City Bans Tyra Banks ‘Top Model’ Bus Ads

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (February 28, 2007) — “America’s Next Top Model” can’t strut her stuff on local buses. Ads for the TV show were removed from the sides of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Buses after complaints.

The ads showed host Tyra Banks and the new season’s swimsuited contestants posing in front of a waterfall.

Most of the complaints were from people concerned that the city might be endorsing a show they believed was disrespectful to women, said Stephanie Negriff, director of transit services in the beach city.

“It’s a matter of public taste,” she said. “We try to be sensitive to the community.”

“We wouldn’t want to do anything that would disrespect women,” Negriff said.

The ads were up for about two weeks. The bus line is refunding money the CW network paid for the promotion.

“It’s a jungle out there in bus marketing. Even America’s next top models aren’t safe anymore,” CW spokesman Paul McGuire said.

“We are very proud of Tyra banks and this wonderful program,” he added Tuesday. “And for any citizens of Santa Monica who may not have seen our message, new episodes premiere tomorrow night.”

In recent years, the city has nixed bus ads for the TV show “Nip/Tuck” and the movie “Ten Things I Hate About You.”

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