J.C. Penney’s ‘Sexist’ Commercial and an Internet Celebrity Passes Away

Adriana Diaz

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J.C. Penney is being accused of sexism once again. Earlier this month, the department store faced harsh criticism for a shirt it was selling that read, "I'm too pretty to do homework." The store apologized and pulled the shirt, but now an ad has people up in arms again. Today, the company confirmed that it's pulled its commercial targeting male viewers that features ESPN personality Kenny Mayne. The commercial opens with Mayne saying, "J.C. Penney realizes you don't like advertising for clothes. Who does?" He goes on to make the viewer a deal: "If you look at these smart fashion choices from Van Heusen, we're going to show you this." That's when rock music starts playing and the commercial cuts to the iconic scene from the 1982 movie "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" of Phoebe Cates climbing

out of a pool in a red bikini. The commercial closes with Mayne saying, "It is seriously hot in here." Unsurprisingly, blogs across the Web are calling the ad sexist, misguided, and nonsensical. The loudest protests came from the American Family Association's One Million Mom's website, asking people to call J.C. Penney's customer service and complain that the ad is offensive to women. On the site, the group says, "The 30-second ad, 'It is Seriously Hot in Here,' negatively portrays women as little more than sexual eye-candy for a men's clothing pitch." Social media mostly agree. @SPARKsummittweeted, "Man, @JCPenney, I hope you didn't waste money paying 'creative' for this totally lazy and misogynist ad." @fernanDsavantwrote, "Did they forget who their core customer is?" What do you think? Is the commercial sexist or just advertising? Tell us on Facebook and Twitter!

The death of Heidi the cross-eyed possum has the Web in mourning. Heidi was an Internet sensation last year when her picture melted hearts around the Web. Heidi also made a big splash earlier this year when she went on " Jimmy Kimmel Live" and accurately predicted who would win best actor and actress at the 2011 Oscars. The 3-and-a-half-year-old marsupial, which was living in a German zoo, had to be put down after her health deteriorated. On Heidi's Facebook page, the zoo said in a statement, "The cross-eyed opossum Heidi has closed her eyes forever." That Facebook page has more than 340,000 fans, which is 35,000 more than Vice President Joe Biden has! Condolences filled Heidi's fan page from at least 4,500 people worldwide. The Web is still reeling from the news. @sunnyskystar tweeted that Heidi must have suffered from "Post-possum depression" and @1_Deezy wrote, "RIP to Heidi the cross eyed possum. You will be missed." But @huchick2006 she thinks the media coverage of Heidi's death is overblown. She tweeted, "**flips on TV and sees Heidi the cross eyed possum dying is one of the main news stories......turns off the news immediately**"