Ludacris has asked Rev. Al Sharpton and Johnnie Cochran to help him protest getting dropped as a spokesman for Pepsi. Sharpton confirmed that the rapper "reached out" to him. We told you last week that Pepsi canceled an ad campaign starring Ludacris after critism by Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly led to complaints from consumers. (O'Reilly said Ludacris would be an inappropriate spokesman for ads aimed at youth because the rapper's lyrics seem to glorify drug sales, violence, the degradation of women and the abuse of alcohol.) Ludacris released this statement blasting O'Reilly:
"Recent conservative spectator opinions might have been the cause of my botched relationship with Pepsi, but understand, my message represents an ideology ... that corporate and political forces can't touch… Over the past few days, I have rethought my approach as to how I do business and retained a team to create a campaign called, 'It's Got To Be Ludacris' to take the power back for the good of the hip-hop community. I'm calling on all artists, fans, friends, and members of the new generation to join in rallying with me--to create one voice and take it all back."
Meanwhile, Pepsi is getting ready to roll out another ad campaign
with some celebrity spokespersons who aren't exactly squeaky clean: the rock band Papa Roach. Two years ago, these guys appeared in an adult video called "Backstage Sluts 3" and lead singer Jacoby Shaddix once allegedly peed into a bottle of Gatorade (which happens to be owned by Pepsi) during a concert in Boston and gave the bottle to a fan. Jacoby Shaddix says the band wishes they'd never made that dirty movie.
Will Bill O'Reilly launch a campaign against Papa Roach? The Fox
News talker said, quote: "If Pepsi hires some other geeks, we'll
take a look at them too."
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