunset? And could Levitra also be shunned to the overnight hours?

CNN asked Pfzier, which makes Viagra, the first pill available by prescription to treat ED, what they thought of Rep. Moran’s bill.

“Pfizer is committed to responsible advertising… In line with our policies and the policies of the industry, Viagra advertising is aired in shows most likely to reach men suffering from erectile dysfunction. ED can be a signal for other serious medical issues, including high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

We asked several people on the streets of Atlanta for their opinions.

Nikia Clark, a mother of a 2-year-old, thinks “it’s a great idea.” She’s concerned that as her child gets older, she doesn’t want him “seeing those kinds of commercials… on regular network shows.”

Janice Habersham agrees. She says while the “ads are tastefully done” they shouldn’t be aired at “the time when children are watching TV.”

On the other hand, Bruce Jackson says ED ads “should be run 24 hours a day.” And Louis Tesser says banning the ads “is clearly unconstitutional… it’s a viewpoint. It’s something that people are interested in, and you can’t change that.”

Rep. Moran does have some perspective on the issue. “While it’s not as important as the economy, or what’s happening militarily around the world, it is an intrusion into the quality of life that we like to experience.” He says that his bill is “a shot across the bow” of the drug companies. “You know enough is enough. This is inappropriate.”

[Homicidalheathen]

They are worried about erectile disfunction ads when stuff shown even earlier...say...family guy...is popular with kids, who can watch it all day on youtube? Family guy mentions incest...beastiality...drugs...

Bah.

[jynxxxedangel]

Little two year-olds walking around, imitating "Bob," from the Enzyte commercial.

Why do I find this somewhat comical? I must truly be twisted.

I have to agree with the moralistic bunch, though. Parents shouldn't be forced to explain these things to small children. Let kids be kids for awhile.

[Homicidalheathen]

well you could just say its like a vitamin pill that makes mommy's and daddy's get closer and lovey.

[creatureofthenyte]

I think this is just another example of parents not being held accountable for monitoring their kids' tv watching habits. If you don't want your kid watching those ads, change the channel!!! Parents get away with passing the responsiblity buck all too often, and that pisses me off.

[Rev.Reverence]

She says while the “ads are tastefully done” they shouldn’t be aired at “the time when children are watching TV.”

What she said!

If your kid is sick...or privileged to stay up till some stupid hour...like mine is on occasion (he's tryin' to stay up all night..hey..it's a hobby)...you should REALLY sit & watch WITH them...(I have not seen these adds in the daytime, personally)...OR...you CAN put on Sprout, Nickelodeon, Disney, Disney FX...there's a fuckin' PLETHORA of things to watch...how about a fuckin' DVD...SERIOUSLY!

[Der Nister]

I can't see why 'adults' get so upset about drug commercials in this country. IMO too many Americans are too uptight about sexuality.

We can't have our kids growing up knowing anything about what their bodies are gonna go through someday.

Now, do I want a kid under the age of ten seeing that stuff? Prolly not because they are too young to understand but that's where parenting comes in, duh. I think the only parents that bitch about it are the ones that don't wanna do their job as a parent and either keep that away from their kids or sit down and talk to them.

I took sex ed at the age of 11 and it didn't screw me up or make me do things to girls because I already knew right from wrong and with sex ed - I knew more about what was going on.

Some people today are such lazy fucks when it comes to parenting. Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh!

[asphyxian_doll]

I can't see why 'adults' get so upset about drug commercials in this country. IMO too many Americans are too uptight about sexuality.

We can't have our kids growing up knowing anything about what their bodies are gonna go through someday.

Now, do I want a kid under the age of ten seeing that stuff? Prolly not because they are too young to understand but that's where parenting comes in, duh. I think the only parents that bitch about it are the ones that don't wanna do their job as a parent and either keep that away from their kids or sit down and talk to them.

I took sex ed at the age of 11 and it didn't screw me up or make me do things to girls because I already knew right from wrong and with sex ed - I knew more about what was going on.

Some people today are such lazy fucks when it comes to parenting. Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh!

I second that!

Sexuality shouldn't be such a taboo thing.

Its fucking natural.

Its like telling your grandma that pissing in her depends is a sin....

its recockulous.

pissing happens...and its grandma.

And you should be explaining sex to your kids, before the tv gets to them.

>_>

if it gets to them first....explain wth it is they are saying.

You might get an "ewww!" out of em, but at least you're being honest.

[pomba gira]

True dat. Explaining these things to children doesn't have to be a huge production. As long as they don't think you're being evasive, they'll usually be satisfied with the simplest, most general explanation... even something like "it's for things that grownups do sometimes". I really don't understand why most people are such utter cowards about explaining sexuality to children... people say "How do I explain that to my kid?" like they're faced with having to swim through a sea of raw sewage with bear traps clamped onto their limbs. That almost-inevitable wording shows that they're more concerned with their own embarassment than any putative threat to the kids' wellbeing.

I second that!

Sexuality shouldn't be such a taboo thing.

Its fucking natural.

Its like telling your grandma that pissing in her depends is a sin....

its recockulous.

pissing happens...and its grandma.

And you should be explaining sex to your kids, before the tv gets to them.

>_>

if it gets to them first....explain wth it is they are saying.

You might get an "ewww!" out of em, but at least you're being honest.

[Soulrev]

You know what? I don't have a problem with these ads in their questionable content. I have a problem with advertisement of Rx drugs in general.

First, let's look at the fact that Rx drugs cost ridiculous amounts of money. Anyone who has to take something on a regular basis knows this. So the fact that they (drug manufacturers) are spending all this money on advertisement is obviously driving up the costs of their product.

Second, it gives people ideas in their heads that something might be wrong with them so they rush to their doctor and ask about a drug they think they might need because they go to the bathroom more than 3 times a day and the TV told 'em a drug can fix that. Bullshit.

Just look at it this way. Drugs in this country are more expensive now than ever before and I believe a huge part of that is the recent advertising boom in the past 10 or 15 years. They never used to advertise Rx drugs like they do now, back in the 80's and early 90's! Wtf? Just what we need, more hypochondriacs and more expensive medications. Great. Way to go America. Fry your brains some more on that fuckin' tv. I hate sheeple.

[Tacohitts]

Stupid parents=dysfunctional kids

yeah these ads are annoying as hell

Bob is happy

now how about the government taking over?

[pomba gira]

You know what? I don't have a problem with these ads in their questionable content. I have a problem with advertisement of Rx drugs in general.

First, let's look at the fact that Rx drugs cost ridiculous amounts of money. Anyone who has to take something on a regular basis knows this. So the fact that they (drug manufacturers) are spending all this money on advertisement is obviously driving up the costs of their product.

Second, it gives people ideas in their heads that something might be wrong with them so they rush to their doctor and ask about a drug they think they might need because they go to the bathroom more than 3 times a day and the TV told 'em a drug can fix that. Bullshit.

Just look at it this way. Drugs in this country are more expensive now than ever before and I believe a huge part of that is the recent advertising boom in the past 10 or 15 years. They never used to advertise Rx drugs like they do now, back in the 80's and early 90's! Wtf? Just what we need, more hypochondriacs and more expensive medications. Great. Way to go America. Fry your brains some more on that fuckin' tv. I hate sheeple.

Excellent point. I definitely have no great love for Big Pharma.

[Enishi]

Stupid parents=dysfunctional kids

yeah these ads are annoying as hell

Bob is happy

now how about the government taking over?

ROFL!

[ttogreh]

An interesting point has been made. Direct to consumer advertising of pharmaceutical drugs is uniquely American. It does not happen in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Japan, or South Africa. Patients in those countries have to ask their doctors about the latest and greatest drug that is new to the market.

These countries also have socialized medicine, which is simply the way this country has to go towards if we want to remain competitive with the rest of the world. Well, that, and teaching our kids algebra.

That being said, I actually believe that direct to consumer advertising is a hallmark of our society, not a blemish. I believe that speech, be it corporate or personal, should never be infringed. If parents have to be inconvenienced into speaking to their children, well... so be it.

There is a middle ground, and we, as a nation of centrists... will find it eventually.

[Rev.Reverence]

True dat. Explaining these things to children doesn't have to be a huge production. As long as they don't think you're being evasive, they'll usually be satisfied with the simplest, most general explanation... even something like "it's for things that grownups do sometimes". I really don't understand why most people are such utter cowards about explaining sexuality to children... people say "How do I explain that to my kid?" like they're faced with having to swim through a sea of raw sewage with bear traps clamped onto their limbs. That almost-inevitable wording shows that they're more concerned with their own embarassment than any putative threat to the kids' wellbeing.

HAHA! That phrase (& others like it) will not last for to long...I call them "put-off-answers"...for when the question is seriously to deep for the kid in question.

ie. reproductive functions, higher pleasure functions, intermediate physics (after about 10 minutes of explaining), thermo- & fluid dynamics..... :haha: