Posted in: Movies, TV | Tagged: entertainment, fox, lucifer, olive garden, one million moms, tv

Olive Garden Under Fire From One Million Moms For Sponsoring Lucifer (UPDATE)

Lucifer aired last night on Fox, raising the ire of the pressure group One Million Mums

They say,

FOX's new drama "Lucifer" is spiritually dangerous. The new program "Lucifer" glorifies Satan as a caring, likable person in human flesh. The character Lucifer Morningstar makes being the devil look cool, drives a fancy car, gets out of a speeding ticket, owns a nightclub in LA, and is irresistible to women. "Lucifer" premiered January 25, 2016, at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT with a 14-DLSV rating.

The series focuses on Lucifer portrayed as a good guy "who is bored and unhappy as the Lord of Hell." He resigns his throne, abandons his kingdom, and retires to Los Angeles, where he gets his kicks helping the LAPD punish criminals.

At the same time, God's emissary, the angel Amenadiel, has been sent to Los Angeles to convince Lucifer to return to the underworld. Lucifer questions Amenadiel, "Do you think I'm the devil because I'm inherently evil or just because dear old Dad decided I was?" The question is meant to make people rethink assumptions about good and evil, including about God and Satan.

The premiere included graphic acts of violence, a nightclub featuring scantily-clad women, and a demon. The message of the show is clear. Lucifer is just misunderstood. He doesn't want to be a bad guy, it's God who is forcing him to play that role.

But it's not Fox that One Million Mom are directing their probably-more-like-thousands supporters against, but that chain of restaurants known as Olive Garden.

And it's not down to their not putting salt in the water they boil pasta in, nor the paucity of olives on the table. And it has nothing to do with serving too many breadsticks.

Instead they are advertising on the show, And that will not do.

Contact Olive Garden, who sponsored the spiritually dangerous program "Lucifer" and paid corporate dollars to promote their restaurants in association with the content of the program.

Use the information we have provided on our website, and let Olive Garden know that its advertising dollars are supporting sympathy towards the devil and glorifying Satan and that financial support should be pulled immediately.

They are asking people to call them on 1-800-331-2729, comment on their website or Facebook page or e-mail them on olivegarden@olivegarden.com with this script:

Subject: Surely this was an oversight

As a parent and member of OneMillionMoms.com, I strongly encourage your company to drop all plans of financially supporting FOX's new drama "Lucifer" that airs on Monday evenings at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT with a 14-DLSV rating.

The program mischaracterizes Satan and is spiritually dangerous. While your company is a household name, I do not agree with your financial backing of this program.

I certainly hope your company's financial support of this type of television programming through advertising is simply an oversight.

As a consumer, I am asking you to please pull your ad immediately. My decision to support your company depends on it.

I look forward to hearing from you regarding my concern.

Already the Facebook page is full of this kind of thing;

Donald Hoffman: I'm a Christian who was so up set at seeing a wonderful company like yours sponsoring a terrible program like Lucifer. As for my family my church and anyone that will listen we will stop eating at your restaurants until you stop siding with Satan and stand with GOD!! Please stop your support RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!! DONAD HOFFMAN

DavidNstacey Wall: Please take your sponsorship away from such a vial and harmful show. FOX's new drama "Lucifer" is spiritually dangerous. The new program "Lucifer" glorifies Satan as a caring, likable person in human flesh. The character Lucifer Morningstar makes being the devil look cool, drives a fancy car, gets out of a speeding ticket, owns a nightclub in LA, and is irresistible to women. "Lucifer" premiered January 25, 2016, at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT with a 14-DLSV rating. The series focuses on Lucifer portrayed as a good guy "who is bored and unhappy as the Lord of Hell." He resigns his throne, abandons his kingdom, and retires to Los Angeles, where he gets his kicks helping the LAPD punish criminals. At the same time, God's emissary, the angel Amenadiel, has been sent to Los Angeles to convince Lucifer to return to the underworld. Lucifer questions Amenadiel, "Do you think I'm the devil because I'm inherently evil or just because dear old Dad decided I was?" The question is meant to make people rethink assumptions about good and evil, including about God and Satan. The premiere included graphic acts of violence, a nightclub featuring scantily-clad women, and a demon. The message of the show is clear. Lucifer is just misunderstood. He doesn't want to be a bad guy, it's God who is forcing him to play that role. TAKE ACTION Contact Olive Garden, who sponsored the spiritually dangerous program "Lucifer" and paid corporate dollars to promote their restaurants in association with the content of the program. Use the information we have provided on our website, and let Olive Garden know that its advertising dollars are supporting sympathy towards the devil and glorifying Satan and that financial support should be pulled immediately.

Paula Arledge FitzGerald: As a parent and member of OneMillionMoms.com, I strongly encourage your company to drop all plans of financially supporting FOX's new drama "Lucifer" that airs on Monday evenings at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT with a 14-DLSV rating. I am asking you to please pull your ad immediately. My decision to support your company depends on it.

Lisa Biemer Escaffi‎: As a parent and member of OneMillionMoms.com, I strongly encourage your company to drop all plans of financially supporting FOX's new drama "Lucifer" that airs on Monday evenings at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT with a 14-DLSV rating.
The program mischaracterizes Satan and is spiritually dangerous. While your company is a household name, I do not agree with your financial backing of this program.
I certainly hope your company's financial support of this type of television programming through advertising is simply an oversight.
As a consumer, I am asking you to please pull your ad immediately. My decision to support your company depends on it.
I look forward to hearing from you regarding my concern.

Floy Smith‎: As a parent and member of OneMillionMoms.com, I strongly encourage your company to drop all plans of financially supporting FOX's new drama "Lucifer" that airs on Monday evenings at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT with a 14-DLSV rating.
The program mischaracterizes Satan and is spiritually dangerous. While your company is a household name, I do not agree with your financial backing of this program.
I certainly hope your company's financial support of this type of television programming through advertising is simply an oversight.
As a consumer, I am asking you to please pull your ad immediately. My decision to support your company depends on it.
I look forward to hearing from you regarding my concern.

Shannon Sumner Reeves‎: Please quit sponsoring this Lucifer show! I will not eat and will encourage others if you continue.

Cindi Gartman‎: As a parent and member of OneMillionMoms.com, I strongly encourage your company to drop all plans of financially supporting FOX's new drama "Lucifer" that airs on Monday evenings at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT with a 14-DLSV rating.
The program mischaracterizes Satan and is spiritually dangerous. While your company boldly advertises as a "family oriented establishment" and is a household name, I do not agree with your financial backing of this program.
I certainly hope your company's financial support of this type of television programming through advertising is simply an oversight.
As a consumer, I am asking you to please pull your ad immediately. My decision to support your company depends on it.
I look forward to hearing from you regarding my concern.

Sherry Gwinn: Tim and I ate at Olive Garden. I got a free dessert.

I hope it wasn't a devil's food cake. Mind you, Olive Garden are also receiving pressure from another lobby group.

Lisa Alderidge: Dear Olive Garden – I'm extremely disappointed that your company hasn't joined the boycott surrounding the Duggar family.
I'm well aware that your business has been contacted many, many times over the last few months and that you still haven't committed to making sure that your advertisement don't play during Duggar related programming.
As you know, the Duggar family has made discriminatory comments about the Jewish, Catholic, African American and LGBT Communities and failed to take appropriate action when five little girls were molested by their son Joshua.
Even if your company is not directly endorsing the family, airing your advertisements during their shows helps makes the Duggars viable programming for TLC.
I'm sure that there are a lot of other shows that would appreciate your sponsorship – shows that don't support and diminish Child Sexual Abuse – shows that aren't based on a family who spreads Hate Speech.
I'm looking forward to hearing that your company is willing to join the Sponsorship Boycott and thank you in anticipation for your reply.

And there's even more of those!

UPDATE: Now Bleeding Cool readers have been posting on Facebook. And seem to be rather swinging the conversation round a little.

‎Erik Svendsen‎: I plan to go to my local Olive Garden even more now. Please do not give in to a group of bored moms who have nothing better to do. The show is great. Do not pull your sponsorship, please.

‎Craig Byrne‎: Ignore the people from One Dozen Moms. (You'd think they'd actually be able to count their total number of members!)
Lucifer is AWESOME!

‎Krista Andrews‎: Olive garden, as a Christian I support your desicion to have sponsorship in the show Lucifer. The show is awesome and funny!

Alexander Cook‎: Ignore One Million Moms and other, they really try to ruin everyone entertainment.
Hey, religious groups, don't you have better to do other than boycott Lucifer?

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