Larry the Cable Guy questioned why corporate advertisers would consider his Southern comedy persona controversial while handing endorsements to rappers whose material includes violence against police and degrading treatment of women. The comedian singled out DirecTV, saying the company had missed an obvious advertising opportunity built around his stage name. He described perceptions that his Southern accent restricted his appeal to parts of the country, then pointed to Snoop Dogg’s corporate success while questioning how advertisers decide which entertainers are acceptable.
The exchange occurred on “The MeatEater Podcast,” with Steven Rinella joining Dan Whitney, better known as Larry the Cable Guy, in his stadium box at Nebraska’s homecoming game. Their conversation covered his career and the character that became his professional identity. Near the end, Whitney recalled watching a DirecTV commercial featuring another actor and wondering why the satellite television provider hadn’t cast him in a commercial built around his character switching services.
Whitney’s proposed line was straightforward: “Larry the Cable Guy is switching to DirecTV.” Rinella enthusiastically endorsed the idea as the group joked about changing Whitney’s character into Larry the DirecTV Guy. Whitney described the attitude that his Southern accent and occasionally controversial jokes made him unsuitable for broader advertising campaigns. He contrasted that perception with corporate deals going to rappers despite violent or sexist lyrics, before specifically bringing up Snoop Dogg and his Super Bowl advertising appearances.
In the podcast exchange, Whitney emphasized that he had nothing against Snoop Dogg and wished other entertainers success. His criticism concerned the companies choosing their spokespeople: “There’s a lot of hypocrisy in corporate, who they get and who they don’t get.” Fox subsequently reported that he characterized the discussion as lighthearted and said he was happy with his career. However, federal investigations into workplace DEI programs have examined employers’ use of race and sex to determine access to jobs and professional opportunities.
IBM agreed to pay $17,077,043 to resolve allegations involving discriminatory employment practices and federal contracting requirements, the Justice Department announced. The government alleged that IBM tied bonuses to demographic targets, adjusted interview criteria based on race or sex, and restricted certain training and mentoring opportunities along those lines. Investigators also alleged that business units considered race and sex when making employment decisions to meet demographic goals. The settlement included civil penalties and resolved allegations without a determination of liability.
Coca-Cola faced a separate controversy in February 2021 over LinkedIn Learning material accessible to employees that urged viewers to “try to be less white.” Slides associated whiteness with undesirable behavior, instructing participants to “be less arrogant,” “be less defensive,” and “break with white solidarity.” The material circulated online and prompted boycott calls. Coca-Cola said the video and images were outside its training curriculum, explaining that employees had access to LinkedIn Learning content covering numerous subjects, including diversity and inclusion.
Watch Larry the Cable Guy discuss corporate advertising here:
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Another federal investigation specifically concerned the treatment of white employees. Planned Parenthood of Illinois agreed to pay $500,000 to resolve a DEI-related discrimination investigation, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced. The agency found reasonable cause to believe the organization subjected white employees to unlawful discrimination and harassment. Its findings included mandatory training containing repeated derogatory statements targeting white workers and segregated racial affinity sessions.
President Donald Trump has moved to dismantle federal support for DEI policies and direct enforcement toward discriminatory employment practices. His January 21st, 2025, executive order revoked Executive Order 11246, ending its race- and sex-based affirmative-action requirements for federal contractors, and directed agencies to combat unlawful private-sector DEI practices. Under EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas, the agency has also prioritized investigating DEI-related discrimination, including claims involving white workers. Lucas publicly urged white men who believe they experienced discrimination based on race or sex to contact the agency.
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.