TV & VIDEO - June 10, 1987

Two Florida television stations pulled a commercial by a Tampa, Fla., tire pitchman in which he says he has to sell 80,000 tires this month “or I’m gonna die,” it was reported Tuesday. The ad, inspired by TV evangelist Oral Roberts’ pleas for money, was dropped by WTSP in St. Petersburg and WTVT in Tampa. Both cited viewer complaints. Stanley Hanin of Orlando, owner of Allied Discount Tires, said he saw nothing wrong with the commercial. “Every other station in Central Florida is airing the advertisement . . . “ he said. “I think those two stations are over-reacting. They are censoring my advertisements. We haven’t had any complaints from customers.”