Posted on 12/20/2013 11:05:43 AM PST by BenLurkin
But the particular problem for the TV industry is that it's trying to profit off the same cultural tensions it's exploiting. That inevitably leads to problems such as the current one engulfing "Duck Dynasty."
The reality programming trend in recent years has made stars out of everyone from bakers to pawnbrokers to catfish-wranglers. That these "authentic" people have opinions and values that don't always jibe with those of the media elite in New York and Los Angeles isn't necessarily surprising.
...
But it means that the executives and PR handlers have had to get very good at backpedaling away from uncomfortable realities. That's most likely what is happening now on "Duck Dynasty."
"A&E has been very careful in editing and presenting this family, being careful not to show any potential controversial views," said Robert J. Thompson, professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University. "But they can't control what they say outside of the show."
"Channels like A&E program 'regular' people mostly to make curiosities out of them," said Jeffrey McCall, a media studies professor at DePauw University. "The programmers want to manage every aspect of their 'reality' commodities, but that isn't really possible.
"If A&E wants the Robertsons to make money for the channel by being authentic, then at some point A&E has to accept that reality stars will be real human beings," McCall added. "If A&E didn't like the Robertsons as they are, then why did they give them a weekly platform?"
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
The Hitler principle. First they came for Duck Dynasty, and you said nothing. Next they’ll come after you.
There is a war on Christianity in this country. Like most liberal movements it got its foothold decades ago with a radical change, taking prayer out of the schools, that current generations grew up not knowing any other way. After a while they got birth control and condoms into the schools to promote promiscuity and premarital sex. And now they’re sending in the “gay activists” to teach your kids how to practice homosexuality in the name of “tolerance.”
As of this year, we’ve now seen that “gay rights” are now being used as the excuse to steal constitutional rights away from Christians, via assaults on the freedoms of wedding photographers, cakemakers and now Phil Robertson. In parallel, “health care rights” are being used to force churches to participate in abortions.
It’s not hard to imagine where this will go next. There will be continually unfolding lists of regulations every church must follow in order to keep their “licenses.” People will be fired, fined, locked up and have the state take away their children because they committed “hate speech” by trying to teach the bible.
But it sounds like you want to ignore what’s happening, let everyone else get carted off in the trains, and wait until they come knocking out your door to worry about it, by which point it will be too late.
First they came for Duck Dynasty, but I didn't watch Duck Dynasty so I did nothing.................”
Seriously! Seriously?
Just called Comcas to have A&E removed form my cable TV service. The Customer Service Rep says that A&E is part of a larger package and I’d lose over 100 channels.
I told , “OK, remove them all.” He then spoke with his manager who said (1) others are calling Comcast to cancel A&E and (2) Comcast may have a solution soon to remove/block single channels.
I told him that I didn’t want any of my money to go to A&E as part of what I pay for the package and if Comcast couldn’t do that I’ll leave Comcast.
Given that he said they were working on a solution I’m going to give them 2 weeks and then cancel if A&E gets one penny of my money. And, I’ll drop Comcast, if need be, as well.
Everybody needs to call, call, call and cancel A&E.
The premise is all wrong. The Robertsons don’t need Atheists & Elitists, Atheists & Elitists need the Robertsons. Phil and the boys never have to work again. Willie made them all rich. And now Phil, Jase and Si can hunt and fish to their hearts are content.
The notion that these people are stupid, backwoods hicks is hilarious. Phil has a BA and Masters in Education from LSU and an entrepreneur who built a very successful business. Willie is an MBA who brought it to another level. Jase, Jep and the Pastor are all college graduates. And to top it all off Terry Bradshaw says Phil was the best football player he had ever seen when he backed Phil up at LSU.
And on top of all that Phil can live off the land unlike 98% of Americans.
Phil Robertson did it his way and there is nothing A&E can do to change anything about him.
Read the comments, and understand why we are lurching toward CW2.
bump
Comcast/Xfinity, as well as all cable companies have been saying we’ll be able to order channels “ala carte” for years now. The truth of the matter is, it’s not happening “soon” and it probably never will. Such a move would cost the channels too much money
I have vowed to stop watching anything on A&E until they reinstate Phil - and I have never watched the show!
I also sent emails to every advertiser and A&E networks telling that they have lost one set of eyeballs.
It’s time that others start doing what the gays, lesbians, blacks, hispanics, and others do all the time - boycott it.
Two guys? I don't think you've watched Duck Dynasty, if you think it's a show about two guys.
I have no doubt people will question why you would ask this question, but I agree.
I totally support this guy's right to say this and have no doubt he and his family are good people.
But I have never watched the show and also wonder why anybody cares to watch a show about this particular family. The guy who runs the deli down the street is a nice guy with a fun family, but I don't want to watch a show about them either.
Do they juggle or shoot people out of cannons or tell jokes or sing wonderfully? They just look like a bunch of dudes with beards to me. I don't understand why anybody tunes in.
People tune in out of curiosity, then keep watching because it's entertaining and wholesome. If it weren't for this kerfuffle with A&E, I'd suggest that you tune in and check it out sometime.
Here's a website that purports to have every episode available to watch for free:
And I get sucked into some dumbass shows, like "A Haunting". That show's a pile of baloney, but I watch it anyway because it keeps me entertained.
FYI: However, the promos show ONLY two guys, so what else is one to conclude? Gimme a break.
Excuse me, but you haven't asked me anything. You stated that you weren't interested in watching a show about "two guys". You also said that you didn't find them to be funny. "At ALL".
Duh. Try to use the brains God gave you.
Now that's funny, considering that you just made a fool of yourself in front of everyone on the thread.
I was never enticed to watch by the commercials either, but my wife was. I just happened to sit down in front of the TV one day when it was on, and within a few minutes, I was hooked enough to watch the rest of the episode. After that, I looked forward to watching the show.
Bump!
Lol. GET a life and stop being my negative groupie. Geez.
TV is 90% LGBT. The MFers will never be satisfied till it’s 100%.
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