Chili's Tabs Openly Gay Tuaolo For "Real People" Campaign

Tuaolo Lends His Talents To Chili's Campaign

Former NFLer Esera Tuaolo, who has professed his homosexuality since retiring from the game, is featured in a Chili's restaurant commercial that began airing nationwide last Monday, but he is simply identified as "Esera, retired athlete," according to Ethan Skolnick of the Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL. It is Tuaolo's first TV ad. OutSports.com co-Founder Cyd Zeigler said, "Here's this guy who didn't really make a name for himself as an NFL player until he came out of the closet. The fact that he can just be a `retired athlete' after all of that says so much about how corporations look at gay people and gay athletes." Inspired by the "success of reality programming," TX-based Brinker Int'l, which owns the Chili's chain, and ad agency GSD&M "sought a 'real people' campaign, moving away from celebrity endorsers" like 'N Sync. GSD&M spokesperson Eric Webber, on Tuaolo: "Some who first got the tape would not have known anything (about his orientation). He fit the bill, because he is an aspiring musician, and we are looking for talented people not making their primary living as entertainers. From the audition tape, people liked his personality. He is a good fit." Skolnick notes Tuaolo has been "quite visible, in the gay world (Advocate magazine cover, Gay.com's person of the year) and the mainstream media." Webber said that his ad agency knew the spot "would generate interest, but the company didn't fear backlash." Webber: "Its reaction was `So what?' That's not what this is about." Zeigler added, "All of these athletes who are gay and closeted, worried about how it will affect them in endorsements, should look at this. This is what happens. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter for your endorsements anymore" (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 7/6).

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