The Aerie
Okay, so let me get this straight...
A couple of years ago, advertisers wanted to begin selling condoms on television. The idea met stiff resistance from scandalized Americans who couldn't swallow the notion of condoms being mentioned on prime time TV. Eventually the ads were aired, but only referred to condoms and their uses in the most careful and oblique manner possible.
Now tonight I've got the TV on, and I hear two separate ads, one for Cialis and one for Levitra (both words which, if appearing in my inbound e-mail, automatically sort the letter into the trash). In both advertisements the announcer says very clearly,
"In the event of erections lasting more than four hours seek medical attention immediately."
Uh... Now, excuse me, but doesn't the phrase "Erections lasting more than four hours" scandalize at least as many blue-haired Americans as the word "condom" alone?
Where's the uproar? Where's the furor?
Or is there no furor because it's the misbegotten pharmaceutical industry that wants these ads aired... and they make sure that nobody's protests are heard?
The other day I also heard an advertisement for an antidepressant. The announcer warned in the final disclaimer that one must not cease taking the drug without medical approval, and that doing so could lead to an increased risk of suicide.
Now, waitaminute - when you have a drug that you have to take forever, isn't that an addiction? So why are pharmaceutical firms encouraging people to experiment with addictive drugs? Oh that's right, so that they can make a fortune.
I don't know. All I know is that if you're poor and you sell drugs on the streetcorner you can go to jail for life. But if you're rich and you sell drugs on TV, you can use the phrase "erection lasting more than four hours" with impunity.