Stop, you're killing me...
Sorry. I’m ready to be jeered as a humorless prude. Ice cream flavors should not be named after gross double entendre Saturday Night Live skits. Ben and Jerry’s new Schweddy Balls ice cream (‘sweaty BALLS,” get it?? HAR!) is just one more step in coarsening the culture, and an unnecessary one.
The skit was a one-joke parody of earnest NPR cooking shows in which a character named Mr. Schweddy talked about his signature holiday confection, rum balls, or “Schweddy balls.” It was funny (hardly hilarious, though; anyone who thinks that is hilarious is 12); it also aired after midnight. Ben and Jerry’s ice cream is sold during the day, the joke is old, and the only point to naming the ice cream after the joke is to sneak something crude into plain view. Wow. What an accomplishment.
The ice cream name is no more or less tasteless, rude and juvenile than naming a New York bar “Buck Foston,” or a TV show called “$#*! My Father Says.” The slobs and foul-mouthed jerks among us won’t rest until everyone talks like sailors and ugliness is everywhere, and they will do it while being applauded by self-styled “liberals” who are really just old-fashioned boors.
It’s not a big deal, any more; the boors are getting their way, because not enough people are willing to endure the guaranteed “Oh, lighten up!” and “Get off your high horse!” sneers that will follow any objections. I hope those big belly laughs from “Sweaty Balls” ice cream are worth it, I really do. As long as it makes you guys happy.
“Sweaty Balls” ice cream. You slay me.
Ethics Alarms 
Could’ve been worse… B&J could’ve created Chef’s Chocolate Salty Balls Ice Cream. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnNYXgV7L-c
And now they will! Thanks a bunch.
And this comming form someone who grauated from the school that gave us the Harvard and National Lampoon. lol
grauated….. Jesus I look Jethro Bodine now. lol
Without taking any stand on the seriousness of this topic, I would just like to point out that it is a bit unfair to identify the associated ethics dunces as Ben and Jerry themselves. The brand is now owned by Unilever, and no doubt it is their corporate marketing department that makes choices like this, and not Ben and Jerry, who, to my understanding, are just kept on for the charity and lobbying wing of the company.
1. They have been quoted in the article.
2. If you sell your name, you are still responsible for what is done in that name.
I don’t see what this has to do with ethics.
I think it’s because in the past, Ben and Jerry’s has made very public stands on political and social topics, thus setting themselves up as an example of an ethical business. Whether you agree with their position(s) or not, there’s no denying (nor respecting) the fact that they did indeed stand up for and/or practice what they preached.
This, then, seems out-of-character for this company.
And it probably IS because it’s just a brand now that’s owned by another larger company.
–Dwayne
Really? You don’t see this is a civility issue, then. I place it in the same general category as flying the confederate flag—intentionally offensive graphic displays.
I don’t see it as intentionally offensive or graphic. Clearly, I’m not as old as I thought I was.
Clearly.