Nastia Liukin sells out too

World's Greatest Athlete and upcoming television star Michael Phelps isn't the only one capitalizing on his Olympic fame. And thank god for that! For instance, while Phelps shuns Wheaties, the cereal maker selected gold medal-winning gymnastics champ Nastia Liukin to slap on its box. And Liukin — whose name, unfortunately, could be confused with "nasty looking," though she certainly is not — isn't stopping there.

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Aug 29, 2008 · Link · Respond
Especially those that are ethically questionable

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So you can't get this body through diet, exercise — and supplements?

Christian Boeving is, in our mind, the real life Brooke Wyndham, the fictional exercise queen from Legally Blonde, whose alibi for the murder of her husband is a liposuction procedure she needs to keep quiet or risk losing her entire empire.

But in this case, Boeving is a real person, and a real fitness model, and he was, until recently, the spokesman for Iovate Health Sciences' dietary supplements, including Hydroxycut.

That was until he admitted, on camera, that he took steroids. The camera he acknowledged this tidbit to was filming for the documentary Bigger, Stronger, Faster, which was screened at Sundace in January.

Granted, Boeving's steroid use was doctor-prescribed, but Iovate isn't in the business of hashing out details; they're in the business of public perception that their product works all by itself. So they fired Boeving.

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Jun 9, 2008 · Link · Respond

laurenconrad.jpg As Dolly Parton says, "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap." For Lauren Conrad, it takes a lot of handlers, merchandising experts, and red carpet appearances. The reality starlet has big plans for herself, taking the path of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in turning her TV fame into retail dollars. At least she's not kidding herself: Most of her dollars come from endorsement deals, with guarantee an upfront fee and a cut of sales from whatever she's pushing.

She's on board with a toy company, a leather-goods maker and a cosmetics line. But her true passion is fashion, and it's in that world she hopes to make a name for herself. Which is why Conrad, who you'd think will accept any cheque made out to her name, actually refused one retailer's overtures to slap her name on a clothing line — because she wouldn't have any creative input!

Those two months in Paris and interning for a TV version Teen Vogue will NOT be wasted, even if she can't spell "beret."

Mar 21, 2008 · Link · Respond
Hypocrisy in hospital naming rights

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If baseball fields can name their stadiums after corporate sponsors who send millions in naming rights their way, why not hospitals? An Ohio hospital renamed itself Nationwide Children’s Hospital when the insurance company Nationwide wrote a $50 million cheque. They also named the lobby after two retailers who sent in seven figures. And now they're offering the name of its emergency and trauma unit to Abercrombie & Fitch, the sexualized clothier who's paying $10 million for the privilege.

And though the gift might go a long way toward improving the health of children, plenty of outspoken groups are furious the hospital would sell itself to a company many think is a glorified child porn ring. Some 15 organizations don't want the unit named after a company who has shirtless male models, who might still be in high school, greet store customers, or a company who began re-publishing its quarterly magazine that sells apparel with models who don't wear any.

Nevermind that UCLA named its children's hospital after toy company Mattel, and Rhode Island Hospital slapped Hasbro's name on its own kids' unit; nobody cried foul there. Of course it was Mattel who had to recall nine million Chinese-made toys that contain lead and magnets that could harm children if swallowed. Good thing they have their own children's hospital.

Mar 12, 2008 · Link · 1 Response

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It's a far cry from a beefcake campaign for Emporio Armani underwear, but David Beckham has to afford his wife's shopping habits somehow. So here's his latest endorsement: Sharpie. From what we understand, Becks isn't appearing in any of the spots, just lending his name, which hopefully means Newell Rubbermaid got him on the cheap. Actually, says Sharpie's publicist, Beckham will appear in future spots; these are just teasers. If all goes according to our hopes and dreams, the upcoming ads will have a conspicuously placed marker by his bits and pieces.

Mar 6, 2008 · Link · 3 Responses

TOP GLADIATOR Ex-gay porn star and American Gladiators at large Militia nabbed an endorsement deal with
HeadBlade razors. As a former actor in the physical arts, Miltia knows a lot about shaving. [Queerty]

Jan 18, 2008 · Link · Respond
Some Thoughts About This

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Last night we were heading to Queens. Usually, en route to that borough, we think about all the national cuisines we could eat and how weird everything is, but sometimes our thoughts turn to politics.

And we were thinking about John Kerry endorsing Barack Obama, and we were thinking it’s not so awesome.

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Jan 11, 2008 · Link · 1 Response