Protests over new TLC reality show All-American Muslim won’t take it off the air — but might help boost its modest ratings.
The Lowe’s home improvement chain pulled its advertising from the series last week after a campaign waged by the Florida Family Association, a small conservative group.
Lowe’s said the show has become too much of a “lightning rod” and has stuck by its decision. But a backlash has grown among Muslim groups, elected officials and celebrities. One, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, offered Tuesday to buy any unsold spots to promote his Visa Rush Card.
“A lot of advertisers pull out of shows all the time without any backlash,” says analyst Brad Adgate of ad firm Horizon Media. They’re “sensitive, particularly in this era where viewers have access to social media,” but “from a PR perspective, it probably backfired.”
The show has not proved a hit, even by TLC standards, and could use the attention stoked by the controversy. Sunday’s episode drew 908,000 viewers, down from the 1.7 million who tuned in for its Nov. 13 premiere. “We stand behind the show and still have strong advertising support,” says network spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg.
The eight-episode series looks at the lives of several families in Dearborn, Mich., which has one of the largest Muslim communities in the country. The series shows them in such roles as a high school football coach and a party planner, and it tackles issues including assimilation, interfaith marriage and conversion, women and careers, women’s head coverings and society’s view of their heritage and religion.
“This is our opportunity to show the world that we’re just (like) any other American family, but we embrace our faith and our culture differently than what people may view as the norm,” participant Suehaila Amen said in August, describing her interest in appearing in the show. The finale airs Jan. 8.
It’s the latest — if most polarizing — TLC series to “shine a light on subcultures that people are curious about and don’t necessarily experience in their daily lives,” says Goldberg, joining other reality series about little people, obsessive couponers and polygamists.
Florida Family claimed the show was “propaganda clearly designed to counter legitimate and present-day concerns about many Muslims who are advancing Islamic fundamentalism.”
But Lowe’s clearly did not expect the outcry. “It appears that we managed to step into a hotly contested debate with strong views from virtually every angle and perspective,” the company said. “We believe it is best to respectfully defer to communities, individuals and groups to discuss and consider such issues of importance.”
Florida Family founder David Caton, who also has protested Disney World’s “gay days” and NBC’s Playboy Club, told AP his mission was to “defend traditional American biblical values.” Monday, hackers disabled the group’s site.