Movie Ads On Buses Upset Politicians

Hey, looks like Philadelphia has more in common with Wilmington than I originally thought. District Attorney Lynne Abraham and a Montgomery County lawmaker are angry at SEPTA for accepting ads for the movie Hitman on buses.

Although SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney said the ad campaign is already over, Montco State Rep. Mike Vereb heard Abraham complaining about the bus ads and decided to let us know he’s not only against guns, he’s against guns with silencers: “We got rid of the Marlboro man years ago because cigarettes are bad for you. I submit to you that guns and guns with silencers are no better for you than cigarettes.” If that’s the thinking, then why is McDonald’s allowed to advertise on the subway?

KYW 1060 reports Vereb “intends to work through the state district attorney’s association to address his concerns through legislation.” I applaud his actions. There shouldn’t be any ads on buses except “VIGILANTE LAWYER.” And Hitman, damn, that video game nearly caused a school shooting in the suburbs.

In other news, I plan on starting an online petition to force SEPTA to apologize for the ads from the 1999 Mel Gibson vehicle Payback.

SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney says the ad was part of a two-week national buy that ended last week. He says SEPTA carefully reviews all ads for sex, violence, and alcohol, and the transit agency did not deem the silhouetted figure of a man objectionable. Maloney says it reminded him of ads for one of the James Bond films, “The Man With the Golden Gun.”

Although I do see the reference, I was thinking it was more like The Jazz Singer or maybe Pennsylvania Tunnel Excavation, equally recent films.