Duck guy fired

I think you already know that A&E fired the Duck Dynasty guy after he said anti-gay stuff to GQ. Stuff like this:

"It seems like, to me, a vagina — as a man — would be more desirable than a man's anus, that's just me," the reality star said.

Seems like a real intellectual, which is what you usually get when you watch reality TV. Anyway, I thought I'd post the link since I mentioned this turd yesterday. And speaking of turds...

[Sarah] Palin came to Robertson's defense Wednesday, posting a photo of herself with the 'Duck Dynasty' crew on Facebook.

"Free speech is an endangered species," Palin captioned the picture. "Those 'intolerants' hatin’ and taking on the Duck Dynasty patriarch for voicing his personal opinion are taking on all of us."

I'm sure she meant to say "for voicin' his personal opinion". She just slipped out of character for a moment and forgot to axe the final g. Sarah, you gotta watch that stuff. Tch.

BTW, this article says he was "suspended" rather than fired. Yesterday, I read he was fired. So...what? He'll be back in two weeks? Justice is so ephemeral.

American TV: the classy channels

I happened to glance at the TV listings. Oy. And I'm not talking Fox here. These are the "classy" channels. Let's see what's on.

Let's check the Arts and Entertainment network first. Oh, look. They're showing Flipping Vegas, followed by two hours of Shipping Wars. That sounds very artistic and entertaining.

The History Channel may have even better fare. They've got a show about Nostradamus followed by a full day of disaster fare. Yay! The end of the world -- and it's historic.

Maybe there's something better on Bravo. Such a great name for a network. They must have the real classy stuff. Let's see. Ah, they've got a full day of The Real Housewives of Who The Hell Cares Where. Must-see TV!

Let's move on to NatGeo. Now this is a name we know and trust. I mean, it's National Geographic. I'm sure they'll have some classy fare. Let's take a peek. Oh, boy! They've got a full day of Alaska State Troopers! Whoopee!

Okay, this next one surely offers high-quality fare. It's The Discovery Channel, after all. Let's see what we can discover there. Oooooh, look! Amish Mafia and Moonshiners! For hours and hours!

Okay, I'm starting to get upset. But there's one more classy channel to check out: The Learning Channel. Well, that's got to be terrific. Oh, it seems they're showing many, many hours of Undercover Boss. Am I learning now?

And this is the cream of the crop. Welcome to American TV. Sigh.

Also too: The names of the stations I've mentioned are Newspeak, just like the Clear Skies Act, No Child Left Behind and the latest one: Right to Work. It's all Pleather. Ah, America! Of thee I sing.

America and the Roman Colosseum

Every day, there's a new story like this. It's sickening.

RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) — The warden of a North Carolina prison where inmates said they were forced to rub hot sauce on their genitals has been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation. 

Six inmates allege correctional officers forced them to perform numerous humiliating acts, including gulping hot sauce and slathering it on themselves, resulting in painful blisters. The male inmates also reported being forced to simulate sex acts for the entertainment of guards, as well as to capture and kiss wild snakes while working on a road crew. 

It's become America's hobby: enjoying the pain of others. We see it in this and similar stories. We see it on "reality" TV shows and on all those incarceration shows where viewers eat the inmates' misery like candy. Judging by the photos that came out of Abu Ghraib, we have a grand time torturing "terrorists" at our military prisons. And we actually have a major political party that holds rallies where supporters call for poor people to die without insurance.

America is becoming the Roman Colosseum, where people were killed for the entertainment of viewers. Murdering people on live TV is probably something America will do within a decade or so. Read the tea leaves. It's coming.

What has happened to the United States? And why is no one pointing a finger at our newfound hunger for the misfortune of others? Oh, that's right; I forgot. Americans like it.