Samantha Bee, please meet Al Franken

[Shanti Mama]

You are members of a special new club, the Sacrificial Lambs to "False Equivalency" Club.

You've been "lambed" and lammed.

You each did something in your comedy that could be used against you.

Neither of you did anything remotely as egregious as the actions to which yours are being falsely equated.

This is now the world in which we now live.

god help us.

[Tarc]

1. There's a difference between a vulgarity and sexual harassment

[hurple]

3. There is also a difference between a vulgarity and overt racism

But, that ain't stopping anything...

[mythology]

4. Tribalism is a powerful thing

We believe women, until it's Franken. We condemn Trump supporters wearing shirts using the same word to describe Hillary Clinton, but it's different when it attacks a Trump.

[Tribalceltic]

2. There is no difference in being railroaded

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. Here is the exact False Equivalency:

Bee (wrongly) used a misogynistic word AGAINST a misogynistic racist regime.

Barr (wrongly) used a racist word SUPPORTING a misogynistic racist regime.

[mythology]

10. Because the ends justify the means?

Where do you draw the line? For example if we use that ethical position, torture is good as long as you use it against misogynistic regimes like the Taliban or Al Queida. Making excuses for poor behavior because you don't like the target is still excusing bad behavior.

[moriah]

12. That's a slippery slope from speech to torture, even if listening to Barr singing may qualify.

(Listening to me singing is also torture, hence why roadtrips involve a *loud* radio to help protect my passengers.)

Has Bee ever used the c-word as an attack against another woman in ANY monologue before? She used it ironically referring to the things in hatemail sent to 5 female Seattle politicians who didn't want some kind of new stadium -- but has she ever used it before as a weapon against Conservative women? (Don't forget DU's history with posts hating on a certain tall blonde psychopathic verbose demagogue and having to say she couldn't be called that word).

ABC fired Barr because this *wasn't* the first time she'd used racist or antisemitic or Islamophobic language to attack people within recent enough memory to embarrass them too. (I really do think she absorbed more from her partial LDS upbringing than she might want to admit.)

If you're going to say a word is wrong in every context, no one will be able to read "Their Eyes Were Watching God" or "To Kill A Mockingbird". Even though the reason we want kids to read either is to understand that problems for black people didn't magically disappear with slavery ending, with one of those problems being exemplified by the use of a word people don't need coming out of their mouths. But if they never read WHY its use sucked and the impact... ya know?

So yeah, my issue is she weaponized it against another woman. Behavior. But before just canning her, let's see if it's a pattern of using it as a direct attack against women she doesn't like.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

14. It seems you have lost your understanding of the word "wrongly" where I wrote it. Look it up. nt

[HenryWallace]

6. Oh Please ...

"Neither of you did anything remotely as egregious as the actions to which yours are being falsely equated."

Except that it is on tape, and she has sincerely apologized for it (an apology that you appear to be unwilling to accept)...

[Shanti Mama]

7. I'll just use Bernardo's reply here

Bee (wrongly) used a misogynistic word AGAINST a misogynistic racist regime.

Barr (wrongly) used a racist word SUPPORTING a misogynistic racist regime.

[HenryWallace]

8. Oh, my mistake....

.... that explains it; its entirely OK!


PS: This excuse I would have accepted:

[link:

Link to tweet

|

[grantcart]

9. You miss the essential difference between both and Franken

Franken held public office

Both Barr and Samantha are in a business partnership with their producers, broadcast companies AND their advertisers.

In Barr's case they didn't need to wait to hear from the sponsors. In Bee's case the sponsors will make their input and my guess is that they will not choose to be apart of a fight over the C word.

Bee's content and style would be better served on media where there are no sponsors like HBO or Netflix.

In any case her use of the vulgarity was selfish as it put her sponsors in the crosshairs, something she has apologized for.

You are correct that Barr's is on a completely different level but neither are comparable to Franken.

[Trumpocalypse]

11. Good points

But I think the OP is saying that both beings sacrificed on the altar of “we hold our own accountable”.

[Shanti Mama]

16. yes, thank you.

HenryWallace's are the kind that makes it hard for someone like me to post. Why can't we just disagree without being rude?

[PatSeg]

17. I agree

I've experienced it too often and we can do without the condescending sarcasm. It does cause some people to be reluctant to post, which may be the purpose in some cases. We come here for civil discourse and disagreements need not be rude.

[Shanti Mama]

19. I almost never initiate posts or even comment

precisely for this reason. It's too bad. I get so much good info from DU, but am reluctant to jump right in. The condescension, sarcasm, and always needing to one-up are hard.
Thanks for you post.

[PatSeg]

21. You are so welcome

I went a long time without getting involved in discussions, because of the occasional nasty responses. I know some people who quit coming here entirely. I've been posting more often since Trump was elected, but I try and avoid uncomfortable confrontation when I can. Life is too short for that kind of abuse.

[moriah]

13. I think I said in another thread TBS knows HBO might scoop her up.

So, depending on how the fallout settles, Bee could have a better paying show and a platform where she's not restricted to having her dirty words bleeped.

I don't think they will can her.

[grantcart]

15. It's really up to the sponsors, no sponsors no show

You have to wonder why sje didnt go that way as Olicer did, maybe she wants the access that basic cable offers.

[PatSeg]

18. And now with all this publicity

she is receiving, it could improve her ratings. I didn't discover her show until recently, as I rarely watch TBS. I'm sure I am not the only one.

Samantha Bee wasn't my favorite on The Daily Show, but she is outstanding on her own show. Maybe HBO is considering her. She would fit in very well there and get better exposure.

[TexasBushwhacker]

20. Well TBS aired it

Samantha Bee's show isn't live. It's taped and TBS decided to air it, C-word and all. They would have a hard time firing her since they were culpable as well.