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Schizo Scott: Updates on Opie and Anthony and More
2007-05-17 09:43
by Scott Long

What I expected has happened in the radio biz, as major radio shows are being canned or at least supended. I was a guest on a morning show today where the hosts were telling me what I could and could not say. They knew me from past appearances or I'm guessing they wouldn't have even had me on. Well, guess what? It was the worst radio appearance I've ever done, as I was overthinking every premise so much, wondering if I should censor a word like breasts.

 

Many after the Imus fiasco were saying he would end up on satellite radio. Here was my thoughts on that subject.

My guess is this won't happen, as with the current merger efforts between the 2 companies under review by the FCC, XM and Sirius won't want to take on anything too radioactive. Which makes Imus radio-inactive.

I used to do a joke in my act about a former girlfriend who had a rape fantasy which she wanted me to role-play. In the bit, I mention that I was very uncomfortable with the idea, but wanted to make her happy, so I gave it a go. I still had a hard time fully committing to doing this saying things in a very nonchalant way like... I'm busting down your door...now I'm ripping off your clothes...(yawn) Now I'm raping you. Who's your raper? Yeah I'm raping away.

This bit was based on a true story. It was kind of a hit or miss thing with the audience, so I quit doing it. I've always made it a point to do jokes on subjects that are considered taboo comedy topics. I mention this particular joke because of the suspension that Opie and Anthony have been given in regards to the "raping of Condaleeza Rice" that aired on their XM radio show. Being self-serving for a moment, my joke isn't as cringe-worthy as the O&A segment, as I set it up in a fantasy scenario and position myself as a very reluctant participant. Still, I know that many don't feel anythiing about the topic of rape can be considered funny, so I can't pretend that it didn't piss some off in the audience. I also don't have to entertain people for 5 hours a day, like Opie and Anthony do.

This was the issue from the Imus fiasco that I was most worried about. What makes one person laugh, often will make another person uncomfortable. It's the nature of entertainment. I'm not saying there aren't some standards that should be in place, but where radio is at now, everyone is running scared, not sure what is acceptable and what isn't. Having political and religious groups determining what kind of entertainment I should listen to is not my idea of a democratic state. If these political and religious groups really know what people enjoy watching, why aren't C-Span and the Trinity Broadcasting Network ratings kingpins? Why doesn't Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have large radio audiences?

Opie and Anthony didn't allow the stuff that got them suspended on their terrestrial radio, instead doing it on the uncensored satellite radio show. Just like about every other entertainment entity, corporate and political interests have merged at satellite radio, as the potential merger of Sirius and XM radio have impacted these companies standards on what will go over their airwaves. With the merger having to be approved by Congress, these 2 companies have taken the uncensored concept away (especially at XM), as they want to do everything possilble to make sure their business plan will get a Yes vote.

The one positive for someone like me is that with the censorship crackdown going on, the only 2 places where corporate interests are not directly impacting freedom of speech is at live stand-up comedy clubs and online blogging. Yeah for me! This also is the reason that blogs done at newspaper or magazine websites can't truly compete with what you read at sites like the Toaster, as we aren't beholden to any corporate interests. (Authors note: I would be willing to deal with some of those restrictions, if it meant me making some real money for what I offer up here. I'm not above being a Happy-headed Ho.)

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Note from Scott: If you are interested in having your voice heard on this matter, go to the People Against Censorship website. Check out an interesting clip from CNN, featuring Pastor Al Shapton and PAC co-founder Debbie Wolf. Sharpton attempts to do his bullying act, which is usually successful (see debate with Imus sidekick, Bernard McGuirk, on Hannity and Colmes), but this time Wolf is up to the challenge.

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One place where less corporate control in the media seems to be going on is at Salon.com. While the site can be a little too much preaching to the liberal choir for my tastes, the sports columnist, King Kauffman is one of my favorite reads. I recommend checking out a non-sports piece Kauffman did on Tinky Winky being interviewed about the death of Jerry Falwell. As someone with a young child, I've seen the freakish magic that the Teletubbies can bring to kids. Falwell was a pompous douchebag. Last time I checked, it has been a long time since anyone has been perfect enough to have the right to tell a planet what is right and what is wrong. For someone who said the Bible was to be followed to the tee, Fatwell never seemed to grasp that whole gluttony being a mortal sin chapter.

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Here is a link I title Hilary Clinton Would Keep Adult Industry's Shorthairs Out of the Crosshairs

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It looks like my prediction will be right that Jordin Sparks will be the ultimate winner of American Idol. Winning a popularity contest is not about being the most qualified. (For more evidence see this guy.) Jordin sings better than most pop stars, has a winning personality and gorgeous smile. Sure she has a prototype body for a NFL left tackle, but that is genetics and who can say that genetics have given us everything we want? Well, except for maybe the chick on the last Sopranos episode.

Comments
2007-05-17 09:59:27
1.   Scott Long
Just ran across a good piece in the LA Times on the O&A suspension.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-shockradio17may17,0,5876487.story?coll=la-home-business

2007-05-17 10:07:13
2.   joejoejoe
Jenna Jameson has more insight than 90% of TV pundits.

Jenna Jameson: "I love Hillary. I think that in some ways she's pretty conservative for a Democrat, but I would love to have a woman in office."

Hillary is a conservative Democrat. The image of Hillary as a leftist harpy is a convenient bogeyman used in fundraising appeals from the far right. Based on their records and personal behavior it's clear that Hillary Clinton is far more socially conservative than Rudy Giuliani.
- - -
One quibble with your post: the phrase "...not my idea of a Democratic state" should have a small 'democratic'. Capital D implies the Democratic party, not the concept of democracy.

2007-05-17 10:43:17
3.   Scott Long
It has been fixed. Thanks for the quibble.
2007-05-17 11:39:54
4.   capdodger
2 Hillary gets the "Leftist Harpy" rep because of the early Clinton Health Care agenda she pushed. Thing is, though it failed she was right. Ask anyone who treats diseases of the very, very poor and/or very very sick. Ask the pensioners whose pensions will be disappearing over the next couple of years...
2007-05-17 16:08:01
5.   El Lay Dave
I am annoyed that Congress should only be considering the XM-Sirius merger proposal on business-regulation merits, e.g. would it consitute a monopoly, and yet the spectre of implicit content-approval will raise its ugly head yet again.

Besides, if Time-Warner cable can be in the on-demand smut video business, I don't see that satellite radio content is any big deal.

2007-05-17 18:43:03
6.   sanchez101
this is just a pet peeze of mine, but when you say 'democratic' you really mean 'freedom' or more precisely 'freedom of speech.' Groups of citizens, you call them 'Political and religious groups' excerting their influence to impact their government and society sounds pretty democratic to me. Socrates was executed for corrupting the youth and disparaging the gods in a democractic society. While it's highly debatable whether democracy can survive without some measure of free speech, it always annoys me when celebrities (comedians tend to do this a lot) say "hey, I thought this was a democracy, I can say whatever I want!" It might just be a matter of semantics, because I know what you mean, but I just don't want you sounding like an idiot.
2007-05-17 20:08:20
7.   Scott Long
Sanchez, thanks for the history 101.

I write these posts to be part intellectually stimulating, part stream of consciousness, and most importantly entertaining.

There will be times when something will not connect with some of my audience and I guess some will think I'm an idiot. I have never claimed I'm some type of academic. I have a bachelors degree from the University of Iowa. Only the second person in my family's history to ever attend a 4 year college.

The thing I'm most focused on is being entertaining. This is the category I will put myself up against anyone on. I'm not knocking your offering on Socrates, as I appreciate the knowledge you presented. I didn't kow this particular piece of history and found it interesting.

The part about you not wanting me to sound like an idiot was one of the most condescending sentences anyone has ever offered up at me. Congrats. My biggest problem with it was that I never wrote "hey, I thought this was a democracy, I can say whatever I want!"

I guess you inferred this idea from my "Having political and religious groups determining what kind of entertainment I should listen to is not my idea of a democratic state" sentence.
I stand by this post, if it makes me seem like an idiot or not.

I've liked some of your past posts, so I don't want to slam back at you too hard, but telling me I sound like an idiot does make me feel a bit defensive. I don't know you, but I'm willing to guess that you might have a higher IQ than me and that you definitely know more about the Greeks. I will also guess that at a dinner party, I'm the one that most people, including your date will gravitate towards because I'm more charismatic, engaging, and fun to be around. (Did I leave out modest?)

If by being this way I sometimes can be considered to be a bit of an idiot by an academic like yourself, I will accept it as the cost of doing business.

2007-05-17 20:20:44
8.   Bluebleeder87
your one cool cat Scott.

Well, except for maybe the chick on the last Sopranos episode.

Loved that episode.

2007-05-18 09:05:33
9.   Suffering Bruin
Two points, Scott.

Your post above reminded me of something that I'd like to share (try and stop me!). Nathaniel Hawthorne used to love it when people would jump and down and claim his novels were historically inaccurate. He would call such critics "professors of historical exactness" and add that he was sorry they didn't find his works entertaining or informative.

Second point, I remember disagreeing with your position on Imus in part because I did not believe that his firing would lead to censorship.

Next time, I'll check my naivete at the door.

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