The Rev. Donald Wildmon and his American Family Association, self-appointed media watchdogs, are at it again. This time, their target is Rescue Me, the series on FX about a New York City fireman, played by Denis Leary. Wildmon and his sheep have persuaded T-Mobile to pull their ads from FX. More here.
If I had T-Mobile as my cell carrier, I'd try to cancel my contract, based on their caving into this buffoon so easily. Wildmon and his minions have been at this for so long, but does anything they do make a difference? Sometimes the protests of these self-appointed watchdogs backfire. Look at Married With Children. Terry Rakolta's protests against it got the show noticed, and turned it into an 11-season hit.
But it was moved into a later time slot, which is all Rakolta wanted. She didn't want it taken off the air, or anything.
Rescue Me has actually received criticism from a number of sources, not just Wildmon. TV Guide, hardly a bastion of conservativism, had an editorialist decry the show for seeming to suggest Leary's rape of his estranged wife was justified.
I've posted this before, but I think it bears repeating here. Back in 1988, I tried to challenge one of Wildmon's AFA syncophants regarding Star Trek - TNG. Specifically, the episode "The Child," because Worf had suggested that Deanna Troi abort the child she was carrying in that episode. The AFA guy at the other end of the phone said that they didn't monitor Next Gen, as it was a syndicated, rather than a network, show. Still, Next Gen doubtless had a larger audience than any show on FX. FX is on the map because their original programming (which includes Nip/Tuck and The Shield) is cutting edge stuff, rather than the bland, Brady Bunch cookie-cutter type of programming the AFA prefers. If you don't want that type of programming, then either block the channel or drop your cable subscription. Don't tell me what I can or can't watch, in my own home on my own time. (Actually, according to Bunch producer Sherwood Schwartz, Carol Brady was supposed to be a divorcee. I'm sure the AFA is in denial of divorce, but that's another issue for another time)
I guess Wildmon just hasn't been getting enough attention lately and is once again grasping at straws to get his name in the papers. Whatever the case he always has been, and always shall be, a very pathetic idiot.
I'm sure Wildmon and his syncophants were partially (if not fully) responsible for the Once And Again episode "The Gay/Straight Alliance" being pulled from some ABC affiliates in the southern states back in March, 2002. And, one of the subplots was the character Jessie Sammler's (Even Rachel Wood) growing interest in her friend Katie Singer (Mischa Barton). But, the episode's main plot involved Grace Manning's (Julia Whelan) infatuation with her English teacher, Mr. Dimitri (Eric Stoltz). Whoever was unable to see this episode, because it was pulled from the air or whatever, missed a brilliant performance by Ms. Whelan, especially the scene where she goes to Mr. Dimitri's home, and finds him with a lady friend.
Wildmon now wants his AFA sheep to file complaints with the FCC over CBS' recent repeat of their 9/11 documentary, because the program contained obscenities that, Wildmon claims, were not befitting the early evening hour that the show was aired. I saw that show (which contains the only footage of the first plane crashing into Tower One of the World Trade Center, by the way) when it was first aired back around March, 2002, and any strong language that was used was entirely germane to the circumstances. (Personally, I doubt that Rev. Wildmon has ever come close to either the World Trade Center site or the Pentagon, to see the devastation from that day. If you see an airliner crash into a skyscraper, you'd probably say something like "Holy s**t". I know I would.) More here.
Call 1-800-DECENCY and ask him!
If people like that spent timd fighting issues such as homelessnes, corporate greed and street/prison/nasty additudes, the worldwovld be a better place
And what about ultra right-wing and extremely conservative L. Brent Bozell and his Parents Televison Council?
He wrote an editorial bashing the late George Carlin's HBO special back in '99, and around the same time he tried to get the FCC to crack down on and better regulate the WWE (formerly the WWF) during it's highly popular and incredibly controversial "Attitude" era.
What a joke! This doofus should go away and never bother us again!
BTW, back in '88, George mentioned Donald Wildmon in his "Reagan's Gang, Church People, & American Values" routine, and made fun of him and put him in his place really well. It was funny!
I totally agree with the "Metal Plate" poster. Don't these people have better and more important things to worry about?
Sheesh!