CITYWIDE It seems as though the city’s buses aren’t as booty-free as residents thought.
More than a month after the city drew national attention by removing advertisements for “America’s Next Top Model” from the Big Blue Bus fleet, at least one bus has been spotted driving around in recent weeks, bikini-clad models still plastered on its side.
Big Blue Bus #3863 was seen on the westbound 10 Freeway near Crenshaw Boulevard on the afternoon of March 22, with the jungle-themed advertisement for The CW’s hit reality show.
The ad features Supermodel Tyra Banks standing in front of a waterfall, surrounded by bikini-clad model hopefuls who appear on the current season of the show. The ads were removed after the city received complaints that they objectify women.
The CW purchased the ads to promote the premiere of the show’s eighth season.
The order to remove the ads from the buses was a fleet-wide mandate and not specific to those buses that serve only the city of Santa Monica, according to Linda Gamberg, spokeswoman for the Big Blue Bus.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 29, 2007. Read the original PDF.