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Penn Jillette's Hate Crime
Reader mediageek points us to governmentattic.org, a website collecting documents obtained through various Freedom of Information Act requests. There's plenty of terrific material here, though, as mediageek points out, the "consumer complaints" to the FCC are by far the most entertaining; by turns hilarious and depressing. Check out the compilation of complaints against Penn & Teller's brilliant cable program Bullshit. The complainants are offended by the show's title, the duo's incitement of "hatred" when burning the Americna flag in support of free speech, and the supposed defamation of Mother Teresa (one dictatorial correspondent recommended to the agency that Penn & Teller "be reined in before they do more damage," another blamed Showtime, the show's network, for engaging in "hate speech"). The full document can be viewed here (PDF).
But wait...there's much, much more, including the inevitable complaints against our libertarian pals from South Park. (Note that all the links below are to PDF files)
Complaints to FCC about The Daily Show with Jon Stewart television show,2004-2007
Complaints to FCC about Desperate Housewives television show, 2004-2007
Complaints to FCC about The Oprah Winfrey Show television show, 2003 - 2007 Complaints to FCC about Family Guy television show, 2005 - 2007
Complaints to FCC about Sex and the City television show, 2004-2007
Complaints to FCC about The Simpsons television show, 2003 - 2007
Complaints to FCC about Saturday Night Live television show, 2004-2007
Complaints to FCC about South Park television show, 2004-2007
Complaints to FCC about The Jerry Springer television show, 2004-2007
Complaints to FCC about Law & Order: SVU television show, 2004-2007
reason's Nick Gillespie explains to Penn & Teller that nativism is bullshit.
Katherine Mangu-Ward recently praised Jillette's "crazy/awesome Internet-only video rants."
Timothy|1.30.08 @ 4:19PM|#
Most of these are from the MRC. Brent Bozell can go do something untoward that is never the less still rated G. Like worship his invisible friend and hate gay people or something.
|1.30.08 @ 4:29PM|#
I just started, but this is my fave so far (sorry about the
formatting):
"FOX has gotten to where they show those animated shows like Family
Guy and The Simpsons. They think that
parents are not listening to these programs just because they are
animated. They are not the old time cartoons and
I don't like the language.. .it is really disgusting. These
programs show disrespect to parents from their children, so
in turn, my child tries to disrespect me. There are others that I
just don't know the names of right now. I try to put
on parental restrictions, but it doesn't always work. I would like
to see these shows either changed up to show
respect to parents and cut the filthy language or just taken oft
the air totally. My child hears enough foul language
at school and outside of hom, he doesn't need to hear it from TV,
radio, etc. too!!!!!!!"
Grampa Simpson would be proud of this letter.
|1.30.08 @ 4:31PM|#
I like the woman on the Daily Show complaint list who complained about the movie Saving Grace.
|1.30.08 @ 4:31PM|#
Yeah, some of those Simpsons ones are freaking hilarious. One guy is complaining about how Principal Skinner in a burlap sack looks like a flaccid penis. He describes it in considerable detail in the complaint.
Episiarch|1.30.08 @ 4:37PM|#
From one of the complaints about the Simpsons:
"Do something - or get out of the job"
Quite wise words for a hysterical pantywaist. Hopefully the FCC
will agree with the latter part.
|1.30.08 @ 4:38PM|#
OOh OOh!
"Tonight during the Daily Show, Jon Stewart had two women on a bed
french kissing, once again giving support to the agenda of the
homosexual population"
She then says that she's not a homophobe because she had a cousin
and 3 friends who died of AIDS, a lesbian "female" roommate, and a
nephew who was gay. She goes on to say that TV is making it seem
like the primary population is homosexual, and it's time to get
back to focusing on the majority of the population, the
heterosexuals.
"Practicing homosexuality is against the teachings of virtually
every religion. So, we should not allow the left wing media to pass
it off as normal and OK."
yeah...
dhex|1.30.08 @ 4:39PM|#
man, even if 90% of those are basically form letters from the same 5 people, the other 10% are totally out of their fucking minds.
|1.30.08 @ 4:40PM|#
I like this complaintant about Family Guy that gets
introspective about his problem with a gag and why ... and settles
on the issue that it isn't funny.
--
As a bit of a religious nut, I find all taking of Lord Jesus' name
to be grating at best, but within the context of this 'joke' about
a pedophile stalking minors in an urban setting, I feel I must ask,
what warrants this blasphemy?
There was no actual reference to Christ outside the notion of using
his name for profanity to make comedy. Yet After careful analasys
of the bit, I've come to the conclusion that there was no
comedy.
Perhaps I missed something?
As a fan of the show I only wish to gently point out that blasphemy
may not be the same as other 'bad' language, but by that token (and
depending on whom you talk to) it is either much better or much,
much worse.
|1.30.08 @ 4:41PM|#
By far the best is the guy complaining about Penn and Teller burning the flag. Do yourself a favor and read it.
economist|1.30.08 @ 4:41PM|#
One guy on the South Park complaint list is pissed because they show Costa Rica as a smelly pit. Having travelled to Costa Rica, I can attest to the show's accuracy, at least in the portrayal of its capital. However, I agreed with one complainant's dislike of the show "Drawn Together". That show, to use a phrase Cartman uses in the aforementioned episode of South Park "sucks donkey balls".
|1.30.08 @ 4:42PM|#
Crap, they redacted the complaintent's contact info.
À la Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, these people truly
deserve a response to their complaints.
|1.30.08 @ 4:43PM|#
Holy fucking shit, Batman! These Catholic League assholes
complaining about Penn & Teller are friggin ridiculous. I love
how they say they ask for the plug to be pulled on "freedom of the
press." Yeah, next up, we're pulling the plug on freedom of
religion. Everyone gets to be Lutheran! Sorry, Catholics, you lose
because you're a bunch of whiny bitches.
I'm glad Louis CK and Jim Norton ripped them apart.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=neDyIWRyiXQ
|1.30.08 @ 4:47PM|#
It should be noted, I think all of the Oprah ones come from when
Howard Stern told people to complain about Oprah, when Howard was
getting blasted by the FCC.
This was by far the funniest complaint:
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0504044oprah4.html
|1.30.08 @ 4:48PM|#
Nick,
You're right. I like the last Catholic where the guy is like
"Would you allow someone to put on a show with the content 'Old
black Martin Luther King loves watermelon and red ripple?' Or would
you allow a show with the content 'Greedy Rabbi Gold steals his
brother's money and copulates with his brother's wife?'"
Joe Allen|1.30.08 @ 4:49PM|#
Penn Jillette is my favorite atheist libertarian celebrity. He could take Bill Mahr and turn him into a white rabbit, toss him into a wood chipper and it would be more entertaining than any episode of Politically Incorrect.
Hat Trick|1.30.08 @ 4:51PM|#
The Simpsons complaints are the best things I've read in months.
The reference to Skinner when he has been tied up in a burlap bag
and asks for someone to free him by "cutting his ball sack."
Our complainant elaborates:
"Principal Skinner's use of the word 'cut' was an inferred
reference to the procedure of circumcision, whereas a circumcised
penis is commonly referred to as being 'cut' and a non-circumcised
penus is commonly referred to as being 'uncut.' Principal Skinner's
use of the term "ball sack" would have a 'double entendre' intended
to refer to the mail anatomical part of 'scrotum', which is
commonly referred to as 'ball sac.' I hope I have provided
sufficient information to assist you in reviewing this complaint. I
look forward to your response."
Geotpf|1.30.08 @ 4:55PM|#
Most of those shows air either on cable or between the hours of 10 PM and 6 AM, so the FCC doesn't even have jurisdiction.
highnumber|1.30.08 @ 4:55PM|#
My fave so far is the guy writing in regard to Homer discussing
masturbation.
As I am typing, I'm beginning to realize that just because it is presented as a cartoon does not lessen the importance of the message or the impact it may have on those listening. It is adult entertainment where topics involving our everyday lives are played out in a satirical view point to minimize, maximize, or simply bring to the forefront issues which are not always addressed in a open, non-hostile manner. Just a thought. Maybe it isn't really a "cartoon" after all.
Uh, complaint duly noted?
Ventifact|1.30.08 @ 4:56PM|#
From the South Park complaints:
"With all of the evil acts being committed against our children
every day it was in extreme poor taste to use [pedophilia] as a
comic gag."
Of course, one of the main purposes of those types of episodes is
to mock the hysterical public perception that danger lurks around
every corner.
javier|1.30.08 @ 4:57PM|#
reading through those made my day. catholics get really pissed off easily. silly saint-worshipers.
|1.30.08 @ 4:57PM|#
Ahem...
Fuck Mother Theresa! The bitch was a hypocritical, sado-masochist,
misogynist, whore for a religion that still acts like we're in the
12th Century rather than the 21st. If I believed there was such a
place as Hell, I'd hope she's burning there right now.
There! Now am I going to "face the wrath" of William "Hollywood
likes anal sex." Donohue?
Come get some, Bill.
Some James|1.30.08 @ 4:57PM|#
I enjoyed the Simpsons complaint cited by Episiarch. Earlier in
the letter, the author complains about "BJs" on the Sundance
channel and then says "In most cases we need to protect the kids
from the adults that are to lazy to set up a parential control
programs - so who do we turn to when these kids get pregent and
kill 14 kids in school. Ameriaca makes it to easy to see such
trash."
Yes, curse you once again, Ameriaca
dead_elvis|1.30.08 @ 4:58PM|#
I have enjoyed some of the programs to a certain extent, but I would never describe "Bullshit" as "brilliant".
|1.30.08 @ 4:59PM|#
so many of them seem to ask for a direct reply to their
complaint. Does the FCC actually send them replies?
I imagine some sort of form letter being sent to each one of these
whiners.
Dear concerned citizen,
If something you see on TV offends you, change the channel.
Sincerely,
FCC
Hat Trick|1.30.08 @ 5:04PM|#
How about this about SouthPark:
"I was watching SouthPark a few nights ago and I noticed they
bleeped out curse words which is great because I don't want
language on tv. But what bothers me is that the FCC overlooks
the Lord's name in Vain. Why are you allowing something that is no
different then [sic] in the eyes of many?"
|1.30.08 @ 5:05PM|#
From the Simpsons
"Bart Simpson uses sexual innuendos and similarly degrading talk
throughout his "skits" to further destroy what's left of our
American culture! I'm sure you realize that our culture is what we
use to pass on our values and traditions and heritage, all of which
literally keeps us going - surviving!"
*YAWN*
Put her in the back of the van with the others.
|1.30.08 @ 5:06PM|#
Nothing makes you feel better than knowing that there are plenty
of your neighbors that would put you up against the wall if they
were in power.
But, yeah, religion is good for you and all...
Ventifact|1.30.08 @ 5:07PM|#
Personally, I'm most offended by all the bad handwriting. We need government enforcement of higher standards, so our children grow up safe from the influence of scrawl.
|1.30.08 @ 5:08PM|#
when I am king you will be first against the wall
with your opinion which is of no consequence at alll
Jesus didn\'t watch TV|1.30.08 @ 5:09PM|#
"The Simpsons cartoon features two women in swimsuits. While
there were no nudity, this scene certainly was inapropriate because
women should be dressed conservatively and obey the wishes of their
husbands."
"I watched the last few minites of the Simpsons on Feb. 20, 2005.
It showed Homer marring two Lesbians on prime time. This has gone
far enough! The show desensitises the consept of homosexuality that
the Bible says is an abomination.
Children are watching this, and if one is on the verge of being
gay, it is saying it is OK.
You better moniter what is being broadcast better than this. They
could not have gotten away with this 10 years ago."
|1.30.08 @ 5:15PM|#
I wonder how many of the complainants knew their letters could become public through the FOIA?
|1.30.08 @ 5:15PM|#
Also, what's with all these parents letting their kids watch the
Simpsons if they find all this stuff objectionable?
When I was a kid, my mom didn't let me watch crap like that. The
Simpsons were violent, Pee Wee Herman was... I never understood
what that was about, and my dad really hated Bob Saget.
Robin|1.30.08 @ 5:15PM|#
The best "Bullshit" episode is the one about body hair. This super hot chick gets her asshole waxed. It's fantastic!
Joe Allen|1.30.08 @ 5:16PM|#
Wow. Some real Catholic haters in H&R.
As a lapsed protestant, it is bizzare to me when I see so much
vitriol directed at Mother Teresa, someone who rejected leftist
class warfare arguments in her crusade to help the poor. She upheld
the libertarian position that for charity to be real and effective,
it had to be voluntary.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta was one of the greatest public figures of
the twentienth century. She merits more praise than any dozen of
her biggest detractors.
|1.30.08 @ 5:18PM|#
What CBS show was fined for showing a teen sex orgy? I'm not asking for myself, but is that show out on video?
highnumber|1.30.08 @ 5:19PM|#
Joe Allen,
I take it you have not seen the Bullshit episode on Mother
Teresa.
Get ready for a shit storm.
Robin|1.30.08 @ 5:23PM|#
"I take it you have not seen the Bullshit episode on Mother
Teresa.
Get ready for a shit storm."
So you're saying she gets her asshole waxed?
|1.30.08 @ 5:27PM|#
I like how on the FCC complaint form there it asks you to check a box if you're a senior
Rimfax|1.30.08 @ 5:28PM|#
I used to want to create an organization that deluged the FCC with form complaints about every show that the PTC didn't have a campaign against, so that the complaint count on their targets would be shiningly low. I'd always figured that faking sincerity would be the hardest part. After seeing these complaints, I can see the key to appearing sincere: frequent misspellings.
PC|1.30.08 @ 5:28PM|#
If these people watched less TV, maybe they would be better at spelling. Don't worry about TV making your kids gay, worry about you making them illiterate.
SxCx|1.30.08 @ 5:36PM|#
She then says that she's not a homophobe because she had a
cousin and 3 friends who died of AIDS, a lesbian "female" roommate,
and a nephew who was gay.
She's not homophobic because they're all dead or dying.
Les|1.30.08 @ 5:37PM|#
Joe Allen,
Yeah, I'm sorry, but it's true. I know that devoutly religious
people have done great things all over the world, but Mother Teresa
was a
bad person.
(I almost called her a sick, lying, thieving cunt, but I held
back.)
BTS|1.30.08 @ 5:38PM|#
I love how in one L&O SVU complaint, the author of the complaint said the episode portrayed the Catholic Church as intolerant, ignorant and homophobic. If I worked at the FCC and I was in charge of responses to these letters, I'd be hard pressed not to say "yes, and? You have qualms with the broadcast of facts?"
|1.30.08 @ 5:42PM|#
Wow. Some real Catholic haters in H&R.
You had to have been one to really understand, Joe.
Corey|1.30.08 @ 5:42PM|#
I love this one:
"My complaint is about the show Desparate Housewives. The show
sucks."
SxCx|1.30.08 @ 5:51PM|#
From Sex and the City's:
"The V-chips and other blocking technology are too complicated for
many parents to understand how to use."
There's got to be a better way!
|1.30.08 @ 5:55PM|#
I have recieved several complaint forms about the language used on Reason Hit & Run's comment thread. One of them said I have to "Do something or get out of the job."
|1.30.08 @ 5:58PM|#
The Daily Show complaints included someone complaining that "fuck" was bleeped out of a broadcast, because it could be inferred that "fuck" had been said. Apparently they want the show to go off air completely for the half-second that Jon amuses his audience.
Joe Allen|1.30.08 @ 6:20PM|#
Mother Teresa slept on a mat, washed out of a bucket, and picked
maggots out of the open sores of homeless people by hand. Without
discounting the fact that many others do the same kind of work in
obscurity, that's pretty impressive.
Her priorities were different than yours and mine, but that's no
reason to try and villify her. She held different beliefs, but she
never defended the Inquisition to my knowledge nor did she stress
theology over service.
Rip on the Pope all you want, but you really lose your audience by
attacking Mother Teresa.
Joe Allen|1.30.08 @ 6:24PM|#
Akira wrote:
"You had to have been one to really understand, Joe."
If you say so, but I was a fundementalist creationist evangelical
Christian and I don't hate those people, regardless of how wrong
and intellectually dishonest I believe them to be.
|1.30.08 @ 6:25PM|#
Fuck the FCC, and all the whiny fucks who complain about what they see on their televideo screens! Instead of revelling in the glory of the video age, they seek to shackle the grandeur of it all, because their tiny little brains are only matched in size by their tiny little dicks! And that goes for the bitches in the fold as well.
|1.30.08 @ 6:38PM|#
One thing you have to say about Penn & Teller, they'll skewer your sacred cow if you keep watching. I've gotten annoyed with them myself, and I generally agree with them.
|1.30.08 @ 6:39PM|#
but you really lose your audience by attacking Mother
Teresa.
Perhaps if you took the time to review some of those criticisms
you'd realize there is much more to them than simply vilifying her
for having different priorities.
|1.30.08 @ 6:42PM|#
Joe Allen,
As an apostate papist, I don't have that sort of visceral hatred
either. It's all silly and I don't shy away from an argument, but
civility seems to work for me.
|1.30.08 @ 6:44PM|#
I think the problem most people had with Mother Theresa is that she didn't look like Salma Hayek (or functional equivalent).
highnumber|1.30.08 @ 6:58PM|#
From Les' second link:
In Haiti, to keep the spirit of poverty, the sisters reused needles until they became blunt. Seeing the pain caused by the blunt needles, some of the volunteers offered to procure more needles, but the sisters refused.
That's indicative of the level of care that Mother Fucking Teresa
provided. Not to mention that she collected so much money that
could have gone to people actually helping other people instead of
giving the sick uncomfortable beds to die in.
Watch the Bullshit episode.
Joe Allen|1.30.08 @ 7:36PM|#
What's worse, dull needles or no needles? Uncomfortable beds or
no beds? You are saying she did good but not enough good. She
relieved suffering, but no enough suffering. She was selfless, but
not selfless enough. Listen to yourselves!
You don't judge charity by some perfect nonexistent alternative,
but by comparing it against its absence.
If you want to start your own charitable organization and put the
Sisters of Charity out of business, go for it. I'll donate, but I
will defend any volunteer charitable organization against any
state-mandated aid program every time.
highnumber|1.30.08 @ 7:47PM|#
Joe Allen,
Can you read?
Try this sentence again:
Seeing the pain caused by the blunt needles, some of the volunteers offered to procure more needles, but the sisters refused.
Here is a
review of Hitchens' book.
If you can read, try to understand what peoples' criticisms are.
The woman was harmful.
highnumber|1.30.08 @ 7:50PM|#
You are saying she did good but not enough good.
I never said she did good!
Les|1.30.08 @ 7:55PM|#
Joe,
She took in billions of dollars while her "clinics" were filthy and
the "patients" were regularly denied pain medication and forced to
shave their heads and sleep on dirty cots, while she received
state-of-the-art medical care. She took millions from Charles
Keating and, upon being notified that the money she took had been
stolen from the life-savings of elderly people, refused to return a
penny.
She worked to keep not just abortion, but contraception illegal in
parts of the world that need it most.
There are good Catholics doing good work all over the world. This
wretched, thieving fraud was not one of them.
|1.30.08 @ 8:13PM|#
You know, I wish that just once, the FCC would answer one of
these douchebags with a letter saying "get the fuck over yourself"
on FCC letterhead.
-jcr
|1.30.08 @ 8:43PM|#
I suggest that every time Bozell or Donahoe appear for yet another softball session on Foxnews, we flood the FCC with complaints about Fox showing assholes on TV...
b-psycho|1.30.08 @ 10:07PM|#
Why all the complaints about CABLE shows? If these people give
enough of a fuck to write in to the FCC, they should be informed
enough to know that cable is unregulated and the FCC can do zilch
about it.
Hell, these wimps should consider themselves lucky the broadcast
networks don't take the rules more literally. I could easily
imagine Fox showing hardcore porn at 11pm.
Ash Lux|1.30.08 @ 10:40PM|#
I have to wonder what people think the FCC actually does. Here's
a complaint about The Daily Show:
"When Jon Stewart described loosing his keys as "bad", I think
after that he said that the apocalypse was "shitty". It didn't get
bleeped, and you guys are usually pretty good at that. Either you
slipped up or my ears are going bad,
but I played it about 10 times and I'm pretty sure that's what he
said. Either way please E-mail me at the address above just to let
me know. Thanks"
Does this person really think the FCC is the in charge of bleeping
out "obscene" language and images? "It didn't get bleeped, and you
guys are usually pretty good at that." *sigh*
Dave B.|1.30.08 @ 10:40PM|#
b-psycho, one of them was writing in about the daily show as if the FCC itself was in charge of bleeping out swear words. These people have no clue.
Allen|1.30.08 @ 10:49PM|#
Okay--I found the best one. This gem is on page 73 of the
"Desperate Housewives" collection. In a complaint about one of the
"housewives" recommending to somebody else that she lose her
virginity, the complainant requests this:
"I recommend a fine of $10,000,000 against the ABC network, or 10
episodes of Desperate Housewives showing the Housewife dying of
AIDS."
Seriously--you can't make this stuff up. Especially the part where
that complainer capitalizes the entire phrase "Christian Family
Concept."
BlueBook|1.30.08 @ 11:05PM|#
I'm impressed at how many people were shocked, shocked to see depictions of criminal violence on Law & Order: SVU.
The Wine Commonsewer|1.31.08 @ 1:04AM|#
the duo's incitement of "hatred" when burning the Americna
flag in support of free speech
saw them do that in Lost Wages. It was beautiful, moving, touching,
and completely inoffensive.
Maybe I saw a different segment.
|1.31.08 @ 3:05AM|#
From a complaint on Sex and the City
I do not relish the possibility of having to
explain to my seven and eight year old son or my twelve year old
daughter what a blow job is and why adults find humor in
it.
Yes, because it'd be best if they never, ever know or hear about
it. Get the keys to the convent and the monastery! (oops, more
Papist-hating...)
|1.31.08 @ 9:27AM|#
Amazing how they can write so many complaints but can't figure
out how to turn the channel.
But hey the up side is they all get to vote as well. Oh wait,
nevermind.
anon|1.31.08 @ 9:56AM|#
"Amazing how they can write so many complaints but can't
figure out how to turn the channel."
The same reason liberals just . . . can't . . . stop . . . buying
crap from the same "globo-corporatey" corporations they rail
against.
|1.31.08 @ 10:47AM|#
I would volunteer time at the FCC to write responses to these
people. Who's with me, cuz apparently there are lots of 'em?
This is absolutely my favorite topic. I just can't get enough of
censorship advocates. The violence they are willing to impose on
others to keep people from seeing nudity or hearing naughty
language is mind-boggling. These are the people that support going
to war to make sure Islamo-fascists don't impose a caliphate on
us.
Ah, the depth of irony.
|1.31.08 @ 11:17AM|#
"The Simpsons is trying to make me and my children GAY!"
Well heck, the whole steel industry is. And so is Aerospace.
I didn't even realize that "hell" was a curse word. Isn't it just a
bad place, like Newark or Phoenix?
D-FENS (An aerospace engineer. Not that there's anything wrong with
that.)
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