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BetterMost Community Blogs => Our Daily Thoughts - The BetterMost Community Blog Network => My "Great White North" => Topic started by: Sheriff Roland on March 23, 2009, 03:19:27 pm

Title: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Sheriff Roland on March 23, 2009, 03:19:27 pm: This time it's "Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld" airing last week.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2009/03/23/redeye-soldiers-mocking.html

In a five-minute segment broadcast March 17, Gutfeld mocked the Canadian Forces, noting Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie's recent comment that the military may need a year to recover after Canada's mission in Afghanistan ends in 2011.

"Meaning, the Canadian military wants to take a breather to do some yoga, paint landscapes, run on the beach in gorgeous white Capri pants," Gutfeld said.

"I didn't even know they were in the war," panellist and comedian Doug Benson added. "I thought that's where you go if you don't want to fight. Go chill in Canada."

The panellists continued by joking about soldiers needing a break for "manicures and pedicures," how Canada should be invaded and poked fun at the RCMP.

It's making the radio news and it's top-of-the-page news on Google Canada
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Sheriff Roland on March 23, 2009, 03:23:06 pm: http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5ggr4I7UpOus3u6NRIRkEGpE1XV3Q

Fox News host apologizes in face of outrage

The recent talk-show segment came just before four more Canadian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan and featured a group of pundits taking turns trashing Canada and its reliability as an ally.
....

"Isn't this the perfect time to invade this ridiculous country?" he said. "They have no army."
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Sheriff Roland on March 23, 2009, 03:27:38 pm: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090323.wfoxmercer0323/BNStory/National

Rick Mercer to Fox: Bullying is not satire

“If you're going to do satire, three of the most important rules are you have to tell the truth, you can't be a bully and don't be an asshole,” said Mr. Mercer, who hosts his own show on CBC. “Being a bully is not satire.”

For those unfamiliar with Rick Mercer, you're probably not a Canadian. Here, he's VERY well known and a very well respected comedian originating from the Newfoundland & Labrador.
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Sheriff Roland on March 23, 2009, 03:41:53 pm: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/03/23/america/NA-Canada-Fox-News.php

Canada has about 2,500 soldiers in Afghanistan, and has borne the brunt of much of the violence in the volatile south.
...

(Defense Minister Peter) MacKay noted that President Barack Obama has expressed gratitude for Canada's contribution. The American president thanked the families of Canadian soldiers and declined to ask war-weary Canada to stay longer in Afghanistan when he visited Ottawa last month.

FYI: Canada's had soldiers in Afghanistan since 2002.
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: David In Indy on March 23, 2009, 05:14:47 pm: I'm sorry he said that. It's very hurtful to Canadians and it reflects badly on Americans. :(
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Kelda on March 23, 2009, 05:38:05 pm: ::)

I think many Americans think the worlds stops once they leave the US boundries, but I thought at least most would have an idea about the countried physically connected to them!
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Sheriff Roland on March 23, 2009, 05:40:44 pm: found the whole segment:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcJn5XlbSFk[/youtube]

Are we exagerating? Too sensitive?

The mission was suppose to end in 2007 (or '08), but was extended (in spite of it's unpopularity with Canadians) until 2011.

Canadians have led the coalition forces in the 'volatile south' (Kandahar region) for the last 4 years now.
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Sheriff Roland on March 24, 2009, 05:52:25 am: And it's still on radio news (and on top of Canada-Google News)

http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/canada/2009/03/24/8861056-sun.html

Apology fails to quell storm

Benson, who laughed during the piece that he didn't even know Canada is serving in Afghanistan, was scheduled to appear at Edmonton's The Comic Strip April 3-5. But the shows were cancelled yesterday after the owner received threats of "bodily injury" toward the American comic.
...
But Bob Butt, spokesman for the Royal Canadian Legion, said Gutfeld's statement is not enough. A letter-writing campaign is underway urging a more formal response from network executives and an on-air apology from the host.

Yea ... that's gonna happen. 'Non-apology' apologies seem to have become the norm lately. "On-air apology" from a comedian is obviously too much to ask for. Insult em on air & apologize to them on the web is proper ettiquette in today's American media apparently.
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Penthesilea on March 24, 2009, 10:36:20 am: Quote from: Sheriff Roland on March 23, 2009, 05:40:44 pm
found the whole segment:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcJn5XlbSFk[/youtube]

Are we exagerating? Too sensitive?

The whole segment is not only insulting but shows so much meaness :P. I can't see how anyone takes this for "humor".

Quote from: Sheriff Roland on March 23, 2009, 03:41:53 pm
FYI: Canada's had soldiers in Afghanistan since 2002.

More FYI: Canada has about 2800 troops in Afghanistan.
Canada has roughly 1/10th of the population of the US, and Canada has also roughly 1/10th the number of troops in Afghanistan to the US has. Go figure.
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Sheriff Roland on March 25, 2009, 09:58:38 am: the sources:

first from the Edmonton Sun:

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Canada/2009/03/25/8873951-sun.html

Greg Gutfeld, the Fox News host of the Red Eye show who caused a furor for mocking Canada's military, has delivered an on-air apology. Here is what he had to say:

"On a Red Eye segment from the March 17 show we covered an item on Canada's proposed synchronized break ... as a light-hearted show with a satirical point of view we sometimes go over the line. In this case, I obviously did not intend to offend your national pride and love of military service. I apologize."

Certainly better than the web sent non-apology I reported yesterday. But he still defends the show.

and from source #2:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090324/comedian_fox_090324/20090324?hub=Canada

A comedian who appeared on a Fox News program that mocked Canada's military apologized to Canadians Tuesday and vowed he would never appear on the show again.

Doug Benson told CTV's Power Play that he was ignorant about the situation in Afghanistan and said considering the timing, the jokes he made about Canada were "completely out of line."

"I just want to say that I meant no disrespect to Canadians or to the Canadian military when I made those comments," Benson said from Los Angeles. "My comments were just meant to be silly and (were) absolutely misinformed -- I wasn't pretending to know what I was talking about, I'm not a political pundit."

"I'm sorry that I upset people, I'm a comedian, I want to make people laugh."

Benson has already felt the impact of Canada's rage. He had a show in Edmonton cancelled after the owner of the comedy club received threats about Benson's performance.
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Sheriff Roland on March 25, 2009, 10:13:38 am: Since this program aired last week (March 17), all this kerfufel has happened as a result of a revolted Canadian posting the segment on youtube over the weekend.

The subsequent outrage is what got these pinheads to apologize. At least they appear to be truer than those offered by the chimp shooting cartoon non-apologies from a coupl'a weeks ago. AND on-air, as the offense had been perpetrated.
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Sheriff Roland on March 25, 2009, 10:41:36 am: Quote from: HerrKaiser on March 25, 2009, 10:36:06 am
Gutfeld is a comic/commentator who is hysterically funny in his sarcasm and jibes that pervade the left comedy scene day in day out.

Funny how "offended" the left can get, even when the horrible, senseless military is the butt of some good jokes. Hence, it really looks like the foot in the mouth are the ones who seem so outraged. ;)

This is a response from a nation - not from 'the left'. Your comment is completely political and ~~will be removed~~!

edit: changed my mind: I will however add how some folks show their total ignorance by defending an invalid cause. There's no defence possible for his type of humour. As Rick Mercer said (as posted in an earlier post):

“If you're going to do satire, three of the most important rules are you have to tell the truth, you can't be a bully and don't be an asshole. ... Being a bully is not satire.”
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Clyde-B on March 25, 2009, 11:06:58 am: Playground bullies often think what they do is funny, that doesn't make it humor.

Good satire amuses both the audience and the target.

Insults by themselves do not qualify as either satire or humor.
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Marge_Innavera on March 25, 2009, 11:50:52 am: Quote
"I'm sorry that I upset people, I'm a comedian, I want to make people laugh."

This is so typical of a faux apology - he isn't sorry for what he said; just regrets the fact that he got a reaction he didn't want.

That stopped just short of saying that Canadians "don't understand my humor." In those cases, about 90 percent of the time people didn't misunderstand; they just didn't think the joke was funny.
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Sheriff Roland on March 25, 2009, 04:46:38 pm: Quote from: HerrKaiser on March 25, 2009, 03:37:51 pm
No such insults were occuring.

I beg to differ.

Not only did thousand of (mostly) Canadians comment on the youtube posted segment, but family members of dead Canadian soldiers have chimed in. It made headline here in both google (print) news and radio news (I don't listen to T.V. news) for 3 days.

The Canadian (conservative) government ministers demanded apologies as well. You obviously haven't read any of the links that I offered as sources - or for that matter the youtube comments by the people. I guess everybody else is a lefty in your small world.

No. This was definitively intended as a series of insults. And unfortunately for them, they were heard. Doug Benson's sure sorry; he's not likely to work again in Canada for some time to come.
Title: Re: Fox News - with it's foot in it's mouth - again
Post by: Phillip Dampier on March 25, 2009, 04:47:46 pm: I read the Globe & Mail regularly (you have to go outside of the United States to get depth in coverage on things these days) and knew this story was going to blowup when I saw it. The thing is, Canadians are well acquainted with Fox News on a lot of cable systems and, ugh, there it was on WestJet when we flew to Alberta a few summers ago. It's shameful that Canadians have to endure the right wing nonsense these people spew all over us, and sure enough, after the insult was out there, more than 400 comments on the G&M site from outraged Canadians who promptly blasted Americans as a group for their ignorance and shamefulness. Even more surprising was the Kool Aid drinking Canadians who were defending Fox because they are avid viewers, no matter the fact this jerk just disrespected their homeland. I was embarrassed with a handful of the American replies as well, which obviously came from a right wing website who linked to the story and delivered the talking points.

So there is so much wrong here.

It's outrageous for Fox News to joke about this kind of thing, but can anyone be surprised? Anyone watching Glenn Beck's deterioration and collapse into total paranoid insanity should already have the message this network is not being run by responsible people. Viewers of Fox News, Canadian and otherwise, should be able to pick up on that. And to the many offended, I say, welcome to our world.

It's sad that too many Canadians do that which they accuse Americans of doing - being completely ignorant each other. Yet I have my official Stephen Harper No Confidence Motion Countdown Calendar (special maple leaf limited edition) and have been following the doings of the neighbor to our near north for at least two decades now. There are many Americans, especially those close to the borders, who do pay attention to Canada and do value our friends north of us. I'm offended by this kind of nonsense as well, and find the usual Fox non-apology apology to be as unacceptable as all their others.