by Eric Jost

Believe it or not, but I actually sat down and watched most of the Super Bowl on Sunday (with only intermittent glimpses of the Puppy Bowl). I didn’t intend on tuning into the game, but I wanted to see the controversial anti-choice ad CBS planned to air. And being stuck in a house for three days because of snow causes one to do strange things. In my case, watch a football game.

For the most part, I tuned in half-heartedly. I nearly missed Focus on the Family’s ad altogether it was so quick and reminiscent of an eHarmony commercial (which is especially bizarre since it featured Tim Tebow and his mom). But the ad that caught my and everyone else’s attention was Megan Fox’s Motorola commercial

As many bloggers pointed out immediately following the Super Bowl, the ad can proudly claim the title as being the only Super Bowl commercial featuring gay characters (that aren’t animals). And to call them gay is even a bit of a stretch – even with their pink button-down shirts – since they have clearly have secret heterosexual longings for Megan Fox.

With CBS spending the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl assuring us that it isn’t sexist or homophobic, the Megan Fox ad was like a slap in the face after CBS punched us in the stomach with the anti-choice spot.  Despite being revered as the ultimate expression of heteronormative masculinity, does CBS fear some kind of male revolt if positive images of LGBTQ people air during their two-hour testosterone fest? We know that just as many people tune in to the Super Bowl for the commercials as they do for the game, and as a result, this brings in a very diverse audience that cuts across gender, race, class, and sexuality (this game is now officially the most watched show of all time, with 106 million American viewers).

Not to mention that sports fans exhibit the same type of diversity amongst themselves.

CBS, however, seems to think that the audience for the Super Bowl consists only of white, heterosexual males who are also conservative and intolerant. Does this explain why CBS OK’d the Motorola spot but nixed an anti-gay bullying ad from GLSEN? After all, gays are meant to be laughed at, not loved. And seeing as how Focus on the Family at one time sponsored ex-gay programs, the Motorola commercial is in line with the beliefs of CBS’ other television sponsors.

Next year, the Super Bowl moves to FOX which has a mixed history with LGBTQ characters and viewers (and even more of a checked past with women). Not to mention that sister-channel, FOX News, is one of the most conservative networks on cable TV. However, the network that gave us Adam Lambert and Glee might be willing to air a progressive and inclusive ad if the sponsoring organization comes up with the cash.