Offender: Burger King (a frequent offender)

Media Outlet: On the Internet

The Offense: Burger King has posted a website called "Singing in the Shower" -- which bills itself as "The World's First Guilt Free Showercam"

NOW's Analysis: OK, burger joints, we get the idea. You're desperate to round up young male customers, and you're not above using the most unoriginal and exploitative tricks in the book. Now Burger King's UK website lets you: "Watch our shower babe shake her bits to the hits at 9.30am every morning."

This involves a woman in a bikini -- with burgers strategically placed on the top half and bottoms that say "check out my buns" -- who gets in the shower and starts soaping up, singing and posing. The video is clearly shot to imply that this woman has no idea she is being watched. If that's not creepy enough, the song she's singing is "I Think We're Alone Now."

With this voyeuristic promotion, Burger King is coming dangerously close to endorsing criminal activity. Haven't they heard about what happened to ESPN reporter Erin Andrews? Or do the fellas down at Burger King think stalking is cool?

Worst of all is that this type of juvenile ogling seems to be aimed at young men, even boys. The site does require visitors to confirm that they're 18 before entering, but it's pretty simple to put in any birthdate you want -- who's gonna know the difference? Teaching kids that objectifying women and invading their privacy is fun -- thanks Burger King!

Take Action: Tell Burger King what you think of their sexist website.

Lisa Bennett, NOW Communications Director, December 18, 2009

More offenders in : Advertising, Objectification of Women, Sexist Piggery, Internet, Media Hall of Shame

Rank this item with our Misogyny Meter: Currently 3.09/5 1 2 3 4 5 i

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Offender: Glenn Beck on The Glenn Beck Program

Media Outlet: Aired on radio stations nationwide 11/23/09 - syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications

The Offense: Beck called Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) a "high-class prostitute" on his radio show.

NOW's Analysis: The discussion by Beck and his co-host, Pat Grey, about the kind of "prostitute" they think Landrieu is was quite lengthy, detailed and highly offensive. First they offered the right-wing claim that Landrieu accepted a "bribe" as if it were proven fact. The conversation included these delightful nuggets: "you're not at Motel 6 with this, no . . . this one comes to your Four Seasons hotel room and does it right . . . you might even think she's the wife of the CEO she's coming in on the arm of." Rush Limbaugh followed up on his show the same day, saying that Landrieu "may be the most expensive prostitute in the history of prostitution."

So what's wrong with equating politicians with prostitutes? After all, it's a quick and vivid way of accusing legislators of selling their votes (and presumably their principles) for money. Countless political cartoons have portrayed supposedly greedy and ethically-challenged politicians in fishnet stockings and garters. Since when did this amusing metaphor hurt anyone?

The problem is, the accusation conjures up an image almost exclusively of women -- typically streetwalkers, but sometimes high-class escorts like Beck describes. Also, the term seems to flow so easily off the tongues of men seeking to degrade successful, powerful (perhaps "uppity"?) women. Not long ago Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fl.) called Linda Robertson, an adviser to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, a "K Street whore," and he was rightly criticized for doing so. Whore, prostitute, hooker -- it's time to retire these sexist terms that only encourage our society to see women as commodities to be bought and sold.

Take Action: Tell Kraig T. Kitchin, President and Chief Operating Officer of Premiere Radio Networks, what you think about Glenn Beck's and Rush Limbaugh's sexist comments (they both gave the same syndicator--shocker).

Lisa Bennett, NOW Communications Director, November 24, 2009

More offenders in : Objectification of Women, Sexist Piggery, Radio, Media Hall of Shame

Rank this item with our Misogyny Meter: Currently 2.63/5 1 2 3 4 5 i

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Offender: Huffington Post

Media Outlet: Huffington Post website

The Offense: Who Has the Best Chest in Hollywood? (Photos, Poll), posted 9/26/09

NOW's Analysis: The Huffington Post exposes its tabloid side in this cheesy and insulting poll. Readers are invited to look at photos of women celebrities in which their breasts are prominently featured and then rate them on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is "gross" and 10 is "gorgeous" -- seriously, this is not a joke.

Yes, the Internet is full of this kind of exploitative, sexist junk, but shouldn't we expect better from the Huffington Post? The website links to a previous contest where readers voted on men's chests, but that's just a little different, don't you think? Women are constantly judged and rated on their physical assets and sex appeal, and the Huffington Post really doesn't need to be in the business of encouraging this practice. Not to mention, how old was the grade school boy who devised the rating scale? The use of the word "gross" is so degrading and juvenile that the folks at Huffington Post should be embarassed.

Take Action: Write to Huffington Post and tell them to stop exploiting women. You can also post a comment under the story itself (but you have to have an account).

Lisa Bennett, NOW Communications Director, September 28, 2009

More offenders in : Objectification of Women, Sexist Piggery, Internet, Media Hall of Shame

Rank this item with our Misogyny Meter: Currently 2.99/5 1 2 3 4 5 i

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