Jay Baruchel's Lewd Tongue-and-Finger Gesture Provokes 'Goon' Movie Poster Ban

TORONTO – What the puck?

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Jay Baruchel making a lewd finger-and-tongue gesture in a movie poster to promote the lowbrow Canadian hockey flick Goon has shocked Toronto Brahmins.

Now a citywide ban on the film promotion from local Goon distributor Alliance Films has led outdoor advertiser Astral Media to take down 38 posters around the city.

“Another classic example of the cultural divide between Quebec and Ontario, I guess,” Baruchel, in town along with much of the Goon cast for a Toronto premiere Wednesday night, said about the ban.

The posters had been up for two weeks but were removed without prior notice to Alliance Films or the movie’s director, Mike Dowse (Fubar).

"I question whether this has to do with Jay's tongue or his ability to burn Maple Leafs jerseys, neither of which are offensive in any way,” Dowse said, no doubt welcoming the free publicity from City Hall for his movie premiere.

The hockey comedy, which also stars Seann William Scott, Eugene Levy, Alison Pill and Liev Schreiber, was earlier acquired for release in the U.S. by Magnolia Pictures' Magnet division.

Goon portrays Doug Glatt (Scott), an aimless nightclub bouncer who has been touched by the fist of God. On discovering both his right hook and skates, he joins a downtrodden hockey team and inspires them into new heights. Baruchel plays his friend.

Baruchel and Evan Goldberg wrote the script, based on the book Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey into Minor League Hockey, written by Doug Smith and Adam Frattasio.

Baruchel shares producer credits on Goon with Don Carmody, David Gross, Andre Rouleau and Ian Dimerman.