The Hollywood star Tom Selleck, 80, has found himself in hot water for his spokesperson role as the face of ads for American Advisors Group (AAG). Indeed, this could alienate him from the loyal Blue Bloods audience that stuck by him for fourteen years before the show was cancelled in December.
You’re wondering why… and I’ll tell you!
Selleck’s Work With AAG
Selleck is starring in ads that are targeted at mortgages for older people. As of late, however, AAG has come under fire for its mortgage and financial offerings. Many have argued that the business is “predatory.”
“The U.S. company has claimed to have sold $17 million in reverse mortgages, which have been heavily criticized,” The Mirror reported.
“Now the company has been penalized for ‘deceptive marketing practices’, of which TV actor Selleck heavily features in infomercials and advertising campaigns,” the publication continued.
Related: Tom Selleck, 80, Returning To Television For The First Time Since ‘Blue Bloods’ Was Cancelled
Social Media Users Slam Selleck
This is all now blowing up in Selleck’s face. Lately, he has been getting slammed on the social media site Reddit for his ties to AAG.
“It’s predatory as hell and it’s gross that wealthy celebrities try to convince regular people that it’s helpful,” one Reddit user recently wrote. Another specifically attacked the former Magnum P.I. star. This user commented, “Shame on him using his success to pitch these terrible loans on trusting senior citizens.”
“I’m Tom Selleck and I’d never advocate for anything that would hurt you. That’s why I’m here on behalf of Acme Bathtub Toasters…” a third Reddit user sarcastically added.
AAG offers reverse mortgages. These are “special loans that allow homeowners, typically those over 60, to borrow money against their home’s equity.” However, the loans typically can have terrible consequences for the finances of these older customers. Oftentimes, these seniors don’t see these devastating consequences coming.
The backlash has gotten so great that Selleck even addressed it in a recent AAG ad.
“A reverse mortgage loan isn’t some kind of trick to take your home,” he said. “I’m proud to be part of AAG. I trust ’em. I think you can, too.”
Related: Tom Selleck, 80, Celebrates ‘Blue Bloods’ Spinoff, And He’s Very Open To Appearing In It
Here’s Where The Blue Bloods Fans Come In
What does this have to do with the Blue Bloods audience, you may ask? Well, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the median age of Blue Bloods viewers for the last season was 73 years-old. This means that Blue Bloods fans fall right into the demographic of people who would be fuming over Selleck’s ties to AAG.
Meanwhile, this controversy comes at a difficult time for Selleck. Indeed, he is still trying to get over the cancellation of Blue Bloods. The show ran from 2010 until December of 2024, and Selleck wasn’t ready to see it go. Watch him talk more about that below.
Now that Blue Bloods is over, Selleck is reportedly eager to keep working into his 80s.
“Even as Blue Bloods winds down, Tom is already telling CBS to find a new series vehicle for him,” a source told Closer Weekly at the end of December. “The good news is that they’re very receptive to the idea and, as a network, CBS specializes in programming to the older demographic that has followed Tom since his Magnum P.I. days.”
Should CBS learn that Selleck has potentially angered an older audience, however, they may not be so eager to work with him again after all. Only time will tell if Selleck is able to win off the older folks that he may have angered thanks to AAG!
More About:Celebrity News