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'Duck Dynasty': Before the furor, a lunch in Beverly Hills
The Los Angeles Times ^ | December 27, 2013 | Greg Braxton

Posted on 12/28/2013 7:33:50 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

A stir in the upscale restaurant at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills was evident as soon as the men with the forest-thick beards and camouflage gear entered, accompanied by wife, kids and entourage.

The group instantly seemed out of place among the lunchtime crowd of sharply attired patrons, many in suits and ties.

But it was immediately clear that more than a few of the customers recognized them as the Robertsons of A&E's "Duck Dynasty."

It was late February, more than nine months before "Duck Dynasty" became the lightning rod for one of the year's most contentious TV controversies. At the time, the Robertsons were in the midst of a whirlwind promotional tour for the launch of the show's third season.

The family had just finished a photo session on the hotel's rooftop for an article scheduled for the Sunday Calendar section of the Los Angeles Times. Minutes later, there were sitting down with a reporter -- me -- who was seated at the head of a long table, poised to ask the most popular family on television about life, fame and duck hunting as they ate.

Not the best or most comfortable situation for an interview, but it was the best that could be done on their tight schedule, which included an appearance later that day on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

Of the hundreds of people I have interviewed this year, I am most often asked about the Robertsons: "What are they really like?" "Did they really dress that way?" "Did you like them?"(continued)

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: California; US: Louisiana
KEYWORDS: duckdynasty; facialprofiling; philrobertson; television
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1 posted on 12/28/2013 7:33:50 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
A stir in the upscale restaurant at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills was evident as soon as the men with the forest-thick beards and camouflage gear entered

Sad to see that facial profiling still goes on in this day and age.

2 posted on 12/28/2013 7:39:46 AM PST by ElkGroveDan (My tagline is in the shop.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I wonder how much longer Greg Braxton will be working for the LA Times?


3 posted on 12/28/2013 7:42:32 AM PST by darkwing104 (Forgive but don't forget)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
The bottom line: Of all the celebrities I have talked to in the past year, the Robertsons rank at the top in terms of politeness, personality and warmth. They were gracious and cooperative during the photo session, and were responsive to my inquiries.

This from an LA Times reporter!

Perhaps a soon to be ex-LA Times reporter.

4 posted on 12/28/2013 7:42:48 AM PST by P-Marlowe (There can be no Victory without a fight and no battle without wounds)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“Did they really dress that way?”

As if they were all dressed like day-glo drag queens in a “pride” parade.

Sheesh.

They look like everybody I know.

I pity people who don’t know folks like them.


5 posted on 12/28/2013 7:43:18 AM PST by Salamander (Hey, Jack the Ripper, won't you come on over... hook me up to the power lines of your love...)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I'm African American. So some wondered whether I sensed any chill or hostility.

Where do the liberals GET this stuff? So what if he's African American? What the hell does that have to do with anything???

6 posted on 12/28/2013 7:44:25 AM PST by ElkGroveDan (My tagline is in the shop.)
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To: ElkGroveDan
facial profiling

LOL
7 posted on 12/28/2013 7:46:41 AM PST by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: ElkGroveDan
Where do the liberals GET this stuff? So what if he's African American? What the hell does that have to do with anything???

All skin color all the time.

8 posted on 12/28/2013 7:46:52 AM PST by Standing Wolf (No tyrant should ever be allowed to die of natural causes.)
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To: ElkGroveDan
Sad to see that facial profiling still goes on in this day and age.

LOL!

The upscale Beverly Hills lib crowd is all just a bunch of prejudiced faceists.

9 posted on 12/28/2013 7:47:00 AM PST by P-Marlowe (There can be no Victory without a fight and no battle without wounds)
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To: Salamander

You said ... “They look like everybody I know.”

LOL ... I have to laugh at that, because in my entire extended family and friends, I’m the only one who looks like them ... :-) ...

I did “Phil” at Halloween and everyone loved it with the camo and sunglasses. But I have to admit it was a bit difficult seeing out of those sunglasses at night!


10 posted on 12/28/2013 7:48:53 AM PST by Star Traveler (Remember to keep the Messiah of Israel in the One-World Government that we look forward to coming)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Willie Robertson, the CEO of Duck Commander, sat on the other side of me. He was also polite, but a little more distant, leaving the table
a few times for phone calls. Because he is the main force behind the company and the show, I suspected that breaking bread with a reporter
was likely a few notches down on his priority list.

Headline next week:

"Willie Robertson disrespects black LA Times reporter !!!"


11 posted on 12/28/2013 7:51:26 AM PST by Iron Munro (Orwell: There are some ideas so absurd that only an intellectual could believe them.)
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To: Salamander

It was a sad sad day at my house when hubby decided his beard was too hot and shaved it off. These men look like most of my relatives and neighbors now. Dress the same way too.


12 posted on 12/28/2013 7:51:56 AM PST by Black Agnes
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
By the way, none of that talk revolved around gays or blacks. No questions on those subjects were raised. At that time, there was no reason why they would have been asked.

Uh, there's no reason now! How many spots does the leopard reporter have? It's killing him to write the "truth"!

13 posted on 12/28/2013 7:51:57 AM PST by Road Warrior ‘04 (Molon Labe! (Oathkeeper))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

A stir in the upscale restaurant at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills when people see normal people.


14 posted on 12/28/2013 7:55:34 AM PST by Vaduz
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Kudos to the reporter, Greg Braxton, for writing a fair piece:

“The Society for Features Journalism has awarded Penny Bender Fuchs Diversity Fellowships to two minority journalists to attend the organization’s 2013 annual conference.

Greg Braxton, entertainment reporter at the Los Angeles Times, and Carlos Frias, columnist and features writer at the Palm Beach Post, will receive all-expense paid trips to attend the conference Oct. 9-12 at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Braxton has been a journalist for 35 years. A graduate of the California State University at Northridge, he started as reporter at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. He moved to the Los Angeles Times, where he has worked since 1982. Braxton has primarily covered television at the L.A. Times since 1992 and has been part of three Pulitzer Prize-winning teams at the paper. He has continually examined the issue of minority representation in film and television and says, “There is much more work to be done in the industry on this front, and I fully intend to keep reporting on it. Participating in this fellowship will help provide me with added perspectives and insights that no doubt will assist me in that endeavor.””


15 posted on 12/28/2013 8:05:02 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: Bushbacker1

Since the controversy over Phil’s racial comments, I’d see where the reporter would at this point feel like there’s cause to ask questions in that line.

Kudos to him for writing a fair piece.


16 posted on 12/28/2013 8:06:31 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Nice article. Too bad the professionally offended had to try to make an example of these good hearted people. I think the family will only be stronger for it though.


17 posted on 12/28/2013 8:13:11 AM PST by McGavin999
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To: McGavin999

They were already in 1,000 Wal-Mart stores when I read about them eight years ago.

18 posted on 12/28/2013 8:16:24 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (A courageous man finds a way, an ordinary man finds an excuse.)
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To: 9YearLurker

I wasn’t pleased for him to label the Robertson’s off beat. People like the Robertson’s are the real backbone of America. This blowup shows how out of touch the media is.


19 posted on 12/28/2013 8:19:12 AM PST by meatloaf
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
The home base for the family is in the bayous of Ouachita Parish in the Monroe area of northeast Louisiana. I'm African American. So some wondered whether I sensed any chill or hostility.

So people assume, because the Robertsons are from Louisiana, they would be cold or even hostile to a black person? Isn't that evil, horrible prejudice and profiling? Or is it okay when liberals do it?

20 posted on 12/28/2013 8:21:54 AM PST by Nea Wood
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