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Willow Weep for Me
Late Night Dave vs. Pit Bull Sarah
By Bob Chochola
Monday, June 15, 2009 Issue
National Examiner
“I feel that I need to do the right thing here and apologize for having told that joke. It’s not your fault it was misunderstood, it’s my fault.”
David Letterman
Following a week-long firestorm of negative publicity and a mountain of hate mail from all over the country, Late Night host David Letterman issued an apology for an off-color remark he told during his nightly monologue in which he joked about one of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s teenage daughters being “knocked up” by New York Yankees’ player Alex Rodriguez.
Letterman also said, “I thought I was talking about the older daughter… I checked to make sure in fact that she was of legal age, 18… But the joke, in and of itself, can’t be defended.”*
How convenient it is that this public apology comes just in time to coincide with Dave’s ratings war with Conan O’Brien. Similarly coincidental to other spats timed to suck viewers into quarrels that smack so of being a set up that it is almost impossible to believe any of the participants’ sincerity. The View’s Rosie O’Donnell having it out with Donald Trump comes quickly to mind.
Although it must be noted that while the Rosie versus The Donald bout scored high marks for a short time, in the long run daytime talk show The View never rose above a tiny blip on the radar, while Rosie O’s career has vanished into complete oblivion. Not that she was ever a TV network’s cash cow. (I’ll apologize right now for using that particular metaphor – it’s not your fault it was misunderstood.)
This time, however, both parties involved were not gaining from the feud. The butt of Dave’s joke turned out to be the under age daughter of Sarah Palin and by the time the morning after rolled-around, no one was laughing. Calls from outraged viewers flooded the CBS switchboard, angry e-mail and letters started streaming in, and women’s groups blasted Letterman for his insensitivity.
CEO of CBS Les Moonves even heard from New York State Assembly Minority Leader Brian Klob, who said the Late Night host’s jokes were “shockingly inappropriate” and called for Letterman’s dismissal.
His letter stated, “As a proud father of a daughter, and a husband, I wanted Mr. Moonves to hear from me directly about Mr. Letterman’s remarks. Firing Mr. Letterman would send a clear message that CBS will not tolerate any of its employees… making demeaning and degrading comments about women.”**
While it is doubtful CBS will do anything of the sorts, it might be good to review other controversial remarks and their fallout:
• Talk radio host Don Imus was fired in spite of the fact that he publicly apologized (several times) and displayed obvious remorse for referring to a group of African American cheerleaders as “nappy-headed hos” on the air. It was, after all, just a bad joke and it’s not your fault it was misunderstood. Activist Al Sharpton lead the charge to have Imus terminated.
• Actor Michael Richards (Kramer on the hit TV series Seinfeld) was indefinitely expelled from the comedy club where he delivered a racist rant (not on the network airwaves, but on YouTube forever) at a heckler. Although Richards’ apologies seemed sincere enough, he has not made a significant TV appearance since. Al Sharpton once again was vocal about blackballing the comedian even after Richards’ multiple apologies.
It is surprising that women’s groups have rallied around Palin’s daughters given the double-standard that exists.
If you recall, during the presidential campaign of 2008, it was open season on Sarah Palin and her family. Unsubstantiated accusations and wild-eyed witch hunts for scandals that did not exist cost Palin a mountain of legal fees in the year to follow, yet at about the same time Letterman was taking a cheap-shot at her under age daughter on late night TV, Palin was cleared of all charges brought about by democrats during the campaign. (Incidentally there was little or no mention of this fact in the mainstream media other than the evil FOX News, of course.)
Mainstream media swooped-down on Alaska in a massive effort to dig-up dirt on the Governor and democratic spin doctors relentlessly attacked Palin and her family after she was announced as John McCain’s running mate. Nothing at all was out of bounds. But these very same folks were calling for an all out cease fire on then candidate Obama; his wife (who said she was never proud of her country), his pastor of twenty years (who demanded, “God damn America!” and called this country the "United States of AmeriKKK-a!"), his Muslim father (who abandoned the wife and future president son), and his friends (like co-founder of the communist domestic terrorist group The Weather Underground, Bill Ayers) were all “off limits” – or else! No one could even use Obama’s legally given middle name – Hussein – without the wrath of the media and liberal loons descending upon them.
It is also important to note that women’s groups like The National Organization of Women (NOW) gleefully joined in the attacks on Palin (and her family). These may have been the most relentless attacks of all.
Why would NOW attack Palin you ask?
Simply put, Sarah Palin is the single greatest threat to democratic control of Washington DC since Ronald Reagan left office. That may be a slight overstatement (for now), as her whirlwind debut to the GOP main stage is only the beginning of her long journey. But let’s face it, McCain was doomed and the only jolt of life his milquetoast campaign got was the “Sarah” factor. What a jolt it was!
What a threat this relatively unknown woman*** is to the so-called feminist movement – now a working arm for the Democratic Party.
But aren’t feminists about fighting for the rights of all women in America? Just the opposite – you must be a liberal woman, with liberal values, and a liberal agenda, to get their support.
Sarah Palin is anything but the poster child for the feminist movement as it has evolved over the years.
Feminism, as it were, does not stand for the self-made woman. As is the case with so many democratic special interest groups, so too women have to be victims first and then look to government for help, if they want groups like NOW and politicians like Hillary Clinton behind them. Women who succeed on their own merit and hard work are ruining it for all those who want a hand-up without the sweat, and those in charge who want to control the “hand-up” government taxpayer purse strings. Imagine that!
Sarah Palin threatens to tear the feminist illusion down. She has had an amazing rise to power in a very short time without the help of any movement or group, let alone government payola – she did it herself.
Unlike Barack Obama, Palin actually runs a government, albeit on a relatively small stage. But certainly her local and state experience dwarfs four years in the Senate with a habitual “present” vote.
She defeated “the good ol’ boy network” (yeah, the one democrats always gripe about, but indeed are a huge part of) in Alaska. Took-on a male dominated corrupt republican regime and tore it down – once again she did it herself.
Moreover, Sarah Palin is a fiscal conservative, with fiscal conservative values, there is no drifting to the middle (Uhem! G.W. Bush). Cut spending, cut taxes, and reduce government. She has done it in Alaska and there’s no reason to believe she won’t do it in DC.
She opposes abortion and does not pander to liberals on the matter like John McCain does. She sticks to her guns (pardon the pun) and is admirably tough. (Liberals please note: she does have a right to her own opinion on this subject and any attempts to banish her from federal office because of her views is, how shall I say this, “bigoted and an outright attack on free speech.”)
Palin is a Christian. She is a woman who obviously loves and respects her husband – and vice versa. She has a real marriage (unlike that which the Clintons have), and a real family – with real family problems and triumphs. It doesn’t get any more real than an unmarried pregnant daughter who decides to keep the baby, a champion snow machine racer hubby, and elk hunting. You go girl!
Who’s s Sorry Now?
Sarah Palin respectfully accepted the apology for David Letterman’s Neanderthal approach to comedy in this way:
“Of course it’s accepted on behalf of young women, like my daughters, who hope men who ‘joke’ about public displays of sexual exploitation of girls will soon evolve.”
Sarah Palin
Late Night ratings have stumbled. Letterman is desperate to keep his ship afloat on very rough seas. It should be noted that taking such a radical stand does not bode well in America, even if democrats seem to be running the show right now.
A majority of Americans still adhere to conservative values in spite of what we are being told by Hollywood elites and University pseudo intellectuals. But political tides are changing. The independent voter block has dramatically increased. Both left and right should understand the implications of that: you screw up and you’re out.
In the same breath, we are witnessing now some of the largest media conglomerates on their last legs – and falling fast.
The New York Times, once a giant among giants, has seen much of its circulation defect because of the paper’s far left position. Now virtually bankrupt, the Old Grey Lady hangs by a thread.
NBC is nearly marked deceased, as well. An investigation into the American corporate owners of the network and their possible involvement with Iran’s nuclear weapons program will certainly have harsh negative consequences if these accusations are proven true.
The list goes on-and-on.
David Letterman would be wise to abandon political satire and go back to doing what he does best: stupid human tricks. The political tide will eventually turn in America, but for those who attack “off limits” targets, it may be a very long road back into the Klieg lights.****
Sarah Palin and family will be better for all of this. Her political adversaries already fear her and this episode will go a long way to further that cause.
Americans will eventually tire of more and heavier taxes (as if they are not already tired of them) and rapidly escalating national debt that their children and children’s children will be forced to pay off. They will realize the intrusion of big government and that government-controlled health care under any name will cost taxpayers a bundle. They will resist Washington DC and look to their individual states for answers. They will understand that “clinging to your guns and religion” are fundamental Constitutional rights won with the blood of the American soldier.
Americans may also soon realize that there has never been a news media so corrupt and blatantly biased as the American news media – not in the free world. They will tire of the constant drum beat for change and finally demand results.
It was encouraging this week to see that not all of America has conceded to the hypocrites. The outcry this time was aimed at those who have been on the attack. It has been a long time coming, but life has breathed into “the other” party. There is a long road ahead, but the seeds have been sown and life is beginning to flourish in an old ideology with some brand new captains at the helm.
__________________
*I worked in network TV news for almost eighteen years and can say without a doubt that not a word uttered on television has less than three people proof read it before it passes the lips of the on screen talent. That Letterman “thought” he was talking about the older daughter is about as weak of a cop out as you can get. Writers check facts. Producers check facts. Then they have fact checkers. Then the talent, in this case I use that term loosely, sees it long before air. No one in their right mind is gonna believe this was an honest mistake. Just ask Dan Rather.
**SOURCE: The Associated Press.
***It should be noted that on my blog (http://bobzilla.tv/blogzilla.html), some six months before anyone in the mainstream media ever dreamed of – let alone reported - Sarah Palin as a possible running mate for John McCain, I posted an article by Dick Morris, former advisor to president Bill Clinton, now a political annalist for FOX News, that suggested Sarah Palin would be a good VP pick. I think Johnny Mac was even a day late and a dollar short on this one. Had he picked her earlier, she may have had a chance to propel him to victory. Palin was also mentioned prior to the announcement along the campaign trail by a few Bush cabinet members, but no one was paying any attention – or quoting – them at that point.
****David Letterman’s apology seems dubious to me at best. On the one hand he does accept responsibility for a bad joke, but then he says he thought he was referring to Palin’s 18 year old daughter – like what he said was any more appropriate directed at any woman not actually pregnant with A-Rod’s love child. Letterman also passes the buck by saying he was misunderstood. Isn’t that typical – he wasn’t to blame for the joke, but we are to blame for misunderstanding it. Has Dave been attending law school behind our backs?
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