Mississippi has a brutal new promotional ad, courtesy of Funny or Die


On Tuesday, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) signed a "religious freedom" law that appears to allow businesses to refuse services to gay couples if they are opposed to same-sex marriage on religious grounds. The law has not been universally welcomed, with Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington banning nonessential state employee travel to Mississippi, joined by a handful of large cities. North Carolina has lost some business because of an anti-LGBT law it passed, and Mississippi may face a similar backlash from large employers. This new video from Funny or Die offers the Magnolia State a new promotional video to go along with its new law, though Mississippi's tourism board won't welcome it:
"Thanks to Gov. Bryant, we have an oppressive law to match our oppressive heat," the ad says. "Here, you can march to the beat of your own drum, as long as that beat harkens back to 1888." Funny or Die even offers a new slogan: "Visit Mississippi — We're even worse than North Carolina." Don't expect to see it on license plates anytime soon.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
How much should doctors trust parental intuition?
In The Spotlight Study finds parents' concern can be better at spotting critical illness than vital signs
-
How to go on your own Race Across the World
The Week Recommends The BBC hit show is inspiring fans to choose low-budget adventures
-
The rebirth of Monaco
The Week Recommends The billionaires' playground is pulling out all the stops to entice Gen Z
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia