On Television, Cinema and Race

cheeba wrote:

Or it may be a marketing ploy in which case it could turn out brilliant ;). Either way, he's a bible thumper from the deep south, it's not like A&E could have possibly been surprised by his views on buttholes.

Oh jeez, I could actually see it now--the next reality show: "Education of Duck Dynatsy". Kind of like Wife Swap, only much much worse

haha. Cynics are already saying that the timing of his suspension -- a day before one of the biggest shopping holidays of the year -- is manipulation to sell a WHOLE LOT of Duck Dynamo stuff before Christmas, and then they'll reinstate him to the show at the end of the year to drum up more publicity so all that gift card money can go to Duck Dynamo mousepads.

That's the judgment of the cynics, anyway.

Oh god I read that blog -

Just to be doubly clear: you guys hate the Bible and find it to be offensive, right? Or is it just parts of the Bible? Or is it just Christians? Or is it just Christians who have the audacity to believe in the entire Bible, rather than a select few segments that pass the modern PC litmus test?

I have yet to meet, on tv or otherwise, a living breathing Christian that does not hedge on one part of the Bible or another.

The amazing lengths people are going to distort what actually is happening so they can feel like they're fighting some noble underdog cause is sadlarious.

Bloo Driver wrote:

Oh god I read that blog -

Just to be doubly clear: you guys hate the Bible and find it to be offensive, right? Or is it just parts of the Bible? Or is it just Christians? Or is it just Christians who have the audacity to believe in the entire Bible, rather than a select few segments that pass the modern PC litmus test?

I have yet to meet, on tv or otherwise, a living breathing Christian that does not hedge on one part of the Bible or another.

The amazing lengths people are going to distort what actually is happening so they can feel like they're fighting some noble underdog cause is sadlarious.

The old standby:
IMAGE(http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1iwg3aM031r7sazlo1_500.png)

I have to admit, I kind of enjoy Duck Dynasty. I don't record, or keep up with it, but I watch episodes here and there. They amuse me, and generally like that it is all shenanigans and very light on drama and zero outrage. I see it as a kind of 30 minute sitcom.

Most of my family is from southern Missouri. I'm more than aware of the good ol' boys and the differences between what they say publicly and what they say in private. So I would have guest their was some bigotry in any of those guys, and the women. But the show doesn't really address that, and pretty much ends with everyone eating a meal and acknowledging some Christian ideal that is usually a truism relevant to most any particular religion.

For the most part, I can admit the guilty pleasure of watching the show to anyone. Well, until they start using their popularity to promote offensive ideologies. Now, I probably won't watch the show, if for no other reason than to support my daughter, who is the president of her high school's Gay/Straight Alliance chapter. It turned an innocent show into something not really welcome in our home.

That's why A&E has to suspend Phil. He hurt their bottom line by making an innocent show a lightning rod for criticism.

How dare all of you oppress one of the stars of one of TV's biggest hits! Hasn't he suffered enough!?

Wow. This is turning into a full fledged Christian Persecution Event. Head for the hills, followers of Christ, A&E is gonna feed you to lions.

Seth wrote:

Wow. This is turning into a full fledged Christian Persecution Event. Head for the hills, followers of Christ, A&E is gonna feed you to lions.

It's a full on A&E / History Channel reality TV crossover event.

Seth wrote:

Wow. This is turning into a full fledged Christian Persecution Event. Head for the hills, followers of Christ, A&E is gonna feed you to lions.

I got an email from a customer today that said if we didn't openly come out in support of Pat Robertson while advertising with A&E, they would never shop with us again.

EDIT: Keep in mind, we're actually a company that helps sponsor pride parades in several of the areas our stores are in around the country so... yeah, I don't think that's going to happen.

Demosthenes wrote:
Seth wrote:

Wow. This is turning into a full fledged Christian Persecution Event. Head for the hills, followers of Christ, A&E is gonna feed you to lions.

I got an email from a customer today that said if we didn't openly come out in support of Pat Robertson while advertising with A&E, they would never shop with us again.

EDIT: Keep in mind, we're actually a company that helps sponsor pride parades in several of the areas our stores are in around the country so... yeah, I don't think that's going to happen. :lol:

Are you allowed to reply to such emails with "Bye bye then - don't let the door hit you in your bigoted ass on the way out!"

Jonman wrote:
Demosthenes wrote:
Seth wrote:

Wow. This is turning into a full fledged Christian Persecution Event. Head for the hills, followers of Christ, A&E is gonna feed you to lions.

I got an email from a customer today that said if we didn't openly come out in support of Pat Robertson while advertising with A&E, they would never shop with us again.

EDIT: Keep in mind, we're actually a company that helps sponsor pride parades in several of the areas our stores are in around the country so... yeah, I don't think that's going to happen. :lol:

Are you allowed to reply to such emails with "Bye bye then - don't let the door hit you in your bigoted ass on the way out!"

If only, the closest I came to that was when someone called us during our advertising for the pride parade one year that we shouldn't be supporting the homosexual agenda and should instead be supporting the victims of the tornado in Joplin. I couldn't help myself: "Ma'am, we are supporting both of these. Supporting tornado victims and diversity efforts like the pride parade as part of our corporate commitment to support ALL of our employees are not mutually exclusive. We are totally capable of doing both."

Ever reliable, AV Club puts it into perspective.

Continuing to follow that playbook, Jindal also characterized Robertson’s suspension as a violation of the First Amendment, the constitutional guarantee that gives every citizen the right to say whatever he wants, without fear of the television network he stars on opting to no longer have him represent their carefully maintained brand.
Quintin_Stone wrote:
Bloo Driver wrote:

Oh god I read that blog -

Just to be doubly clear: you guys hate the Bible and find it to be offensive, right? Or is it just parts of the Bible? Or is it just Christians? Or is it just Christians who have the audacity to believe in the entire Bible, rather than a select few segments that pass the modern PC litmus test?

I have yet to meet, on tv or otherwise, a living breathing Christian that does not hedge on one part of the Bible or another.

The amazing lengths people are going to distort what actually is happening so they can feel like they're fighting some noble underdog cause is sadlarious.

The old standby:
IMAGE(http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1iwg3aM031r7sazlo1_500.png)

Sigh, literally one of the silliest scenes from mainstream television ever, and that is saying something.

Not even being sarcastic right now: Should a fundamental misunderstanding of basic American rights be grounds for removing someone from public office? Cuz goddamnit.

SpacePPoliceman wrote:

Ever reliable, AV Club puts it into perspective.

Continuing to follow that playbook, Jindal also characterized Robertson’s suspension as a violation of the First Amendment, the constitutional guarantee that gives every citizen the right to say whatever he wants, without fear of the television network he stars on opting to no longer have him represent their carefully maintained brand.

You must have my posts on ignore.

Coolbeans wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:
Bloo Driver wrote:

Oh god I read that blog -

Just to be doubly clear: you guys hate the Bible and find it to be offensive, right? Or is it just parts of the Bible? Or is it just Christians? Or is it just Christians who have the audacity to believe in the entire Bible, rather than a select few segments that pass the modern PC litmus test?

I have yet to meet, on tv or otherwise, a living breathing Christian that does not hedge on one part of the Bible or another.

The amazing lengths people are going to distort what actually is happening so they can feel like they're fighting some noble underdog cause is sadlarious.

The old standby:
IMAGE(http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1iwg3aM031r7sazlo1_500.png)

Sigh, literally one of the silliest scenes from mainstream television ever, and that is saying something.

Why?

White Wing wasn't my favorite series, there was a lot of ridiculous stuff, but that scene is good for pointing out the pick-and-choose bullsh*t that's so common when it comes to biblical referencing.

White Wing

I dunno what that is.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

White Wing wasn't my favorite series, there was a lot of ridiculous stuff, but that scene is good for pointing out the pick-and-choose bullsh*t that's so common when it comes to biblical referencing.

...Oh! The sigh made me think you were like exasperated that that was posted or something. I was going to say, that is a great scene and argue about it with you... but never mind.

Demosthenes wrote:
White Wing

I dunno what that is.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

White Wing wasn't my favorite series, there was a lot of ridiculous stuff, but that scene is good for pointing out the pick-and-choose bullsh*t that's so common when it comes to biblical referencing.

...Oh! The sigh made me think you were like exasperated that that was posted or something. I was going to say, that is a great scene and argue about it with you... but never mind. :D

Cool Beans sighed. It is still unclear why.

Jayhawker wrote:
Demosthenes wrote:
White Wing

I dunno what that is.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

White Wing wasn't my favorite series, there was a lot of ridiculous stuff, but that scene is good for pointing out the pick-and-choose bullsh*t that's so common when it comes to biblical referencing.

...Oh! The sigh made me think you were like exasperated that that was posted or something. I was going to say, that is a great scene and argue about it with you... but never mind. :D

Cool Beans sighed. It is still unclear why.

...so he did...

Errr, yes, West Wing White House. Stupid bourbon.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

Delicious bourbon.

FTFY

They are not mutually exclusive, friend Jayhawker!

Jayhawker wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:

Delicious bourbon.

FTFY

P&C is full of Truth lately.

No, I just blanked out when the paradox of tolerance BS posts started right after yours. They're so pointless, they cause short-term memory loss.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

Who's silenced him? Who's refused to engage him? The comments weren't even made on the show; they were completely outside of A&E, made during an interview with GQ. Clearly Phil has other places to make these statements, probably now more than ever.

For real. I'd be shocked if there's not a bidding war erupting to bring them back on the air somewhere else.

That said, I too am shocked that A&E didn't have a minder or SOMEONE on hand to try and potentially prevent exactly this from happening, and acting shocked that it did happen seems disingenuous, although it's not really all that much of a stretch to imagine TV executives being that colossally blinkered and stupid.

I do hope there will be a movement to stand up for poor, unfairly maligned Alec Baldwin and Martin Bashir next. (TONGUE FIRMLY PLOWING THROUGH MY CHEEK HERE FYI)

Seth wrote:

haha. Cynics are already saying that the timing of his suspension -- a day before one of the biggest shopping holidays of the year -- is manipulation to sell a WHOLE LOT of Duck Dynamo stuff before Christmas, and then they'll reinstate him to the show at the end of the year to drum up more publicity so all that gift card money can go to Duck Dynamo mousepads.

That's the judgment of the cynics, anyway. :)

Oh that's just terrifying evil genius. I also enjoy your continually calling the show by an incorrect, but humorously similar name.

Bloo Driver wrote:

I have yet to meet, on tv or otherwise, a living breathing Christian that does not hedge on one part of the Bible or another.

There's got to be some real, living Calvinists somewhere, right?

cheeba wrote:

Edit - And I love how saying, "rather than silence them, use the opportunity to educate them" is considered bullsh*t around here. But then it shouldn't be surprising that y'all aren't big proponents of open debate ;).

I don't think saying that is considered bullsh*t here as is evidenced by plenty of posts chock full of factolas on the subtleties of race. I think the suggestion that it's entirely possible to properly "educate" a 67-year old deep south redneck on the subtleties of race is bullsh*t.

IMAGE(http://amultiverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/x2013-12-19-Dick-Dynasty.jpg.pagespeed.ic.L5IXGGIzgw.jpg)

Prederick wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:

Who's silenced him? Who's refused to engage him? The comments weren't even made on the show; they were completely outside of A&E, made during an interview with GQ. Clearly Phil has other places to make these statements, probably now more than ever.

For real. I'd be shocked if there's not a bidding war erupting to bring them back on the air somewhere else.

That said, I too am shocked that A&E didn't have a minder or SOMEONE on hand to try and potentially prevent exactly this from happening, and acting shocked that it did happen seems disingenuous, although it's not really all that much of a stretch to imagine TV executives being that colossally blinkered and stupid.

I do hope there will be a movement to stand up for poor, unfairly maligned Alec Baldwin and Martin Bashir next. (TONGUE FIRMLY PLOWING THROUGH MY CHEEK HERE FYI)

I hadn't really thought about Martin Bashir. My usually mental routine in this situation is to think, "were any of these people so righteously inflamed when Bill Maher lost his show or the Dixie Chicks were boycotted for their political remarks?" Unscientifically, the answer is "no", and, frankly, neither was I. Not only because I think Maher is a pustulent douchebag, but when you're the face of a brand or product, your opinions can become a liability to the business, just as they can be considered an asset. You get to suffer the consequences of that either way.

But those were relatively old events. Comparing it to Bashir is more telling since it's so extremely recent. I literally know friends (both in person and those who I usually only see through online media) who were pointing out how good it was that people like Martin Bashir weren't given a pedestal for spewing hateful nonsense that did nothing to elevate discussion in America. ... only to turn around and bemoan the "loss of liberty," our "oversensitive PC culture" and so on when Robertson's comments came around.

Like pretty much anything in this culture now, the problem is certainly "how can we engage", but that's really a symptom of everything being split down the middle on Team Red or Team Blue anymore. Sighing and wistfully asking "oh whyyyyy can't we all just talk" is a nice way to try and paint yourself as super enlightened, but it makes you look pretty obtuse since the answer is evident.

IMAGE(http://i.imgur.com/S84b19k.jpg)