Well, that didn’t take long. A week after the A&E network suspended production of Duck Dynasty due to show patriarch Phil Robertson’s homophobic remarks in GQ, A&E blinked. And Robertson is back.
In its defense of ending the suspension, A&E officials say that Robertson expressed his personal beliefs, not the network’s, and that the show isn’t about his beliefs.
The network will also begin airing public service announcements that promote “unity, tolerance, and acceptance.”
Duck Dynasty is a financial bonanza for A&E. It’s a reality show takeoff on the Beverly Hillbillies where backwoods thinking is elevated to new heights of Americana. Duck Dynasty isn’t just about waterfowl; it’s more about family dynamics and regional culture. And the show has millions of fans as well as multiple merchandising deals.
Some media industry observers came to the early conclusion that A&E couldn’t win this PR battle. If it took a position that chastised Robertson, they would lose viewers and the money that comes with a hit show. If they stood by and silently supported Robertson, they would open themselves up to criticism, particularly from the LGBT community.
A&E’s initial decision to put Robertson on hiatus was the right one. Robertson, citing mostly religious views, compared homosexuality to bestiality. And he’s allegedly made offensive remarks about African Americans, essentially praising the Jim Crow South.
Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal were among the first politicians to come out in support of Robertson. Palin talked with her usual breadth of knowledge about the Constitution and Robertson’s right to free speech. And Jindal was upset because, he said, no one criticized singer Miley Cyrus for her sexually-charged antics during a recent awards show.
But to Palin’s point, Robertson’s freedom of speech has not been denied. He has the right to say what he wants, but that doesn’t mean there are no consequences for such disturbing comments. Just ask former MSNBC host Martin Bashir.
And Jindal is just plain wrong. Cyrus was both widely admired and criticized for her public display. But more importantly, as offensive as some viewers may have found Cyrus, she did not give an interview talking about gays and God or the virtues of racism.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see that A&E’s damage control is short-lived. It frequently isn’t long before individuals like Robertson say or do something else equally provocative, partly because they often feel vindicated by decisions like A&E’s.
This article appears in Dec 25-31, 2013.
Please keep in mind that this is the same network that brings us such stellar entertainment as “Dog the Bounty Hunter” and “Parking Wars”.
Perhaps they need to consider changing their name from “Arts & Entertainment” to something more descriptive of their programming….
According to an editorial in this newspaper, “If we’re going to continue to be able to govern ourselves, we’ll have to be willing to listen to one another and respect other viewpoints.” While it’s true that the capital-C Constitution restrains government, not citizens, there is nevertheless another part of our social compact, a small-c constitution by which we respect our neighbor’s right to speak his mind. If you disagree with him, then the appropriate response is a reasoned refutation — not name-calling or a witch hunt.
A&E’s volte-face is a resounding defeat for political correctness. And it is a thumping humiliation for extremist groups that sought to silence America’s favorite patriarch.
As for the Bashir incident, there is no comparison whatsoever. He called for a human being to be physically assaulted and degraded. (And, of course, he had no audience to speak of anyway.)
If the duck people don’t like gay people, they shouldn’t be working in show business. I guess they don’t mind the gay hair stylist teasing their beards…I guess greed wins again.
From the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission:
“Religious discrimination involves treating a person (an applicant or
employee) unfavorably because of his or her religious beliefs. The law protects
not only people who belong to traditional, organized religions, such as
Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism, but also others who have
sincerely held religious, ethical or moral beliefs.”
Yes, I think it applies here!
But, please understand that this man is already rich and that this “job” is mainly for the benefit of others.
The spirit of this protection belongs on the factory floor, office, etc. where we must all strive to be more respectful and tolerant of others.