Quipped Stewart: "This is the first time you realized McDonald's was gay? Do you have a TV? Have you ever seen their ads?!"

On May 22, 2008, American Family Association chairman Donald Wildmon wrote to McDonald's USA, threatening the boycott in protest of the seating of their Vice President of Communications, Richard Ellis, on the Board of Directors of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, along with a $20,000 corporate donation to the organization.

"We treat our employees and our customers with respect and dignity, regardless of their ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or other factors," wrote Pat Harris, Global Chief Diversity Officer in a May 29th response. "We support our employees' personal involvement in organizations of their choice.

"McDonald's is associated with countless local and national affinity groups here in the United States. We have a well-established and proud heritage of associating with individuals and organizations that share in the belief that every person has the right to live and work in their community free of discrimination."

"We will continue to support our people and their right to live and work in an inclusive society," Harris closed.

Among branches of the vast McDonald's empire feeling the pressure of the boycott is a restaurant in Citrus Heights, California, converged upon by sign-waving Christian demonstrators on July 22. According to a WorldNetDaily account, they persisted until "store officials" agreed to share their grievances with the corporate office.

"McDonald's might as well change their signs to read 'billions and billions insulted,'" lamented Liberty Counsel chief Mathew Staver. "McDonalds' personal attack against those who support the traditional definition of marriage, while siding with a narrow group that promotes a radical redefinition, shows that company executives are out to lunch."

The following clip was aired on Comedy Central's The Daily Show on August 4, 2008.