I don't care whether or not Duane Dog Chapman is taken off the air. In case you have missed the buzz, Dog the Bounty Hunter ordered his son to give up his African-American girlfriend or leave the family business. The reason Dog was concerned about Monique (the son's girlfriend) is because Dog and other family members like to be free to toss about the n-word and didn't think that Monique would understand that it was just the way that they talked, no offense intended. The discussion took place in a conversation with his son via cell phone. The son apparently recorded the conversation and sold the tape to the National Enquirer. Oops! Now, A&E has suspended Dog's televison show and rumor is that he may be fired. If you haven't heard the tape, you haven't missed anything. However, If you want to hear it for yourself, unedited, click here. I warn you, it's graphic.
I don't watch his show because I have no interest in it. If you have ever visited my journal before, you know that I am not above watching reality shows; it’s just that a bounty hunter chasing folks doesn’t garner my attention. What I do find interesting is how many people are concerned that Chapman is the wronged party in this nonsense. I have a bad habit of reading message boards and they are filled with righteous indignation that (1) Dog’s privacy has been violated, and (2) there was a government conspiracy to discredit him. I know; it sounds bizarre, but I can’t make this stuff up.
There is also some reasonable skepticism regarding the initial source of the story, the National Enquirer. Normally I don't put any faith in any story that I read in the Enquirer. However, Chapman has acknowledged that it's his voice on the tape and he is busy falling all over himself apologizing for what he said. I don't know about you, but if there was some tape that purported to be me making racial slurs, and I didn't say those things, my first line of defense would be that the tape is a fake.
However, what I find most fascinating is the defense of Chapman's repeated use of the n-word. Although I've never watched a single episode of his show, I think that it is safe to assume that Chapman doesn't use the n-word on his television show. His argument with his son against his son's black girlfriend is that they use the n-word a lot and that she may turn this information over to the media. According to Chapman, he doesn't intend it as a racial slur or an insult but he and other family members just spout the word on a regular basis. My question is, if Chapman can tape his weekly show without the use of the n-word, why can't he refrain from its use in his everyday conversation? Does he have some form of Tourette's syndrome that causes him to say the n-word on all occasions that he is not on television?
Chapman chooses to use the n-word when it suits him to do so. He knows that it is offensive, that's why he wanted his son to dump his girlfriend. He didn't want the public that watches his show, puts money in his pocket, clothes on his back, and food on his table, to know that he regularly chooses to use a racial slur. Evidently, it never crossed his mind that another solution, other than ordering his adult son to end his relationship with Monique, was to stop using the damn word.
I have no pity for this man. He has had more than his 15 minutes of fame. A&E isn't considering dropping his show to punish him for what he said. The network is considering dropping his show because rather than being an asset, i.e. a moneymaking enterprise, his stupid words have made him a financial liability.
9 comments:
Howabout a Reality show where Duane Dog, Michael Ritchie, and Don Imus all have major makeovers turning them black for each show, and they have to work in a store run by Mel Gibson dressed as an Orthodox Jew. Put the store in a rural Idaho or rural Kentucky or East Harlem. Whoever makes it the longest successfully "passing" gets to have a career back.
I don't know who he is, but I'm thinkg, WHAT? Someone is ordering his own child to stop dating someone else, because the someone else is African-American? That stuff ticks me off.
Depending upon what state Dog and his son live in / were in at the time of the cell phone call recording, it may have been illegal, and hence technically an invasion of his privacy. (I live in a 2-party consent state; remember Monica Lewinsky?) I suspect, however, that this is one of those times when it's just as well that I don't have speakers on this computer. I'd certainly be repulsed.
And we both know that the guys "reason" is just an excuse.
unfortunately, i've known folks who are awfully like dog and hold him to be a hero for them in some way (often the very people who are applauding dog are the folks who are bounty uses; similar to the avid audience of cops (bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do?): the irony steams like a freshly deposited pile of shit. and smells suspiciously the same. good entry, good points, good gracious. debra
Ignorance is ignorance, plain and simple. I, for one, don't like to subject myself to it on my television. When I waste time I like to waste it with quality such as Dancing with the Stars or some such. Probably why I never watched the show to begin with. There is nothing to miss, because there was nothing there in the first place. Just my opinion.
Marie
http://journals.aol.co.uk/mariealicejoan/MariesMuses/
Morning Sheria,
all I can say is WOW shakes head
This really shocked me, I had no idea Dog was like this. What a shame.
Krissy
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink
I know the show, its on some 2 bit cable channel here and that's where it belongs. I suspect he does use the N word while fliming his show, the scenes are just cut out when editied. Are you telling me no one at the channel has never heard him? I think not.
He is sure as hell busted now, so it looks like they will all be looking for another job.
Cobblers to his invasion of privacy, he gave that up when he started making the show. He now desreves all he gets.
I hope his son loves his G/F and stays with her, regardless of her colour. I mean WTF, colour has nothing to do with anything. Reading this has just made me so mad!
Gaz
Well I belive that hes getting what he deserves! He outta be canceled and kicked off the show.. And what did you mean by " fired from the job"? Did you mean that the Bailsbond is closing down or that A and E has canceled the series?
~ Christopher ~
I dunno, I know zip about this subject. I do
notice how urgently friends rush to your
side with thermometers poised, and
sympathetic words pouring from their mouths.
I love Chris Rock as if he were a brother, more
maybe. My brothers suck. (Widely separated
for most of our long lives.) but wish I didn't have
to take a WordSmith with me all the time.
I've made an Entry about the comic way Obama
handles Hillary the Hot Mama, but it was murder to write
'cause I do grasp that the subject is loaded, still.
When will it all be over?!
Barry
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