Slimfast drops Whoopi from US campaign after Bush jibe

by Staff,, Brand Republic 15-Jul-04, 11:30

NEW YORK - Comedienne and actress Whoopi Goldberg has been dropped from a US television advertising campaign for Unilever's Slimfast after making derogatory comments about President George W Bush at a Democrat fundraising event.

Goldberg, who starred in the films 'The Color Purple' and 'Ghost', made a joke at the event in New York, playing on the pun "Bush" to refer to a woman's genital area.

Following her appearance, Unilever said that it was disappointed with Goldberg's remarks.

In a statement, Terry Olson, general manager and vice-president of marketing for Slimfast, said: "We are disappointed by the manner in which Ms Goldberg chose to express herself and sincerely regret that her recent remarks offended some of our consumers. Ads featuring Ms Goldberg will no longer be on the air."

It also apologised to any of its customers who may have been offended by her comments.

However, none of the US media have been prepared to repeat exactly what Goldberg said that was so upsetting.

The New York Post coyly reported the event, saying: "Waving a bottle of wine, she fired off a stream of vulgar sexual wordplays on Bush's name in a riff about female genitalia."

Unilever has been attempting to shore up sales of Slimfast, which has been losing market share as dieters turn to low-carbohydrate plans such as the Atkins Diet. The company is set to introduce a new range of products to target low-carb dieters in search of sweet snacks that fit in with their food regime.

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