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My Kitchen Rules fans want show's latest ad taken down

<p>One thing that brings <em>My Kitchen Rules</em> fans back year after year is controversy, and as this story proves the cooking show doesn’t have to <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/2017/09/chef-pete-evans-bizarre-naked-horse-moment/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>be in season to make headlines</strong></span></a>.</p> <p>Fans of the Channel 7 program are calling for the show’s latest advertisement to be axed, accusing the network of stereotyping in its promotion of two Russian contestants.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-video"> <p dir="ltr">SNEAK PEEK: "The cold war is here" &amp; this team is bringing the heat! 🇷🇺💪🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MKR</a> starts January 29 on <a href="https://twitter.com/Channel7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Channel7</a> <a href="https://t.co/AJc8LyUDt9">pic.twitter.com/AJc8LyUDt9</a></p> — #MKR (@mykitchenrules) <a href="https://twitter.com/mykitchenrules/status/938218951489634305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>The promo features teammates Olga and Valeria declaring to the camera, “The Cold War is here!” before standing in front of the hammer and sickle, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic's (USSR) symbol of communist power.</p> <p>Fan backlash to the promo has come swiftly.</p> <p>“I used to really enjoy this show, but as a Russian-Australian, I'm disgusted by this stereotyping,” one Facebook user wrote.</p> <p>“You are promoting discrimination, vilifying my culture and misappropriating traditional folk songs (yes, folk, not propaganda songs) that are much loved by my family and country. We get enough this stereotyping rubbish everyday already.”</p> <p>One Twitter user was similarly disgusted, saying: “Channel Seven have you considered that using the hammer and sickle is offensive to the countries who were formerly USSR that dealt with years of suppression. It is banned in many countries and MKR is even shown in some of those countries. Why not use the Russian flag?”</p> <p>What are your thoughts? Does the ad go too far? Or is it just a bit of fun?</p>

TV

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New Lucille Ball statue replaces “Scary Lucy”

<p>A new statue of Lucille Ball was unveiled in the actress’ hometown on Saturday to replace one so hated that it was nicknamed “Scary Lucy”.</p> <p>Mayor of Celoron, New York, Scott Schrecengost and sculptor Carolyn Palmer revealed the statue in Lucille Ball Memorial Park on what would have been the actress' 105th birthday.</p> <p>The life-size statue shows the famous Ball in polka-dotted dress, holding a purse, wearing pearls and in heels. She, of course, sporting her signature curly hair.</p> <p>"She is 100 per cent bronze. She is 750 pounds and the pedestal is maybe another 750 pounds, so she's not going anywhere!" Palmer told CNN. "I pretty much put my all in her and I am very happy."</p> <p>Palmer added: “People gasped when she was unveiled and everyone looked so happy.</p> <p>"I am relieved that the response has been positive. I went back to the park incognito and sat on a bench and people were there looking at her and touching her and it was great. All that work was not done in vain. I am very pleased tonight."</p> <p><img width="624" height="435" src="https://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/lucille-ball-before-after.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=color&amp;w=1100" alt="Left: The bronze sculpture of Lucille Ball by Dave Poulin, seen at the Lucille Ball Memorial Park in Celoron, N.Y.. in Aug. 2012; Right the bronze sculpture of Lucille Ball by Carolyn D. Palmer, unveiled at the Lucille Ball Memorial Park in Celeron, N.Y., on Aug. 6, 2016." style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>The new statue replaces a statue that looked so unflattering and unlike the TV star that it was nicknamed “Scary Lucy”. The creator of the first statue, Dave Poulin, said he’s received death threats over his statue and has apologised for his “unsettling” depiction of the icon.</p> <p>"I take full responsibility for 'Scary Lucy,' though by no means was that my intent or did I wish to disparage in any way the memories of the iconic Lucy image," Poulin wrote in an open letter in The Hollywood Reporter.</p> <p>“Scary Lucy” isn’t going anywhere though as the two statues of Lucille Ball will live side by side at the park. </p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/entertainment/tv/2016/06/kids-shows-from-the-50s/" target="_self"><em>Best kids’ TV shows from the 50s</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/entertainment/tv/2016/06/shocking-facts-about-tv-shows/"><em>10 shocking facts you didn’t know about your favourite TV shows</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/entertainment/tv/2016/06/the-waltons-where-are-they-now/"><em>The Waltons: where are they today?</em></a></strong></span></p>

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