One More Thing Before We Go: Do You Wanna Touch?

Now, I love Joan Jett, because she’s kick-ass, so I was just as happy as anyone to see the HP Touch Screen Computer ad, which featured her (former “Guess The Random Lyric”) song, “Do You Wanna Touch Me.” Not excited enough to buy it — Mac for Life, yo — but excited nonetheless.

Then, things took a turn for the icky:

HP thought it would be nifty to use Joan Jett’s “Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)” in ads for its new touch-screen computers. And it was pretty nifty! The song is catchy and fun, and works very well in the context of the ad. Only one problem: It was written by glam-rock singer Gary Glitter, who was convicted of child molestation in Vietnam and child porn possession in the U.K. This is terrible for HP on so many levels, starting with the fact that it enriched a child predator.

So cue a bunch of child-rights activists complaining, because you know, computers, kiddie porn — bad stuff. And that’s why you will no longer be seeing this particular HP Touch ad on TV.

Though, I hate to think of Gary Glitter profiting from anything in any way, the fact is that he already received the money for the song. They can’t take it back. Also, it’s a good ad, and I don’t think most people make the Gary Glitter connection. Also, I’m scared that they’ll go after “Rock and Roll Pt. 2” next, and then where will all of our live sporting events be?

So what do you think? Should we separate the artist from the product? Or was HP right to pull the ad?

Read the full Gawker item here. And check out the HP ad for yourself after the jump: