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My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Not all heroes wear capes.

GOP baffled that ‘we don’t care if you die’ is not a winning slogan.

There are some who say that there are too many strawmen arguments on this blog.

Let there be snark.

People identifying as christian while ignoring christ and his teachings is a strange thing indeed.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

When you’re a Republican, they let you do it.

The low info voters probably won’t even notice or remember by their next lap around the goldfish bowl.

These are not very smart people, and things got out of hand.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

When we show up, we win.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

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“woke” is the new caravan.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Come on, man.

You cannot shame the shameless.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

We can show the world that autocracy can be defeated.

Every decision we make has lots of baggage with it, known or unknown.

Dear Washington Post, you are the darkness now.

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You are here: Home / Then they came for Big Bird

Then they came for Big Bird

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Breitbart:

Add one more soldier to the Left’s war on Fox News: Oscar the Grouch.

Last week, in a re-broadcast of an episode that originally aired two years ago, Oscar starts his own news network, GNN (Grouchy News Network). An irate viewer calls in to berate him that the news is not grouchy enough:

“I am changing the channel. From now on I am watching ‘Pox’ News. Now there is a trashy news show.”

Predictably, the PBS ombudsman offers a lengthy apology to the tea baggers.

I stopped giving money to these jack asses when they gave Paul Gigot his own show.

Reader Interactions

62Comments

  3. 3.

    Zifnab

    Predictably, the PBS ombudsman offers a lengthy apology to the tea baggers.

    Better to ask for an apology than to ask permission.

    I’m inclined to support PBS and NPR through thick and thin. The last 8 years of GOP control have left a black mark on the brands, but they’re still orders of magnitude better than network and cable news.

    I’ll tolerate my weekly David Frum. It’s not like he isn’t picked up on every other freak’n news show shy of The Daily Show.

  4. 4.

    calipygian

    What are conservative parents doing letting their children watch a show that might teach them how to read or count?

  5. 5.

    General Winfield Stuck

    Add one more soldier to the Left’s war on Fox News: Oscar the Grouch.

    I’d say they are well matched for this fight.

  6. 6.

    John S.

    Oh for fuck’s sake…

    My kid loves that episode and he doesn’t have the foggiest idea what FOX News is, nor would any child watching the show. These fucking teabaggers need a fainting couch the size of Texas for all the nonsense they manage to get their knickers in a twist over.

  7. 7.

    calipygian

    @Zifnab:

    The letters from complaining viewers are printed below. There are not many of them, but as is often the case, even a single viewer can make an important observation worthy of reporting and discussing. My eagle-eyed assistant, Marcia Apperson, reminds me that we have received the occasional complaint about this particular episode before. It aired for the first time two years ago and a couple of times in 2008 and this year. But I confess that this is the first time it caught my eye and the first time we heard from a number of viewers.

    VERY thin skinned.

    Funny how they probably get HUNDREDS of calls about Fox Whores Mara Liasson and Juan Williams and do nothing.

    But a letter here and there from offended Pox viewers and they are wiping tea leaves from their chins.

  8. 8.

    YellowJournalism

    So when do we start sending Elmo Live to the heads of Fox News? Because I have one I would love to get rid of…

  9. 9.

    GambitRF

    Wait for the next episode, wherein The Count counts the number of people in attendance of Glenn Beck’s 9/12 project rally.

    “He didn’t count 2 million of them!! That’s how many there were! Damn liberals!!”

  12. 12.

    akaoni

    I stopped giving money to these jack asses when they gave Paul Gigot his own show.

    That’s too bad. While I agree with much of your media criticism, PBS, NPR, IPR, etc. remain very positive forces in broadcasting even if they have knuckled under to pressure from the “fair and balanced” squad. This is in part due to many of the attacks the during the Bush administration on PBS and public broadcasting in general including putting the corrupt Ken Tomlinson in charge.

    Regardless, there is still lots of quality programing both local and national that public broadcasting puts out there. If we cut them off now (when we have an administration that might acutally be friendly to public broadcasting) it would force them to move ever closer to the mockery of journalism that broadcast media has become today. I’m a proud sponsor of my local Iowa Public Broadcasting and Iowa Public Radio and will continue to sponsor the quality programing that they put out.

  13. 13.

    Condit

    That last sentence cracks me up.

    We no longer NEED their approval. We see them for what they are: bitter, pompous and desperate.

    If only the irony wasn’t totally lost on him.

  14. 14.

    DougJ

    Regardless, there is still lots of quality programing both local and national that public broadcasting puts out there. If we cut them off now (when we have an administration that might acutally be friendly to public broadcasting) it would force them to move ever closer to the mockery of journalism that broadcast media has become today. I’m a proud sponsor of my local Iowa Public Broadcasting and Iowa Public Radio and will continue to sponsor the quality programing that they put out.

    I realize that, but the thought of giving money to Paul Gigot was to much for me.

  15. 15.

    JGabriel

    OT, but: A New Approach for Republicans?

    [Stormy] Daniels also said that her career won’t be a problem. “It’s actually starting to work in my favor,” she said. “I have nothing to hide. A sex tape of me isn’t going to pop up and shame me; there are 150 of them at the video store.”

    She has a point. I really doubt that Daniels will a win GOP primary against Vitters, assuming she gets on the ballot. But at least it’ll be amusing.

    And the no sex scandals thing would be good news for conservatives.

    .

  17. 17.

    calipygian

    @Condit: The sentence before cracks me up:

    Meanwhile, we have the cool kids on our side: Dennis Miller, Greg Gutfeld, Andrew Breitbart and yes, even Glenn Beck.

    Every single one of those people has been hung by their Fruit of the Looms from the flagpole in junior high, guaranteed.

  18. 18.

    YellowJournalism

    @General Winfield Stuck: God? No. Satan? Possibly. Have you seen an Elmo Live in action? These things are damned creepy. Add in a strange ticking noise when the gears in the mouth get stripped and you have the makings of a Chucky-esque horror flick in your home. But my son still loves Elmo, anyways.

    Unfortunately, though, my son cannot say “Elmo” properly yet, so it comes out sounding like “homo”, which is not something you want a two-year-old child yelling at the top of his lungs in the middle of Toys R Us on a Sunday.

  22. 22.

    Max

    Well, Lou Dobbs is available…

    He’s resigning from CNN tonight.

    Cue his Fox News show announce in 5, 4, 3, …

  23. 23.

    Dreggas

    You know what’s really funny is the context in which “Pox” is used. It’s used in the “Pox on both your houses” which would be even “grouchier”.

  25. 25.

    Midnight Marauder

    OT, but if this turns out to be true, then shit just got real, son.

    Lou Dobbs to Depart CNN

    Lou Dobbs, the longtime CNN anchor whose anti-immigration views made him a TV lightning rod, plans to announce Wednesday that he is leaving the network, two network employees said.

    A CNN executive confirmed that Mr. Dobbs will announce his resignation plans on his 7 p.m. program. His resignation is effective immediately; tonight’s program will be his last on CNN. His contract was not set to expire until the end of 2011.

    But before the “Loud Obbs to Fox News movement” begins, it’s important to remember that the Cerberus of Fox News, Geraldo Rivera, made it quite clear last month that Lou Dobbs would never come over to Fox.

    Speaking at a luncheon sponsored by the Spanish newspaper El Diario La Prensa on Thursday, Fox News host Geraldo Rivera said, “One of the aspects of our reality in the United States now is the defamatory tone of the immigration debate and how that immigration debate has slandered an entire race of people.”

    Rivera said in his speech that he was so opposed to Dobbs joining Fox News that he called his boss and received assurance that the network was not going to hire the CNN host. “No more of these lies, no more of this slander, no more of this stereotyping. I can tell you proudly, when this man [Dobbs] was widely rumored to be coming to my network, I called my boss couple of weeks ago, and he said it’s absolutely untrue. Lou Dobbs is not coming to Fox News. He belongs at CNN if they can justify his presence there that’s their problem.”

  26. 26.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @YellowJournalism:

    But my son still loves Elmo, anyways.

    See, kids know stuff.

    she made a special tape for Kermit some years back.

    Maybe that’s why he’s green/

  29. 29.

    General Winfield Stuck

    A CNN executive confirmed that Mr. Dobbs will announce his resignation plans on his 7 p.m. program. His resignation is effective immediately; tonight’s program will be his last on CNN. His contract was not set to expire until the end of 2011.

    This makes my vets day.

  34. 34.

    Martin

    @Midnight Marauder:

    Wow, Fox is turning into the Yankees of news – pure, concentrated, overpaid assholes – all on one team. And just in time for Murdoch to throw up the $1250/seat paywall on the teabaggers.

  35. 35.

    Why oh why

    First they came for Big Bird,
    Then they came for Lou Dobbs,
    When they came for Bristol Palin,
    There was nobody left to speak.

  36. 36.

    pcbedamned

    @calipygian:

    That’s called homeschooling.

    @toujoursdan:

    Sadly, the CBC had no balls and is too willing to put neo-cons on to stop the right-wingers who rule Canada from accusing it of left wing bias and cutting funding.

    B.S. Every Canadian knows that the CBC is a lefty news station. That’s why no one watches it anymore – we already know what a loser Iggy is…

    @YellowJournalism:

    That is too funny!!!

  37. 37.

    calipygian

    @lamh31: I’m betting on “Geraldo and Dobbs”, a latter day “Hannity and Combs” for people who watch NASCAR for the horrific accidents.

  41. 41.

    JGabriel

    dmsilev:

    Off topic: Did he jump or was he pushed: Lou Dobbs and CNN are parting ways.

    Not so off. First they came for Big Bird, and we said nothing. Then they came for Lou Dobbs …

    .

  42. 42.

    Midnight Marauder

    I am so downright giddy over this Dobbs thing, it’s incredible. I always knew how much I hated this man and everything he represented, but I didn’t expect to be this elated when this day finally came.

    @lamh31:

    I don’t care what Geraldo says, I bet Dobbs finds his way to Fox News. O’Reilly & Hannity betta look out.

    I would agree with that sentiment. Just thought it was worth posting Geraldo’s statements from last month. It will certainly be interesting to see how it plays out the next few weeks.

  45. 45.

    shoutingattherain

    @YellowJournalism:

    She can’t. They fired her due to a morals clause in her contract after it was found out that she made a special tape for Kermit some years back.

    Well that’s just sick and wrong. Is
    nothing     sacred?

  47. 47.

    MikeJ

    If PBS were to disappear, where would I watch The Lawrence Welk Show?

    They still show that where you live? All I ever see on my two PBS stations is infomercials.

  50. 50.

    YellowJournalism

    @shoutingattherain: You’re right. What happens between a frog and his pig is private, but this is what happens when you leave your friends with your home video collection. They don’t call him Gonzo for nothin’.

  51. 51.

    toujoursdan

    @pcbedamned:

    Haha. I guess in wingnut world the CBC which regularly features Don Martin, Andrew Coyne, David Frum and Rex ‘gay marriage will mean the end of civilization’ Murphy is left wing. But then so is reality for that count.

    And Iggy may be a loser but 63%+ of the electorate will cast votes for anyone other than Stephen Harper even after he’s been in office for several years. That’s hardly a winner.

  53. 53.

    pcbedamned

    @toujoursdan:

    And Iggy may be a loser but 63%+ of the electorate will cast votes for anyone other than Stephen Harper even after he’s been in office for several years. That’s hardly a winner.

    Actually, it is. And that’s the reason we will have either another Con minority, or if Iggy is crazy enough to call an election, a Con majority.
    And before we go and confuse our American audience here, it only fair to point out that the “63%” of the electoral votes cast are for 4 other main parties aside from the Cons (Libs, NDP, Bloc, Green, and whatever fringe party is on the ballot). This does not equate like the American either left or right situation. Let’s face it, the only reason the Cons have a minority right now is because a) people were first pissed about the Sponsorship Scandal, and b) Dion. No more needs to be said…

  55. 55.

    Xanthippas

    Every single one of those people has been hung by their Fruit of the Looms from the flagpole in junior high, guaranteed.

    Ha.

    Anyway, it’s dumb not to give your money to PBS or NPR because they do a stupid story here and there or their ombudsmen gets on your nerves.

  56. 56.

    Jon H

    @Zifnab: “I’m inclined to support PBS and NPR through thick and thin. The last 8 years of GOP control have left a black mark on the brands, but they’re still orders of magnitude better than network and cable news.”

    PBS is pretty much dead to me because of their addiction to infomercials, particularly infomercials touting pseudoscience or self-help nonsense.

    I’d be far more likely to donate if their pledge week specials consisted of “The Best Of NOVA” rather than quackery and new age soma for baby boomers.

  57. 57.

    RedKitten

    And before we go and confuse our American audience here, it only fair to point out that the “63%” of the electoral votes cast are for 4 other main parties aside from the Cons (Libs, NDP, Bloc, Green, and whatever fringe party is on the ballot). This does not equate like the American either left or right situation. Let’s face it, the only reason the Cons have a minority right now is because a) people were first pissed about the Sponsorship Scandal, and b) Dion. No more needs to be said…

    It’s really a dog’s breakfast, isn’t it? I wouldn’t trust any of them to hold my purse, let alone run my country. We’ve got Iggy and Stevie kicking each other in the shins, Jack running ads about how his shit doesn’t stink, and don’t even get me started on the Bloc.

  58. 58.

    Vince CA

    Getting laid off for me was good for one reason only: I got to finally cancel my sub to my local PBS affiliate. You know why? Have you listened to Talk of the Nation or All Things Considered Lately? With the obvious and glaring exception of Science Friday, Talk of the Nation is full is dim bulbs and dimmer callers. ATC actually ran a twenty minute program on a dude who went to losing National baseball games. And both want my option on pop music. OMFG! The alternative for me might be KPFA (and the wretched Herbal Highway) but damn if I give another dime to somebody who things Neil Conan (and Juan Williams before him) are somehow qualified to perform journamalistic tasks. Robert Siegal, you too, baseball losers, I mean come on! Somebody must have smoked a crack pipe that week and you could have asked him if being high made him feel like he was a loser at a Nationals baseball game, no?

  59. 59.

    Jon H

    @Vince CA: “With the obvious and glaring exception of Science Friday, Talk of the Nation is full is dim bulbs and dimmer callers.”

    I’m starting to think that call-in shows are a massive waste of air time and listener time.

    I quite like the model of BBC Radio 4’s Start The Week and In Our Time.

    On Start The Week, several people with new book or TV or movie or play releases are on the panel, and they discuss each person’s offering in turn. With authors, the panelists apparently read the book. With TV shows and stage productions, I don’t know what they do. Maybe they see rehearsals or pre-release videos. The point being that there are generally four educated, intelligent people discussing something they are at least a bit familiar with. Nobody calling in from East Dogpatch.

    On In Our Time, the host has a panel of three academic experts, and the experts talk about the subject of the episode.

    Note that the guests on these shows tend not to be the types who get on American shows.

    NPR shows invite the same twenty people from the same half dozen organizations, with their predictable blind spots and fixations. In such circumstances, maybe one listener call in a dozen is useful in pointing out something that ought to be obvious but which the panelists from DC Central Casting ignore or miss completely. But such points from listeners are generally ignored. More likely are irrelevancies, or listeners who just serve to push the panel onto the same vapid topics the media are already addicted to.

  60. 60.

    Jon H

    One thing on NPR that annoyed me recently. On Morning Edition Saturday a while back, there was a Scottish singer-songwriter on, with a thick accent.

    For some reason, the host of the show (I don’t think it was Scott Simon, but he’s grown tiresome in his own right) was making stupid comments about the guy’s accent, which wasn’t actually that hard to understand.

    It just seemed really lame, and amateurish, and ate up time that could have been better used. I also can’t see the host acting the same way if the guest was a person with an accent from, say, Tibet, or Guatemala, or Japan, or Africa, or if the person had a disability that made it hard to speak.

  61. 61.

    pcbedamned

    @RedKitten:

    Every time I see that commercial with guy who sends out the ‘free cd video’s’, I see Jack. Creepy ;)

    I agree with the rest. Especially the ‘bloc kebecquois’ (sic).
    Extreme confession time: even as a conservative, I preferred Martin (I will deny this if anyone finds out my true identity…)

    P.S. – How was Blondie? Did you enjoy your night out?

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