You're listening to Comedy Central. Hello friends, It's June, which means this is the first month of the year where it's just hot enough outside to not be sexy. But in America, we know June also means gay pride man, So I want to wish everyone abby bride, and I'm not the only one. This year, it feels like every damn company with a logo is going full rainbow. You've probably seen these ads like Burger King offering whoppers with
two top buns and two bottom buns. Listen, it's still bread, and every gay man, I know it's not eating bread in the summer. They're doing keto and crunches until October. But don't forget companies weren't always jumping on the pride float looking like a Lisa Frank trapper keeper. When the gay rights movement first began in nineteen sixty nine, most companies were too afraid to advertise to gay people. They didn't want to offend the rest of America, especially religious conservatives.
They were so uptight they thought pretzels are too sexy. All those twists, Oh, it's so sinful, So companies kept their distance, except for Absolute Vodka. Absolute was one of the first big companies to market to the clear community, because those suites don't give a shit about the religious right. They were like, who cares if the right doesn't like us? All they drink his milk. So thanks to Absolute for
being a true alli. It's a good year. I didn't drink the whole day because I gotta work meeting after this, and they said, I got to be sober this time. Anyway, as gay people became more visible in society, some advertisers slowly started reaching out into the community until the AIDS epidemic blew up. That's sick companies flame for the hills again. Ohn, know what if the gay is look at our ads?
Is that that you get in? But you know what company doubled down on their advertising during the AIDS crisis? That's right, Absolute Vodka. It's like I half got a kick. Damn all right? Where was that? Right? By the ninety nine is the queer community had once again fought its way into greater acceptance. So brands once again tried to dip their toes into the pool party, but they were still too nervous to jump all the way in. So American advertising into the phase now known as gay they
which sounds a lot like being in a fraternity. Basically, it was companies hinting at possible homosexuality, like this voicewagon add were two dudes are driving in a car and then pick up this dirty ass share off the sidewalk. So the ad leaves it open to interpretation. Are they roommate? Are they lovers? Are they roommate lovers? Because that's the worst kind of hook up. You gotta wait for them to text you back and finish up in the bathroom. Now.
A few times during this era a brand tried to make an outright gay ad like Benaton and i Kia and the ad completely one over the religious right and they apologize for everything. Psych One Ikia in Long Island even got a bomb threat. What is wrong with these religious fanatics? They know the furniture isn't gay right. Plus, if there's one place that can reassemble after a bombing, it isn't i Keia. Unfortunately for the religious right, but
luckily for everyone else, their time was ended. Over the next two decades, Americans started to realize that gay people were just the same as everyone else, except with better apps, and as popular opinion improved, companies finally felt it was safe enough to take Gay Month, and this time it was major brands. Amazon started advertising the gay people, Coca Cola air the commercial with two dads during the Super Bowl, and Just Salad even had a big gay salad, which,
come on, that was just a regular salad. At least saw some glittering in it. And that brings us to today when practically every company does Pride Month marketing. But just because every June of business acts like they're auditioning for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, it doesn't mean
their values line up with their tweets. Take a T and T for example, they love to show everyone how much they support Pride while also giving one million dollars to anti LGBTQ politicians and packs, or how retailers like H and M or launching Pride collections with items made in countries that criminalize homosexuality, which is another reason where
in this ugly ass top should be a crime. And they aren't the only hypocrites donating to anti queer causes, but hey, why go through all the trouble of listing them here? I'm hater? Oh that one too, Okay? Are
we done. Listen, let's make it the same. The point is, enjoy all those gay whoppers and paint toyotas, but don't forget what this month is about prior to the time to celebrate the right to love who you want, and to honor the people who fought to give us that break back when no brand was on their side except for Absolute mh. You know what, one of those gay whopper sounds real good about now, I'm dizzy. The Daily
Show with Trevor no Ears Edition. Subscribe to The Daily Show on YouTube for exclusive contents, and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast