It all seemed to start so simply, as I watched this week’s “SNL” and saw an NBC in-house commercial bragging about how all this week’s Thursday night comedies will be packed with environmental propaganda, including an appearance from Al Gore on “30 Rock.” So I hopped on my Facebook account and wrote the following response before heading out for the next 10 hours:
“So NBC’s bragging that all their Thursday comedies will be pro-green propaganda this Thursday, so much that Al Gore’s gonna guest on ’30 Rock”?! Ugh. OK I’ll do my part – by throwing out my television. (Not a fan of Al, in case you can’t tell. Find the story of why i hate him buried amid my blog topics at americasfunniestreporter.com.)”
Three friends commented quickly afterwards in support of me. But then, two others – a former boss from a Chicago magazine named Jane, and an acquaintance who’s a public school teacher living in Whittier – chimed in to express their disagreement. Caught in the middle was one of my best friends and co-host of my weekly Internet talk show “Grand Theft Audio,” Jake Belcher.
The roundelay that developed over the rest of the day seemed worthy of pointing out to a broader audience, for to me it shows just how ingrained the PC, ‘love the left no matter what’ mindset can be in some people, who will even assume that there’s just no way to make a living while being outspoken about having a conservative, or “right-wing,” viewpoint in today’s Hollywood. It also shows just how scary it is that a schoolteacher in our publicly funded classrooms is so hidebound to a leftist ideology and is likely teaching them that mindset each and every day.
Forthwith, some highlights (or lowlights) from the exchange, coupled with my final response in defense of speaking up for a conservative mindset…
***
MONICA: Just Curious, how does a right-wing comic survive in Los Angeles? Do you use some of your political views in your stand up? Truly, I am baffled by your views. I know your from Arkansas, and these views are probably more widely accepted there, but I just can’t see it going over so well in Los Angeles.
JANE: Carl I adore you. But…. actual hate and anger doesn’t get laughs. It’s uncomfortable and scary, not really entertaining. So I’m guessing that your conservative comedy pokes fun at right wingers as well Is that how you do ok for yourself in LA?
JAKE: Jane, what did Carl write above that could possibly scare you? And Monica, Carl does very well with his views, not everyone blindly follows the same Ideology. Nice assumption on the fine citizens of Arkansas, no hate coming from you on that. To everyone. I think people need to get a fucking grip on reality. People are still allowed to have … different views from each other, free speech fear mongers. Fear of expression is one of the ways Hitler gained and kept his power. Every time you see or hear a viewpoint that is different than yours you should thank God that you live in a land that has such freedom.
MONICA: Your projection tactics do not work here!
JAKE: Oh well, yours seem to be working just fine. Wonder why that is? Oh yeah, avoidance of the point. That helps ALOT.
MONICA: I might not agree with Carl on some issues, but it does not mean I do not think he is funny. Personally, I do not find the word hate funny, that’s just me. No comic is funny 100% of the time! See the late shows, some stuff doesn’t work. Watching a bad joke is like watching a plane plummet to its impending doom! Still curious if this talk works. Obama being compared to Hitler, Now that’s funny!
JAKE: Sorry, no, I compared your line of thinking with Hitlers.
MONICA: When a person has uncomfortable thoughts or feelings, they may project these onto other people, assigning the thoughts or feelings that they need to repress to a convenient alternative target. Goodnight, Belcher.
JAKE: You are trying to shut down and belittle others thoughts.
CARL: Wow, i can’t believe I missed all this excitement! First off, thank you jake for having my back.
Now, Jane, as someone who’s the mother of two boys, you ought to know that “hate” is a euphemism for “can’t stand”. To scold me for saying i hate Al Gore, or spinach, is ridiculous. What are we living in, “Little House on the Prairie”? And yes, i make fun of both sides, though I’m happy and proud to dish it out to the left more, when there’s 6 million other comics all saying the same thing on the other side of the fence. Oh really – comics hate Bush? I still hear that shit a full year AFTER Obama got elected! (not that i was a big Bush fan, either.) I have had more breaks happen in the past year since coming out of the coservative closet than ever before (actually libertarian – im’ for drug legalization and gay marriage, and have opposed our involvement in the Middle East since the FIRST Gulf War – an antiwar position shared by Pat Buchanan,its’ not just a hippie thing to oppose war, there are different philosophical reasons for it).
Monica, grow up. It’s sad to think that you’re part of the problem in our schools, where only one side is taught anymore , the left. To both you and Jane, I would gladly make less money and know that I spoke my conscience in this lifetime, even if there were consequences, than to shut up or tell lies as i see it. Besides, Monica, you’ve never come and seen me perform anyway, so what am i missing by your being baffled? i don’t get very political onstage, but i don’t deny or hide my views either, there or anywhere else.
Are you both seriously going to tell me you, as committed liberals, never felt or expressed “hate” for Bush or Republicans? Monica, are you seriously expecting those with different views to just sit down and shut up? Maybe that works in your classroom,but as the son of a man who fled Communist Poland and the grandson of a man who died fighting the Nazis at Normandy, I’ll be damned if I ever keep quiet about any injustice I see, especially in the form of propaganda for Al Gore,a man who whored his dead sister’s memory for votes and made millions off tobacco, the product that killed her, for a decade after her death – only selling his interest in the family crop when he ran for VP and it got too politically “messy” to keep it. Now he wants to reinvent the American economy with “green” schemes that he personally makes billions off of, while spending 20x more energy in his home than the average American. By the way, his college grades were worse than W’s .
And before you knock Arkansas, take a look at Whittier…. Read More
Pot. Kettle. Black.
***
Sure, it was but one argument thrust back in the face of the tide of liberalism. But it felt good to dish it back. And it feels even better to share it with others who might just be seeking a little encouragement to do the same.
Go boldly.
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