Yahoo News Good Morning Britain's Piers Morgan slammed for "overreacting" in tense masculinity debate
Another day, another example of Piers Morgan clashing with the guests of Good Morning Britain - and this row was over his favourite non-vegan related topic, masculinity.
On Tuesday (January 15), the opinionated presenter took issue with a recent ad released by men's grooming company Gillette, calling it "a disgusting beast, a virtue-signalling, PC-glazed nonsense".
Here's the ad in question:
“Boys will be boys”? Isn’t it time we stopped excusing bad behavior? Re-think and take action by joining us at https://t.co/giHuGDEvlT. #TheBestMenCanBe pic.twitter.com/hhBL1XjFVo
- Gillette (@Gillette) January 14, 2019
Playing on the company's tagline "The Best A Man Can Get?" by addressing subjects such as sexual assault, toxic masculinity and sexism, the Gillette ad asks "is this the best a man can get?"
Since its release, the ad has already been trashed by men's rights activists and right wing publications, and Morgan has quickly jumped on the bandwagon, arguing that the ad implies that "men are monsters, and they have to be rehabilitated" and is part of "a war on masculinity" - but this wasn't an opinion shared by his co-host Susanna Reid or journalist Harriet Minter.
As seen below:
Harriet Minter believes the new Gillette ad celebrates male achievements, however Peter Lloyd argues if the same ad were made about women, it would be considered un-PC.
What do you think? pic.twitter.com/IkvBJiTmKq- Good Morning Britain (@GMB) January 15, 2019
The debate also sparked a lot of comments from Twitter users, who by-and-large thought Piers went too far with his opposing views - an opinion shared by Lorraine Kelly, who said after the debate that Piers was "overreacting".
They did, however, praise Susanna for "acting with dignity and class" despite being talked over:
#piersmorgan why do you have to be so aggressive, on the attack and talk over everyone just to get your point across? That's exactly what parents don't want their children to be like, if you are an example of masculinity. #GMB
- nickyfarrow (@nickynix2) January 15, 2019
Can someone let @piersmorgan know that everything that happens in the world isn’t an affront to his masculinity? I bet Gillette weren’t even thinking of him when they made that advert. Let it go piers, go have a nice Horlicks and stick your feet up pet. #gillette #gmb
- Katie, Queen of Sarcasm, Grand Empress of Irony (@badmotherdiary) January 15, 2019
Oh ... We're blaming women for toxic masculinity are we??? #GMB pic.twitter.com/GcxrpyjESS
- Rebecca Dundon 👄🍸 (@Rebeccadundon1) January 15, 2019
Seeing Piers Morgan trying to defend ‘toxic masculinity’ or ‘male stereotypes’ on #GMB this morning 😂 He sounds like a fossil. We all know why certain ‘stereotypes’ are damaging to men. Because 1 size doesn’t fit all.
- J.A.M.I.E ™️ (@JLW1006) January 15, 2019
@susannareid100 acting with real dignity and class when asked to explain her viewpoint then not being given the opportunity to! @GMB #GMB #Gillette #Masculinity
- Leigh-Jayne (@x_yummeigh_x) January 15, 2019
"He sounds like a fossil," said one viewer. "We all know why certain ‘stereotypes’ are damaging to men [because one] size doesn’t fit all.
Another added: "Why do you have to be so aggressive, on the attack and talk over everyone just to get your point across?"
"That's exactly what parents don't want their children to be like, if you are an example of masculinity."
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV.
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