You know how celebrities and entertainers who exercise their freedom of speech by voicing opposition to the failed policies of the current administration are so often vilified and subsequently censured (e.g. Dixie Chicks, Danny Glover, Linda Rondstadt?) Well, it bugs me every time I see Ben Stein on a ClearEyes ad -- especially since I really like the product. (Nothing clears up the ocular after effects of a long night and too many manhattans on the rocks like a couple of drops of ClearEyes.) So I decided to send the following letter to the President and CEO of Prestige Products which manufactures ClearEyes:
Mr. Peter C. Mann
President and CEO
Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc.
90 North Broadway
Irvington, NY 10533
Dear Mr. Mann:
I am offended by the conspicuous presence of Mr. Ben Stein in your current advertising campaign. To me he is a polarizing political figure who writes very right-wing columns for the New York Times and other publications and not just an oddball character actor. When I see his face on screen touting your product, I think less of his amusing cameo in "Ferris Bueller" and more of his association with Richard Nixon and George W. Bush. The other morning I saw him on "CBS Sunday Morning" making a spirited defense of Carl Rove -- a defense which included a number of egregious misstatements. When choosing my eye drops in the future, I would prefer not to be contributing to the salary of such a rank partisan.