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WORST AD EVER: Beck trashes Mother's Day as "big business scam" during radio ad for Vermont Teddy Bear

May 03, 2010 12:46 pm ET by Brian Frederick

In what had to be the worst on-air endorsement in the history of radio, Glenn Beck today interrupted a Mother's Day-themed Vermont Teddy Bear Co. ad to rail against Mother's Day. Beck called it a "big business scam" started by Woodrow Wilson. 

BECK: Our sponsor this half hour is the Vermont Teddy Bear Co. Vermont Teddy Bear is getting ready for Mother's Day weekend. Can you believe Mother's Day week -- by the way, Sarah and I were talking on Saturday and she didn't believe me, or it was on Friday, and she didn't believe me. And I said, Mother's Day, it's a scam. It's a big business scam. And I said, I bet it was started by Woodrow Wilson. Look it up, Sarah. And she didn't. I said, look it up. She's like, no, I'm not going to look it up. I said, look it up, I'll bet you, I'll bet you. Mother's Day? Started 1914. Woodrow Wilson. Hate that guy. Love my mom. Hate the holiday. Now, you could go to Hallmark because Hallmark and Woodrow Wilson would like you to do that. But there's something new from Vermont Teddy Bear. Three handmade teddy bears in pink, green, and white. The bears are scented, each one with a different scent: strawberry, watermelon and cupcake. It's like a bouquet of flowers, only it's a bear bouquet for life. Call 1-800-829-BEAR or go to VermontTeddyBear.com, VermontTeddyBear.com. Something new for mom this year to let her that you love her and you're thinking about her. The bear bouquet. From Vermont Teddy Bear. Delivery before Mother's Day is guaranteed. Don't forget guys, it's Sunday. 1-800-829-BEAR or shop online at VermontTeddyBear.com.

Note how Beck tries to save himself by trashing Hallmark. But he still presses ahead plugging the special Mother's Day bear bouquet moments after saying Mother's Day is a "big business scam."

Beck may have just lost another advertiser.

Tags: Glenn Beck, Glenn Beck Program

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    • Author by MidnightWriter (May 03, 2010 12:52 pm ET)
      4  
      I had no idea that Woodrow Wilson spurred the Romans to celebrate a festival honoring the goddess Juno.

      Thanks for yet another warped history lesson, Glenn.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by progressivevoicedaily (May 03, 2010 1:00 pm ET)
        5  
        Tell ya what, this company better re-access it's advertising dollars. Keep advertising with this nutcase and you will lose business. If your CEO is a wing nut he better cool it with the crazy cr*p and start keeping that stuff to himself. More and more businesses better wake up. This right wing hysteria (fear of a black president) needs to stop.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by raddave43 (May 03, 2010 12:52 pm ET)
      3  
      I bet his sponsor is happy about him trashing a holiday they are trying to make money off of.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by shaggles (May 03, 2010 12:53 pm ET)
      5  
      The same could be said for Christmas.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by MickD (May 03, 2010 12:54 pm ET)
      8  
      Did Woodrow Wilson f**k Beckerwood's great-gramma or something? Geez, it's the stupidest scapegoat in the world.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by shaggles (May 03, 2010 12:55 pm ET)
      6  
      Oh. And the Pledge of Allegiance was just a way to sell more flags.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by bintx (May 03, 2010 12:58 pm ET)
      7  
      Actually, the holiday is celebrated in many countries throughout the world on different days. A lady named Anna Jarvis is the founder of Mother's Day in this country. She was the instigator, not Beck's Devil Wilson. Wilson just signed the bill proclaiming the second Sunday in May as the official "Mother's Day."

      He's so ridiculously uneducated and STUPID.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by thebewilderness (May 03, 2010 1:44 pm ET)
        3  
        Mother's Against War Day.
        No wonder Beck hates it.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by bintx (May 03, 2010 1:56 pm ET)
          3  
          Two different things. Julia Ward Howe wrote the first proclamation for Mother's Day, but it was in opposition to war. She was an abolitionist and anti-war activist during the War Between the States. Jarvis wanted a Mother's Day to honor all mothers . . . she started her campaign after the death of her own anti-war activist mother! LOL!
          Report Abuse
    • Author by cst (May 03, 2010 1:03 pm ET)
      3  
      Jeez, he really DOESN'T think about the implications of what he says, does he?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by iNova (May 03, 2010 1:16 pm ET)
           
        your first mistake was using the word think in any kind of relation to Glenn Beck
        Report Abuse
    • Author by IRONY 101 (May 03, 2010 1:11 pm ET)
      12  
      A copy of the e-mail I just sent to Vermont Teddy Bear Co.:

      I was contemplating ordering a Mother's Day Teddy Bear for my wife but Glenn Beck says that Mother's Day is nothing but a "big business scam". How dare you...?

      Send your own:

      comments@vtbear.com
      Report Abuse
      • Author by cst (May 03, 2010 1:44 pm ET)
        5  
        I'd ask them if they want to be the last commercial aired on the Beck show just before the inevitable Beck-related tragedy finally happens...
        Report Abuse
      • Author by DellDolly (May 03, 2010 1:48 pm ET)
        9 1
        Mine said

        You should ask for your advertising dollars back PLUS punitive damages from Fox.

        Did you HEAR what Glenn Beck said while doing a live promotional ad for your Teddy Bears?

        He suggested that Mother's Day is a bogus holiday since it's been so commercialized. Will he go after Valentine's Day next year in a similar way?

        Anyone with half a brain knows that those two holidays have been commercialized. But since when does it help a business which depends upon commercialized holidays to sell their product to have that commercialization to be hyped? He has a thing about Woodrow Wilson too, and that fueled part of his diatribe, but why should his political feelings about the president who made Mother's Day an official holiday be injected into your ad?

        I think you should sue for damages!
        Report Abuse
      • Author by epkklk851 (May 03, 2010 7:20 pm ET)
        1  
        I contacted Vermont Teddy Bear with your link and they got back to me within about 20 minutes. The representative said she would pass my comments on to marketing. I replied and included this page so they could see for themselves how they were misused. I hope other people will do the same. It doesn't matter if Mother's Day is commercial or not, this American company provides a cute product and paid good money for positive advertizing.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by ran3dy1759 (May 03, 2010 10:28 pm ET)
             
          I took a different tack: I told them I would no longer purchase their "cute" product if they continue to subsidize Glenn Beck's hatred and stupidity via advertising. As a Vermonter who has made (and caused to be made) many purchases of VT Teddy Bears over the years, I am deeply distressed to hear that they support this creep via advertising dollars.

          I think that the money they spend keeping him on the air does more harm to society then any flubs he makes can harm their company. Sue for damages, indeed. If that's what it takes to bring the idiot down, then maybe the ends justify the means.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by gg (May 03, 2010 1:19 pm ET)
      4  
      Any company that advertises on his shows get what they deserve.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by rtejon (May 03, 2010 1:23 pm ET)
      4  
      Someone should call in the day after Father's Day to ask if he refused gifts on that occasion.

      If we really wanted to pull a big scam with a holiday, we'd adopt International Women's Day. In Russian culture in particular, each man has to get something for just about every woman in his life on that day.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by pete592 (May 03, 2010 1:24 pm ET)
      3  
      Is there anything in this world that does become popular without people making money off of it? I'm sure there is, but why does Glenn Beck hate American business? And why is it a scam? Are people ordering teddy bears and receiving puppies instead?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by pete592 (May 03, 2010 1:26 pm ET)
      6  
      Glenn Beck would rather have us partake in real legitimate businesses, like the Teabagger Express.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by nerzog (May 03, 2010 1:45 pm ET)
      4  
      If I were the ad buyer for Vermont Teddy Bears, I'd be thoroughly pizzed. But, as someone has already suggested, their CEO may be a Beckistani Wingnut, in which case he or she may think it's perfectly fine business practice to alienate half of your potential customers just to make a political statement.

      Only in a post-Limbaugh America would business people even contemplate such a thing.

      History has taught us that being a CEO does not necessarily mean you're smart.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by New Frontier (May 03, 2010 1:53 pm ET)
      3  
      It's a big business scam. And I said, I bet it was started by Woodrow Wilson.
      Speaking of big business scams started up by people: there are still plenty of these lovely t-shirts available for purchase at the Glenn Beck Store at glennbeck.com...

      [https://members.premiereinteractive.com/ows-img/glennbeck/products/rama-large-shirt-image.gif]
      Report Abuse
    • Author by MeanMrSpicyMustard (May 03, 2010 1:55 pm ET)
      5  
      Hallmark is a government conspiracy.

      Love it.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by nerzog (May 03, 2010 2:00 pm ET)
        3  
        And a Progressive Government Social Justice Conspiracy, at that.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by MeanMrSpicyMustard (May 03, 2010 2:11 pm ET)
          4  
          Social justice is the new Holocaust, man. That's why you have to oppose the government and its evil fascist holiday by buying lovely teddy bears for this evil fascist holiday.

          Oh no I've gone cross-eyed.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by denbengerman (May 03, 2010 2:02 pm ET)
         
      Glenn Beck is an idiot. It was not introduced by Woodrow Wilson. He signed the observance into law, but as is the case in all other holiday's, the proposal was introduced by congress. Mother's Day in this country (USA) was part of the culture started in England in the 1600's brought over by the pilgrims, but was not continued by the anglos. The modern push started in 1870 by Julia Ward Howe to celebrate peace and motherhood, and to protest against losing sons in war. Anna Reeves Jarvis took the lead from Howe's efforts, followed by her daughter, who pushed for a national holdiday to celebrate peace and motherhood. Before the establishment of a national Mother's Day holiday in 1914, at least 46 states already had a Mother's Day. The commericiallization of Mother's Day was disturbing to Anna M. Jarvis, and she spent the rest of her life protesting this twisting of the purpose she envisioned. History is more interesting than the fiction promoted by most in print and video media. Of course, facts require research, requiring time and effort. Those that promote lies know that most of their listeners are equally lazy and will accept their lies as truth more often than not.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by mymoonq (May 03, 2010 2:25 pm ET)
      4  
      Wait, I thought we were suppose to love big business, without them there are no jobs,so now Glenn is telling us all those Hallmark card writers don't need jobs? I'm sooo confused!
      Report Abuse
    • Author by rtejon (May 03, 2010 3:09 pm ET)
      5  
      The fact that Glenn Beck has a wife is an affront to all the gains of American feminism, from Betsy Ross all the way to the present.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Soapm (May 03, 2010 6:49 pm ET)
        1  
        He was FOR IT....


        BEFORE he was AGAINST it...

        Why don't you liberals understand?
        Report Abuse
    • Author by Soapm (May 03, 2010 6:48 pm ET)
      1  
      How can any liberal not love Beck?

      I hate the holiday and hallmark because they are liberal attempts at capitalization and brainwashing but here's a real American trying to make a free market buck by selling bears. Try his bears...
      Report Abuse
      • Author by orangejuls (May 04, 2010 9:53 am ET)
           
        We do love him. I hope he's on the air forever. The amount of comic genius material for Stewart-Colbert is just endless. He's like the comedy version of the goose that laid the golden egg...
        Report Abuse