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CNN's New #FactsFirst 'Apple' Ad Sparks Battle Over Banana Truthers

Not everyone loves the network's new commercial.
Ed Mazza
By 

Deputy Editor, Trends, HuffPost

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CNN released a powerful new ad on Monday that seemed to be a direct response to President Donald Trump and his supporters calling the network “fake news.”

The 30-second “Facts First” spot states simply that an apple is an apple, even if some people “might scream banana, banana, banana over and over and over again.”

In what appears to be a dig at Trump, the ad states: “They might put BANANA in all caps.”

Here’s the spot:

“Some people might try to tell you that it’s a banana.” #FactsFirst pic.twitter.com/LbmRKiGJe9

— CNN (@CNN) October 23, 2017

Some people loved the ad. Others, especially Trump supporters, slammed the network over it.

But more than a few also pointed out CNN’s own history of giving airtime to some extreme views or, in this case, “banana truthers.”

Here is some of that response:

up next on cnn: jeffrey lord and corey lewandowski on how its really a banana and you just dont get it https://t.co/zSoNC6ozL1

— Oliver Willis (@owillis) October 23, 2017

CNN then invites banana truthers on-air to explain why they call it a banana.
They give the banana people and the apple people equal airtime https://t.co/Vi7D4rQR1U

— 🇳🇬 (@shOoObz) October 23, 2017

This ad only works if the network promises to stop booking banana truthers. https://t.co/MWYRGrFtQ8

— Sam Sanders (@samsanders) October 23, 2017

"And that's how news works." #FactsFirst pic.twitter.com/twiLX5RsTk

— The Opposition (@TheOpposition) October 23, 2017

Good pointed ad, but CNN's own headline writers would promo such a story with "Banana Controversy Heats Up."

— The Ottawa Ross (@ottaross) October 23, 2017

haha! So true. Then they would have a split screen with a Banana Expert

— Mehnaz Thawer (@mehnazt) October 23, 2017

Yes! One of them hyping a book: "As I said in my book, 'Are Apples Even Fruit?' we need to give the banana hypothesis a look."

— The Ottawa Ross (@ottaross) October 23, 2017

“It’s a valid story!” Jake Tapper says defensively before introducing the guy in the MAGA hat insisting the apple is a BANANA.

— Misgivings 🐝💜 (@lacunalingua) October 23, 2017

Cool ad @cnn. So why do you keep having people on your network like @KellyannePolls who insist it's a banana, kumquat, spying microwave etc?

— Jamie Culp (@JamieCulpAuthor) October 23, 2017

Is CNN going to remove all the apple deniers from their guest lists? Or keep shoving them down our throats 24/7?

— (((Truth Is Truth))) (@WeeeeeSquirrel) October 23, 2017

GALLUP: Apple 67%, Banana 27%, Don't Know 6%.

— John Thomas (@JCTRamblerINC) October 23, 2017

I applaud this, #CNN. But your decision to cover Trump the way you did for ratings cost us-OWN THAT. pic.twitter.com/tLTFMBaOoT #FactsFirst

— Girls Really Rule. (@girlsreallyrule) October 23, 2017

*invites banana truthers to the panel anyway* https://t.co/gMIfRtucGT

— Kosar (@615Kosar) October 23, 2017

The 'banana truthers' are coming. #CNN https://t.co/4stKGhew73

— Renee Garcia-Brown (@RenwriterRenee) October 23, 2017

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