SAN BRUNO, Calif. — A campaign video by openly gay GOP presidential candidate Fred Karger — that ended with a brief kiss by two men on a California beach, was removed by YouTube late yesterday because it violated YouTube’s community policies.
Karger's YouTube warning
“I was completely shocked tonight to find out that YouTube had taken down our new California commercial from its web site having deemed it ‘inappropriate,’” Karger posted to Facebook earlier today.
“Sexy Frisbee” had gone viral in less than a day with over 15,000 views since our press release went out late this morning. We had an incredible day of excitement, media coverage and comments.
What is “inappropriate” about our 65 second commercial? It was shot at Venice Beach in Southern California with a dozen men and women having fun at the beach. It ended with friends Andrew and Michael (a couple who have been together 7 years) exchanging a quick kiss. Is that kiss what YouTube considers inappropriate? There are gay kisses on television every day and certainly lots on YouTube and other popular video sharing web sites.
The video, no longer on YouTube, can be seen here:
A spokesperson for parent company Google declined to comment when contacted by LGBTQ Nation on Wednesday.
Update: YouTube removed the video on Tuesday, deeming it “inappropriate,” only to reinstate it 11 hours later, with an advisory warning of “explicit content.” The reason for the removal remains unclear, although it has prompted some to wonder whether the content deemed “inappropriate” or “explicit” was the real-life gay couple kissing at the end of the video — the couple being personal friends of Karger.
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Youtube sucks!
thats bullshit…theres soooo much worse on youtube then a stupid lil kiss…grrrrrr
Who the f#@k is at the switch at YouTube? What a bunch of as$#oles.
id like to know how considering u can find videos of animals fucking….
but I’m sure if people of the opposite sex had kissed then it would not have been considered a “violation”!
http://www.facebook.com/iSupportLove
Spread the word, write emails, boycott. Make your voices heard. Gay Americans make up like 45% of the us not to mention those who simply support others.
Exactly.
I say send A message to YouTube that this kind of BULL won’t be tolerated
Oh dear! The land of the religious bigots and the home of the homophobe still has a long way to go in its acceptance of gays. The link to the video no longer on you tube doesn’t work by the way as it leads you to you tube!
I am guessing that it was pulled because the poster was not an Openly Gay Liberal. Meh maybe not. Either way it’s stupid and censorship!
Very typical. It’s alright to have videos with violence and hate but it’s NOT okay to have a video where two guys briefly kiss? I’m ashamed of how low Youtube is.
Wait…we can watch people break their legs in half in stupid stunts, hit each other in the crotch, and we can see a kiss/
They allow Holocaust denial videos but a gay kiss isn’t allowed? Something is very wrong at YouTube.
So half naked bitchez and douchebags are completely appropriate, but a lil kiss isn’t?!
especially being that there PLENTY of gay vidoes that are less popular
We are strong group when we ban together. What was the beer company Mr. Milk boycotted? It worked and there was a orange juice company, my history is great but the spokeswoman made comments about the gay community. It was boycotted, letters were wrote, their sales plummeted and she was fired along with an apology to the community. Contact YouTube, Google, blog about it, spread the word on your Facebook until they get the point. It was OK for a Perry to voice his opinion about gays in the military but a couple of 7 years cannot swap a innocent kiss?
Pardon the typos and incomplete sentences, only on my first cup of coffee. :/
OMG why was it yanked when their is people posting all kinds of sexual pictures and other nudity! Is youtube anti-gay???
I don’t see anything wrong with the kiss. It’s just that, a kiss. Big deal. Though I am amused that Karger thinks he has a shot at being a GOP nominee. It won’t be happening.
Please, there’s a million videos more explicit than this on YouTube and no one’s taking them down.
I watched that video and ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!?!?!?? REally???!!!!! There was nothing inappropriate at all!
How can we contact Youtube to show our disgust? I’m looking for an email… This is absurd.
WHeRe can i see the video now then???
On vimeo
Youtube (Google) is pro-gay! Its just that enough people reported the video, so YouTube removed it.
It’s still wrong when we let narrow minded people dictate to us. If it was a black,white or any other color couple there wouldn’t be an issue. We have to make a stand somewhere, by pulling the video YouTube is sending the message that there is something wrong with two men kissing. End result a negative message is still being given about the LGTB community.
follow the link … you can still see the video on LGBTQ Nation’s site :-)
You have to be totally straight to be fully accepted by YouTube. Here’s a case in point: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWtgdnuNiKQ
YeH but anyone got. Link?
Btw…I just pulled it up on YouTube. It’s there.
“sexy frisbee”
Crazy, they take this of but allow all the vile homophobic abuse to stay.
WTF YouTube ? What is wrong with that video ?
Here is the petition to sign: http://www.change.org/petitions/co-founders-of-google-owner-of-youtube-put-presidential-candidate-fred-karger-s-commercial-back-on-youtube#
WHAT? how was THAT inappropriate?