The back and forth between late night television supporters of David Letterman and those who support the Palin family has been entertainment news fodder during the course of the past couple of days. I say, enough already. Let it go.
Yes, all the critics of Letterman are correct. It is common sense that we don't condone the off color remarks, disguised in the form of a "joke", especially as a 62 year old man drags a 14 year old girl into the fray. Whether he admits it or not, Letterman was making a sex joke aimed at a 14 year old as she watched a baseball game in NYC with her parents during an event honoring volunteers who work on behalf of disabled Americans. Willow Palin was in the stands with her parents, not Bristol Palin. Bristol Palin is the unwed mom to the Palin's grandchild born last December.
When some observant viewers began to speak up against such ugly 'humor', Letterman did as he always does, he backpedaled and changed his story. He claimed, oh no, no, no, he would have never made a crass joke involving sex with a 14 year old girl. Why, never in a million years would he do such a thing. He meant that other Palin daughter. In the world of David Letterman and the rest of the tony far left crowd in Manhattan, 18 year old unwed mothers are fair game, especially if their mom is a conservative politician.
Let's acknowledge who David Letterman is: Letterman is a former C student from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, who, upon graduation, landed a job as a weatherman at a local television station in Indianapolis. From there he went to a failed early morning show which led to the late night slot. He is known for his snide remarks and in his younger days he was able to carry it off with minimal offense to the viewer. Today, however, he simply comes off as bitter and nasty. His humor is mean-spirited and his audience is mostly too young to care much about professional integrity.
Letterman, as he holds himself above everyone else, is the father of a young son. He didn't bother to marry the mother of his child though they have been in a committed relationship for many years. How about folks who would make bastard child jokes to him? Would that be fair game in the world of Letterman?
That said, I suggest conservatives and supporters of the Palin family and now, lo and behold, NOW, ratchet down the discourse. Yes, the National Organization of Women formally came out and denounced Letterman for his nasty 'jokes'. Statuary rape is not funny, even against a conservative politician's daughter.
Stop with the calling for the firing of David Letterman. It isn't going to happen and further boosts his publicity. He is set to sign a new contract, as I type this. We believe in free speech in this country - we hold the First Amendment dear - and that includes stupid, ugly remarks, too. David Letterman deserves all the scorn he receives. Feel the need to let Letterman know of your disgust? Fire off an email to him and his network. Let his advertisers know your feelings. All of that is perfectly legitimate. That is the American way.
Do not, however, my fellow Republicans and conservatives, fall into the methods of the angry left in this country. Do not demand someone be fired because you do not approve of his speech. Just do as I did many years ago, change the channel.
Just change the channel.
7 comments:
Simple enough. And perfectly said.
There you go. It was inappropriate, but so are most of the jokes on there. This one happened to cross the line because it was about a child. I don't stay up that late anyway.
As Sarah Palin herself said in her interview with Matt Lauer this morning, it's more than just the crudeness and inappropriateness of these kinds of jokes towards her daughter.
The tolerance of this kind of thing degrades young women everywhere. When someone laughs at a joke about statutory rape, it creates a culture that thinks statutory rape is a laughing matter. When people laugh when a 14 or 18 year old is called a whore on national television - it sends a powerful and dangerous message to budding or active mysoginists everywhere.
Changing the channel is fine. But that won't stop this kind of thing from happening elsewhere - making our young girls vulnerable and driving their already low self esteem even lower.
No, Letterman won't get fired. Which is a pity. Remember Don Imus?
Palin's communique mentioned it would be wise to "...keep Willow away from Mr Letterman..."
That would be great TV - watching a little girl punch an old perv right in the guts.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/story?id=7822673&page=1
well said, karen and very classy.
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