From The New York Daily News…
Russell Simmons tries to buy ad time on ‘All-American Muslim’ after Lowes pulls on-air advertisements
The hip-hop mogul brought attention to his plight on Twitter
By Joyce Chen, New York Daily News
Russell Simmons wants Lowe’s to own up to its mistake, and he’s more than willing to foot the bill.
The hip-hop magnate and entrepreneur offered to buy all the remaining advertising slots during TLC’s reality series “All-American Muslim” after the hardware giant pulled its ads earlier this week.
“Just purchased remaining spots for #allamericanmuslim for next week The show is now sold out!” he tweeted Monday. “keep your money @lowes and we will keep ours.”
Simmons said he planned to use the purchased air-time to advertise his prepaid Visa RushCard.
Lowe’s issued a statement earlier this week announcing their withdrawal, saying that the “program raised concerns, complaints or issues from multiple sides of the viewer spectrum” after the Florida Family Association lambasted the show as propoganda for the “threat of jihad.”
Simmons, 54, launched into a passionate rant against Lowes after hearing that the home improvement store had caved to pressures from the conservative group.
“This can’t happen in America; (Lowe’s) needs to fix this immediately,” Simmons told Entertainment Weekly. “They can’t get away with that, it’s ridiculous.
“There are American principles at stake here. I can’t imagine the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, the National Urban League or any organization that fights for their own rights will allow this to happen to any other group because they know they’re next.”
Later in the day, Simmons tweeted that all of the air-time was bought out already.
“I’m trying to buy ads during #AllAmericanMuslim airing this Sunday, but now they are saying they are sold out. I will keep trying…” he wrote.
Simmons is a chairman of The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, which promotes racial and interfaith harmony.
He called Lowe’s decision and poor explanation “a stupid thing to do.”
“If I go to work on this, they’re not even going to believe it,” he told EW. “This is not going to be a Muslim fight. I don’t want to take my time and start a boycott; don’t make me do that.”
Simmons already has his fair share of supporters.
“Shame on #Lowes and the #FFA,” one user tweeted. “They think suburban Muslim Michigan families are a threat to America? Ridiculous!!!”
“@UncleRUSH thank you for doing this! I had no idea who you were but will definitely be quitting Lowe’s & paying more attn to you!” another wrote.
