"Time to party."
This still is from Stealing
Harvard. It is just one of the many Channel One News-advertised
movies that send extremely dangerous drug and alcohol messages
to young people.
Stealing Harvard was advertised to young people on Channel One
News. The alcohol content in the movie is sickening. The movie
normalizes teen drinking. It implies its OK for teens to drink
and drive also. Watch
the clip and see for yourself.
Channel One News approved this movie for its captive audience.
Students had no recourse but to watch the numerous classroom commercials
for this sleazy movie. Teachers would not have known the content
of the movie since Channel One usually advertises their movies
before their opening weekend.
In the clip, the two main characters are adults who have bought
beer in a convenience store. One of them named Duff walks to a
car that have two very young looking teens inside. We discover
that he operates Duff’s Dial-A-Bottle. Duff makes money by buying
beer for under aged drinkers.
The kids argue about the cost but they pay and drive off with
the beer. Then comes a "funny" soliloquy about the need
for young people to get drunk. These scenes were not shown in the
classroom, but Channel One News ran commercials to entice students
to see it.
Jim Metrock said, "It is almost impossible for a parent to
watch this scene because the beer is being delivered to the teens
in their car. Everything is played for laughs. Channel One News
executives probably laughed themselves out of their chairs when
they previewed this movie. This is just one of the awful scenes
in this sick film. Channel One gave this movie a thumbs-up and
ran numerous ads in America’s classrooms to get young people into
the theater to see this rot. Channel One made a lot of money by
approving this movie and promoting it during school time. I lost
a nephew because of alcohol and I see nothing remotely funny about
any of this. The people at Channel One News are irresponsible,
money-grabbing thugs for advertising this to children. Parents
have got to stand up for their children and demand the end of Channel
One News in their schools."
For years, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has partnered
with Channel One News. MADD runs anti-drunk driving PSAs on Channel
One and in turn Channel One’s credibility is enhanced because of
the connection with MADD. For years, Obligation has tried to meet
with MADD officials in Dallas to show them that they shouldn’t
be supporting Channel One because the movies and TV shows (most
recently One Tree Hill) send a conflicting message about drinking
to young people.
No one at MADD’s headquarters has ever responded to our requests.
Contributors to MADD should be very concerned about MADDS continuing
relationship with Channel One News.
Dial-A-Bottle flyer.
Purchase is completed.
"They deserve to unwind and get drunk."
Stealing Harvard can be currently seen on the FX
network. The most vulgar parts have been edited for TV, but enough
remains to get a sense of what kids saw at the theater. This movie
was advertised in classroom in 2002.
