Glenn Beck

[Sarah]

I hope everyone is properly admiring the new whiskers.

[buffcoat]

People have to remember though, that you being right about him being a total dumbass means nothing to anyone.  The harder you pound on him, the more the people who still love him will love him.

Something the right understands better than the left: people's perception of heroes and good guys is based almost entirely on emotion.  You'd think that Rush Limbaugh being a scofflaw drug addict would make people resent the fact that he used to advocate horrific prison sentences for scofflaw drug addicts, but most of them only love him more for it.

The best thing to do is to ignore them.  Focus on tearing down the people who actually make decisions.

[nec13]

Buffcoat, everything you said is correct. There's plenty of criticism that should be leveled at actual politicians. But Joe the Plumber is a hack. People may have empathized with him at first, but he's since been exposed as a fraud and an imbecile to boot. And he has brought a lot of the criticism on himself by staying in the news. He's now a public figure and because of that he's open to ridicule when he says something moronic. I don't take him seriously and I suspect most others don't either. I was just having a little fun at his expense. That's all. Ultimately, you're right, we should ignore people like Joe the Plumber. However, Joe the Plumber is difficult to ignore when he keeps spouting off at the mouth.

[buffcoat]

Yeah, sorry Reg, I wasn't talking to you specifically.  I was just pissed off at something unrelated.  I absolutely think it's cool to mock that shithead.  I just would avoid actually trying to convince any of his fans that he's a buffoon.

[nec13]

It's cool. We need to have something to laugh at in these times, right?

[Phantom Hugger]

Buffcoat, everything you said is correct. There's plenty of criticism that should be leveled at actual politicians. But Joe the Plumber is a hack. People may have empathized with him at first, but he's since been exposed as a fraud and an imbecile to boot. And he has brought a lot of the criticism on himself by staying in the news. He's now a public figure and because of that he's open to ridicule when he says something moronic. I don't take him seriously and I suspect most others don't either. I was just having a little fun at his expense. That's all. Ultimately, you're right, we should ignore people like Joe the Plumber. However, Joe the Plumber is difficult to ignore when he keeps spouting off at the mouth.

Thus is the power of the internet Troll made manifest.

[nec13]

You know I never thought of it like that. Joe the Plumber is basically the equivalent of an internet troll. Interesting.

[Sarah]

Wasn't it here that someone posted a link to an article discussing how one of the reasons the Democratic Party has a hard time extending its appeal is that it does not take into account the importance of emotion in people's opinions?  I think so.  It was a good article.

I don't know how many times in recent weeks, as my sister remains immersed in current events and I've disengaged, I've had to say to her:  "It doesn't matter what [whatever enraging, stupid, extremist liar she's ranting about] says:  Most people will see through him/her.  Those who don't will never not believe in him/her [unless of course s/he transgresses something in whatever code they hold dear--cotton abuse not being one of those transgressions, as the example of Mr. Limbaugh indicates].  So there's no point fretting about them."  I then point out that the so-called news she's watching is completely distorted to achieve the maximum entertainment level, so it's equally pointless to take it seriously. 

Sometimes this soothes her; sometimes it annoys the fuck out of her.

[iAmBaronVonTito]

Sometimes this soothes her; sometimes it annoys the fuck out of her.

im familiar with this exact situation involving my closest family members.  im on my own island over here.

[wwwes]

I came to an epiphany the other day.

Glenn Beck : Fox News hosts :: Seth MacFarlane : TV Comedy writers

[buffcoat]

I came to an epiphany the other day.

Glenn Beck : Fox News hosts :: Seth MacFarlane : TV Comedy writers

Intriguing.  Explain, please.

[wwwes]

Well, this is based on absolutely nothing but my own gut instinct. So just a theory.

But while only Shepard Smith did it outright, I have trouble imagining most FOX News people (Hannity excluding, natch) getting on board with his whole strategy. Say what you will about conservative journalists (and I do), but they take themselves seriously. And I can't help but think that many of them were pulling for Beck when he first came on, but might be starting to feel like he's using serious histrionics as a gimmick, and worse, doing it really badly. If he keeps finding continued success, I can't help but think many of them might start getting that certain feeling when people start saying how much they like their show and Beck's.

Again, just a guess, but I think there might be something to it if Beck keeps on doing what he's doing. And why wouldn't he? Howard Beale has found his angle.

[samir]

Keep an eye on Youtube over the next couple of days for tonight's Newswipe with Charlie Brooker - lots of discussion of the U.S. networks, including Mr. Beck. If I remember, I'll post some vids on here.

[nec13]

Well, this is based on absolutely nothing but my own gut instinct. So just a theory.

But while only Shepard Smith did it outright, I have trouble imagining most FOX News people (Hannity excluding, natch) getting on board with his whole strategy. Say what you will about conservative journalists (and I do), but they take themselves seriously. And I can't help but think that many of them were pulling for Beck when he first came on, but might be starting to feel like he's using serious histrionics as a gimmick, and worse, doing it really badly. If he keeps finding continued success, I can't help but think many of them might start getting that certain feeling when people start saying how much they like their show and Beck's.

Again, just a guess, but I think there might be something to it if Beck keeps on doing what he's doing. And why wouldn't he? Howard Beale has found his angle.

All of what you said is probably true. However, I can't imagine that anyone who works at Fox News is too unhappy about Beck. Like it or not, he draws viewers. And when he does well, everyone at Fox News does well.

[orator]

Well, this is based on absolutely nothing but my own gut instinct. So just a theory.

But while only Shepard Smith did it outright, I have trouble imagining most FOX News people (Hannity excluding, natch) getting on board with his whole strategy. Say what you will about conservative journalists (and I do), but they take themselves seriously. And I can't help but think that many of them were pulling for Beck when he first came on, but might be starting to feel like he's using serious histrionics as a gimmick, and worse, doing it really badly. If he keeps finding continued success, I can't help but think many of them might start getting that certain feeling when people start saying how much they like their show and Beck's.

Again, just a guess, but I think there might be something to it if Beck keeps on doing what he's doing. And why wouldn't he? Howard Beale has found his angle.

All of what you said is probably true. However, I can't imagine that anyone who works at Fox News is too unhappy about Beck. Like it or not, he draws viewers. And when he does well, everyone at Fox News does well.

Shepard Smith was openly mocking him quite a bit one day. I'm sure Chris Wallace doesn't like him, either.