Catholic symbols cut out of the OTHER Jesus-related Super Bowl ad



Since Super Bowl LVIII last Sunday, many on social media and elsewhere have focused on the "He Gets Us" commercial, which seemed to put social justice symbolism on full display. However, the other Jesus-related Super Bowl commercial, the one promoting the Hallow prayer app, appears to have had some key Catholic symbols scrubbed from it, leading at least one Catholic media outlet to cry foul.

According to its website, Hallow claims to be the "#1 App for Christian & Catholic" prayer, meditation, and the Bible. Since its founding in 2018, Hallow has exploded in popularity, becoming the first faith-based app to break into the App Store's Top 10. Several high-profile Catholic clerics like Fr. Mike Schmitz and Bishop Robert Barron have contributed to it, as have some Catholic celebrities like actors Mark Wahlberg and Jonathan Roumie, who portrays Jesus on the hit series "The Chosen."

Wahlberg and Roumie teamed up to appear in Hallow's Super Bowl ad, and Hallow has shared its version of the commercial on several social media platforms. But that version differs from the ad that aired during the big game, and as the Catholic World Report noted, all of the major differences between the two versions relate to religious imagery.

In the opening scene of the commercial, Wahlberg dips his finger in holy water and walks into a Catholic church rich with stained-glass windows and familiar Christian icons. Behind the altar is a large image of Christ with the message "I AM WHO AM," a reference to the name of God given to Moses in the book of Exodus. However, the commercial that aired on TV narrowed the scope of the camera to such an extent that the Christ image is almost entirely cut out, leaving viewers in the dark about the full beauty of the church and the reason it was built in the first place.

Left: Original version | Right: Aired versionComposite screenshot of @amplifyunheard X video and Hallow: Prayer and Meditation YouTube video

In the next scene, a family is gathered around a table, saying grace before dinner. In the original version, each family member makes the sign of the Cross, a fixture of Catholic prayer. Though the aired version zeroes in on a young boy as he does his best to make the sign of the Cross, the unified family gesture is absent. Instead, the family is shown simply bowing their heads.

Main: Original version | Inset: Aired versionComposite screenshot of @amplifyunheard X video and Hallow: Prayer and Meditation YouTube video

One other notable difference between the ads relates to a cross of ashes that a priest marks on Roumie's forehead in anticipation of Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent, which kicked off just a few days after the Super Bowl. In the original version, the cross is pronounced and easily visible, while in the aired version, it is only faintly detectable.

Left: Original version | Right: Aired versionComposite screenshot of @amplifyunheard X video and Hallow: Prayer and Meditation YouTube video

The Catholic World Report blames Paramount and CBS for the changes, though when the changes were made and by whom are currently unclear. Neither CBS nor Hallow responded to Blaze News' request for comment.

The two different versions can be seen below:

Super Bowl commercial for the Hallow app, actor Mark Wahlberg promotes prayer as a beneficial practice.\n\n"For the first time ever, join over 100 million people in prayer during Super Bowl LVIII," a message said on the screen during the commercial.
— (@)

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Dan Rather questions whether it was ‘responsible’ to show Super Bowl commercials with large groups of maskless people



Longtime former CBS anchor Dan Rather, who was forced to resign from the network after falsely reporting about George W. Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard, questioned whether it was "responsible" to show advertisements during the Super Bowl that featured large gatherings of people not wearing masks.

The disgraced media figure appeared to insinuate that Americans aren't intelligent enough to make decisions for themselves about their health and safety in regards to the coronavirus pandemic, suggesting they need even commercials to promote mitigation measures such as mask mandates and social distancing in order to understand the risks.

"Is it responsible having commercials showing people gathering in large groups without masks?" Rather tweeted.

Is it responsible having commercials showing people gathering in large groups without masks?
— Dan Rather (@Dan Rather)1612744348.0

Minutes later, he added, "Am I the only one watching the halftime show and thinking "contact tracing?"

Am I the only one watching the halftime show and thinking “contact tracing?”
— Dan Rather (@Dan Rather)1612748419.0

In response to the first tweet, some of Rather's followers agreed with him and expressed similar concerns over the ads and over the whole spectacle, in general.

"No, [it's not responsible]," answered one commenter. "The whole game, production, & commercials were in an alternate universe. Very unsettling & hard for my teen to watch when her social life has been restricted for almost a year now."

Another added, "The whole thing is irresponsible, 25k people in the stands, star QB walking in with no mask, and Florida has the rapidly spreading variant, Americans value sports over lives."

Several others, however, were noticeably put off by Rather's suggestion.

"Everybody, everywhere i go, people are wearing masks. The whole world knows to wear a mask. Please [sic] dont make me watch commercials with people with masks on. They are commercials. If anybody watches these and thinks it's ok to go out without a mask may God help them," one commenter wrote.

"I'm legitimately worried by those in this thread saying it's irresponsible to show commercials with people not wearing masks, as though we only know how to conduct ourselves by mimicking those in commercials," another said. "They probably think M&M commercials led to cannibalism."

Another suggested that if showing maskless people in commercials is irresponsible, then we ought not to have commercials showing people enjoying alcohol since that too is dangerous.

It should be noted that approximately 22,000 fans were allowed to be in the stands for the game on Sunday night, 7,500 of them being vaccinated health care workers invited as guests of the National Football League. In addition, 30,000 cardboard cutouts were placed inside the stadium to help ensure social distancing.

Leftists blast Dolly Parton's '5 to 9' Super Bowl ad that celebrates 'working' for your 'dreams' — and the backlash is fierce



One of many Super Bowl commercials making headlines the day after the big game features country music legend Dolly Parton turning her iconic song "9 to 5" on its head by celebrating the grit and determination of entrepreneurship as folks out there are "working working working / working 5 to 9" until their "dreams come true."

Here's the commercial, which was for website builder Squarespace:

5 to 9 by Dolly Parton – Extended | Big Game Commercial 2021 | Squarespace youtu.be

Fun stuff, eh?

Well, not for everyone. A number of news outlets published pieces severely criticizing Dolly. In fact, a writer who penned an NBC News op-ed Sunday blasted the singer's "tone-deaf misstep" and "rare miscalculation."

Say what?

"Rather than paying homage to the spirit of the original song, which made no bones about the exploitative nature of the daily grind, the commercial for Squarespace features a tinny ode to the side hustle," Kim Kelly wrote. "Its office workers are portrayed as being overjoyed to continue working after hours, their side hustles are painted as freeing, fun and fulfilling, and the song itself encourages them to 'be your own boss, climb your own ladder.'"

More from Kelly's op-ed:

Now, Parton's silvery voice is being used to promote the false virtues of working overtime, when so many gig economy workers are barely scraping by and the tech companies who employ — but misclassify — them are raking in boffo profits. The gig economy is a wretched alternative to a stable paycheck and proper benefits, and efforts to paint it as a matter of "independence" or "being one's own boss" downplay how hard it is for so many gig workers to make ends meet. The lack of a safety net has become even more apparent thanks to the increased demands and dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic Parton herself has helped combat; delivery drivers, grocery shoppers and other gig workers have become a lifeline to so many, and yet they remain stripped of the protections and dignity they deserve.

She added that "as we all love Parton, she's still a capitalist and still a very, very rich woman; she has a vested interest in boosting her public profile, and Squarespace surely paid dearly for the privilege of borrowing some of her sparkle. Parton doesn't need the money herself, but between funding her philanthropic efforts, supporting her family and local community and expanding her empire, I can see her welcoming an influx of filthy lucre. The reality is that it made good business sense, and she's always been a shrewd businesswoman."

It's worth noting that Kelly, according to her op-ed bio, also is an "organizer" who specializes in "labor, politics and working-class resistance" — which makes her reaction to Parton's "5 to 9" tune not terribly surprising.

But that ain't all

Kelly wasn't the only one to sling arrows at the beloved songwriter, either:

  • Slate's pop culture writer and editor Hilary Hughes chided Parton for the same reasons, saying the ad "diminished one of the most potent, and beloved, messages behind her own work while dressing it up as a tribute."
  • Newsweek published an analysis calling the commercial "disturbing" and full of "propaganda" that reflects "an insane ideology."
  • And Jessica Bennett — a New York Times editor at large who covers women and culture — didn't like the commercial's theme, either, saying it ignores the present reality of "American women" who now "deal with ongoing job losses, economic challenges and just plain fatigue."

What was the reaction?

As you might expect, many folks weren't happy with Kelly's op-ed — and they hit back on Twitter by telling her it actually does take hard work and determination to get where you want to go in life. And that such a path is more gratifying to travel upon than one featuring more and more stuff handed to you:

  • "Why would singing the praises of work be 'disappointing' to anyone but a commie?" one Twitter user asked.
  • "Remember: the left *hates* the idea of the individual building something and making the world a better place," another user noted. "They'd rather you worship at the feet of the state — the government should provide and decide who succeeds and what you need for life."
  • "I think you misinterpreted the commercial," another commenter said. "The 'hustle' isn't to work more jobs. It's to build something on the side that you love and eventually leave the drudgery of cubicle life ... that's how most small businesses are started."
  • "What's wrong with working? Millions of us go to work every day and dream of someday working for ourselves to have more freedom and independence," another user noted. "The point is, we work hard no matter what for ourselves and our families. This work ethic is worthy of praise."

Bruce Springsteen was calling for a White House 'exorcism' 3 months ago. He appeared in a Super Bowl ad on Sunday calling for unity: 'To the ReUnited States of America'



Bruce Springsteen, outspoken progressive, appeared in a Sunday night Super Bowl commercial — the first commercial advertisement in which he's ever appeared — to urge Americans to come together for unity.

Just ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Springsteen called for an "exorcism" of the White House in a sharp rebuke to former President Donald Trump and his policies.

What are the details?

The two-minute Jeep ad shows the 71-year-old performer driving a rough-and-tumble Jeep through the back roads of America's heartland: Kansas.

Referring to a chapel that lies dead-center in the country, Springsteen says, "All are more than welcome to come meet here in the middle. It's no secret the middle has been a hard place to get to lately, between red and blue, between servant and citizen, between our freedom and our fear. Now fear has never been the best of who we are, and as for freedom, it's not the property of just the fortunate few; it belongs to us all."

He adds, "Whoever you are, wherever you're from, it's what connects us, and we need that connection. We need the middle."

Throughout the ad, Springsteen can be seen driving the Jeep through scenes of simple Americana: flags on front porches, down-home dinners, and snow-capped mountains.

"We just have to remember the very soil we stand on is common ground so we can get there," he says. "We can make it to the mountaintop through the desert, and we will cross this divide. Our light has always found its way through the darkness. And there's hope on the road up ahead."

The advertisement closes with a dedication that reads, "To the ReUnited States of America."

Springsteen has been vocal about his support for President Joe Biden and even performed at his inauguration in January, singing "Land of Hope and Dreams."

Jeep® | The Middlewww.youtube.com