Super Bowl: Top 10 banned TV ads

Just because a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl costs $3.5 million this year, doesn't mean NBC will take a company's money. After all, despite all evidence to the contrary with Whitney, the network does have standards.

Over the years, plenty of commercials have been banned from the big broadcast for being offensive. Some, such as the spots PETA produces, are meant to be rejected so they can generate free publicity by going viral online. (Even major Super Bowl sponsors such as Anheuser-Busch have been known to step purposely over the taste line with an porny ad.)

In 2010, the almighty Tim Tebow himself wasn't immune from Super Bowl controversy. That year, the conservative Christian organization Focus on the Family created a pro-life spot featuring Pam Tebow and her "miracle baby," whom doctors had urged her to abort due to complications from dysentery. Despite many protests from women's groups, CBS ultimately aired the Tebow commercial, which turned out to be quite sweet and even a little funny.

These other ads didn't make it to the Super Bowl (click on the links in the headlines to see the ads):

10. Ashley Madison starring Savanna Samson (2011)

Having had a fairly tame Super Bowl commercial rejected by NBC in 2009, Ashley Madison, the online dating site aimed at adulterers, raised its game last year with a provocative (and at times surreal) ad celebrating cheating. While the commercial didn't actually use the company's simple but effective slogan—"Life is short. Have an affair."— it did feature porn star Savanna Samson, which is just one of the reasons why Fox banned it from the Super Bowl. But what probably put the ad over the top were the cameos by a guy in a bunny suit—and a capybara. Because giant rodents are always sexy.

9. Airborne starring Mickey Rooney (2005)

Advertisers always like to flirt with nudity during Super Bowl commercials, but typically it involves famous actresses, athletes, or your basic Kardashian. But in 2005, the immunity supplement company Airborne had its ad rejected because it featured the 84-year-old bare ass of Mickey Rooney. The concept was simple: Rooney is sitting in a sauna (which for some reason has steam) when a woman coughs. Horrified, he runs out and drops his towel. Thankfully, Betty White and Abe Vigoda have higher standards.

8. JesusHatesObama.com (2011)

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Fox News doesn't exactly mind letting guests badmouth the president, but the network drew the line at having Jesus do it during last year's Super Bowl. In the offending commercial, which was produced by the conservative tchotchke-selling website JesusHatesObama.com, a disdainful Jesus bobblehead sneers at an Obama doll while "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" plays in the background. When little Obama falls head-first into a fishbowl, Jesus smiles his approval and flashes his unloving message. In other words, this ad didn't have a prayer.

7. PETA: Veggie Love (2009)

In 2009, NBC had many reasons for refusing to air PETA's "Veggie Love" commercial in which women wearing lingerie did bad, bad things to broccoli, asparagus, and—have they no decency?—a pumpkin. As the tagline explained, the animal rights organization just wanted to point out that "studies show vegetarians have better sex." (Sure, tell that to the poor pumpkin's mother.) Then last year, PETA went back to the cuke teasing with an ad that purported to show "auditions" for the original Veggie Love spot. Make no mistake: this commercial is NSFW —or people who like celery.

6. KGB: "In the Hole" (2010)

The idea that men have their heads up their asses isn't exactly groundbreaking (or arguable), but when KGB, the text message company that answers users' questions for a fee, produced a Super Bowl commercial actually depicting it, they went too far…up. As if the anatomically painful imagery weren't bad enough, it was probably the ad's punch line after a golfer drains a putt —"it's in the hole"— that sank this ad.

5. Bud Light: Skinnydipping (2007)

Even Anheuser-Busch, one of the largest Super Bowl sponsors, can't get all of its commercials on the air. In 2007, Bud Light produced a spot with a premise that seemed pleasantly clichéd at first—a wholesome couple decides to go skinny dipping in a pool on a beautiful, moonlit night—but then, like a naughty O. Henry story, the ad takes a pervy twist at the end. The message? Look before you leap.

4. ManCrunch (2010)

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In the same year that CBS agreed to run Tim Tebow's controversial commercial, the network refused an ad by ManCrunch, a gay dating site. The setup for the ManCrunch commercial is similar to the famous Letterman-Leno ad that aired the same year—a couple of guys are sitting on the couch watching the game—but then a bowl of chips helps ignite their true feelings. Cue the power ballad…

3. Bud Light: Clothing Drive (2010)

Three years after Bud Light tried to put its skinny dipping spot on the air, the company went for even more nudity with an ad that rewarded office mates with a free beer for each item they donated to a clothing drive. ("It's for a good cause," two guys in their tighty whities explain earnestly to a sexy co-worker who's still dressed.) By the end of the commercial there are black bars everywhere protecting viewers' innocent eyes—especially from the maintenance guy replacing a light bulb.

2. Rolling Rock: Ricochet (2007)

The Super Bowl may be the biggest game on the planet, but when the last whistle blows, baseball fans know that spring training is just around the corner. In 2007, Rolling Rock had some fun with America's national pastime with a wonderfully sophomoric ad showing fans (and a horse) getting hit in the crotch by a foul ball that wouldn't stop ricocheting. ("Stripey, no!"..."Not Phil!") But what made the ad strike out with Fox was the final visual that was paired with the tagline: "Remember your cup."

1. Smart Beep: Blind Date (1999)

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In an interview with Rolling Stone last year, George Clooney was asked what really makes him laugh. He didn't hesitate: fart jokes. "It's one of the funniest things in the history of mankind," the former Sexiest Man Alive told the magazine. "Even the idea of a fart makes me laugh. Saying the word 'fart' makes me laugh. I have iFart on my phone. I have remote whoopee cushions. Farts. To me, there's nothing funnier." So there's little doubt Clooney would love this 1999 commercial by Smart Beep that will make you feel better about the worst blind date you ever had in your life.