Nearly 18,000 people have signed a petition to protest a commercial promoting NBC Sports' coverage of NASCAR that aired during the Super Bowl.
The ad, which stars Nick Offerman, riled the feathers of many in the gluten-free community and those living with Celiac disease.
The commercial, which channels the actor's deadpan Ron Swanson persona, features this line in its narration: "When our idea of danger is eating gluten, there's trouble afoot.
The Change.org petition, started by a petitioner under the screen-name Gluten Dude, states:
NBC is running a Super Bowl ad that makes fun of those who are gluten-free. It implies that we're soft ... we're weak ... we're part of America's problem. When all we're trying to do is manage our disease. Celiac can be a true pain. The media is not helping and this petition is get NBC to see the light of day.
I think about all of the gluten-free children getting bullied for being "different," when all they want to do is feel better and fit in. I think about all of the people who have gotten sick at restaurants because the kitchen and/or the staff do not take us seriously. I think about all of those walking around undiagnosed and suffering because they only listen to what is in the media. I think about all of the people in the past who have died prematurely when going gluten-free MAY have been their saving grace.
According to an update from Gluten Dude, NBC has agreed to remove the reference from the 60-second version of ad. However, it looks like the line will remain - for now at least - in the 30 second and 2-minute-long versions.
Here's the commercial in its entirety: