To the People: Red Sox and the
MannyNanny StateDaisuke Matsuzaka, the Japanese pitcher who joined my Red Sox this year after honing his gyroballing skills with his home country’s Seibu Lions, finds himself in a bit of trouble here in the U.S. for… drinking a beer. On television. Legally. In Japan.
A slick commercial for Asahi “Super” Dry beer features Matsuzaka donning a Red Sox jersey and throwing in full uniform in front of a simulated frenzied throng. In between those shots, Matsuzaka, in street clothes, is shown first taking a couple of gulps from a large glass of beer. After a quick cut, the shot returns toMatsuzaka downing the beer and, with foam on his lips, smiling and sighing contentedly.
According to Arthur Resnick, director of public and media affairs for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in Washington, D.C., Matsuzaka’s Asahi ad may merit punitive action.
“Our jurisdiction runs to false and misleading ads,” said Resnick, who pointed to a 1995 ruling that says the bureau would consider unacceptable any ad “which depicts any individual (famous athlete or otherwise) consuming or about to consume an alcoholic beverage prior to or during an athletic activity or event,” or an ad that states that drinking alcohol “will enhance athletic prowess, performance at athletic activities or events, health or conditioning.”
Oh, yeah. Almost forgot. The ad only airs in Japan. And on the interweb tubes.
10 bucks the NY Yankees had something to do with this BULL…….
this oddly makes sense in a country where our president cares more about baseball than the budget….
i mean why do we have baseball players testifying before congress. who gives a crap if they used anabolic steroids. it is their choice if they want to take drugs that damage their heart and shrink the family jewels.
but sadly this is what we get. politicians who care about getting to the bottom of a useless scandal in a boring sport, but a real investigation into the intelligence which got us into a war goes unchallenged.
as long as they protect me from thinking that beer will “improve my athletic performance”……
“According to Arthur Resnick, director of public and media affairs for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in Washington, D.C., Matsuzaka’s Asahi ad may merit punitive action.”
Yet another case of government officials who really have almost no work to do and have way too much time on their hands.
#1 hell yea this has something to do with the yankees, if the red sox were pressing charges that would be one thing, but this is extreme BS, its in flippin Japan!!!!!! How do our laws even begin to have any meaning in JAPAN!!!!! This is ridiculous and a counter suit would destroy this guy, WTF!!!!
#2 I’m happy to see these greedy celebrities having a path of revenue closed on them.
What The Hell?!?!?!
Do you really think people should turn down lucrative opportunities because those same opportunities aren’t available to you? Sounds like nothing more than envy.
#6, Sounds like nothing more than envy.
Sounds more like some Libertarian or neo-con concept. If they ain’t in the club then they don’t get the benefits.
Why is our country ACTING like a world government??
WHY are we placing OUR morals and LAWS on other countries?
He is Japanese for crying out loud! Plus he should be able to sell out in america as well as japan, they aren’t airing the ad in the US so why should the united states even get involved. Oh that’s right they think they control the world. What is so wrong with showing beer commercials with someone drinking?
Person 1: OMG I just saw a beer commercial and the guy was drinking beer!!!
Person 2: What were you watching at the time?
Person 3: Oh, just a re-run of Cheers!
Sheesh, damned uptight knuckleheads.
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