The Saskatchewan Rush showed support for a controversial song at Saturday’s home game.
During half-time, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” lyrics were projected on the Jumbotron and fans were urged to sing along.
Rush players stood on Co-op field holding signs, that looked like the front page of a newspaper, with the headline “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
Earlier this month, the country’s largest radio operators pulled the “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” song, citing issues with the lyrics in the wake of the MeToo movement.
The 1944 duet is about one singer trying to persuade the other to stay inside, with exchanges that include, “What’s in this drink?” and “Baby, don’t hold out.”
At SaskTel Centre’s entrance way, a penguin statue also sported the lyrics – wearing a “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” poster around its neck.
Social media comments call the move ‘tasteless’
People on social media have called the team’s decision to push the song “silly” and “tasteless”.
“Your reaction to this was tasteless…You’re simply mocking the people who stood up to say, ‘Hey, this song seems a little creepy, especially given the current political climate,’” read one of the comments on the Rush’s Facebook post.
Others questioned why the Sask. Rush decided to get involved with the controversy in the first place.
It was the team owner’s idea
Bruce Urban, owner of the Sask. Rush was the one behind the idea to display the lyrics.
“It’s just a bit of a flirtatious, fun Christmas song and for those people who are sensitive, I get it. I’m all for a movement that talks about proper and equal rights for men and women...but we need to keep in the limits and not get carried away as well,” Urban said.
Urban said the intent was to poke fun at how overly-sensitive society has become.
“We thought, we’re going to have some fun with this and show, ‘Gosh, does society need to be so serious over such small things?” Urban told CTV News.
