Too bare to air: Paris Hilton ad pulled

Paris Hilton ad yanked in Tennessee Valley

The spicy Paris Hilton burger ad is apparently too hot for the Tennessee Valley, where it's getting a cold reception from the owner of 37 Hardee's restaurants who has decided against airing the racy spot.

"We just feel we're in a conservative market," Dale Forrester, president of DelRay Advertising told WTVC-TV in Chattanooga. "We're conservative people. We feel our customers are conservative, and so we feel this is not appropriate."

The commercial features a scantily clad Paris sudsing herself and a car with risque imagery.

The decision against broadcasting the ad comes just days after CKE Restaurants announced the campaign would begin for its East Coast Hardee's restaurants June 27. The spots have caused an uproar since debuting last month in Western states for CKE's other fast-food chain, Carl's Jr.

Parents Television Council leads campaign against Paris Hilton ad (image: PTC)

The Parents Television Council has likened the commercial, which is also viewable online, to soft-core pornography.

"This blatant sexually charged ad has no place on the public airwaves, and especially when children are in the audience," said Brent Bozell, president of the PTC. "Carl's Jr./Hardee's need to be held responsible for marketing their raunchy, sexually graphic ad to millions of children via broadcast television and at the Carl's Jr./Hardee's' websites without any restrictions."

This week, Brad Haley, CKE's marketing vice president, told the Associated Press he didn't think the campaign was inappropriate.

"It was designed to be a racy ad, but we don't consider it pornographic," he said.