Responding to criticism from gay organizations, Universal has pulled a trailer for Ron Howard's "The Dilemma" that contained a gay joke and replaced it with a new teaser.
The studio has not decided yet whether it will cut the joke from the movie. Universal will wait until it sees the finished film before deciding if it will excise the gay slur, a person with knowledge of the production told TheWrap.
Given his stature, it's possible that Howard has final cut of the film. That would mean the decision to replace the joke would lie with the director and not the studio.
The problematic trailer features a scene where star Vince Vaughn tells a group of executives, “Ladies and gentleman, electric cars are gay."
In a statement released Friday, Universal said, “The teaser trailer for ‘The Dilemma’ was not intended to cause anyone discomfort. In light of growing claims that the introduction to the trailer is insensitive, it is being replaced. A full trailer, which has been in the works for some time, will post online later today.”
Last month Universal shared a link to the trailer for "The Dilemma" with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. After reviewing it, a GLAAD spokesperson said the group called on Universal to remove the scene where the word "gay" was used.
“The use of the word ‘gay’ in this trailer as a slur is unnecessary and does nothing more than send a message of intolerance about our community to viewers,” said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios.
A GLAAD spokesperson said that it would continue to pressure the studio to remove the joke from the final film as well.
Universal's decision to include the joke, also drew criticism from CNN anchor Anderson Cooper during an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" this week.
"I just find those words, those terms, we've got to do something to make those words unacceptable because those words are hurting kids," Cooper said in reference to the trailer.
"The Dilemma" hits theaters on Jan. 14, 2011.
The original trailer:
