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Angry Moms Protest Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls

Veronica Werhane |
September 23, 2011 | 3:47 p.m. PDT

Food Editor

Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls Ice Cream (Flickr)
Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls Ice Cream (Flickr)

Only a few weeks have gone by since Ben & Jerry’s unveiled their Schweddy Balls to America.

Their newest ice cream flavor, that is. While the comical dessert earned lots of laughs and oh-so-sweet reviews, one group of angry moms had a bitter response to this playfully risqué treat.

One Million Moms—a group against exposing children to vulgar and offensive content in the entertainment industry—sent a letter to its members expressing resentment towards the launch of Schweddy Balls, Ben & Jerry’s newest ice cream flavor paying tribute to the Saturday Night Live comedy sketch featuring Alec Baldwin, Molly Shannon, and Ana Gasteyer. 

The public letter from One Million Moms explains the SNL sketch and its extensive list of puns on the word “balls,” and urges members to email Ben & Jerry’s to protest the distribution of the “offensive” ice cream flavor:

“Please send Ben & Jerry's Public Relations Manager, Sean Greenwood, an email letter requesting that no additional Schweddy Balls ice cream be distributed. Also, highly recommend they refrain from producing another batch with this name or any other offensive names or you will no longer be able to purchase their products.”

Ben & Jerry’s spokesman Sean Greenwood acknowledged the suggestiveness of the ice cream’s name but emphasized the lightheartedness and fun behind the flavor:

“The name is irreverent…but we've always been about having some irreverence and having some fun ... We're not trying to offend people. Our fans get the humor.”

One Million Moms certainly doesn’t appreciate the humor, and this is not the first time the group has been offended by the Vermont ice cream company.  The recent letter also expressed its discontent for last year’s remake of Chubby Hubby, called Hubby Hubby, to celebrate gay marriage:

“It seems that offending customers has become an annual tradition for Ben & Jerry's.” 

It's safe to say the members of One Million Moms won’t be licking a cone of Schweddy Balls any time soon.

Related Content: Ben and Jerry's Launches "Schweddy Balls" Ice Cream

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