It’s one thing for people to complain about those uptight traditional-values folks when they’re criticizing a piece of entertainment they haven’t seen yet. But it’s mildly amusing to see the libertarians criticizing traditionalists while utterly refusing to see the piece of entertainment under discussion, and then saying the other side is "out of touch."
W. Kenneth Ferree of the Progress & Freedom Foundation takes off on their blog after our associates at the Parents Television Council for objecting to Adam Lambert’s S&M/oral sex/guy-kissing routine on Sunday night’s ABC broadcast of the American Music Awards. Ferree royally declares that he will not lower himself to watch the performance, but that Adam Lambert is about as relevant to today’s kids as James Joyce.
Because it's guaranteed to produce a wry chuckle, I occasionally check the PTC (Parent's Television Council) website to see what shows have recently most offended their delicate sensitivities. Apparently, the latest outrage has to do with some sexually suggestive song and dance routines broadcast on the ABC Television Network as part of the American Music Awards. Elvis' swinging hips, anyone? In any event, the PTC website screams: "PTC Slams ABC for Tasteless 'American Music Awards' Broadcast."
Now I didn't see the broadcast and I have no interest in opining on whether the show was, or was not, actionably indecent as a legal matter within the framework that has been constructed by the FCC over the past several decades. Frankly, the whole broadcast indecency regime is undiluted nonsense as far as I'm concerned and it should have been struck down as unconstitutional years ago.
The larger point that I want to touch upon is just how out of touch with reality PTC and its cohorts are. On this issue I do have some expertise, as I spend quite a bit of time working with teenagers at our local high school. I can assure the gentle reader that today's teenagers are exposed to considerably more graphic content than those of my generation were and - surprise of surprises - it's not by way of the family television set.
Indeed, to complain about content on television today is about as relevant to youth culture as complaining about obscenity in books. Why doesn't PTC go back to complaining about Ulysses and Candid, or Leaves of Grass and the Canterbury Tales for that matter? I'm sure there is much worse in Lady Chatterley's Lover than anything broadcast on the ABC Television Network. Putting aside the constitutional questions, wouldn't it seem rather silly and pointless today to ban these books purportedly to protect mores of our youth?
It's fine to believe that the FCC should have no regulatory power over the content of broadcast television. But it's just silly to assert that today's hottest music stars are about as relevant to youth as James Joyce, Chaucer, and D.H. Lawrence. It's also silly to enter a debate over being "out of touch" about prurient TV by refusing to see it.
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.
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sexually suggestive song
Thu, 11/26/2009 - 07:27 ET by motherbeltsexually suggestive song and dance routines
Oh, is that all that was?
Pop music stars are as relevant to teens as James Joyce?? My guess is he wouldn't be writing that if everyone on the stage had been smoking!
And BTW, what the heck is HE smoking????
euphemism-itis
Thu, 11/26/2009 - 15:43 ET by konoBullseye, mb. Madman Lambda was anointed by the pro-gay press before he lost the Idol contest, and they've done their best to make him successful ever since (perhaps even just to vindicate their obvious support for him).
Everyone spins references to things (and descriptions of things) at least a little, whether they're conscious of it or not. But the Left seems so much more practiced and adept at making toxic things sound innocuous (or at making anthills sound like mountains), and portraying a pornographic performance like his as just a suggestive routine is a real doozie.
What a jackass.....
Thu, 11/26/2009 - 08:06 ET by superconHe doesn't even watch the damn video and he is self righteously insulting the people who object to it. That's a leftie for ya'. He doesn't care what the facts may be and he just automatically takes the opposite opinion.
" if Republicans are able to stop Barack Obama on health care, 'it will be his Waterloo, it will break him...." -Sen. Jim DeMint
Who is Adam Lambert? I
Thu, 11/26/2009 - 08:14 ET by kefkaWho is Adam Lambert? I feel old.
As the kids say: that's so
Thu, 11/26/2009 - 09:19 ET by nadadhimmiAs the kids say: that's so gay!. Normal kids know in their deepest hearts that homosexuality is <vulgarity removed by moderator> up and the thoughts of a teenage boy,(unassaulted by school and gov't officials that is) are how can he get Mary Jane Smith in the sack. Always has been, always will be. Nature dontcha know.
My local conservative talk
Thu, 11/26/2009 - 09:47 ET by Tom PaineMy local conservative talk radio station, of all places, is running a PSA trying to get kids from using the "that's so gay" expression. It is laughable that the homosexual movement consciously spent years proudly separating itself from mainstream now wants to change the rules of the game when kids use the word gay to describe something that is abnormal.
I'd be willing to bet that
Thu, 11/26/2009 - 09:41 ET by Tom PaineI'd be willing to bet that Mr Ferre, who believes the FCC has no place regulating decency on prime time television, probably fully agrees that talk radio needs to be strictly controlled.
Tim
Thu, 11/26/2009 - 10:47 ET by shawn228To be honest I am kind of conflicted about this. No one believes more in freedom of speech more than I do, but I found the perfomance a little disturbing. My opinion is a parent should be the one responsible for telling kids what to watch on tv, but when it comes down to it, at the same time I wish Broadcast tv would be a little more responsible during the family hour.
Happy Thanksgiving Tim.
Ferree Is a Fool
Thu, 11/26/2009 - 13:48 ET by DaMama.....and obviously not a parent. If he is, God help his family, because he is so out of touch.
You bet your behind that Lambert is someone parents should be concerned about! American Idol is the most popular TV show on television. Millions attend the concerts. I did not go this year because we went to Disneyland instead, but I was not too thrilled to see Lambert. From what I understand, he was under the umbrella of AI and had to behave on the concert tour.
Does Lambert honestly think that parents will swallow the tripe about him not thinking his actions would offend? Give me a break! Thousands of complaints to ABC, cancellation from "Good Morning America", complaints to CBS for putting him on "The Early Show"......come on now. Lambert is not stupid - he knew just what he was doing.
Ferree needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Lambert is now suffering the consequences of his foolish and debauched actions, and even the homosexual community is not happy with his display. He demonstrated every caricature of the homosexual lifestyle, and they are now trying to clean up his mess.
If You Haven't Seen It, You Can't Compare It.
Thu, 11/26/2009 - 17:35 ET by TenebrousThat's all I'm saying. If this guy thinks that AL's performance was the equivalent of Elvis's when he hasn't even seen it, he's a moron. And yes, children and teens are influenced by American Idol.
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Alive and um, Not so WELL
Thu, 11/26/2009 - 22:28 ET by ptsonMichael Jackson LIVES onfortunately. Equality? What if gay boy had grabbed a women's head and forced it to his crotch? Would that be ok because it wasn't "rape, rape" or equally vile?