Thompson’s Next Victim:…Wendy’s?
- Scribbled on May 8th, 2007 by Devin Grimes
- Filed in Nintendo Wii, WTF
Not content with attacking explicit rap lyrics, videogame developers, and even videogame sites, Jack Thompson has now turned his crusading glare towards fast food restaurants.
Wendy’s is the target this time, all over an upcoming promotion involving the Nintendo Wii. Promoting many of the videogames that we’ve come to love from Nintendo, the house that Dave Thomas built will be giving away toys from games such as Excite Truck and the Mario franchise with kids meals.
What’s wrong with that? Well, it turns out that you can play Manhunt 2 on your Wii, of course. The promotion in no way involves Rockstar’s upcoming Wii title, but somehow Jack’s just plain pissed to see Wendy’s even promoting a videogame console. Courtesy of GameAlmighty, the full letter Thompson sent to Wendy’s CEO Kerri Anderson is reproduced after the break.
Dear Mrs. Anderson:
I should like to alert you to the inappropriateness of the above upcoming promotion at Wendy’s, in light of the below information.
On July 10, an extremely violent video game will be released for “play” on Nintendo’s kid-friendly Wii game platform. It is called Manhunt 2. It will feature, according to video game news sites, beheadings with hatchets, bludgeonings with baseball bats, the jamming of syringes into eyeballs, cutting opponents’ testicles off, and “environtmental [sic] kills” in which common objects in the field of vision, such as electrical cords to strangle victims. I attach news reports in these regards.
What makes this Nintendo Wii game all the more troubling is the nature of Wii platform itself. Instead of holding in one’s hand the typical game controller, the player holds motion capture devices, so that by moving one’s hands and limbs one is actually acting out with one’s own body the violent behavior. The American Psychological Association in August 2005 found a direct causal link between the play of violent video games and increased adolescent and teen aggression. One pro-video game industry site is referring to Manhunt 2 as a “true murder simulator” when played on Wii.
A dear friend of mine worked for Wendy’s and with Dave Thomas closely for years. From that I know that Dave Thomas never would have tolerated the use of Wendy’s good name to promote Nintendo’s Wii, not with this game available on the Wii platform.
Please cancel the Wii Kids’ Meal promotion immediately.
Regards, Jack Thompson
(Thanks ActionTrip)
May 8th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
No! Not Freckle Bitch’s!
May 8th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
It’s only a matter of time before Mario picks up a hatchet…
May 9th, 2007 at 1:25 am
wow. just wow. that was retarded.
May 9th, 2007 at 2:39 am
Dear Computer Literacy Organization:
I should like to alert you to the inappropriateness of the above upcoming promotion of computer literacy, in light of the below information.
On August 5, an extremely violent video game will be released for “play” on this kid-friendly PC game platform. It is called Barbie’s Horse Adventure 3. It will feature, according to video game news sites, horses, a magical wand, and other related weaponry, as well as a “flashlight” in which common objects in the field of vision, can be lit up. I attach news reports in these regards.
What makes this PC game all the more troubling is the nature of the PC platform itself. Instead of holding in one’s hand the typical game controller, the player holds a motion capture device commonly referred to as a “mouse”, so that by moving one’s hands and fingers one is actually acting out with one’s own body the activation of a flashlight. The Anti-Flashlight Action Committee (AFLAC) in May 2005 found a direct causal link between the play of flashlight-activating video games and increased electrical consumtpion. One pro-video game industry site is referring to Barbie’s Horse Adventure 3 as a “true horse riding simulation” when played on PC.
A dear friend of my cousin’s of mine worked for Microsoft and with Bill Gates closely for years. From that I know that Bill Gates never would have tolerated the use of the PC’s good name to promote Barbie Horse Adventures 3, not with this game available on the PC platform.
Please cancel the PC Literacy Program promotion immediately.
Regards, Jack Thompson
May 9th, 2007 at 2:41 am
Personally, whatever Nintendo releases onto the Wii won’t change whether it’s family friendly, or not. In fact, most systems made are “family friendly” considering many allow you to set restrictions on what can and cannot be used on the system. All you need to be, is a responsible parent and take action. Also, I suppose the way you raise your children comes in there somewhere.. Maybe.
May 9th, 2007 at 5:01 am
Oh wow, I just got that reference from Saints Row!
May 9th, 2007 at 7:18 am
LOL
Jack really needs to team up with Fred Phelps. They can go on a “God Hates Gays and Videogames” tour.
May 9th, 2007 at 9:09 am
“Jack really needs to team up with Fred Phelps. They can go on a “God Hates Gays and Videogames” tour.”
Score!
I hope neither have payed The Sims 2 or Fable. lol
May 10th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I just got reffered to the article by friends… I liked the comment saying that maybe parental raising also had something to do with how the child turns out. buying the wii doesn’t automatically force your child to play manhunt 2… So get of your moral high horse and wake up to the fact that more people have died in the name of RELIGION than by ANY OTHER CAUSE!
it is all a matter of how you deal with what is handed to you. religion can be a very positive thing if used correctly. And so can the nintendo wii I’m sure.
May 21st, 2007 at 7:07 pm
[...] campaign that sparked Jack Thompson’s attention earlier this month in promotion for the Nintendo Wii at fast food giant, Wendy’s, is just [...]
June 12th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
I don’t even know how to respond to that. No one is forcing people to buy Manhunt 2 so what is his problem? That guy is seriously frickin retarded.
March 17th, 2008 at 12:52 am
Why do people even pay attention to that guy anymore? He’s starting to become like Britney Spears in the way he’s looking for attention.
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:08 am
This is like saying “DVD players are bad for your kids because you could feasibly buy porn and watch it on them.”
Shock me with your ignorance, Jack Thompson!
September 25th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
[...] Thompson’s Next Victim:…Wendy’s? [...]