Has anyone been following the goings on south of the border lately with regards to Howard Stern and the FCC and the ramifications politically speaking with the upcoming election and gay marriages? Seems that Uncle Sam has decided to take a step backwards in time and evolution with Bush attempting to capture any vote that he can get with the constitutional ammendment. Anyone else seem to think that these issues are so intertwined as to change the outcome of the presidential election? I mean without this Bush is dead in the water so to speak what with the great US economy engine and the success in Iraq with WMD's [img]graemlins/lmao.gif[/img]
Salon.com has a recent piece called "The Passion of Howard Stern".
Quote:
March 4, 2004 *|* From the moment last week when Clear Channel Communications suspended Howard Stern's syndicated morning show from the company's radio stations, denouncing it as "vulgar, offensive and insulting," speculation erupted that the move had more to do with Stern's politics than his raunchy shock-jock shtick.
Stern's loyal listeners, Clear Channel foes and many Bush administration critics immediately reached the same conclusion: The notorious jock was yanked off the air because he had recently begun trashing Bush, and Bush-friendly Clear Channel used the guise of "indecency" to shut him up. That the content of Stern's crude show hadn't suddenly changed, but his stance on Bush had, gave the theory more heft. That, plus his being pulled off the air in key electoral swing states such as Florida and Pennsylvania.
This week, Stern himself went on the warpath, weaving in among his familiar monologues about breasts and porn actresses accusations that Texas-based Clear Channel -- whose Republican CEO, Lowry Mays, is extremely close to both George W. Bush and Bush's father -- canned him because he deviated from the company's pro-Bush line. "I gotta tell you something," Stern told his listeners. "There's a lot of people saying that the second that I started saying, 'I think we gotta get Bush out of the presidency,' that's when Clear Channel banged my ass outta here.
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Maybe if all plays through we can get him on sat radio in the near future. Even that arena seems to be eyed by the FCC for future targeting however.
Q in my opinion made a huge mistake with dropping the show for Derringer. Their ratings went a tumbling and we are the poorer for it.
I think you're right hmto. Somehow all of these wannabe Sterns (Derringer, Krystal et al) don't have whatever it is that Stern has. I think it might be some sort of vulnerability which takes the sting out of some of the stuff he comes out with. I know he used to drive me crazy sometimes but I always went back the next day for more. They took him off the air while I was overseas and replaced him with Mojo. Not the same thing at all. Do you think there's any chance Q might relent? I'm sure lots of people would like to have him back.
I'd be one that would welcome his return to TO but not holding my breath. Egg on face would be the obvoius reason but what's going on with the FCC is far reaching with vague and yet unknown repercussions.
This whole situation makes me feel uneasy. I'm not generally in favour of any kind of censorship (with the usual exceptions - no one being hurt, no children involved, etc., etc.). The idea of just shutting someone up because you don't like what he's saying is, surely, simply facism? The religious right-wing in the US is very scary and I really don't think people are taking them seriously enough. It's like that old story (don't remember it properly I'm afraid) about "what would you do if they started rounding up all the jews in your neighbourhood, and then they came for you". I think this is the thin end of the wedge. Whether you love him or hate him I think the world is a better place having people like Stern in it. I'm constantly bombarded by values, habits, opinions, etc. that I don't like and am very often offended. I'd rather have that than censorship.
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