Duck Dynasty in Hot Water

[ns2]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-f ... ite-666808

I've never watched Duck Dynasty but this is a fascinating story, as I understand it is the most popular show in the history of Cable TV.

Leaving aside what one actually thinks about homosexuality, the evolution of this issue throughout my lifetime has been something to behold. The Duck Dynasty folks are merely expressing views that the vast majority of Americans probably held no less than 20 years ago and possibly even still today, or at least a sizable minority.

It seems today that making even the slightest statement disapproving of homosexuality in public is now the number one sin that a person can commit. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I understand that Barack and Michelle will not be attending the opening ceremonies of the winter Olympics in Sochi, probably as a protest against Validmir Putin's stance on gay rights and that our official entourage will include two openly gay athletes as a kind of in-your-face gesture.

How far we've come since 1980 when we boycotted the Moscow Olympics because the evil atheist Russians invaded Afghanistan. Today we are the invaders of Afghanistan, boycotting the Olympics as a gesture in support of gay rights.

Funny how times change. And so quickly.

[Benko]

"Intolerance" will not be tolerated.

[Tyler]

IMHO, this is a very insightful moment for what passes as "reality" on television.

[Reub]

Haha! As usual, the one's screaming for so-called tolerance for their agendas are the most intolerant to others'.

[Pointedstick]

Am I the only one who thinks, "who cares?"

I had never even heard of Duck Dynasty and had to look it up. Aren't reality show stars shooting their mouths off about stupid things all the time? I really don't get why this is in any way important.

[Libertarian666]

Am I the only one who thinks, "who cares?"

I had never even heard of Duck Dynasty and had to look it up. Aren't reality show stars shooting their mouths off about stupid things all the time? I really don't get why this is in any way important.

This is tremendously important, because otherwise how would anyone know that rednecks don't like gays?

[Benko]

Am I the only one who thinks, "who cares?"

I had never even heard of Duck Dynasty and had to look it up. Aren't reality show stars shooting their mouths off about stupid things all the time? I really don't get why this is in any way important.

This is important because a star of a very popular and therefore money making TV show was fired for saying relativey innocous things.

USA Today, that right wing rag, writes:

The 'tolerance' society demands from Christians really is silent compliance
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2 ... n/4124181/

"Especially in an era when government believes it has the power to compel a Christian baker to make wedding cakes for homosexuals, compel a Christian photographer to photograph a homosexual union in a state that doesn't even recognize them, and tell a Christian company it has to provide birth control to its employees in violation of its owners moral conscience. We have reached the point where government believes it gets to play God."

FIRST THEY CAME FOR THE TRADE UNIONISTS, BUT I WAS NOT A TRADE UNIONIST, SO I DID NOT SPEAK UP...

[moda0306]

I think the main issue here is observing how quickly people go to defense of a "right" as if this guy was arrested by Barack Obama himself.  There is a MASSIVE difference between government censorship, and a network acting within their contractual rights to suspend someone who said things that are obviously going to be appalling to enough people to get you negative attention from the network.

But already we're hearing about "Free Speech" and "Rights."  This always happens when someone pisses off a producer or a network broadcasting their work, and it's just annoying and immature.  Speaking in constitutional terms when it doesn't apply is just adding useless hyperbole to the discussion.

But what he said, if said about any other group of people, whether it be Jews, atheists, non-Baptist Christians, pre-marital sex-havers, etc, would have earned him a lot of scorn from the network, most likely.  And lots of fans of the show, too, but I doubt a lot of the people freaking out over his suspension would have been the same people if he had been discussing the positive merits of Adolph Hitler's foreign policy decisions... even though they would "just be his opinions."

Personally, he seems quite ignorant, but he seemed that way long-before comparing gayness to bestiality.  And this is what many of his fans like about him... and probably why they're confused about what his "rights" truly are.

[Pointedstick]

USA Today, that right wing rag, writes:

The 'tolerance' society demands from Christians really is silent compliance
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2 ... n/4124181/

"Especially in an era when government believes it has the power to compel a Christian baker to make wedding cakes for homosexuals, compel a Christian photographer to photograph a homosexual union in a state that doesn't even recognize them, and tell a Christian company it has to provide birth control to its employees in violation of its owners moral conscience. We have reached the point where government believes it gets to play God."

FIRST THEY CAME FOR THE TRADE UNIONISTS, BUT I WAS NOT A TRADE UNIONIST, SO I DID NOT SPEAK UP...

So you're saying he was fired by the government? If not, then who cares? The show's producer can fire whoever he wants whenever he wants, right? And if doing so causes his show to tank, well then he's an idiot. I still don't see why any of this really matters. If anything, the real story here is the moron producer who just killed his golden goose, no?

[Xan]

What basis do you have for being anti-bestiality?  Are you a social conservative on the issue?

[Benko]

OK I stand corrected.  Private employee.

[moda0306]

Am I the only one who thinks, "who cares?"

I had never even heard of Duck Dynasty and had to look it up. Aren't reality show stars shooting their mouths off about stupid things all the time? I really don't get why this is in any way important.

This is important because a star of a very popular and therefore money making TV show was fired for saying relativey innocous things.

USA Today, that right wing rag, writes:

The 'tolerance' society demands from Christians really is silent compliance
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2 ... n/4124181/

"Especially in an era when government believes it has the power to compel a Christian baker to make wedding cakes for homosexuals, compel a Christian photographer to photograph a homosexual union in a state that doesn't even recognize them, and tell a Christian company it has to provide birth control to its employees in violation of its owners moral conscience. We have reached the point where government believes it gets to play God."

FIRST THEY CAME FOR THE TRADE UNIONISTS, BUT I WAS NOT A TRADE UNIONIST, SO I DID NOT SPEAK UP...

He wasn't fired, as far as I know, but merely suspended.

If the issue is whether the government should require photographers to work gay weddings, then let's blow that debate up because I'd probably comletely agree with you.  We should focus on that... not the ambiguous issue of whether A&E should exercise their right to suspend Phil.  It's their choice.  They have every right to do it, and their viewers have a right to submit a petition that they do it.  If Phil had said something telling Christians that they won't go to heaven, then a very different group would be submitting similar petitions.

The government (in my view) has NO right to tell me who to do business with.  The government has nothing to do with this Duck Dynasty issue, though, so it's just confusing the issue to wrap this up in a debate about "Freedom of Speech."

[moda0306]

What basis do you have for being anti-bestiality?  Are you a social conservative on the issue?

If this was directed towards me, I don't know exactly what useful/fair public policy on bestiality would be... it's kind of a weird issue, to say the least.

My personal opinion is that I don't like sex with animals.

It's probably more relevant that he lamented about them being similar to adulterors and said they wouldn't make it to heaven.

If I claimed that Christians were no better than terrorists (since they've perpetuated wars) and it was one big cult no different than (insert obscure cult here), and they weren't getting into heaven, I would expect to be suspended from being a public figure.

[moda0306]

USA Today, that right wing rag, writes:

The 'tolerance' society demands from Christians really is silent compliance
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2 ... n/4124181/

"Especially in an era when government believes it has the power to compel a Christian baker to make wedding cakes for homosexuals, compel a Christian photographer to photograph a homosexual union in a state that doesn't even recognize them, and tell a Christian company it has to provide birth control to its employees in violation of its owners moral conscience. We have reached the point where government believes it gets to play God."

FIRST THEY CAME FOR THE TRADE UNIONISTS, BUT I WAS NOT A TRADE UNIONIST, SO I DID NOT SPEAK UP...

So you're saying he was fired by the government? If not, then who cares? The show's producer can fire whoever he wants whenever he wants, right? And if doing so causes his show to tank, well then he's an idiot. I still don't see why any of this really matters. If anything, the real story here is the moron producer who just killed his golden goose, no?

I guess something could be said about the state of our "public" outrage towards things that shouldn't be relevant.... though I tend to wonder, where is there more "collective outrage?"  The people calling for his suspension, or the other people making this a First Amendment issue even though the government isn't involved, and it's A&E making the decision well-within their "rights" .

[Libertarian666]

USA Today, that right wing rag, writes:

The 'tolerance' society demands from Christians really is silent compliance
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2 ... n/4124181/

"Especially in an era when government believes it has the power to compel a Christian baker to make wedding cakes for homosexuals, compel a Christian photographer to photograph a homosexual union in a state that doesn't even recognize them, and tell a Christian company it has to provide birth control to its employees in violation of its owners moral conscience. We have reached the point where government believes it gets to play God."

FIRST THEY CAME FOR THE TRADE UNIONISTS, BUT I WAS NOT A TRADE UNIONIST, SO I DID NOT SPEAK UP...

So you're saying he was fired by the government? If not, then who cares? The show's producer can fire whoever he wants whenever he wants, right? And if doing so causes his show to tank, well then he's an idiot. I still don't see why any of this really matters. If anything, the real story here is the moron producer who just killed his golden goose, no?

It is a tempest in a teapot, much like the "War on Christmas". I guess it's good for ratings on the news shows, though.

[Pointedstick]

Yeah, musta been a slow news day or something.

[moda0306]

http://www.tmz.com/2013/12/19/phil-robe ... a-a-and-e/

Phil calls gay people shameful, perverse, heartless, faithless, senseless God haters ... destined for the burning pits of hell.

Not that it's any surprise, but this is not the first time he's had a word or two about gays, though what he says here is far more offensive.

[Pointedstick]

http://www.tmz.com/2013/12/19/phil-robe ... a-a-and-e/

Phil calls gay people shameful, perverse, heartless, faithless, senseless God haters ... destined for the burning pits of hell.

Not that it's any surprise, but this is not the first time he's had a word or two about gays, though what he says here is far more offensive.

[align=center]WHO
CARES[/align]

[Tyler]

Any time you're talking about "reality" TV, I wonder if even the interview that got him in hot water (and resulting media coverage) was manufactured. 

[moda0306]

http://www.tmz.com/2013/12/19/phil-robe ... a-a-and-e/

Phil calls gay people shameful, perverse, heartless, faithless, senseless God haters ... destined for the burning pits of hell.

Not that it's any surprise, but this is not the first time he's had a word or two about gays, though what he says here is far more offensive.

[align=center]WHO
CARES[/align]

A&E might. 

People appalled that he is being unfairly treated by A&E might also care.

People who think he's just a good God-fearin' guy who just shared his opinion and doesn't deserve his suspension?

IDK... Why do you care enough about the conversation to post in massive font?  Many would probably post "Who Cares" to a lot of our Other Discussions. I guess I'm kind of glad they just let them happen.

Look.. I probably agree with you that this isn't a big deal.  But if we're going to discuss it, all the better to have an idea of who we're actually talking about being "victimized" here.

[Pointedstick]

People appalled that he is being unfairly treated by A&E might also care.

People who think he's just a good God-fearin' guy who just shared his opinion and doesn't deserve his suspension?

IDK... Why do you care enough about the conversation to post in massive font?  Many would probably post "Who Cares" to a lot of our Other Discussions. I guess I'm kind of glad they just let them happen.

Look.. I probably agree with you that this isn't a big deal.  But if we're going to discuss it, all the better to have an idea of who we're actually talking about being "victimized" here.

Because I think the entire thing is idiotic and represents everything that's wrong with America today.


It was idiotic for a TV star to make such stupid statements to the press.

It's idiotic that anyone's surprised by his stupid statements.

It was idiotic for him to be suspended given the popularity of the show.

It's idiotic that people are saying his rights were violated.

…ad nauseam. The entire thing is just an IQ-point vortex and the part of me that is even remotely interested in the story is the same part that's morbidly fascinated by train wrecks and auto accidents.

[moda0306]

Represents everything wrong with America?

And nowhere is the fact that this is a popular show in the first place? 

I think there is plenty of idiocy here. I just see a lot more in other areas of pop culture.

[Pointedstick]

Sorry, I had an attack of crabby conservatism there. I'm feeling better now.

[ZedThou]

It was idiotic for a TV star to make such stupid statements to the press.

I haven't read completely through this thread, but this sentiment was the first thing that came to mind. I remember John Rocker making candid remarks to a reporter long ago and things didn't go well for him afterwards. If my career happened to be in the entertainment industry then I would prefer not to give any such interviews, and if I deemed them necessary then I would be very reserved.

[portart]

Excuse me for the tears that they will be able to retire with many millions of dollars to do whatever they hell they want. I somehow think these folks sleep pretty sound at night.

never watched the show, but i have a hunch they were probably millionaires or close to it before the show, from the successful duck hunting accessory business.

family statement to the press

We want to thank all of you for your prayers and support. The family has spent much time in prayer since learning of A&E’s decision. We want you to know that first and foremost we are a family rooted in our faith in God and our belief that the Bible is His word. While some of Phil’s unfiltered comments to the reporter were coarse, his beliefs are grounded in the teachings of the Bible. Phil is a Godly man who follows what the Bible says are the greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart”? and “Love your neighbor as yourself.”? Phil would never incite or encourage hate.We are disappointed that Phil has been placed on hiatus for expressing his faith, which is his constitutionally protected right.We have had a successful working relationship with A&E but, as a family, we cannot imagine the show going forward without our patriarch at the helm. We are in discussions with A&E to see what that means for the future of Duck Dynasty. Again, thank you for your continued support of our family