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Texas Mattress Store: 9/11 Commercial So Offensive Employees Receive Death Threats And Store Closes Down [Video]

By Patricia Ramirez
Published on: 13:46 PST, Sep 9, 2016

Miracle Mattress, a Texas mattress store, recently released a 9/11-themed commercial so offensive that it resulted in employees receiving death threats and the store being closed down indefinitely. The Texas mattress store’s commercial was reportedly created in commemoration of the 15th anniversary of September 11 and the store’s coinciding “Twin Tower” mattress sale.

As Fox News reports, the commercial was posted to social media platforms, and it received an unbelievable amount of immediate criticism for being insensitive and distasteful — even unpatriotic.

Following the public’s incensed reaction to the Texas mattress store commercial, the store’s owner made the decision to shut his store down, at least over the 9/11 anniversary weekend. According to Mike Bonanno, the reason he made the decision that led to the Friday announcement that the Texas mattress store would be shuttered was out of respect and remembrance; some are speculating, however, that it may have had to do with keeping his employees and store safe from the wrath of an enraged and offended public.

Check out what all the fuss is about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=19&v=2ZmM-2gj5Gc

Unlike some of the things that have recently offended Americans, this Texas mattress store commercial really does seem out of line and a slap in the face of both victims of 9/11 and their families. Not to mention every American that was impacted by the 2001 terror attacks that rewrote the American narrative.

The owner of the Texas mattress store said the following in his Facebook statement, a statement he made to announce the store’s abrupt and indefinite closure.

“We will be silent through the 9/11 Anniversary to avoid any further distractions from a day of recognition and remembrance for the victims and their families.”

The owner of the Texas mattress store, Mike Bonanno, has publicly stated that he knew nothing about the creation of the offensive commercial. However, it was made by the manager of his stores’ San Antonio branch. That woman, Cherise Bonanno, also stars in the inappropriate mattress commercial. Additionally, she is Mike Bonanno’s own daughter.

In the short commercial for the Texas mattress store, which runs for just over 20 seconds, Cherise begins by touting the Miracle Mattress “Twin Tower sale,” asking her two co-stars, “What better way to remember 9/11 than with a Twin Tower sale?”

The two co-stars of the mattress store commercial are behind Cherise, flaking her on either side and standing before stacks of white mattresses that look suspiciously like the Twin Towers. At the end of the mattress commercial, the two men fall into the stacked mattresses, which then fall over in an effect eerily reminiscent of the destruction of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. After the men and the mattress stacks (a.k.a., pseudo-World Trade Center buildings) topple, Cherise Bonanno faces the camera and says the unthinkable in a mocking, sarcastic tone.

“We’ll never forget.”

Following the understandable level of public wrath the tasteless Texas mattress store commercial incited, Cherise Bonanno (who smiled for the camera during the filming of the mattress commercial) called the video a “mistake.”

In the immediate aftermath of the thoughtless and offensive commercial, with his employees facing death threats and his business facing public scorn, owner Mike Bonanno made a public statement in an attempt to put out the wildfire of anger that the Texas mattress store had ignited with their advertising.

“Our intentions were not to hurt anyone at all. Our staff is full of military and some relatives have passed away due to 9/11. We are promoters of peace and love. We have given abundantly to our community here in San Antonio and wish to remain known as a company who respects and loves others. We hope you find it in your hearts to forgive us. Please accept our apology.”

The owner of Miracle Mattress also vowed that his business would donate 30 percent of sales over memorial weekend to the 9/11 Foundation. However, he then made the decision to shut down his business entirely, so it’s unlikely that the foundation will be receiving an apology donation after all.

As for that public apology? For the most part it went unaccepted as people took to social media to share their outrage at the Texas mattress store and their controversial and offensive advertising ploy.

What do you think? Are people overreacting to a thoughtless commercial that was nothing more than an error in judgement and a “mistake”? Or are people correct in being outraged at the commercial and its message? Do you think the owner did the right thing by shutting down his store? Do you think the Texas mattress store will ever reopen?

[Image via Miracle Mattress/Twitter]

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