30 thoughts on “Of Ducks And Gays”

1. I’m gonna have to disagree on this one. If you’re going to be tolerant of Robertson’s declaration of the teachings of his faith, you have to be tolerant of A&E’s decision to maximize its advertising revenue. Media execs being selected based almost entirely on the degree of viciousness they can bring to corporate politics, I’m not sure they’ve actually done their sums properly, but it’s their business.

   I’m wondering what this says about A&E’s perception the demographics of the audience for Duck Dynasty and the rest of their shows. (BTW, I’m not part of that audience.) Are they watching because they find the characters compelling and aspirational, or are they tuning in to watch some bizarre train wreck? If the latter, then the suspension will give them something more to sneer at. But if the former, A&E has probably killed the goose that laid the golden egg.

   Looks to me more like the former. Look at the rest of A&E’s most popular shows: Storage Wars: Texas. Shipping Wars. Rodeo Girls. American Hoggers. (Set in Texas, about wild boar hunters? I live in Austin, and boars are a problem–but a TV show?) Beyond Scared Straight. The First 48. Crazy Hearts Nashville. I’m having a hard time believing that the hipster douchebags outnumber the suburban and rural audience here.

   1. A&E can run whatever programming they want. My post was not about A&E.

      1. We had the same situation some years ago with Reggie White, the late Packers football hero.

         Mr. White was invited to speak at the State Capitol, and in invoking a kind of multi-culturalism, he spoke to the strengths of persons representing various cultural groups. That East Asians are skilled at miniaturized consumer products, persons from the First Nations are able to move quietly out-of-doors as a useful tactic in hunting or in military operations, and that the sons and daughters of the Aztec are able to advance themselves economically by requiring a minimu of privacy and personal space to economize on housing costs.

         Mr. White, I believe, was a Christian minister, and most of us thought he meant well, but it didn’t come out right. I thought this thought, but I think some public persons mildly scolded Mr. White inasmuch that his black heritage has been and still remains the object of some broad characterizations, some uttered in all earnestness and perhaps, in rare instances, with good intentions, but hurtful to the people being labeled.

         He also made remarks regarding on gay persons living contrary to what is taught in the Bible, and that is all anyone ever talked about. You would have thought that a black football hero, where blacks have been and remain to this day to objects of some of the most vicious racial stereotypes, offering some of the most coarse stereotypes regarding members of other minority races and cultures, that this story would be “the lede.”

         But guess what. Mr. White was branded an anti-gay bigot, and his cringe worthy remarks in offering what he thought was a compliment to Asians, Native Americans, and Hispanics did not even register.

   2. American Hoggers is A&E’s attempt to cash in on some of the Swamp People popularity. Then again, so was Duck Dynasty. Add to it that filming in Louisiana and Texas is cheaper than California and New Jersey. For that reason, it wasn’t until late in Season 3 of Duck Dynasty that I finally tuned in to watch. Otherwise, I consider most of these shows as the East Coast and West Coast deep set desire to mock flyover country. In some ways, I think part of the issue with Phil Robertson is he got uppity and the progressives can’t tolerate it.

      I stated at Glenn’s site that I think Ol’Phil knew what he is doing, and as Rand says Duck Commander and the Robertsons will be just fine without A&E, and I’ll add whether Duck Dynasty returns to any network or not.

      1. Revenues from Duck Dynasty merchandising are at about $400 million, and half of that comes out of Walmart. The A&E programmers may have thought they were doing flyover mockery, but it looks to me like the bulk of the audience isn’t there to sneer.

         I’m starting to think that Ol’ Phil really knew what he was doing, and decided that he’d found the right terrain for the battle. The coasties just can’t quite wrap their heads around the idea that the good ol’ boys are every bit as sharp as they are.

2. As much as I dislike either verbal or physical Gay-bashing (not just because I’m an individualist-libertarian, but because some of my best friends, etc.), what Robertson said–to use the famous Jeffersonianism–neither picks my pocket not breaks my leg. “Liberalism,” on the other hand. . . .

3. Ace posted a link to this take on the situation, http://www.ncregister.com/blog/pat-archbold/duck-dynasty-the-show-that-got-away-from-them

   ‘It seems what the producers intended and what A&E envisioned with the show is much different than the show that they ended up with, but they didn’t do anything about it because it was so wildly popular and so wildly profitable. But even with all the money, they have never really been comfortable with what happened.

   This is what happened. The whole idea of the show was to parade these nouveau riche Christian hillbillies around so that we could laugh at them. “Look at them,” we were supposed to say. “Look how backward they are! Look what they believe! Can you believe they really live this way and believe this stuff? See how they don’t fit in? HAHAHA” “

4. OK, the Duck Dynasty Robertsons are featured in some kind of “reality TV” show, they live in Louisianna and are avid outdoors people and hunters, and the men have these ZZ-Top beards, and we just learned they are devout Christians according to a Bible literalism and the beards are unshorn for the same reason offered by the Amish, Greek Orthodox monks, some Orthodox Jewish, and Muslim men?

   OK, fill me in (Phil me in?). What is the nouveau riche part? Are they prosperous farmers or business people who are able to spend the fruits of their labor on lots of bird guns and cammo outfits? Or are they nouveau riche with the emphasis on the nouveau part, that they came into a financial windfall from the oil and gas industry, Hollywood style? I don’t get cable, but I need to understand this.

   1. They run a multi-million-dollar company that sells duck calls.

      1. As I just read, it’s about a $500 million dollar company now, when you add in all their Walmart contracts. I’m pretty sure they have the crudest office of any half billion dollar company around.

   2. “and the men have these ZZ-Top beards, and we just learned they are devout Christians according to a Bible literalism and the beards are unshorn for the same reason offered by the Amish, Greek Orthodox monks, some Orthodox Jewish, and Muslim men?”

      No. They have beards like bikers and hippies have beards. Its a big FU from the locals to the Romans.

5. Uh huh.

   I have a few things that I’d like to say to all you conservatives – especially the one’s like Rand who insist they’re not conservatives.

   1. It’s not just “liberals” or “the left” who are attacking this jerk for being a jerk. Stop painting us with that brush.

   2. Freedom of expression doesn’t mean freedom from consequences.

   What kind of consequences? I’ll tell ya. If you say all white men are privileged and don’t deserve what they earn, I’m not going to buy your products. I’m not going to support your election campaign. I’m not going to have you as my employee. Why? Because you are against me. I’m not sure what’s hard to understand about this. If you say freedom isn’t all that important and there’s more important things in life, you’re against me too. If you say the world is ending and the only way to stave it off is to steal and regulate, you’re against me too. If you harbor these beliefs, and you want to get along with me, it’s really not hard: keep ’em to yourself.

   This is not an exhaustive list.

   1. No one said that there was freedom from consequences. I don’t think you understood the point of my post, which was mostly about double standards.

      1. I agree very much with the maxum of “I may not agree with what you have say but I’ll defend your right to say it.” What I don’t see in there is how I’m somehow obligating myself to continuing to employ the speaker. That’s not “defending their rights” that’s paying their bills. It would be especially egregeous if you were speaking *for* me, which is what you’re doing when you’re a performer talking to the media.

         1. OK.

            Still trying to figure out with whom you’re arguing. Are you arguing because you like to argue?

            1. It’s often the case that I misunderstand what you’re saying Rand, and when I ask you to clarify, you just ignore me.

               It’s a “heads I win tails you lose” situation, as it often is with the Left.

               I saw that as directed at people, like me, who think the consequences Robertson is suffering from demonizing people he disapproves of – while representing his employer – are perfectly reasonable. As such, I pointed out that I’m very far from being “on the Left”, and that it’s not at all a partisan issue.

               With that in mind, what’s the double standard you see?

            2. The double standard is that it’s perfectly acceptable to make misogynist or racist comments directed at specific women and blacks, if they’re conservative, but not acceptable to state one’s religious beliefs.

   2. Uh Huh. Trent, you’ve been a jerk in the past. I even defended you, and then you doubled down on being a jerk. People asked that you be censored, but Rand decided you could be jerk and live with the consequences. Now you come here complaining about others being a jerk and you want to not just attack the jerk, but attack others that simply want to comment on the merits of attacking the jerk? I’m unimpressed with your libertarianism, Trent.

      1. Yes.. both of us have free speech and both of us get to live with the consequences. As far as I’m aware Rand isn’t my employer, but if he was, and I was saying stuff that was costing him money, I’d expect him to fire me. right?

         1. He doesn’t employ you, but he does allow you to be a jerk on his blog. Phil Robertson didn’t become a millionaire because of A&E, but he and his family did produce videos prior to A&E picking them up as a show. Essentially A&E gave his family a platform, as Rand provides you a platform.

            1. That’s a pretty weak analogy. However if my commets were causing Rand any serious harm I expect he’d be showing me the door.. or at least telling me that people have a problem with me.. he never has. I think the reality is that Rand doesn’t care about people who are offended by my comments. They’re free to go elsewhere if they can’t tolerate me and it’s no skin off his nose. The same can not be said for Robinson’s employer.

            2. I was aware that GLAAD is the Robertson’s employer. And the sponsors of Duck Dynasty are coming out in support of Phil and his family. So I don’t think you understand what is happening.

            3. “wasn’t” aware GLAAD…

               Also, for all your claim that Phil’s comments hurt A&E; A&E is airing 32 hours of Duck Dynasty marathons over the next 4 days. So that claim doesn’t seem to be based on reality but in a hope. Bob hoped that you would be banned. I’m starting to agree with Bob.

   3. 1. It’s not just “liberals” or “the left” who are attacking this jerk for being a jerk. Stop painting us with that brush.

      Is he a jerk because he states his religious views and actually seems to believe them?

      You and everyone else is equally free to express your opinion. Most of us won’t attempt to get you fired for expressing your opinion even if we strongly disagree with it. That’s tolerance.

6. Here you go Trent, see if you think this is ok treatment for being a jerk. This is what you seem to be supporting now a days.

   1. I dunno what you don’t get about this.. she’s a *communcations director*. Her job is to represent her company. They have no obligation to keep her on if she’s making dumb comments like this.

   2. She’s a communications director whose clients include College Humor. The episodes they posted with Charlize Theron were far more offensive, involving abuse of dogs (dance damn you!), stalking (she was stalking her neighbor), Satanic sex rituals, and all sorts of other hilarious nonsense. Being edgy and funny is the job, and her post was hilarious, as if she was a dumb blonde who thought whites can’t get AIDS, and sent right before she jumped on a plane. Comic genius.

      1. That certainly explains why she possibly thought this was a good idea.

7. I seem to Recall Phil Donahue having his career wrecked for expressing his opinion.
   Bill Maher getting tossed off of TV for expressing his opinion and
   The Dixie Chicks getting chased off the radio for years for their opinions.

   It happens.

   1. Same stupid nonsense with no references either from Lying-Guy:

      Phil Donahue’s show went 29 years and is still to date, the longest continuous running talk show (Even surpasses The Rush Limbaugh Show).

      Bill Maher is still on TV.

      The Dixie Chicks are on tour.

      But hey, Justine Sacco is still fired, so yes, intolerance still exists.

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