# The GAP - a new low in political correctness **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 18, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995 "2009-11-18T03:30:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/1 "2009-11-18T03:30:57Z")
Have any of you been exposed to the new Gap “holiday” ad? Up your ass, Gap. I’ll never shop in your store again. Seriously, “Go Christmas, go Hanuka, go Kwaanza, go Solstice”? Go fuck yourself, ass munchers. I can’t believe they Soiled my solstice celebration with that other bogus shit. And what about Festivus? Fucktards. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/2 "2009-11-18T03:48:52Z")
Ramadan! Ramadan! Lots of praying with no breakfast! Ramadan, so much fun! Do all your shopping at WAL\*MART! ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/3 "2009-11-18T03:51:20Z")
I don’t shop at Gap because I think their clothes are crap, but in general, I pretty much never make shopping decisions based on how a vendor links their ads to a given holiday, just as I fail to be influenced by giant inflatable apes looming over car dealerships. I still remember from years ago passing an Army-Navy store in Boyertown, PA, that was attempting to bring in more customers by stationing a guy in a Santa suit, waving a little American flag, in front of the joint. I drove right on by, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/4 "2009-11-18T03:53:48Z")
I see you have aged beyond being a Gap customer. Most people see it as a mixed blessing: You are no longer cool, but you also no longer fit into their products. You can find clothes that fit better [here,](http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/category_landing_horizontal.jsp?rootCategory=cat70008&id=cat70008§ion=Regular) but you should note that, according to my wife, they sell to women whose asses belong on the back end of a truck. ☹ Note also that, though she never described mine ass as such, she meant it. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/5 "2009-11-18T03:57:46Z")
Gap is about the only place I know of that sells women’s jeans with a 36" inseam that are kind of affordable. But each year I hate their jeans more and more. I wish I did not have to shop there. I haven’t bought jeans in a LONG time cause that store sucks a lot now. And their women’s clothes in general suck or are overpriced for how plain they are (can get pretty much identical shit elsewhere cheaper). I used to love Gap but the clothes get more and more blah each year. And that is coming from someone who wears a lot of plain/simple clothes. Oh and that ad is annoying, just for the singing. I don’t give a fuck what any ad says really cause I hardly pay attention to ads. Usually do something else during commercials or skip them when I DVR. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/6 "2009-11-18T04:05:14Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Ramadan! Ramadan! Lots of praying with no breakfast! Ramadan, so much fun! Do all your shopping at WAL\*MART! This is exactly what I think whenever I see that ad. I’m glad I’m not the only one. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/7 "2009-11-18T04:08:37Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Ramadan! Ramadan! Lots of praying with no breakfast! Ramadan, so much fun! Do all your shopping at WAL\*MART! I love this! Although, I imagine some screaming would be heard with hanuka (sp?) and Ramadan in the same jingle. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/8 "2009-11-18T04:17:19Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > I still remember from years ago passing an Army-Navy store in Boyertown, PA, that was attempting to bring in more customers by stationing a guy in a Santa suit, waving a little American flag, in front of the joint. I drove right on by, sorry. Drove on by? The appropriate action is to drive up on the sidewalk and fender-check him into the oleanders. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/9 "2009-11-18T04:37:07Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Drove on by? The appropriate action is to drive up on the sidewalk and fender-check him into the oleanders. These days a lotta guys don’t understand the formalities nor the point structures. In this case: Three points. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/10 "2009-11-18T06:57:40Z")
I have never shopped at the GAP and God as my witness, I never will. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/11 "2009-11-18T08:05:50Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I love this! Although, I imagine some screaming would be heard with hanuka (sp?) and Ramadan in the same jingle. Since you asked, it’s Chanukah or Hanukkah. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/12 "2009-11-18T08:16:44Z")
The reference is not to the Jewish festival celebrating the miracle of the lamps, but the Scottish Solstice celebration when the previous Spring’s lambs are old enough for their first buggering. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/13 "2009-11-18T09:31:41Z")
Back in the dark ages, when I was about to graduate with an MS from an American university, I took a seminar on job interview preparation; every single student present happened to be a foreigner. The presenters gave Gap as an example of a good place to shop for interview clothes. Temperature in the room went down several degrees (a feat in Florida and in May). Then another student said “you mean, boring?” and the room expressed general assent. Yeah, yeah, you’re supposed to wear your woolly sheep suit to your woolly sheep interviews, but really… Gap? That place is to style what no-frills oatmeal is to a full English breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/14 "2009-11-18T11:08:14Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > I don’t shop at Gap because I think their clothes are crap, but in general, I pretty much never make shopping decisions based on how a vendor links their ads to a given holiday, just as I fail to be influenced by giant inflatable apes looming over car dealerships. I make all of my shopping decisions based on giant inflatables, wacky waving arms guys and catchy jingles. If there is a guy in a Santa suit, gorilla mask or dressed as a banana, mores the better. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/15 "2009-11-18T12:18:13Z")
I love the phrase ass munchers. The Gap released this ad the days after those ass munchers The American Family Assn. started complaining the Gap didn’t use the word Christmas in their ads. It’s hilarious when you think The American Family Assn. ass munchers got what they asked for in this way. [Article about incident between ass munchers.](http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-neil17-2009nov17,0,2040716.story) I’m sure they’re choking on getting their way like they had to eat shit or something that left a bad taste in their mouths. P.S. The ad is crap too. Feed it to them daddy. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/16 "2009-11-18T13:07:19Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > The appropriate action is to drive up on the sidewalk and fender-check him into the oleanders. As this was Pennsylvania, I doubt there were oleanders. A horticulturally more appropriate holiday reference would involve chunking him into the burning bushes. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/17 "2009-11-18T14:45:59Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Since you asked, it’s Chanukah or Hanukkah. Or Chanukkah or Hanukah or חנוכה‎ or Hanna Chantanah. Ah the joys of transliteration. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/18 "2009-11-18T14:49:00Z")
See, now that I know the reason for the ad, I’m going to need to buy something in support of The Gap. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/19 "2009-11-18T14:54:21Z")
i just got my first email of the season telling me about all of the evil stores that are taking the Christ out of Christmas. I don’t shop at the Gap and the commercial is annoying but I think this year I’ll use the boycott lists as support lists. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995/20 "2009-11-18T15:11:34Z")
Haven’t seen it yet. Is it as pithily amusing as the Virgin Mobile Christmahannukwanza ads from a few years ago? They were great (the extended version, anyway). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gap-a-new-low-in-political-correctness/517995.md?page=2)