This is a partial transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," June 20, 2007, that has been edited for clarity.
BILL O'REILLY, HOST: "Impact" segment tonight, a viewer alert: Adult subject matter coming up. A few of the networks, including FOX Broadcasting, have turned down an ad for Trojan condoms saying it's inappropriate for their viewers.
But some people believe that's an overreaction. So we're going to run part of the ad one time so you can decide if there's unwarranted censorship in play.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I ask you for your number. Then I ask you for a dance. I asked you for a little kiss, just a chance for some romance. I ain't giving up that easy. No, I ain't going to quit. Take another look at what I got, because honey, you have to admit. I know what it takes to make your heart sing. Look again, baby, I just got wings.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: OK, with us now, Peter Shankman, the author of the book, "Can We Do That: Outrageous PR Stunts and Why Your Company Needs Them."
OK, this ad, what did you think?
PETER SHANKMAN, PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGIST: There's nothing wrong with this ad. This is a very benign advertisement that in truth could save some lives.
O'REILLY: All right. It's pigs picking up girls in a bar.
SHANKMAN: Men are pigs in a bar.
O'REILLY: Men are pigs in a bar, OK.
SHANKMAN: You get some men in bar, they pretty much are.
O'REILLY: You know, I wouldn't run the ad because I don't want to see pig puppets. And I don't. I mean, I just think it's unappetizing. The viewers — what do you want to see a pig puppet for? I don't know. That's why I wouldn't run it, aesthetics. I just think it's way out there.
But the networks, CBS, FOX, just said, “Look, it's inappropriate, the whole thing.” And with kids around, I think it may be. The kids, especially little kids are going to see the pig puppets. They're going to want to know what's going on, right?
SHANKMAN: Yes, I'd rather little kids learn about condom use and safe sex than the “CSI: Miami,” or whatever it is on CBS, with the raping of a 15-year-old girl and solving that mystery. You know, or watching on FOX "Family Guy," where two nights ago, Peter had a proctology exam and then sued the doctor for anal rape.
O'REILLY: OK, but you can understand why some people don't agree with you. And they say we don't want our kids seeing pig puppets.
The problem with it is that look, whenever you have animals involved, kids are going to zero right in. OK? And particularly in this kind of a situation.
I think that's what's going on here. Now I agree the adult subject matter would have to run after 9 o'clock. Couldn't run it before.
But in this case, I think it was a combination of the message, which you know, condom advertising isn't new. Although what, NBC is going to run this. NBC, of course they have to run it.
ABC will run it. Nine cable networks, MTV, Comedy Central, you know, of course, they're going to run it. And I'm not offended by them running it. I'm not saying they're wrong, but if I'm a program director, this doesn't really - I don't think this does it for me.
Now is it censorship?
SHANKMAN: You know, it's not censorship because it's not like they're — you're paying for the advertising. So if you're not taking their money, it's technically not censorship. I can choose to take your money and run the ad, or I can choose not.
O'REILLY: Right.
SHANKMAN: That's not censorship.
O'REILLY: Right.
SHANKMAN: What gets to me, sort of gets my goat, is the hypocrisy of it. Because you're looking at — I heard someone this morning one of the programs compare it to Joe Camel. Cigarettes kill people. Condoms can, in fact, save lives. And you're not talking about showing intercourse or anything even remotely close to it. Everything is suggested.
O'REILLY: But see, that's your point of view. And I respect it. I'm not saying you're wrong, but there's another point of view that says, for example, the Catholic Church is against birth control. 66 million Catholics in the country. And then, they're seeing something that the, you know, church says is wrong.
Now look, I'm not going to get involved on whether condoms are right or wrong. It's ridiculous. It's not my job. But I'm saying to you that you have to take yourself and put yourself in that category. And that's what the program chiefs are saying. If it's an ad that attracts children, and it does, if it's an ad that offends some people, and it does, and if it's dopey, and it is, all right, that's three strikes you're out for me. That's how I'm making my decision here.
SHANKMAN: Agreed. But the problem that I have with that is that that's a standard that CBS or FOX or whoever has to apply to their programming. Because tell me the last time a soap opera…
O'REILLY: See, I'm not offended by CSI.
SHANKMAN: When was the soap opera on that didn't involve, you know, sex with married couples and non-married - you know, it becomes that issue that it's not a clear-cut issue. If it's hypocrisy, there's hypocrisy throughout the entire board, or it's not at all. That's where people are having a problem. Either it shows up for everything or for nothing.
O'REILLY: All right. Something to think about, Peter. Thanks very much. We had a good argument.
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