What does A&E’s suspension of Phil Robertson really mean?
This morning when I visited my Facebook news feed, I was confronted with a lot of beards. They were everywhere. My friends are very upset about the fact that A&E has suspended Phil Robertson because of his remarks about homosexuality. I’m not surprised by A&E’s move but I am surprised by the thought process behind all of it.
Now let me back up for a minute. Another news story in my Facebook feed this morning was about Barbara Walters and her most fascinating person of the year. In case you didn’t know, she chose Hillary Clinton. This stunned me. What has Hillary done in 2013 to make her more fascinating? I could have believed it when she stood by her man during his Presidential years. I even could have believed it when she was running for President. But right now? This is a lame duck move by Barbara Walters. And I mean that literally. Barbara says she is retiring and her choice shows a good reason why it’s time. She’s out of touch.
So when you partner Barbara Walters and this choice of Hillary as the most fascinating woman of the year with A&E’s supposed punishment of Phil Robertson, what do you get?
Proof positive the general media is completely out of touch with reality.
As I see it (This is just my opinion. Everyone on the Interweb has one of those. You happened to land at mine.) the media has been in charge of shaping EVERYTHING in our society for so long that they don’t realize they aren’t doing that anymore. The Internet has stripped away that power and control. That is very clear. A decade or more ago, Phil’s program might have been on the air but NO ONE would have known that A&E was censoring “In Jesus Name” out of the prayers on the show. That happened now because an internet news source reported it, everyone else picked it up and the news spread. You didn’t see ABC or NBC covering that in their news stories did you? Nope. Because they have tunnel vision. For years upon years we’ve allowed this talking box in our homes that tells us what to wear and what to think and how to believe. The shows that have been broadcast into your home and my home have led us to believe that the world is what they say is. The mainstream media has done this for so long, they’ve begun believing it themselves. And now, when the rest of us aren’t on board, they’re still trying to drive the train down those same tracks. It’s not going to work.
This morning, I’m getting a good laugh out of A&E thinking that their suspension of Phil Robertson is going to mean much of anything. Christians are angry right now. Very angry. They’re looking for someone that they can support. The Chick-Fil-A experience from this summer is proof of that. It didn’t take but seconds for the news to break on this story before people were nearly rabidly supporting Phil.
A&E, you’ve built a program around a solid, Bible based family. Admittedly, the crazy is what kept the show on the air the first season. Not having to worry that our kids might accidentally get a murder or pornography in their viewing is what kept the show on the air. As the Robertsons espoused those VERY SAME CHRISTIAN BELIEFS, the show’s numbers grew because Christians found someone on television that they could identify with. It wasn’t the camo and the beards. It was the Bible and God. You built a program around a Godly family and then got angry when that Bible believing man stood up and spoke his Bible believing mind in response to a direct question that was designed to confront those very same beliefs.
Oh and one last thing to consider. This guy right here doesn’t care whether he’s on tv or not. He skipped filming with Barbara Walters in order to go duck hunting. (Based on her Hillary choices, we can all now agree that the man made a wise choice. ) However, if you think taking him off of the air is going to hurt him or their business or their family, you’re grossly mistaken. This television program isn’t their treasure. That’s been stored somewhere else and this whole family is at peace with that reality.
19 Comments
Melanie Dickerson
Very well said! The media has brainwashed many people. But those who believe in the Truth are able to see past their warped agenda.
Twichie
We’re living in the days of saying that what’s right is wrong and what’s wrong is right. Amazing to watch it unfold. Thanks for the comment! 🙂 I’m glad you took the time to stop by!
Twichie
Thank you Melanie. I look around at the world and wonder sometimes how people who don’t have that foundation are able to get through some of the mess we’re in! There are more days than not for me when that was the only thing that got me through!
Thanks for taking the time to stop by, read and comment! 🙂 It’s very appreciated!
Barbara Robinson
Excellent post. The show is nothing without him though and who is going to bother to watch it now when they’ve offended their target audience? Best they can hope for is to come up with something else and quick, but it won’t matter because no one will bother to watch whatever they come up with after this.
He was discharged for his religious beliefs. Where is Christian tolerance? Freedom of speech? Equal Opportunity?
Twichie
Barbara, I know! It’s crazy isn’t it? They don’t see it that way though. We’re horrible monsters that need to be muzzled. *sigh*
Thing is, they took this show and built a circus around an ‘uncivilized’ family. At first they filmed the family ‘in their natural habitat’ and then it grew to the point where everyone (including the media) got a kick out of seeing the DD folks ‘in the city.’ IMO, the way the media treated them, it was almost like a caged wild animal. They just laughed AT them – not necessarily with them. The rest of us feel like we’ve found a friend on television. That’s the difference that A&E missed. This wasn’t Honey Boo Boo. These people have a deeper connection with their audience and it’s not your typical entertainment dynamic. God does that. 😉
Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to comment! I very much appreciate it. I know how crazy everyone’s lives are – especially this time of year! 🙂
Ashlee
What is wrong with you? Freedom of speech only protects you from the government and he wasn’t arrested. If a waiter tells his customers they’re ugly and that he’s exercising his freedom of speech the restaurant will tell him fine, but you can’t exercise it here anymore. That is essentially what is happening. No one’s rights are being violated.
Twichie
Except that what he did in this interview is precisely what the program was built on. That’s the point everyone’s missing. They built a show saying “Look at the redneck!” and now they’re upset because the redneck acted like a redneck?
I’m not sure where you’re getting the idea that I have a problem with free speech because of this. I don’t. He’s not being prosecuted by the government because of what he said. He’s just being persecuted in the press. That’s not illegal. And A&E has every right to suspend him.
But here are a few things to note. A good interview that’s been set up like this and handled properly would have several things happen that appear to have not been handled. In most cases like this, there would be a pre-approved list of topics to discuss. Talking points that are and aren’t allowed. A&E would have final approval on ANYTHING that comes out of the interview before it hits newsstands AND there would usually be not only one representative there, but someone from the network and maybe someone from the family. All the appearances lead to none of that happening. And so far, we’ve seen no mention of any other family member in attendance. (Willie is usually the family spokesperson for things of this nature.)
So all of that put together makes me firmly believe that A&E misplayed their cards on this entire program from beginning to end. I’m not here to dispute what he did or didn’t say. I’m not even here to dispute freedom of speech or any other rights.
Everything I pointed out in this article is that A&E is out of step on this one. I think they expected that everyone in the world was laughing at the rednecks (ala Honey Boo Boo) and not realizing that the audience was making a genuine connection with the people on the show.
Again, A&E built an entire program around rednecks, then got angry and acted shocked when Phil did exactly what Phil has said/done in the past. Why on earth would they think he would change his tune for GQ when he skipped a Barbara Walters interview to go hunting? They made a reality show star out of a man who couldn’t care any less. And they got that back from him in spades. No big surprise there.
I’m glad you stopped by and read the article and thank you for commenting. 🙂
Char Spinosa (Finn)
This is by far the best response I have read to date on the matter. What did A&E expect from a Bible Believing man. Tolerance has to go BOTH ways…
Twichie
Thank you Char! It’s amazing to me that they didn’t see this coming – but perhaps they did. I’m positive Phil and the family saw it happening at some point. Every one of them has made some statement about them understanding that this isn’t going to last and how they’ll go back to their lives when it’s over.
Thanks so much for stopping by and for taking the time to comment! I appreciate it!
Char Spinosa (Finn)
Yep, they saw it coming… I watched a video yesterday on a site, just them, the family talking about all the things that the “editors” of the show were doing behind the scenes…. such as adding in “bleeps” to make it sound like it was covering a foul word… and how they cut out the ends where they prayed in “Jesus’ name” and so Phil would ask why and asked them about the purpose of the “Bleeps” and that he wanted it to strop. He is the HEAD of that family and they are following him. Dunno if you saw the family site statement… in short… No Phil, No Robertson Family. They are in talks now… what he did was NOT on the show… and as you pointed out, they were hired as a Bible Believing Family, so what did they expect? lol!! They are the No 1 all time highest rated show on TV and their millions did not come from A&E, it was from the Duckcalls… which are mostly sold out at the moment LOL!! Keep on writing, you have a flair and insight that is awesome ♥
Twichie
Thank you so much!!!! I cherish your comments and SO appreciate your compliments!! 🙂 I wish I could give you a hug so I’ll send you a virtual one! *hugs* I hope you keep coming back! I’d love to keep up with you! *grins*
Happy Friday!
Char Spinosa (Finn)
**HUGS** the big squishy kind lol!! 😉 Bookmarked!! ♥
SA Homemaker
Have you actually read the full article? He said some racist things as well. He’s free to say whatever ignorant thing he wants (i.e. African-Americans were better off before the civil rights era) and A&E is free, as his employer, to respond by suspending him.
Twichie
I agree. A&E has every right. They aren’t taking that away from Phil or the Robertsons.
But I think A&E was completely off course in their perceptions of their own show. They took a redneck and built an entire show around “Let’s look at the crazy redneck” and then acted surprised and shocked when he responded true to form. They expected the audience would treat them like Honey Boo Boo – entertainment without a connection. Now they’re finding that people genuinely like this family and have made some sort of connection.
This wasn’t a family groomed for television that was going to fall in line with whatever the network had to say. They’ve been very open and honest in that. For A&E to act shocked or surprised when the redneck does what the redneck does is just crazy. The network put them on that pedestal and lifted them up to be pointed and laughed at. Don’t be surprised now that Phil doesn’t really care. That’s been what people have loved about him. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks.
Jeremy Moser
Very well written blog on the real truth of the matter! It is a blessing to see Phil stand strong for what he and so many others of us believe. It takes true faith to stand up and be counted and to speak out against what is not right in the sight on the Lord! God bless Phil and his whole family.
Twichie
Thank you Jeremy. 🙂 I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment – and am glad you found it valuable. It’s interesting to see where some of these discussions are leading. I think we’re at a major turning point for something. The question is where we’ll end up from here.
Jeremy Moser
Things are with out a doubt coming to a head in this country and in the world as a whole. I can say that I feel blessed to be able to say that I will be here for a lot of years and able to be a part of that change
Twichie
Now that is a great response! So many people are bemoaning the fact that it’s happening during their time. But you know we’ve all been placed here for such a time as this. 🙂 I think people forget that!
Jeremy Moser
Amen to that! 🙂