WHAT AMC WON’T SHOW

This holiday weekend, several movie theaters in the AMC chain were supposed to run a pre-movie PSA prepared by SafeMinds. The message was simple. If you really have to have a flu shot this year, make sure you get one without thimerosal. It might cost a bit more ⎯ and heaven forbid, the manufacturer’s profit margin might not be as large ⎯ but it’s worth it.

Well, that message didn’t sit too well with some folks. There was an orchestrated effort to register complaints, and AMC decided that they wouldn’t run the PSA’s after all. Now this is a chain whose local theaters routinely run ads for political candidates. Some recently ran a spot for Glen Beck’s show. And this was too controversial for them?

The complaints were misinformed, and resorted to the pandering, shorthand label of “anti-vax.” Below, you can see what AMC was afraid to show you. And I defy anyone to explain how this spot is in any way “anti-vaccine.”

I don’t know what ad AMC will show instead. What I do know is that I won’t be there to find out.