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Yes, every comic uses twitter, because of the function/forum it allows, but that doesn't mean they like it. A lot of people use city buses, but how many people in the world actually like it?
Using this Roddy White twitter thing as a lightning rod for when PC goes too far is a joke. Because at the end of the day you have Roddy White making a terrible analogy. When PC goes too far, it's when you're not allowed to make a joke because someone might possibly get offended. That's not what Roddy was doing, and if he was then he was doing it poorly. And that's something that you have to understand about twitter, if you're going to make a controversial jibe at someone you better make it very clear that you're doing so with some sort of hashtag or you better be a position where people are going to give you some leeway (such as a comedian), otherwise then you better be aware of the consequences.
I listen to the Nerdist Podcast which is hosted by a comedian named Chris Hardwick (yes, formerly the host of MTV's Singled Out for everyone between the ages of 25-35), and the vast majority of the guests he has on there are fellow comics and comedians. And on that show you'll hear people talking about how they dislike twitter because it's a poor medium, but they will also admit that it's very useful, but not their cup of tea. And you'll also hear a lot of them talk about the PC issue, including one Tom Papa who was on the podcast in the past month, talking about how you can't be allowed to be offensive anymore.
And for them talking about that, I get that. Comedy is one of the last bastions of where you can be non-PC, and slowly and surely they are chipping away at that. And for them, I'm 100% behind those guys. But to make the leap from Roddy White's comments on twitter to what they are talking about as being part of the same spectrum is a huge, and frankly asinine leap.
Roddy White's comments imply that sexual orientation is a choice, which is first of all ignorant, but a still pervasive myth that exists today that IMHO is generated from hate. And they also imply that one choice is superior to the other, which is really nothing more than being hateful. Now 15-20 years from now, I believe those myths will largely be debunked, and most people will understand that gays are people too, and that they should be treated with the same respect that you should treat any other human being.
Now if Roddy was hinting at how the world is largely unaccepting of homosexuality, and therefore it's better to be heterosexual because the world treats you better, then that is a different thing. But you have to be very careful if you're broaching such a topic, especially on twitter where it's hard to take on such a controversial and heavy-hitting topic in 140 characters. But taking on such an issue probably also requires a depth that I don't think anybody here honestly believes Roddy White possesses.
Take for example, Rashard Mendenhall who got a ton of flack for his comments following Osama bin Laden's death. Mendenhall was very clear with what his point was in that the celebration of the death of any human being regardless of your judgment of his/her life is not good. Now I don't agree with Mendenhall's view, but I get what he was saying, and he certainly has a right to hold his opinion and to express that according to the 1st Amendment. But the 1st Amendment essentially protects the act of speaking, but it is not protecting and give value to the actual words you are speaking. And I think in this case of Roddy WHite, that is being forgotten, and often is when people start talking about the 1st Amendment and trying to use it as a shield.
And this is probably an equally controversial thing to say, and I'm not accusing anybody at this forum for being/doing this, but sometimes I think people pounding the table against "The PC Takeover" really is just some white male being upset that he can't get away with the racist/sexist s*** he used to be able to say back when this country was sanctioning racism/sexism. That's what I mean political correctness comes from a good place. What people often forget is that the difference between racism and racial prejudice, is that racism is institutionalized racial prejudice where holding such beliefs is essentially rewarded. And I think in some cases, people still hold these beliefs and some of them are upset with the PC craze/takeover because 20-30 years ago they could have gotten away with it because it was allowed.
So I don't defend Michael Richards because he forgot that slavery was sanctioned in this country for 245 years, and then institutionalized racism was then further sanctioned in most of this country for the next 104 years, and a certain word if used by a person of a certain skin persuasion rubs some people the wrong way because use of that word by someone of that persuasion epitomizes 349 years of this country's history that isn't particularly positive.
It's why IINM Neo-Nazism is outlawed in Germany. No good will come from it, and sometimes the government might have to step on your civil liberties from time to time to protect the greater good. Sure, it can be a slippery slope a lot of the times, but sometimes it's not, it's a pretty clear slope that you're better off without it.
Like I've heard on the Nerdist Chris Hardwick say things like "Be offended by everything or nothing at all." And I get the sentiment, but don't agree with the statement. In college, I would tell my white friends that if they were going to tell me a racist joke, they better have good timing otherwise I might punch them in the face. Thus, there are consequences of being "edgy."
But I'm not going to apologize for being a little thin-skinned when 350 years of slavery comes into play, or 2,000 years of Anti-Semitism, or 100,000 years of homophobia or what not. I think there can be a thin line between what's funny and what's offensive. And if you don't know how to toe that line, then you don't get a pass because there's too much political correctness out there. I personally, don't really like Lisa Lampenelli all that much. Not to say she's not funny, and if you like her, then that's your prerogative. But I can take about 10 or so minutes of her set and then I have to turn the channel or tune her out. It's the same with Ricky Gervais. I watched his HBO special a few years back and didn't make it beyond 20 minutes because all he was talking about was fat people. And for me personally, after a certain point it goes from being edgy to just being mean especially coming from a man who was once husky.
For example, my experience is that most groups of male friends have one member in particular that tends to be the butt of most of the jokes. And for the most part it's chalked up to "ball busting" and it comes from a place of friendship and love. And that's fine, but if one of your friends is making fun of him for an extended period of time, it starts to cross a line of busting a guys balls to just being an asshole. And that's what it means to be "edgy" because it's about toeing that line of that goes from one to the other.
And if you're in the business of making people laugh, you get some leeway. If you're in the business of catching touchdowns, you're not going to get that much leeway, and IMHO do not deserve it. Just like if you're a friend of mine, you can bust my balls and I'll take with a smile and a chuckle. But if you're a complete stranger, them be fightin' words!
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"Vincere scis, Hannibal, victoria uti nescis" -- Maharbal, 216 B.C.E.
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They blow rhino wang
The whole notion of Twitter--especially in the hands of celebrity athletes-- and "followers" is pretty funny to me. But what do I know? I can't help the fact that I'm sexually attracted to my cousins and we have dozens of children. Turn back the night, Wease!
