After Ford Motor Company caught backlash in 2022 for its “Very Gay Raptor” stunt, a skit from comedian Dave Chapelle joking about the LGBT community was overlayed over footage showcasing a Ford Ranger that had a flamboyant rainbow wrapping. Ford partnered with former international rugby player Gareth Thomas to push the agenda to “redefine tough.”
Chapelle said in the skit, “You are never, ever allowed to upset the alphabet people. You know who I mean.” The comedian added, ” I’m talking about them L’s, and them B’s, and then G’s and the T’s.” Continuing, he said, “So the G’s and just driving the car. Of course, next to the G’s in the passenger seas is the L’s. Everybody likes the L’s, except for the G’s. The Q’s are hitchhiking if they pick up on the road.” Chapelle’s commentary was hilariously synched against the Ford promotional video.
Ford released the “Very Gay Raptor” ad in 2022, drawing substantial backlash. Ford Media released a statement in June 2022 titled “FORD’S ‘VERY GAY RAPTOR’ SET TO REDEFINE ‘TOUGH’ AT GOODWOOD” that explains, “Ford will continue demonstrating its allyship with the LGBTQ+ community at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this week, bringing “Very Gay Raptor” and the Next-Gen Ranger Raptor along for the ride.”
The statement continued, “The appearance of “Very Gay Raptor” at the event near Chichester, UK, will be used to further initiate important discussions and aimed at driving out discrimination in the automotive industry, and beyond. As part of this, Ford will be presenting live sessions of its new “Tough Talks” series at Goodwood from the truck bed of “Very Gay Raptor”, hosted by Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas, the first openly-gay rugby union player.”
Building on that point, the press release added, ” The sessions will explore how the automotive industry can foster a culture of inclusion and allyship for the LGBTQ+ community, covering a range of topics and featuring guests such as racing driver Abbie Eaton, comedian Catherine Bohart, and Lord March – the son of the Duke of Richmond, who founded the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival. Created in 2021, “Very Gay Raptor” was born in response to a negative comment on social media, with Ford rendering its most badass nameplate in sparkling gold adorned with rainbow graphics. The positive response online was so overwhelming the manufacturer decided to make it real, and has been using it as a tool to help drive out discrimination ever since.”
Addressing the controversial commercial, which many claimed was incongruent with Ford’s brand, the statement read, “In a video teasing the appearance of “Very Gay Raptor” and Next-Gen Ranger Raptor at the event, both vehicles speed through off-road trails covered in mud – at times taking different paths, facing off, yet displaying their equally impressive and tough abilities, regardless of their differing identities.”
Watch Chapelle below:
Watch the original “Very Gay Raptor” commercial below:
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.
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