The Free Zone Board

[QuasimodoJones]

PI HAS NOT BEEN CANCELLED!


Can someone give me an update?

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/entertainment/DailyNews/maherapology010920.html

In a statement supporting Maher, ABC said his program is "a show that celebrates freedom of speech and encourages the animated exchange of ideas and opinions. While we remain sensitive to the current climate following last week's tragedy ... there needs to remain a forum for the expression of our nation's diverse opinions."

Well, as you no doubt know by now, it hasn't been cancelled, and it won't. They've already got Trojans to sponsor it nationally (somehow appropriate, for such a dumb fuck, doncha think?). I don't think there's any real possibility. You don't cancel a ratings explosion like the show has become since Maher shot his yap off.

What's the saying? There is no "bad publicity"?

Frankly, I think he's not really worrying. I may be cyncial, but I think the son of a bitch knew exactly what he was doing when he issued one of his typical, sneering, almost-yelling whines. What I don't think he anticipated quite was the extent and vociferous nature of the response.

Besides, it was a damnably asinine thing to say -- in effect, he was saying that, because Clinton decided to use cruise missiles instead of troops to go after bin-Laden after the embassy bombings, that that was in some way "cowardly". I'm sure the families of the soldiers who didn't have to get killed don't feel that way. If we'd been lucky enough to take the bastard out, Clinton would be everybody's best friend.

The only real mistake, as far as I'm concerned, is that we didn't periodically make another lunge for the fucker with more missiles. We know that he'd stopped using electronic devices to communicate with, in order to keep from being tracked after the first attack, so a sudden cruise missile strike in the middle of the night would have had a much better chance of success. Even if we'd missed, I think our odds would have improved with each attempt, and at the very least it would have kept him off-balance and unable to take advantage of the lull to plan the A/A.

WEAC:
...I really think he's getting a raw deal on this one - as is the first amendment.

Oh, bushwah, WEAC. As a libertarian, don't you think that he, as someone who's always putting himself forth as a libertarian -- and you know how you feel about that -- should have the fucking testicles to take responsibility for his own words? First Amendment? Hogwash. Nothing in the First Amendment guarantees a horse's ass a major venue to display his ignorance. After all, it isn't the government trying to suppress his right to show his ass, it's the viewers and the sponsors -- surely, you don't believe they should somehow be compelled to economically support someone they revile, do you?

A lot of people who didn't even see the show are waging a war on him based on one quote, and one taken out of context.

Even in context it was contemptible. I really think ABC should consider a different host, or at the very least insist that Maher allow for substitute host instead of running old shows during the week in each month when the show is on a hiatus. John Stewart of "The Daily Show" -- ironically, on Comedy Central where PI started out -- would be so much better, I think Maher would be soon forgotten -- and Maher knows it, which is why he doesn't allow it.

These people call him insensitive, but did not see the genuaine anguish in his eyes when - also on Monday's show - he spoke of the loss of his friend Barbara Olson, who lost her life on her trip to do his show.

I think that's more hogwash, frankly. First of all, I find it interesting that on ALL FIVE NIGHTS, he neglected to mention until after the other guests were introduced the reason why the seat was being left empty. What, he needed to be reminded? Seems like the reason for the vacant seat should have been the first thing to mention. Anyone's unnecessary death, especially under circumstances of terrorist attack, is tragic and outrageous and calls out for justice for the victim and justice to the attacker. I'm also extremely dubious of any "apology" or assertion of patriotism in despite of what's been said, that ends with a round of audience applause. If he really wanted to show his contrition, how about a week of show's without an audience to play to?

But, ya know whut, folks? I know it's considered politically incorrect to speak ill of the dead, and the woman did die well and heroically along with the rest of the passengers, trying to pass on as much as information as she could before the impact -- but it's just at times like these that I think we should maintain perspective. Aside from being physically attractive, Barbara Olson was one of the most vicious-minded bitches who ever appearerd on the show, the doyenne of the Poison Blonde Brigade that included the likes of Ann Coulter (who's contribution to the "war effort" has been to call for the conversion of Afghanistan to Christianity!), and I dare to say that, if it had somehow been Hilllary Clinton on that plane, Olson would have found some way to work a slur into her "regrets" about the Senator's death. One of the most telling indications of this is that, despite all the mention of her in the coverage, I've yet to see one sound byte of her actually speaking, because virtually every moment she opened her mouth and completed a sentence, it was to slur the Clintons in particular or Democrats in general.

May she rest in peace along with all the other victims.