Of all the spokespeople to spark a terrorism-related controversy, television host and eternal optimist Rachel Ray seems the most unlikely. However, Ray is now at the center of a controversy that prompted Dunkin' Donuts to remove ads featuring the celebrity chef because of a flap over her neckwear.

The ad in question appeared on Dunkin' Donuts' website on May 17 to promote its iced coffee and features Ray holding a cup of coffee and wearing a black and white fringe scarf. On May 23, a post on the blog Little Green Footballs said the scarf was a kaffiyeh, a style that some people associate with Muslim extremists. The ads "casually promote the symbol of Palestinian terrorism," the post said.

As the story spread through the blogosphere, the donut maker pulled the ad and issued a statement, saying a stylist chose the scarf and no symbolism was intended. The ads were pulled, "because the possibility of misperception detracted from its original intention to promote our iced coffee," Dunkin' said.

The decision brought criticism on Dunkin' Donuts again, this time for kowtowing to conservative pundits. A recent post on The New York Times' advertising blog debated how much stock to put into internet-created controversies.

"There are scandals that are worth responding to and there are scandals that are worth ignoring, and I think the internet amplifies these voices. But this is no different than the retired grandmother who used to write a handwritten letter because she was offended by a video game ad intended for 17-year-olds," said Eric Hirshberg, the president and CEO of Deutsch L.A.

Whether or not it was intentional, some believe the scarf hullabaloo was actually beneficial to Dunkin' Donuts.

"One of the ways to know that your advertising is working is there will be a segment of the population that is upset by it," said GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons.