# Cheerios airs commercial with multiracial family. I'm sure you can guess what happens next. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 1, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879 "2013-06-01T17:34:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/61 "2013-06-03T01:24:17Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > There is a small segment of the population who got their panties in a wad over this, and you think they shouldn’t have done it? I’m glad GM did this commercial. How often have you heard people of various groups complaining that they’re not represented in shows, movies, commercials? Well, I can see inter-racial couples being less than pleased if they’re not included in such. Plus, that commerical is pretty darn cute. > [@](#): > > There is probably a small section of the population who had their panties in a wad when they redesigned the box. I don’t buy Cheerios all that much, so I’m clueless on this. When and how did they redesign the box? > [@](#): > > Screw them, I don’t think GM should let those people dictate their ad design or their box design. That’s pretty much my default for dealing with racist jackasses (yeah, I know it’s redundant): to hell with them. I’d like to think that the advertising gurus who created this particular commercial did not even think it’d be controversial. Maybe I’m living in a dream world. The more people who think like I do, though, the less (percentagewise, of course) will be thinking like knuckle-draggers. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/62 "2013-06-03T02:39:55Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I don’t buy Cheerios all that much, so I’m clueless on this. When and how did they redesign the box? > **[News & Stories - General Mills](https://www.generalmills.com/news)** > > Get a taste of General Mills by digging into our latest news and stories. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/63 "2013-06-03T02:45:25Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > No, no. The correct answer is: > > > [@](#): > > > > I’m polite. What are you? I like that! I hope I can make myself use it sometime. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/64 "2013-06-03T03:00:52Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > I like that! I hope I can make myself use it sometime. It is the perfect answer and kinda makes me wish I were something other than bluish white with red hair so I’d have a chance to use it myself. I love Cheerios. I have always loved Cheerios. This commercial doesn’t make me love them any more or any less. But, it is a really cute commercial, it gets the message across with very little talking, and that little girl is adorable. And I desperately want some Cheerios but I can’t buy them any more. I’m more addicted to them than I ever was to cigarettes. I’d happily eat nothing else for the rest of my life. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/65 "2013-06-03T03:05:51Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > I like that! I hope I can make myself use it sometime. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![scratch\_llll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@scratch\_llll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch_llll)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/66 "2013-06-03T03:23:48Z")
I don’t get it. Haven’t any of these racist types ever been to Walmart? You can’t swing a Slim Jim in there without hitting a white girl with a mixed baby. It’s the cool thing to do now. It’s like getting upset over seeing a tattoo to be upset over that. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/67 "2013-06-03T03:40:49Z")
**scratch** : Seeing that just reinforces in the racist mind how right they are. It doesn’t matter how well-dressed, well-kempt, happy, etc. the inter-racial family is: it’s just one more datapoint in the racist version of reality. Their version is that the White man is all-conquering of the non-White woman/the White woman, being such the delicate and frail blossom she is, has been seduced by the evil non-White man and the children are just evidence of a “sin against nature.” Reality doesn’t actually play in their [del]vacuum chambers[/del] minds, friend. Not at all. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/68 "2013-06-03T04:19:11Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Have you read “Catching Fire”? I have, and felt it was by far the best of the trilogy. Anyway, I totally pictured Beetee as being a skinny white guy with a crew cut, and he will be played by a black actor in the movie. > > I don’t remember Thresh being black in the book, but Rue definitely was. It’s mentioned early on and ties in with how Rue is described. “And most hauntingly, a twelve-year-old girl from District 11. She has **dark brown skin** and eyes, but other than that, she’s very like Prim in size and demeanor.” and during training: “…and see the little girl from District 11 standing back a bit, watching us. She’s the twelve-year-old, the one who reminded me so of Prim in stature. Up close she looks about ten. She has bright, dark eyes and s **atiny brown skin** …” During the interview: “The boy tribute from District 11, Thresh, has the **same dark skin as Rue** , but the resemblance stops there.” Yes, I have read the trilogy. I’m a big fan of most of the trilogy (I hated the ending). You’re right about Beetee. He’s described in the book as having “ashen skin.” I’m sure Jeffrey Wright was cast just because he’s a great actor. The fact that it will drive asshole racist Hunger Games fans crazy is a wonderful perk. ---
**Author:** ![Tracijo67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@Tracijo67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracijo67)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/69 "2013-06-03T05:17:56Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > Cheerios should expect this kind of backlash. It’s well-known that there is still a lot of negative attitudes about this. No reason to create a needlessly controversial commercial, just focus on the product. (not that I personally have a problem with this; I just don’t have a naive view about how tolerant the rest of society is) I am a white woman married to an Asian man. We are seldom so much as glanced at twice. We adopted our Indian son, who is even darker than his father. I only notice other Indians glancing twice at us, and even at that, have never experienced anything I perceived as more than just simple curiosity. Perhaps Cheerios aired the commercial because mixed-race couples are part of our every day lives, and as such, is (or bloody well should be) a non-issue. Once, an elderly couple made a disparaging remark to my husband and I. I was sorely tempted to respond in kind, but restrained myself. You can’t educate that level if ignorance out of people who have lived many decades stewing in their own prejudice, and really, what do their opinions matter? Had I chosen to respond with a nasty remark of my own, I wouldn’t have lost any sleep over it. I just felt they were beneath any kind of acknowledgment at all. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/70 "2013-06-03T11:56:22Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > The gist was, since she was an armature mom she covered the baby up with a blankie. An [armature](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armature_%28electrical_engineering%29) mom? I didn’t realize mechanicals were mammals. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/71 "2013-06-03T12:19:40Z")
Good move by the company to get people to forget that cheerios (as any sugar-coated cereal in general) is bad for you. If they could throw in some abortion-related commercial they’d be good for next 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/72 "2013-06-03T12:29:34Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > Good move by the company to get people to forget that cheerios (as any sugar-coated cereal in general) is bad for you. > > If they could throw in some abortion-related commercial they’d be good for next 10 years. Is the ad for honey nut or something? The regular cereal has 1.2g/serving, certainly below my threshold for sugar-coated. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/73 "2013-06-03T12:32:41Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > Good move by the company to get people to forget that cheerios (as any sugar-coated cereal in general) is bad for you. [Next time bring facts.](http://www.cheerios.com/Products/Cheerios) (Hint for those who don’t want to click through to the ingredients list and/or know nothing about Cheerios: It’s not sugar-coated. Or high in added sugar.) ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/74 "2013-06-03T12:35:57Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Is the ad for honey nut or something? The regular cereal has 1.2g/serving, certainly below my threshold for sugar-coated. Are we really going to debate nutritional value of cereal? Even though you live in a country where it is very difficult to educate consumers everyone should already know that cereal has 0 nutritional value and, the “tastier” it is, the more harmful it is. But, yeah, I’m sure there’s a silver lining somewhere there… ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/75 "2013-06-03T12:42:27Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Is the ad for honey nut or something? The regular cereal has 1.2g/serving, certainly below my threshold for sugar-coated. > [@newcomer](#): > > Are we really going to debate nutritional value of cereal? Even though you live in a country where it is very difficult to educate consumers everyone should already know that cereal has 0 nutritional value and, the “tastier” it is, the more harmful it is. But, yeah, I’m sure there’s a silver lining somewhere there… And cheerios has almost no added sugar, so it’s better for you than those sugar-coated cereals that have an order of magnitude more added sugar. And I say this as someone who buys generic shredded wheat rather than cheerios due to cheerios added sugar. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/76 "2013-06-03T12:45:11Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > [Next time bring facts.](http://www.cheerios.com/Products/Cheerios) > > (Hint for those who don’t want to click through to the ingredients list and/or know nothing about Cheerios: It’s not sugar-coated. Or high in added sugar.) You’re kidding, right? Pointing to a company website for the product they make living of? :rolleyes: [http://bodyecology.com/articles/why-cereal-not-best-breakfast.php](http://bodyecology.com/articles/why-cereal-not-best-breakfast.php) ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/77 "2013-06-03T12:52:07Z")
Just to rub some salt into their wounds, I hope the next commercial they have is 4 adults, they are all sleeping in a giant king bed, all of different races, they all get up and head to the kitchen, and a teenage boy holding hands with his boyfriend who also slept over comes into the kitchen giving each one a hug while saying to them individually one at a time, “Hi Mom! Hi Ma! Hi Dad! Hi pappa! Thanks for the cheerios!” Polyamory, gay, interracial… let’s offend everyone 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/78 "2013-06-03T13:02:16Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > You’re kidding, right? Pointing to a company website for the product they make living of? :rolleyes: Since you apparently know nothing about said product to the point where you think it’s actually sugar-coated, I thought you might want to check the ingredient list and nutritional breakdown. You know, because facts are useful. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/79 "2013-06-03T13:04:06Z")
> [@WisdomofLife](#): > > If people thought this is bad, wait for this idea. What if General Mills, Cheerios ad crew, or any company want real controversy. ultimate pushing the envelope or trolling :D, use a gay or lesbian couples being served or helped by their children. That will a lot more viewers coming with torches. > > I hope some ad executive does this 😉 when though it is unlikely to happen anytime soon. Well, last year [General Mills did take a stand re: gay marriage:](http://mnunited.org/news/general-mills-opposes-freedom-limiting-marriage-amendment/) > [@](#): > > Fortune 500 giant General Mills took an historic stance today in support of all Minnesota families by formally opposing the constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the freedom to marry for committed gay and lesbian couples in Minnesota. At the 2012 Betty’s Family Pride Reception Wednesday evening, General Mills CEO Ken Powell voiced the company’s opposition to the proposed amendment, calling it an initiative that makes our state less inclusive and reduces our company’s ability to attract and retain talent. [This caused a small backlash and a “Dump General Mills” contingent protest.](http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/06/21/504167/anti-gay-minnesota-activists-plan-to-dump-general-mills/#) Which, speaking of torches, was [funny when the man caught the lawn on fire during his protest.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/general-mills-anti-gay-protest-cheerios-fire-_n_1747736.html) ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879/80 "2013-06-03T13:28:04Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > Which, speaking of torches, was [funny when the man caught the lawn on fire during his protest.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/general-mills-anti-gay-protest-cheerios-fire-_n_1747736.html) and was promptly hired to play the husband in a Kingsford charcoal ad (which makes me wonder: will the “stupid husband/smart wife” formula survive in a era it’s also a stupid Black person being bailed out of life’s simpler tasks by a white person?) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerios-airs-commercial-with-multiracial-family-im-sure-you-can-guess-what-happens-next/659879.md?page=5)