Is Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle Ad Campaign “Nazi-like”?

Jackie Mason, one of the greatest comedians of all time, used to refer to people who annoyed him as “Nazi bastards” in his act. He was kidding. If he was still alive, he would have some good jokes about the people claiming American Eagle’s new ad campaign featuring Syndey Sweeney Nazi-like. In  one of the ads, Sweeney — best known for her roles in HBOMax’s “Euphoria” and “White Lotus” — is photographed crouching suggestively, dressed in American Eagle denim. The copy reads “Sydney Sweeney has good jeans.”

Good looking people have always been used to sell products. I remember as a young kid watching TV ads for cars with beautiful woman. Does that mean a guy who looks like a schlub is going to have beautiful girlfriends simply because he buys that car? I don’t know, but we know sex sells.

Sweeney is sassy and charismatic in the ad campaign. There’s the play on words of genes/jeans. Is this the most clever ad idea? Not really. As someone who has interviewed numerous Holocaust survivors, it pissed me off to see a video of a Tik Toker calling it “Nazi propaganda weird” and another saying it sound like it comes from Goebbels (of course mispronouncing his name).

Yes, Sweeney has blonde hair and blue eyes. I guess that means American Eagle is trying to say only white blondes with blue eyes are beautiful, right? Only if you are blind. American Eagle has had ads with people of all races, though it is true nonwhites have been historically underrepresented in ads.

I am much more angered that people suddenly concerned that something is “Nazi-like.” I don’t have any problem with Dan Bilzerian saying “Jewish supremacy” is the greatest threat to America, or that on the “Fresh & Fit” Podcast, a guest called for killing Jews.

Whoever uses the word Nazi when it does not apply should be forced to wear jeans that don’t fit, but the truth is most of the people who makes these false claims are not comfortable in their own skin. That is what is at the heart of this matter.

There have been ads with Michael Jordan that exhorted people to “be like Mike,” but nobody believed if they wore the shoes they would be able to compete in the NBA. It is true that unrealistic expectations of beauty put pressure on young women, and Onlyfans is far more dangerous than this relatively innocuous ad.

When creating a crucible of chaos, and telling students they can say such things as “my truth” the result is playing the victim and being selfish. Why not be happy for Sweeney that she will have a good career? If Ryan Gosling starred in the ad instead of Sweeney, would there be such a brouhaha? Of course not.

When the way has been paved no nonsense with no accountability, people will continue to throw bricks with the hope of getting clicks.

In Pirkei Avot, there is a phrase: “Who is rich the one who is happy with his lot.”

Sweeney’s going to be making a lot of people poor!