FOLKS, THERE WAS A HUGE CONTROVERSY STARTING THURSDAY,
WHEN THE HALLMARK CHANNEL PULLED AN AD
BECAUSE IT FEATURED A SAME-SEX COUPLE.
HERE'S THE AD.
>> I, EVA, WONDER IF OUR GUESTS WOULD BE HERE ON TIME.
>> IF WE HAD A CUSTOM WEDDING WEBSITE WITH OUR CEREMONY
DETAILS ON IT.
>> AND I, TAYLOR, WOULD PICK ZOLA TO HAVE AND TO HOST OUR
WEDDING WEBSITE.
>> DO YOU THINK ZOLA COULD HAVE MADE PLANNING YOUR PERFECT
WEDDING EASIER?
>> WE DO!
>> WE'VE HELPED A MILLION COUPLES PLAN THEIR WEDDING WITH
FREE WEBSITES, REGISTRY AND INVITATIONS.
GET STARTED FOR FREE AT ZOLA.COM.
>> STEPHEN: YOU KNOW WHAT?
I GOT TO SAY THAT AD IS UPSETTING.
THEY'RE STANDING IN FRONT OF DECORATIVE PRE-LIT TREES BUT THE
ROOM ALSO HAS AN ELABORATE WOODEN MANTLE.
WHAT'S THE AESTHETIC HERE?
CLASSIC EVENING OR RUSTIC CHIC?
PICK A LANE, LADIES!
I CAN'T LET MY KIDS SEE THAT!
( LAUGHTER ) BUT THE SIGHT OF TWO WOMEN
KISSING WAS ENOUGH TO ENRAGE THE MEMBERS OF AN ONLINE
ANTI-L.G.B.T.Q. GROUP CALLED "ONE MILLION MOMS" WHO
PETITIONED HALLMARK AFTER THE COMMERCIAL
AIRED, SAYING, "THE HALLMARK CHANNEL HAS ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN
FOR ITS FAMILY FRIENDLY MOVIES.
EVEN ITS COMMERCIALS ARE USUALLY SAFE FOR FAMILY VIEWING.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS NOT THE CASE ANYMORE."
LET'S BE HONEST, YOUR WHOLE FAMILY ISN'T GETTING TOGETHER TO
WATCH HALLMARK CHRISTMAS MOVIES.
REAL MOMS WATCH THEM ALONE AT NIGHT, WHILE TRYING TO ASSEMBLE
A FISHER PRICE KITCHEN AND DRINKING OUT OF A WINE GLASS
THAT SAYS, "WHEN CALEB WHINES, MOMMY WINES."
( LAUGHTER ) OKAY?
WORDS TO LIVE BY.
CALEB AND MOMMY.
( APPLAUSE ) HALLMARK CAVED IMMEDIATELY,
SAYING, "THE HALLMARK BRAND IS NEVER GOING TO BE DIVISIVE.
WE DON'T WANT TO GENERATE CONTROVERSY."
WE KNOW.
WE'VE SEEN YOUR MOVIES.
( LAUGHTER ) HALLMARK DOESN'T GENERATE
CONTROVERSY, CHARACTER GROWTH, DRAMATIC TENSION, OR LEADING
ROLES FOR BLACK PEOPLE.
>> Jon: OH, OH!
( PIANO RIFF ) ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
BUT IN THEIR EFFORT TO AVOID CONTROVERSY, HALLMARK CREATED A
MASSIVE AMOUNT OF CONTROVERSY.
'CAUSE AFTER THEY REMOVED THE AD, ZOLA SAID, IT "WILL NO
LONGER RUN ADS ON THE HALLMARK CHANNEL," THE HASHTAG "BOYCOTT
HALLMARK" WENT VIRAL, AND THEY GOT PUSHBACK FROM L.G.B.T.Q.
ADVOCACY GROUP GLAAD AND CELEBRITIES LIKE ELLEN DEGENERES
AND WILLIAM SHATNER.
YES, SHATNER!
WE ACTUALLY HAVE FOOTAGE OF SHATNER TAKING ON ONE OF THE
MILLION MOMS.
BECKET COMBAT MUSIC ).
>> HALLMARK IS TURNING OUR CHILDREN GAY!
>> YOU JUST FEAR WHAT YOU...
DON'T...
UNDERSTAND.
( FIGHTING NOISES ) LOVE... IS LOVE.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( PIANO RIFF )
>> STEPHEN: WELL, JUST LIKE IN THE HALLMARK CLASSIC "A SHOE
ADDICT'S CHRISTMAS " -- I HAD TO ASK IN COMMERCIAL IF WE MADE
THAT UP.
( LAUGHTER ) WE DID NOT.
( LAUGHTER ) THERE'S A HAPPY ENDING.
IN RESPONSE TO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR RESPONSE TO COMPLAINTS,
HALLMARK ANNOUNCED THAT THEY "WILL REINSTATE THE
COMMERCIALS."
SO, JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS, BIG-CITY HALLMARK EXECUTIVES HAD
TO DECIDE BETWEEN A HIGH STAKES ADVERTISING ACCOUNT AND LOVE.
THERE WAS DRAMA, THEY BROKE UP, GOT BACK TOGETHER, A WEDDING WAS
INVOLVED, AND EVERYONE WAS WHITE.
( LAUGHTER ) MAN, THEY DO HAVE JUST ONE PLOT
LINE.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH AARON PAUL.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( BAND PLAYING )