Lindsay Lohan is angry because an image of her drunken, villainous face has been used in an effort to teach America that ‘not all alcohol users are as irresponsible as people like Lindsay Lohan’ in a full page advert in USA Today on Friday.
The ad was part of a campaign against legislation for convicted drunk-drivers to have ignition interlocks installed (a device that measures a driver’s blood alcohol level before their vehicle can start) and was funded by the American Beverage Institute, a trade group that supports the interests of the alcohol industry.
Why is the alcohol industry having a go at Lindsay Lohan? Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. What’s next; the American Cake Institute denouncing Rosie O’Donnell?
Madness.
In the ad, ‘ignition interlocks are a good idea for’ is written above a Lindsay Lohan mugshot, taken from one of her previous DUI arrests, and ‘but a bad idea for us’ is written above photos of other folk drinking.
They are suggesting the legislation is fine for the more alleged ‘hard-core’ drink-drivers, like Lohan, but that it is unfair to tar the rest of the drink-driving public with the same brush.
American Beverage Institute managing director, Sarah Longwell, told The Associated Press:
The reason that we used Lindsay Lohan is because she’s had multiple DUIs that have been high profile. We needed to create the distinction for the public what someone with multiple DUIs looked like versus a low blood-alcohol-level first-time offender.
Several states have passed bills that would require drink-driving offenders to pay for and install the ignition interlock system – many of them extending to “highly intoxicated” first-time offenders (with a blood alcohol level of 0.15 percent or higher).
Lindsay Lohan’s lawyer, Blair Berk, said in a statement:
USA Today is idiotic to run such an irresponsible advertisement suggesting that drinking and driving is some kind of American ‘tradition’ we should protect. Not identifying that this ad was paid for by the liquor and restaurant industries is profoundly reckless… Drunk white businessmen, drunk housewives out for girls night out and drunk wedding parties should be kept off the roads of America. Lindsay Lohan fully endorses ignition interlock devices, which have been well-proven to save lives.
Now, before all you black businessmen out there get all over excited, hecklerspray would like to point out that it is still very much illegal for you to drink drive too. The Civil Rights movement achieved much in the name of equality, but nothing more. If you do wanna get pissed, just take the bus home. You can sit wherever you like.
The ABI stood by its use of Lohan’s image. Sarah Longwell said:
People magazine, Smoking Gun and a lot of people have republished this mugshot. It was publicly accessible. We’re not using it for any kind of commercial gain. So we’re well within our rights to use it.
We did it as well, Longwell, you People magazine/Smoking Gun shill! Why not give hecklerspray some free world-wide advertisement too? You couldn’t care less, could you? Well in that case, screw you, we’re siding with Lohan. Again.
In response to all this stuff that’s happened, USA Today spokesman Ed Cassidy issued the following statement:
Advocacy advertising is a big part of what we do. Our pages function as forum for competing views.
Talk to the hand, USA today, ‘cos the face stopped listening about three paragraphs ago.
Go on Berk, you show those white businessmen you mean business!
Read More – Lindsay Lohan mugshot used in liquor industry ad – Associated Press