Duck Storm

Because it will now draw in a whole new audience who will tune in to
see what it's about. Core audience might have expected as much.

 

Anti-gay rap lyrics = no big deal

Anti-gay beliefs in mainstream Islam = no big deal

Anti-gay beliefs among African-American clergy = no big deal

A stated preference for a woman's vagina vs. a man's anus, by a star of Duck Dynasty = FIRESTORM!

 

It's not. Every episode ends with the whole Robertson family praying around the dinner table.

The reaction from my many more socially conservative Facebook friends has been predictable. I begrudge them that far less than those misguided souls who think this is a First Amendment issue.

I like the show and hope it continues. But he only "opened his mouth" because someone asked him, and he told them what he actually believes to be true.

If A&E wants to fire him and risk losing their cash cow, fine. But if they try to make him apologize so that the show will continue, then that's bullshit.

 

Kind of funny that the interview was in GQ.

 

My Facebook wall is blowing up with people who don't understand the difference between First Amendment guarantees and personal responsibility.

Sure, Phil can say whatever he wants to GQ, and he's not gonna get thrown in jail for it. But he's got to accept the fact that his bosses may decide to back away. That's how it works in the real world.

 

Phil was only scheduled to appear in one more season -- the upcoming season, I assume -- so firing him wouldn't really accomplish much.

These people at A&E do realize that everyone from the show they didn't suspend has the exact same beliefs, right?

 

Somehow I don't think that Phil views top brass at A & E his bosses.

 

It seems pretty evident that the show could be canceled and the entire Robertson family really wouldn't give a shit. Phil said as much in the interview. They're still going to be millionaires long after the show ends. And these shows have a shelf life of a couple years anyway.

 

I was listening to Tony Kornheiser this morning and they made the point that A&E essentially was forced to choose between pissing off viewers or trying to appease advertisers. If they can keep their major contributors from bailing out, I think a huge chunk of the viewership will return.

 

Probably not. Unlike us, he doesn't have to worry about whether or not he'll get a check next week.

 

Just looked at A&E's site. I don't watch a single show on that channel. Do they have any other hit shows?

Are they going to ask the stars of Storage Wars: Texas their views on this subject?

 

The show isn't even filming right now. This "suspension" is on paper only. He's already issued a near-apology. The next batch of episodes is already in the can and ready to air. The show is too big of a cash cow for the Robertsons ($200,000 per episode per person) and A&E for the "suspension" to remain once filming resumes in the spring or summer.