Nike ‘Slasher’ Commercial a Loser at the Olympics

* While my family and I were enjoying the Olympics last Sunday night, we were shocked and offended to view the tasteless Nike ad featuring a chain-saw-wielding killer [“NBC Pulls Nike ‘Slasher’ Commercial,” Sept. 19]. My 5-year-old daughter was very upset by the ad, and she had difficulty sleeping that night.

I thought the Olympics were among the few events that could still be considered safe family entertainment, free from the violence and trash that are so prevalent in the media. When companies like NBC and Nike make the decision to air this type of advertisement during the Olympics, it appears that nothing is sacred anymore.

However, please take no pity, because we do not plan on missing one minute of the exciting Olympic coverage. We do plan to record the entire Olympics on our VCR and enjoy the viewing as we fast forward through the commercials.

BART HOLTZMAN

Denver

*

* It’s one more example of hypocrisy in America. Thousands complained to NBC about this humorous spot, prompting the network to pull it. Meanwhile, the endless stream of disturbing commercials for “The Watcher” have made it the top-grossing picture for two weeks in a row.

JOSHUA SAINT

Huntington Beach

*

* I understand Nike can use the ad campaign it desires, and I hope Nike understands I can choose other companies from which to make my purchases.

FATIMA BAYATI

Fullerton

*

* So NBC pulled the Nike “slasher” movie parody ad because it received thousands of calls and e-mails critical of it.

Did all those people actually see it? Perhaps many more--like my woman friends and I--found it entertaining, creative and funny. Did it glamorize violence toward women? Unlike the feeble, screaming victim in all the horror films, this gal’s tough and she gets away.

REGAN KIBBEE

Venice

*

* The chain-saw ad was the best thing Nike could have done for Reebok.

RHONDA SEATON

Valley Village

*

* It’s beyond belief this was even suggested by somebody in an ad agency. It would be inappropriate for the Howard Stern show, let alone the family-safe Olympics.

Developing such an ad says that not a soul in the ad agency or Nike had the intellectual-moral-ethical or good-taste reference mechanism within them to scrap the idea.

JOHN VON SZELISKI

Newport Beach