… or, haven’t I been to this rodeo before? Why, yes I have, and not all that long ago, either. First I called to mind was poor artless Paula Deen, celebrity cook-book author, metaphorically burned at stake in the marketplace of public opinion. But the Great Duck Dynasty Imbroglio of 2013 reminds me very much more of the Great Chick-Fil-A Ruckus of 2012, wherein some fairly mild published remarks by the CEO of the company sent the usual right-thinking suspects into a frenzy of shrieking like demented howler monkeys. Boycott, shun, divest and/or fire was the general ukase – for they are hateful hating bigots who shouldn’t be tolerated by truly tolerant people … and then the funniest thing happened. People went out and deliberately bought lunch, dinner and breakfast at their local Chick-fil-A outlet, to the utter chagrin of the usual right-thinking suspects. Chick-Fil-A nationwide had the best darned week they ever had, as far as sales went, and lines of hungry customers stretching for blocks.
I’m probably not alone in playing Cassandra on this new Outrage o’ the Day – but I’m pretty certain it will work out for the Robertsons and the Duck Dynasty about as well as it did for Chick-Fil-A. Full disclosure, I never watched any episodes until last night, when we pulled some of them off Amazon Prime. Reality shows aren’t my thing. I’m more of a top-hat and bustles costume historical series – the kind of thing that the BBC used to do so very well. But I can see how the Duck has enormous appeal. My SWAG (semi-scientific wild-a** guess) is that A&E possibly failed to realize how enormously popular Duck Dynasty is, as regards the rest of flyover country. It has been speculated here and there that the producers actually started off with the intent of poking good fun at a family of bearded, back-country Christian rubes. Instead, the intended butts of cultured derision turned out to be rather witty, quite well-adjusted – and well-educated – and full to the brim with business savvy. And popular, ratings-wise.
Presumably the suits at A&E have been grinding their molars over this, while making a ton of money from the continuing series; poor things, apparently they have forgotten all those old stories about the city slickers taken down a peg or two by the supposedly unsophisticated country bumpkins. And so a frank response in a magazine interview afforded the right-thinking politically-correct element a chance to demonstrate their top-drawer PC credentials and the A&E management an opportunity to cave in, a hasty decision which they might soon regret. GLAAD and the coterie of militant gays may be very loud – and in the rarified atmosphere in the entertainment-industrial complex, louder to the point of drowning out certain realizations. Like being only 1-2% of the population, at best, whereas observant Christians of all denominations, conservatives generally, small business owners, and hunting enthusiasts are a far, far larger segment of the population. Based on my own observation of living in metropolitan flyover country, not too many of them care one way or another about gay marriage, or gay lifestyle, or whatever it is that the militant LBGT-whatever cliques are carrying on about. Just don’t put them on the spot and demand they voice rapturous approval of it all. Tolerance is one thing; approval is something else entirely.
Likely this is yet another attempt to ‘otherize’ religious belief in the public sphere, to remove any faith-based standards and practices from the public marketplace, and to stigmatize those who live by the standards of their faith as bigots, whether they be Mormon, conventional protestants, Catholics or Jews. I wouldn’t be surprised at all – it’s almost a cliché these days in any TV law’n’order show that the criminal is a white Christian businessman. I’m betting that the Robertsons will be chortling all the way to the bank. Like Paula Deen, they may not need more public recognition; they have the fan huge base, the recognition – the savvy and the income to go indy. The Ducks don’t need A&E that much, but I am guessing (again) that A&E desperately needs the Ducks. Likely some kind of climb-down will be forthcoming, very soon.
(Cross-posted at www.ncobrief.com)
I pointed out somewhere ( maybe here) that Hollywood never figured out what happened with Forrest Gump. If that had been a story about a lefty, there would have been Forrest Gum II and Forrest Gump Returns, etc, etc. They thought they were making fun of this idiot who turns up at historically ridiculous places. It turned out they were actually ridiculing the hippies and the anti-war protestors.
The A&E suits are no doubt gobsmacked by the reaction. I’m sure the History Channel suits can’t figure out why guys like me watch Pawn Stars. Last night they showed a scene of Rick going to London and going into The Map Store on Beauchamp Street in London (One of my favorite places ) and buying the same or an identical map I looked at five years ago. It was too expensive for me.
It’s kind of silly, actually, Mike – we know THEM from … well everything the Major Media Cultural Establishment puts out there – TV shows, newspapers, magazines – everything which reaches every little bit of flyover country. Every great once in a while, someone from one of the strongholds of the Major Media Cultural Establishment comes out to the hinterlands to do a breathless eyewitness story about observing The Dance of the Sloping Foreheads … which proves by the first paragraph that they don’t know much at all about US at all. This little ruckus is just another example.
Wish I had the mad skillz to do a send-up like James Lileks did about the English reporter visiting the Olive Garden. That was epic.
It’s a Guardian columnist, What did you expect ? They don’t even understand their own country folk.
The Robertsons are millionaire before the show. They’ll still be millionaire after the show. If and when the show is cancelled by the gutless wonders, they’ll be happy making their products and sold out everywhere.
Many people turned to D.D. because they were offended and disgusted by the regular TV fare that always includes at least one gay character and dialog that mocks Christians. Decent people are not amused by foul mouthed rump riding perverts.
The pattern was set thirty years ago with the victimization of and hatred directed at Anita Bryant.
this is yet another attempt to ‘otherize’ religious belief in the public sphere
I had blood taken today as part of my yearly physical. The tech who took the sample (3 tubes!) was a 30-ish Liberian immigrant woman, very sweet, beautiful smile, virtually perfect English. We chatted a little as she took my blood and as I was leaving she wished me a Merry Christmas. She then bit her lip and said, “I hope you weren’t offended by that! You have to be so careful these days about things like that!” She then looked around uncomfortably, like she was confused and unsure what to do or say next. We then agreed it was a sad comment on American society that she was afraid to wish someone a Merry Christmas.
They’re winning.
One more thing. I’ve never watched DD, but if they have any sense they’ll change networks. Make the bastards at A&E pay, out of pocket, for kowtowing to GLAAD over someone expressing their opinion. That will, at the very least, give these media types something to consider next time someone pulls this.
“if they have any sense they’ll change networks. Make the bastards at A&E pay, out of pocket”
It sounds, from what I read, that they have a typical Hollywood style contract where A&E has all the cards. Still, they can ride out the furor and not renew when the contract ends. As long as A&E’s checks don’t bounce.
Of course we must have the rule of law. But as Obama wisely shows us, sometimes a great leader must ignore the law as it is written and enforce the law as it ought to be enforced.
Through out history Great Leaders have enforced laws – not as they are written but as they cry out to be enforced. Law must be the handmaiden of the People, not the tool of ruthless exploiters and poluters.
The NSA is lawful because it protects us from people who are anti-gay or who want to harn illegal immigrants or who want to steal land from the Palestinians or who want to impose nasty ideas of sin learned in some Book.
We must obey our leaders and listen carefully to learn each day what our duties are to the People. And we must vote for Obama and support him.
We had a discussion about ‘Pajama Boy” and I came to the realization that the creators of this ad viewed him as their world – like most of America.
Instead is is the laughingstock of much of the country.
Similarly I do believe that – as you said – the powers that be at A & E probably put them on to be a laughingstock and were shocked at their popularity.
And they are similarly shocked at the backlash.
As the great screenwriter Wm Goldman said about the industry, Nobody knows nuthin’ –
The firing of Phil Robertson is another episode in the replacement of the mores of the West by its successor. This replacement is comparable to the Christianizing of the Roman empire. Some will be disgraced, some imprisoned, some destroyed on the path to the victory of totalizing Socialism. Already race Socialism (formerly known as National Socialism), class socialism (formerly known as Communism) and gender Socialism (no cute name yet), form the mental and ideological landscape of almost all peoples of the West (but apparently not Phil). Use of the word “homophobe,” for example, an American adaptation of Soviet psychiatry similar to other Soviet terms such as “wrecker” (used to describe opponent of among other things, Obamacare) and “kulak” (too localized to be useful in the USA).
Phil apparently hasn’t heard that all orifices, natural and artificial, are suitable for pleasures (fisting, fingering, licking, sucking, et. al.) of the various sexual identities. Look to the poets’ support of NAMBLA. Nothing is forbidden. The idea that people should not indulge their animal appetites is an idea which died with philosophy (replaced by ideology), religion (replaced by spirituality), and God (dead, as often proclaimed; and replaced by self).
Steyn wrote: “GLAAD spokesgay Wilson Cruz declared that ‘Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil’s lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe.’ What GLAAD is attempting would be called, were it applied to any other identity group, cultural appropriation.’” The totalitarianism exhibited by GLAAD is not an aberration. Hatred, censorship, bigotry, repression are inherent in the GLAAD’s ideology. Obama has transformed us. A transformation for which the American people voted, then affirmed at the next election. Get used to the new normal.
Steyn’s column as usual is a treasure.
Sgt. Mom: Off topic, but related to your neck of the woods, San Antonio. BP/Macondo oil spill fraud invesigated in San Antonio:upsteamonline_December 17:
San Antonio Express_Feb 26
More at the links.
Fraud invesitigation involving Democrat Party fundraisers: why are we not surprised? Actually, we are surprised, but not at the fraud. What is surprising is the investigation. Aren’t fundraisers supposed to be given immunity? [As an example of the power that big-money attorneys have in the Democrat Party, recall Dr. Howard Dean’s remark that Obamacare didn’t seek to reduce tort awards because that would have gone against big money attorneys. who supply a lot of money to the Democrats.]
Fascinating, Gringo. I suppose I will hope that other Dem fundraisers will be paying attention and keeping their fingers crossed.
Such hand-wringing, from some of you. Gosh.
What strikes me about this case isn’t the media-lynching of this Duck Dynasty guy I’d never heard of before now. It’s the backlash.
Time was, the peasants in flyoverland knew their place, and wouldn’t object when told how loathsome they were.
Not now. I doubt there are very many fans of this show who changed their opinion because GLAAD objected to what what’s-his-name said. Similarly, I bet there were very few people who changed their minds because they were told George Zimmerman was a vile racist after he exercised his right to self-defense. Or changed their minds on gun control because of the Newtown massacre, despite the massive media campaign in favor. Or think well of Barry Obama, because they’re told it’s racist not to.
The left is mashing on all the usual buttons, with ever-diminishing returns.
That matters. All is not lost.
I’m with Xennady. Not only is there a bigger public backlash each time the Left pulls one of these Stalinist character-assassination attempts, I’m guessing that Robertson foresaw the publicity that might result from his granting an interview to GQ. Perhaps he and his interviewers tacitly collaborated for mutual benefit, betting on someone like the GLAAD tools to take the bait.
Robertson, far from being destroyed, will end up ahead. Being the victim of ritual denunciations by politically correct media is becoming profitable for savvier conservatives. Surely this is not the outcome the Left intended.
Actually, we are surprised, but not at the fraud. What is surprising is the investigation.
I found this the most surprising too. It’s certainly NOT because he’s corrupt, the entire administration is deeply corrupt. The only thing that makes sense to me is that he crossed someone who is very influential. So he got the knife. The takedown was public, so that sent a message. Then they play it to the hoi-polloi as a law & order public service.
On the TV Sunday shows it looks like the gay issue is not drawing much water, in site of GLAAD. Now they are trying to make his comments anti-black. Even that is not accomplishing much with the people who worry about violence but dare not mention who the perp was.
We are approaching outrage fatigue. No mention of Obamacare on ABC this morning. Hmmm. Predictions for 2014 were all about everything but.
“in spite of”
I need a new keyboard.
How DARE some redneck INVENT a new disdain of a minority group!
Oh wait, homosexuals have been disliked for millenia by breeders… ever wonder why?
And of course, now the debacle is complete, with Jesse Jackson making demands to meet with the management of A&E and Cracker Barrel … apparently TEH raaaaaacism is involved, somewhere, and good ol’ Jesse wants a piece of the action. Martin Luther King must be revolving in his grave like a Ryobi drill.
Jesse Jackass is desperate for attention. If he had not sucked up to the 0bama bunch real hard for the last 6 months, he’d be in prison with his son.
The man is a caricature.
Just before the recent suspension, I saw a video (darned if I can find it again) of Phil talking about how he had confronted the show’s producers about them bleeping out the word Jesus during the prayers said at supper, at the end of the program. Apparently, he was successful at getting them to stop the practice. A few days later the GQ interview blows up.
More than one way to skin a cat, I guess.
Some of the various speculations that I have seen have it that the producers originally intended the show to be another ‘let’s all laugh at these stooopid rednecks’ show, but the Duckers did an end-run about that (by being witty, honest and insanely popular) – and this was a convoluted attempt to force them back into line. Wouldn’t surprise me at all.
And the high-end HEB grocery store where we like to shop when we are feeling flush – was full of Duck Dynasty stuff in the gifts and sundries section – books, gimme caps, tee-shirts and mugs.
The mock news Witch Hunts and every other issue being made into a crisis phenomenon will keep accelerating.
We need as many squirrels to be distracted into looking at as possible.
There’s also the internal Leftist dynamic of an ever increasing need for grievances, as long as there isn’t too much grief associated with it.
For instance the Rosenberg spy Trial for giving Stalin the Atomic Bomb is a real issue, as was the question of how many more Communists and Spies were in the American Government and elites (a lot more).
We need lighter fare, so for example …micro-aggression.
http://www.microaggressions.com/
Read and despair. I don’t know what they’re going to do with real aggression…
The acceleration is probably a symptom of impending collapse.
We can only pray. Whatever horrors await us this farce is worse.
Sgt. Mom:
And of course, now the debacle is complete, with Jesse Jackson making demands to meet with the management of A&E and Cracker Barrel..
Seems to me that if Reverend Jackson wants to help people, he should get involved in ministering to people in prisons- such as his son.
Benefits Avatar
We need lighter fare, so for example …micro-aggression. http://www.microaggressions.com/
Read and despair. I don’t know what they’re going to do with real aggression…
There hasn’t been a posting at http://www.microaggressions.com for 6 months, which is reason for hope.