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If you were hoping Barilla Pasta, one of the most popular Italian food brands in the world, was ever going to feature a gay couple in one of their sexy commercials, you should relinquish that dream. On Wednesday, the pasta company's chairman, Guido Barilla, said it was never going to happen and that if gay people don't like it they "can always go eat someone else’s pasta."

We aren't fluent in anti-gay Italian, but America Blog's John Aravosis had the translation:

“Non faremo pubblicità con omosessuali, perché a noi piace la famiglia tradizionale. Se i gay non sono d’accordo, possono sempre mangiare la pasta di un’altra marca. Tutti sono liberi di fare ciò che vogliono purché non infastidiscano gli altri”. "We won’t include gays in our ads, because we like the traditional family. If gays don’t like it, they can always eat another brand of pasta. Everyone is free to do what they want, provided it doesn’t bother anyone else."

Pasta commercials aren't really the first battlefield you think of when it comes to gay rights. Barilla's current ads just feature good-looking couples eating spaghetti. But, apparently, Barilla sees his commercials as a way to promote the "traditional family." Aravosis explains that Mr. Barilla has walked back his comments with this non-apology apology:

"With reference to statements made yesterday, I apologize if my words have generated controversy or misunderstanding, or if they have hurt the sensibilities of some people. In the interview I simply wanted to highlight the central role of the woman in the family."

The central role of the women in some of Barilla's commercials (stateside) are just people who seduce good-looking men with pasta. Pasta seduction fables if you will: