In the ‘Dog’-house
According to Yahoo! news (link below), production on the A&E show “Dog the Bounty Hunter” was halted today pending an investigation of a recording posted on the National Enquirer’s Website featuring the title character talking with his son, using a racial slur several times. Duane “Dog” Chapman has apologized repeatedly for his use of the slur.
“Dog”’s use of that particular word certainly isn’t dignified or classy. He’s certainly taking a good step to repair the damage by apologizing publicly. No doubt there will be many bloggers, pundits and all around pot-stirrers who will be quick to condemn him, perhaps linking him to the Bush administration. There’s plenty of them. They don’t need my help, and I see no reason to join the dogpile, so to speak.
I think we’re missing the larger issue here…
How did a private conversation between a father and son get recorded? Moreover, how did it end up on a rag’s website? “[David] Perel [Enquirer’s editor-in-chief] declined to comment on how the tape was obtained. He said that doesn’t matter because all that matters is what’s on the tape.”
Wha?!?
Am I to understand that I should care nothing that a U.S. citizen’s private conversation was recorded (presumably without his consent) and broadcast publicly? Conversely, I ought to care about the content of a conversation that’s none of my business?!?
We have reached a very scary place in this country where “newspaper” editor publish this crap as “news”, in the name of “public service”. For an encore, they nakedly brag that the possible legal issues are irrelevant, and that we should only be concerned about what a person said in a private conversation.
All of you who are worried about “domestic spying” and “the government’s reading our emails man!!” have been afraid of the wrong column. I fear the media much more than the government. Ask yourself this question: Would you like YOUR phone calls taped and disseminated on a website?
November 1st, 2007 at 10:24 pm
I agree. When is it that we as people need to leave well enough alone and let people have their private conversations? I am tired of the overscrutinization of celebrities and quite frankly, am tired of the lives and/or foibles of celebrities being treated as mainstream news. Without the luck (and let’s face it, it’s sheer luck) that celebrities have to end up where they are - in the spotlight, they’d be everyday schmos like you and me. I have been known to let an epithet fly once in a blue moon (not proud but not ashamed), fart in public, and scratch what needs scratching regardless of venue. These people are entitled to the same thing. Conversely, however, the life of celebrity is the life they have chosen, and so enjoy the things that go with it. Is it wrong to ’spy’ or ‘tap’ houses or phones or emails? absolutely not. If we as common citizens have the right and ability to, behind closed doors, hide some of our ‘just-this-side-of-al dente’ traits, then we should be entitled.
November 1st, 2007 at 10:26 pm
To amend what I said, I meant that it IS wrong to tap phones, houses and emails…… Sorry.
November 2nd, 2007 at 6:48 am
LOL. “Just-this-side-of-al-dente” I laughed out loud at that one. Great one!
Actually, as I suspected, it was the son that did it. This just makes a bad situation worse. Regardless of what father-son issues are present, you don’t embarrass your parent like that. Shameful. I guess I’m just old school that way.
November 2nd, 2007 at 6:28 pm
That’s some unbelievable trash. I agree that the son shouldn’t have released the tape. What exactly was there to gain by making his dad look like a bigot? What a disappointment. Well, I guess that blows out the ‘blood is thiker than water’ theory.