General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsStop defending Maher. He's a punk.
DU's starting to look like Free Republic.
Stop.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)Them who deserve our support and thanks. Not the quasi liberal sexist asshole when he's using slurs.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)bettyellen
(47,209 posts)Silence them- it's rude as fuck already. Stop making excuses for the man. It's making it worse!
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)Maher into your throat!
NO ONE is CRAMMING Maher into your throat!
NO ONE is CRAMMING Maher into your throat!
NO ONE is CRAMMING Maher into your throat!
bettyellen
48. Or we can respect our allies and not cram Maher down their throats - attempting to
Silence them- it's rude as fuck already. Stop making excuses for the man. It's making it worse!
I forgot:
NO ONE is CRAMMING Maher into your throat!
NO ONE is CRAMMING Maher into your throat!
NO ONE is CRAMMING Maher into your throat!
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)Tastes differ.... well then go be with your tribe and have fun. Not my scene.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)That is awesome news!
bettyellen
52. Wow. That's even ruder. If you can't have a respectful convo w me because my
Tastes differ.... well then go be with your tribe and have fun. Not my scene.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)Geesh!
Please bettyellen, do as you wish, Watch dont watch!
LOL!
bettyellen
48. Or we can respect our allies and not cram Maher down their throats - attempting to
Silence them- it's rude as fuck already. Stop making excuses for the man. It's making it worse!
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)Had no idea his fan base was so rabid. Meh. I could care less about super fans.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)I like him but don't watch him all the time, but will defend him because I think although he made a mistake, he apologized, and I want him to survive this moment because I believe he is a valuable voice. (long sentence, I know!)
bettyellen
53. That's a figure of speech, and yeah. They're relentless and it's tiresome .
Had no idea his fan base was so rabid. Meh. I could care less about super fans.
Else You Are Mad
(3,040 posts)Hate him or like him he is an entertainer that was hoping to make money off of a shitty racist joke. He is not any liberal leader or figure head. He told shitty jokes and hates religions. The more we talk about it the more he wins.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)There doesn't appear to have been an actual joke.
Squinch
(50,954 posts)(which, let's face it, isn't the best source for an "it's not racism!" argument) and Malcolm X. I am told that it was so nuanced that only the most intelligent got it.
Apparently Bill Maher himself didn't see it that way, because he apologized and acknowledged it was just a completely inappropriate racial slur. I'm going to go with Maher on this one.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)In any case, I didn't really get whatever the "joke" was. Seems weird that he would even have that word at the ready. Apologizing was definitely a good idea.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)When it was actually very basic! I don't know why they would assume those offended didn't understand (kind of patronizing) but I've never had to skim through so many damn paragraphs "explaining it" and it's divine humor! I remain unconvinced.
metroins
(2,550 posts)The senator was joking that maher should be doing hard work, and the senator brought up working in the fields.
Maher said he was too good for that kind of dirty work and he likes his current status.
I thought it made complete sense as a comical reference.
PragmaticLiberal
(904 posts)Now should he have gone there? Probably not.
But I understood the intent from a comedic perspective.
OregonBlue
(7,754 posts)He was not attacking someone else. Not like our president who called all Mexicans rapist and murderers. I hope Maher's apology is heartfelt and accepted but I don't believe it should be career ending for god's sake.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)Like you get hat, right? It seems like some are assuming if they write enough paragraphs people will abandon their feeling about it being problematic. Which is really odd.
metroins
(2,550 posts)Specifically said they did not get the joke.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)What is the funny part?
metroins
(2,550 posts)Is a person insinuating you should be working harder, but they know you're above that.
Squinch
(50,954 posts)SunSeeker
(51,565 posts)The right is milking this for all it's worth.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)babylonsister
(171,070 posts)Love him or hate him, he's also told the truth many times, so I want to continue seeing his shows.
blue cat
(2,415 posts)captain queeg
(10,207 posts)I didn't see the crack that got him in trouble now, but I remember that show he used to have getting cancelled for something he said. It was right after 9/11 when anyone who wasn't on board with the party line was treated like a traitor. Can't remember the exact wording, but it was something like the hijackers were courageous and gave their lives for their beliefs while the US fired a few cruise missiles from hundreds of miles away, not very courageous. Had to admit that was true, but turned out to be an unacceptable thing to say and he got canned. So, like I said, didn't see this joke, but that's part of his shtick; saying outrageous things.
TheBlackAdder
(28,207 posts).
Perhaps the Vice TV show will go to, since he is one of the producers.
I see a lot of Democrats falling in line with the GOP talking points. Maher has always been a thorn in the side of the Republican party, more so than Democratic party. Yet, like good Democrats, many are easily led into a reactive purity test to purge and silence their own. The people on reddit and 4chan are laughing their asses off right now. These little acts of division, which were partially flamed from reddit and 4chan, help to promote an 8-year Republican presidency.
.
chillfactor
(7,576 posts)people have died in Manchester, the orange one is a maniac, problems all over the world, and DUers going nuts over maher and griffin.....for god's sake give it a rest already!
roamer65
(36,745 posts)blue-wave
(4,356 posts)Leith
(7,809 posts)How many threads are there already on this subject? How many more do people think we need?
the worst part is that everyone is ignoring the final few minutes of the show: rethugs are vicious and fight like angry badgers. Democrats fight like it's a Sunday school picnic.
Can we just quit beating up on our allies? Nobody gives a shit whether so-and-so like whats-his-name or what hoozits said about something. We're bickering among ourselves while the real enemy is egging us on and laughing.
If someone doesn't like Maher or Griffin, nobody is forcing them watch them. Or we could open 20 more threads on the same subject just to get it out of our system.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)Not that I really want to call that asshole our own. But some of you do for some fucking reason, so go get your boy.
Squinch
(50,954 posts)And now he won't be doing THAT again.
Mission accomplished.
TheBlackAdder
(28,207 posts)Squinch
(50,954 posts)TheBlackAdder
(28,207 posts).
Folks with HBO subscriptions might want to call, if they want to keep him around.
.
Squinch
(50,954 posts)TheBlackAdder
(28,207 posts).
It's sitting right on the main page:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/people-want-bill-maher-fired_us_5932b1efe4b0c242ca246bf5?dds&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
Google is your friend for the others. I come across them in passing, I'm not data mining to substantiate the obvious.
.
Squinch
(50,954 posts)as all the hair-on-fire defenders here of the racial slur (that Maher himself has denounced) who are saying people on DU have called for him to be fired.
I still haven't seen anyone who is actually saying that they want him fired.
But you guys WILL insist on the drama mongering.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)And I'm thinking, bit really. Especially since it apparently had thousands thinking its edgy or cool to talk like that.
I'd love to take em up to the Bronx and watch em talk like that. Now that would be funny.
Squinch
(50,954 posts)TheBlackAdder
(28,207 posts)Squinch
(50,954 posts)As it should. And I'd enjoy watching that too!
Response to Squinch (Reply #87)
TheBlackAdder This message was self-deleted by its author.
Squinch
(50,954 posts)Bronx and having them talk "edgy" like that. And watching the fallout. Which would be hilarious.
I think you are having another conversation.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)And all the Muslim bashing. Yeah, maybe it feels wrong in the current climate. None of that shit was funny.
HAB911
(8,904 posts)Lisa0825
(14,487 posts)Now, I just watch the highlights now and then, but I don't like him overall.
blue-wave
(4,356 posts)forgiving a fellow progressive when they make a mistake? Repukes are really good at this. They stick together and win elections.
I want to see democrats starting to unite after an inner-party squabble. Let's sharpen our sights and grow a pair so that we start winning elections. They say that "politics makes strange bedfellows." I don't have to like everything everyone says or even part of what they say. But if he's on my side, our side, he's still a friend.
Yes, Maher should know our disgust and even be taken out to the woodshed. But how far should we go in punishing one of our own? Push to have his show cancelled?
LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)he's friends with ANN FUCKING COULTER, he worships at the feet of Sam Harris (another bigot) and oh yeah, he uses the fucking N word. a
But he makes fun of some dumb religious people and he likes weed so utter morons think he's on their side.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)Time trashing liberals. Fuck that.
pnwmom
(108,980 posts)bettyellen
(47,209 posts)People are talking to others as if they believe they don't know what's going on In the world- or as if they can't hold two ideas in their head at once? WTF - is THAT solidarity? Nope, it's silencing the best allies Dems have,
Get over it, he's barely progressive and lots of people just tolerate his ass. He fucked up. Acknowledge it and stop asking people to pretend it's okay. It's not.
Squinch
(50,954 posts)who are screaming about people trying to get his show cancelled, which no one is doing.
No one else has even mentioned getting him fired.
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)I think the better question is how low should our expectations be just because someone spouts a few talking points that are favorable to Democrats.
The GOP hit a new low. Lets not try to join them.
cloudythescribbler
(2,586 posts)The issue of the use of the n-word by whites is admittedly always problematic, tho not always treated consistently in the political arena of progressives. I myself absolutely shy away from any utterance of the word, both for moral reasons as well as personal, but in fact there are at least two other examples that should be remembered here.
First, there was a huge controversy when John Lennon (who maybe you think was also a punk but I really admire) and his song in the early 70s that used the n-word ("Woman is the n-word of the world" Many on the left were piling on him until Congressman Dellums defended that particular use and the controversy faded (altho I have no doubt there are many who would never forgive him for it, and perhaps not even someone like me for continuing to admire him greatly -- but not uncritically on a range of concerns, as with anyone -- to this day).
A second example was by Bill Maher himself, and he had Spike Lee (I gather that they at least somewhat know each other personally). Spike Lee seemed at least by implication sort of dared Bill Maher to say the n-word in his challenge, so Bill Maher said it several times in succession and Spike Lee remarked that it seemed to come easily off his tongue. My recollection of every particular may not be perfect -- perhaps you could find it on the web somewhere -- but Bill Maher using the word that way in a conversation w/Spike Lee and there being no controversy about it to speak of is definitely accurate.
Why? Well, in this case he was speaking with Sen Sasse, not Spike Lee, which really does make a big difference; but in general I feel that there are other factors that create a range of incliniations and opportunities. I do not completely agree with everything that Bill Maher says about Islam, but on the other had he does make some important valid points most progressives prefer to avoid or downplay. He does overstate his case in some crucial respects but I would NOT call him an "islamaphobe",mobilizing a cultural nightstick to categorically handle any ideological deviation on certain sensitive issues.
Bill Maher presses the envelope on just these kinds of sensitive issues, and here he messed up and apologized. But while say, the absence anywhere on the web of the lyrics to the famous 80s song about how "they take the diamonds out of the mines, and throw the corpses in, with one crop as good as the other, as the profits keep rolling in", or of Dennis Brutus poem "There will be ample provision for the elite" (which is NOW findable but for many years wasn't) and much else -- NO ONE focuses on these things, or on how the voter suppression issues raised by Greg Palast regarding the 2016 elections have hardly been addressed in the MSM, even only mildly on DU. It's just so easy and not really threatening anything important in the system to go on about supposed Islamaphobia or the use of the N-word by someone like Bill Maher. In that sense I see immense hypocrisy and moral laziness, which no one does anything about
Sometimes Bill Maher says things that make me cringe -- even more than that very cringeworthy comment. But I do watch his show and find a lot in it that is worthwhile
OnDoutside
(19,960 posts)Soxfan58
(3,479 posts)BlueJac
(7,838 posts)BuddhaGirl
(3,608 posts)SaschaHM
(2,897 posts)DU would rather run Corey Booker down over saying "Let's have an investigation" than lift a finger over Maher saying "House N*gger". It's disheartening, but it is what it is. Let's just hope the attitude on DU doesn't get adopted by Democratic Politicians.
OnDoutside
(19,960 posts)about someone who he has taken large sums of campaign donations from, versus life long liberal talk show host says a stupid and insensitive word while laying into lying Republican politician. Neither are right, but let's not descend into false equivalencies.
SaschaHM
(2,897 posts)Neither are right, but DU only is concerned about running down and condemning one.
OnDoutside
(19,960 posts)If Chris Murphy had taken large campaign donations from Kushner, and then meekly came out to say we should not rush to judgement, what would your response have been ? It just doesn't look good. If you think people have gone after Corey on this site because he is a person of color, then it's hard to find the words to respond to you.
SaschaHM
(2,897 posts)The intensity of reactions on DU to 2 wrongs is just startling. DU is never going to condemn a liberal/progressive over issues of race no matter how wrong they were. It's always going to be "Let's ignore this and get Trump" as if we can't walk and chew gum at the same time. Something that we are capable of doing when it's time to drag a Democrat that we don't like.
OnDoutside
(19,960 posts)a contrast in a thread castigating someone for the use of a racist word ?
Look if you believe that Maher is a racist, rather than a liberal who used a racist word he wrongly used to make a point to a member of a racist party, then that's your opinion.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)And funny because bots - and RT and Greenwald, TYT are all pushing divisive bullshit against Booker which is HOW WE GOT TRUMP!
Yet people here suddenly forget that.
LBM20
(1,580 posts)Maher, he made a mistake and has apologized. It is wrong to crucify a person's entire life and character over a slip. Context is important. He was making a satirical joke in reaction to what Sasse said. Racially charged language is used in song lyrics, poetry, theater, other dramatizations, etc. in order to bring light to the social issues surrounding it. In the past it was OFTEN used in comedy, for example by Richard Pryor who used the N-word constantly. There are many other examples. Maher is a comedian. Put it in context. He made an error, and he has apologized.
JTFrog
(14,274 posts)are actually commenting on more than this one "slip". But his defenders want to ignore that. But I will say this, just because you do a racist thing, doesn't mean you are a racist. He did a racist thing. People shouldn't be defending it. It wasn't a "slip". It was fucked up and many people are reacting because they are familiar with his bigotry.
I will also say that just because he apologized doesn't mean he should automatically be forgiven. Let people vent. This isn't a minor issue.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)Ah the rape joke of the 70's- 80s- will they make a comback too? And if course all the dumb _____, ones.
Ah those were good times eh, where everyone had to pretend that that shit was funny! No one complained! /S
They didn't dare.
DetlefK
(16,423 posts)LBM20
(1,580 posts)Squinch
(50,954 posts)Paladin
(28,262 posts)LBM20
(1,580 posts)bettyellen
(47,209 posts)See all that's not so "edgy" these days-it's depressing.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)They're supposed to test boundaries and push buttons. And often they misfire. I never watch him because I don't think he's that great. But this is ridiculous
njhoneybadger
(3,910 posts)They're not going to stop until they get their pound of flesh
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)More important fish to fry.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)To keep this going. Hmmm.
Mahers kind of a pig, so IDGAF about his show.
Goodheart
(5,325 posts)He's the most rational political commentator on TV, and these attempts to label him as a racist are disgraceful.
HAB911
(8,904 posts)Orrex
(63,215 posts)And maybe he could stop with the misogyny, sexism, transphobia and endorsement of child rape while he's posing as the most rational political commentator on TV.
At the same time, I appreciate the overly generous praise you've given him, because it handily destroys his fans' frequent claim that he's "just a comedian."
Goodheart
(5,325 posts)He made a joke. He apologized that his joke offended people.
I certainly see him as more than a comedian. He's an important commentator. I can also see that most of your post is baloney.
Orrex
(63,215 posts)One smirking "apology" and all is forgiven.
Since you didn't address his long history of misogyny, sexism, transphoba, racism or endorsement of child rape, I conclude either that you're ok with these behaviors in your favorite important commentator.
Your response is baloney.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)Two later I'm reading about how important and culturally significant he is. It's one of the other, people. Not both.
It matters to me and many I know and love, so they won't "logic me into" feeling different about it.
Goodheart
(5,325 posts)and who made up your rule, anyway, that comedians can't be culturally significant?
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)It's really been a heap of contradictions, LOL.
Goodheart
(5,325 posts)It WAS just a joke by someone who's not just a comedian.
Orrex
(63,215 posts)When the comedian happens to piss off Conservatives, then he's an important political commentator.
When the important political commentator reveals the disgusting truth of his character, then he's just a comedian.
I wish I had a get-out-of-accountability-free card like that.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)Exilednight
(9,359 posts)significant.
The Smothers Brothers, George Carlin, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert; all comedians who at one time or another said somethimg to upset people's sensibilities.
If you're going to throw Maher under the bus, then at least have the honest intelligence to hold everyone to the same standard.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)FWIW I always thought of him as a humorous pundit/ talk show host- not an artist of any kind. I guess because he pontificates so frequently. And I never saw him as that significant- no where close to ANY of the names you listed. So it's weird finding out he's so siginificsnt to a lot of people. Hmm. Not my fave by a long shot.
Exilednight
(9,359 posts)Orrex
(63,215 posts)Keep in mind, O'Reilly has a long history of sexism, misogyny, racism and transphobia.
Of course, so does Maher, and Maher has endorsed child rape.
So why does Maher get a pass for this "joke" exactly?
Exilednight
(9,359 posts)I just watched the Maher clip, and I found his response to be well projected towards the person he said it to.
He called a racist a racist by using a word in public that his we all know his guest uses in private. What really bothered me, is the fact that an elected official laughed at a joke that called him racist.
Orrex
(63,215 posts)"If you're going to throw Maher under the bus, then at least have the honest intelligence to hold everyone to the same standard."
I will be happy to do so. Please show us where Carlin, Stewart and Colbert have demonstrated a years-long history of misogyny, transphobia, sexism, racism and endorsement of child rape. After you have done so, I will be happy to hold each of them to the same standard.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Surely not, J0D?
J0D
(24 posts)I'm new to this forum, and I think I posted a reply to the wrong reply?
Sorry.
J0D
(24 posts)Kevin Hart criticized Bill Maher for his use of the N-word, telling the hosts of "The Breakfast Club" radio show that the use of the slur was "tacky."
"It's not right to say that and say it the way you said it as comfortable as you said it in a joking form," he said. "You're wrong. Granted, you can issue all the apologies you want, but for you to say it on your platform? That's tacky. That's tacky."
He did add that it would be wrong to classify Maher as a racist because of the joke. "I've seen Bill Maher come to the defense of black people on several occasions -- that's a bad judgment -- granted, I don't think Bill Maher's a racist," he said.
[link:http://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/kevin-hart-says-bill-maher-isn%e2%80%99t-racist-just-%e2%80%98tacky%e2%80%99/ar-BBCbW5i?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=BHEA000|
And I like what Exiled Knight had to say.
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)dembotoz
(16,807 posts)Sometimes I am a liberal in spite of du
KingCharlemagne
(7,908 posts)beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)Pryer are laughing their asses off at all those who are hand wringing over Maher and Griffin...good grief we have REAL F*CKING issues to be concerned about
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)It doesn't compute. If he's really that influential then maybe what he says matters a lot?
Squinch
(50,954 posts)Orrex
(63,215 posts)Quayblue
(1,045 posts)JTFrog
(14,274 posts)Bill Maher's use of 'N-word' is no joke
By Dean Obeidallah
Updated 10:59 PM ET, Sat June 3, 2017
(CNN) Bill Maher is Ann Coulter with shorter hair: They both say outrageous and even hateful things to get press in a desperate effort to remain relevant.
~~~~
This was truly white privilege on parade. You have Maher and a white Republican senator yucking it up over a racial epithet and the plight of slaves. And just so it's clear, despite not working in the fields, "house slaves" were still slaves and were often abused, raped or killed by slave masters.
Maher finally apologized on Saturday afternoon writing, "I regret the word I used in the banter of a live moment. The word was offensive and I regret saying it and I'm very sorry."
But his apology only came after a deluge of criticism. DeRay Mckesson, a prominent activist for the Black Lives Matter movement, tweeted, "But really, @BillMaher has got to go. There are no explanations that make this acceptable."
And the African-American centric publication The Root tweeted: "Bill Maher is a white habitual line-stepper, and his show needs to be canceled after this latest stunt"...
~~~~
You have to wonder if it weren't for this uproar, would Maher have apologized. After all he told us in his 2012 New York Times op-ed titled "Please stop apologizing" that America needs to stop the faux outrage over celebrity remarks. Maher wrote, "Let's have an amnesty -- from the left and the right -- on every made-up, fake, totally insincere, playacted hurt, insult, slight and affront."
On some level Maher is right -- we do have too much faux outrage over minor things, but this isn't one of those cases. A white comedian co-opting the horrific suffering of slaves for a joke and for some media attention is not a "fake" slight.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/03/opinions/bill-maher-n-word-not-funny-obeidallah/index.html
~~~~
Exilednight
(9,359 posts)Coulter believes everything she says.
Maher knows that 50% of what he says is just pure bullshit.
judesedit
(4,439 posts)snort
(2,334 posts)Now what? I have an idea...
FreeStateDemocrat
(2,654 posts)We need to move on, he has no power other than giving cover to the Asshole-in-Chief!
FarPoint
(12,409 posts)That said...Bill Maher...He's fine as far as I'm concerned...I am a adult and know the difference.
sellitman
(11,607 posts)I never watch him and could care less what he said.
Next.
ohheckyeah
(9,314 posts)you don't get to tell me what to do.
NobodyHere
(2,810 posts)gilbert sullivan
(192 posts)in some quarters.
Vinca
(50,276 posts)sued by Trump and during the proceeding Trump had to produce a birth certificate proving he wasn't the product of an orangutan. Cut him a break. Everyone has said something stupid or offensive at some point in their lives.