Jerry Rice, former 49er, stars in advertisements for Popeye’s Louisiana Fried Chicken’s Wigovations that aired on January 3, 2017, promoting “free hands wings eating.” The restaurant chain produced football themed commercials with Rice, who is seen in one ad wearing a helmet with a rotating chicken wing on the face guard, a hat with wings and dipping sauce, and a shirt made of Popeye’s napkins smeared with sauce on the front of his shirt and face. At the end of the commercial, Rice stand next to the announcers desk holding a big ass buttermilk biscuit. Admittedly, when I fist saw it, I thought that it was a Chappelle skit. It wasn’t.
Jerry Rice and Popeye’s had soon faced a backlash from Social Media, especially from twitter. Here’s an article from the Huffington Post... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/twitter-hits-jerry-rice-hard-for-his-popeyes-fried-chicken-ad_us_5880a44ee4b02c1837e9e09a
Personally, I can see where the controversy is coming from. I still deal with the stereotype from some people I know making comments about black people and chicken. Check out this clip…
The question is… Is this particular Rice/ Popeye’s promotion intentionally stereotypical? Or is it unintentional? Or is it neither? It’s closest competitor, KFC, also has a football themed promotion that started back in September 2016.
Rod is a blogger, writer, filmmaker, photographer, daydreamer who likes to cook. Rod produces and directs the web series, CUPIC: Diary of an Investigator. He is also the editor, producer and administrator of STM Daily News, a part of the TNC Network.
