ABC says No to "Our Idiot Brother" trailer (video)

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The edgy comedy coming out 8/26 from The Weinstein Co. has a few trailer spots currently airing on multiple broadcast and cable networks. One of them, ABC, said it wasn’t going to air them, and has asked for three cuts to be made so that it will. One is a visual of an exchange of what is assumed to be pot handed to a cop; a visual of star Paul Rudd’s character using a juice box to pretend to urinate; and references to getting high with a neighbor kid.


The Weinstein Co. made the announcement 8/25 and has agreed to make the changed for the network: “We’d like to dedicate our new red band trailer for Our Idiot Brother to censorship everywhere,” TWC co-chairman Weinstein said. “Enjoy!”

Our Idiot Brother is about three sisters (Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, and Emily Mortimer) and their quirky brother, played by Rudd. Ned (Rudd) is a well-meaning idealist who has just been released from prison for dealing pot. In succession, he disrupts the lives and homes of his sisters: career-driven Miranda (Banks), who is about to get her big break in journalism; bisexual hipster Natalie (Deschanel), whose lies are preventing her from moving forward with her responsible girlfriend Cindy (Rashida Jones); and Liz (Mortimer), who is too concerned with being the perfect mother to notice that her marriage is falling apart.


The new, restricted trailer can be viewed here (scroll down) 

RBR-TVBR observation: We respect ABC’s decision on this and Weinstein’s quick response to honor the network. ABC/Disney prides itself on a hefty number of family-friendly programming and these spots would stand out like a sore thumb during some of them. However, more and more comedies on network TV have frequent references to pot smoking these days—a trend that seemed to start with That 70’s Show.