UPDATED:
Added link to casting call listing.

Loyal reader Kiana was disappointed when she read the casting requirements for a Ciroc Vodka commercial.

First, I’m posting the casting call info to make sure that you don’t miss it. Then Kiana’s email follows. This is not imagined, it is very real and it’s been going on within the industry for far too long! Please forward Kiana’s email (or this post) to all your friends to inform them that Ciroc doesn’t value them as customers due to the melanin in their skin!

    Ciroc Promotion

    Ciroc promo is this Friday, March 27, 2009
    Time: 3:00pm – 7:00pm and 12:00am – 3:00am

    Requirements:

    Race: White, hispanic or light skinned african american
    Height: At least 5’6 or taller
    Size 7 or smaller.

    This is a cash @ wrap job and the booking will be thru our partner. Please submit asap.Talent will only be contacted if the client is interested in booking you!!!

    Compensation: $35.00 per hour

Loyal reader Kiana wrote:

    I am a African-American model in the Atlanta, GA area and I received a casting notice in my email for a job opportunity. I was very excited to see that it was for Ciroc Vodka as I am a huge fan of Sean Combs, aka Puff Daddy. Below you will find the casting that I received in my email. As I continued to read the details I became outraged and appalled as I saw that I had been excluded from the job because I am not a “light-skinned” African-American woman. Is this what you tell talent agencies that you are looking for? Is this the type of mentality that you like to promote in your marketing campaigns? It is a shock to me to see that in the same year we recieved the first African American President Barack Obama whom might I add has a beautiful “dark-skinned” African-American wife Michelle Obama, there is still racism running rampant among the world. The William Lynch (google him) theory still prevails and the idea of what is beautiful is still a misconceived notion. Beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Not just “White, hispanic or light skinned african american” For all the blood, sweat & tears that African-American people have fought to acheive equality and to be accepted in this country, this is a blatant smack in the face and further lets me know that not only is racism still alive and well. It exsists within the race of African-Americans. Black against black. This is no better than the times of slavery when those “light” enough to pretend they were white were able to exempt themselves from slavery and lives of hardship. What message does this send? If you are not light, you are not right? If you are black, get back? What does this do for the self esteem for young “dark-skinned” African American girls every where? Tell them that they are ugly because there skin is too dark? Sean Combs and Kim Porter are themselves what is considered “dark-skinned” African-American people. What image does this promote? One of self loathing? I am very disappointed in this company and in Puff Daddy. This is a sham and a disgrace. I will no longer support him, this company or any other of his business endeavors. I will forward this email to every African-American person that I know and convince them of the same.

    Kiana