A Carl's Jr. television advertisement, originally broadcast in May 2005. In the commercial, which introduces the restaurant's "Spicy BBQ Six Dollar Burger", Hilton wears a provocative swimsuit and soaps up a Bentley automobile and herself before taking a big bite out of the burger. According to Forbes Magazine, Carl's Jr. paid Hilton $400,000 for filming in this commercial.
This has drawn criticism from television watchdog groups. The research director for the PTC, Melissa Caldwell, says; "This commercial is basically soft-core porn. The way she moves, the way she puts her finger in her mouth - it's very suggestive and very titillating."
Andy Puzder, CEO of Carl's Jr., says the group needs to "get a life... This isn't Janet Jackson; there is no nipple in this. There is no nudity, there is no sex acts; it's a beautiful model in a swimsuit washing a car." Puzder was referring to the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy when he spoke of Jackson. Puzder says he showed the ad to his three children, ages 7 to 12, and says they weren't corrupted.
FOX News host Bill O'Reilly speculated that Hilton did not in fact eat the burgers she endorsed and was therefore dishonest, inviting her to come on his show The O'Reilly Factor and eat one of the burgers on the air in order to prove him wrong. Hilton has not thus far acknowledged the invitation.
In addition to featuring the ad on their website, Carl's Jr. has also built a separate site to play a longer version of the commercial. A similar ad with Hilton for Hardee's hamburger chain (also owned by Carl's Jr. parent corporation CKE Restaurants) aired in 2005.
Before this deal with Carl's Jr., Hilton lost out on a $750,000 multi-commercial deal with Burger King because the company did not feel her sexy image was a good fit with their brand.[16][17]
The ad was spoofed in the 2006 movie Date Movie.