Was FAIR unfair to Howard Stern re: Columbine comments?

[Karmadillo]

http://www.fair.org/activism/stern.html

ACTION ALERT: Howard Stern Advocates Rape of Littleton Victims

CBS Distributes Repulsive Comments -- Little Coverage Follows

April 28, 1999

Howard Stern, a radio host whose program is syndicated by a CBS subsidiary, responded to the massacre in Littleton, Colorado by suggesting that female victims should have been raped as well as murdered.

Here are Stern's comments, as reported by the Rocky Mountain News (4/24/99):

"There were some really good-looking girls running out with their hands over their heads. Did those kids try to have sex with any of the good-looking girls? They didn't even do that? At least if you're going to kill yourself and kill all the kids, why wouldn't you have some sex? If I was going to kill some people, I'd take them out with sex."

<edit>

The Littleton massacre has been one of the most widely covered news events of 1999, and there has been widespread discussion of whether media should be criticized for contributing to a violent, dehumanizing culture. Despite the fact that Stern is one of the most widely heard radio broadcasters in the country, his pro-rape comments have attracted surprisingly little attention; only two stories on his remarks appeared in the Nexis database as of April 27.

more...

[Lost-in-FL]

1. I think the comment was as stupid as the response from FAIR...

LEAVE THE MAN ALONE!!!!

[acmavm]

2. No. There are many times when Howard Stern is totally classless and

couthless and deserves all the shit he gets.

Why does pandering to the basest elements in the human race in the name of comedy make some people think this guy should get away with any and every crass and nasty thing he says?

[Lost-in-FL]

6. Remember, he is not in public radio anymore...

People PAY to hear shit like this and there ARE some fked up people who like crap like that. This

organization is willing to PAY just to create havoc and have the FCC step in. The religious right want to

DICTATE EVERYTHING you listen too!!! And if that happens I'll never pay for Cable or Satelite EVER

again!!

[Lost-in-FL]

7. Opps... this was before moving to Sirius... my bad.

At least unless tbey pay for satelite they don't have to hear from him... and ME not to hear from the FCC complaining about Howard.

[acmavm]

9. At the time he said this he was on the public airwaves. So do I think he

had what he got coming? Yeah. If he's gonna say shit like that then he'd better be ready to take the ass whuppin' that comes with it.

I'm wondering if someone other than Howard said it how you would feel? What if it was Bill O'Falafel or Rush Scumball? Even taking free speech, etc., into consideration, how would you feel?

[Lost-in-FL]

10. I have heard worst from Republicans like...

"I fkng wish we kill all those fkng ragheads"

"GITMO? Torturing terrorists?? GITMO is a fkng resort!!"

etc. etc... nothing, NOTHING surprises me anymore...

[acmavm]

11. So, you're saying that it's okay? You're making excuses why just

because someone else displays their ignorant lack of decency or humanity it's okay for Howard Stern to do the same?

Okay, have it your way. You win. Case closed.

[jim3775]

3. Howard Stern says a lot of stupid things

A. He is not being serious

B. He doesn't actually feel that way


In a semi-serious tone he said today; "I did two tours in vietnam", it's not true.

It's called shtick.


Edit: Why did you dredge this up from 1999?

[AX10]

4. Stupid and Vile, yes. But, Koulter and Savage are MUCH WORSE.

I have no problem with him talking about "mature" material (and it's your choice to listen or not). That is not a big deal. But this statement is stupid and over the top. With that said, Ann KKKoulter and Mike Savage have said worse things than this, and they mean what they say (Coulter and Savage).

You can't compare Stern's single statement to a lifetime of horror from the right wing. We should be concentrated on taking the right wing hate machine to task.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Proof he is a sexist pig

[MrSlayer]

8. It's a fucking joke.

If you don't listen to the show or hear the tone and context in which the comments were uttered you don't know shit about it. It was a joke. Tasteless perhaps, dark perhaps but a joke nonetheless. He didn't mean this seriously. Get a grip people.

[madmunchie]

13. I don't care if it was a joke. Some words shouldn't be strung

together and said especially on airwaves. I think that the guy is an example of part of what is the worst of us. I can't stand him and even though there are many people that love him there are also many people that love Bush. Many people with poor taste doesn't make it right.

[MrSlayer]

15. That's fine.

Just don't compare it to the hateful screed that is produced by the likes of Coulter and Limbaugh. They are serious, Stern is not.

I fail to see how entertaining people and making people laugh is an example of the worst that society has to offer but to each their own.

[madmunchie]

17. It just is what is it that we really think is funny, sad, horrible....

We look at Bush and all the horrible things that have come out of his administration and many of us say "How could the American People not be enraged about this?" They are complacent, ignorant.... The reactions to something so obviously terrible is inappropriate. The reactions should be making everybody's blood boil.

Just as inappropriate as what one finds humorous. People are laughing at what should be outrageous and insensitive. Everybody loves a "Polish" joke, unless maybe they themself are Polish. It is easy to laugh, for some, at the expense of others....but if it were our daughter that were sexually exploited, or our child's bones that were the subject of the joke, then HOW funny would we think it is. The problem is that humor Stern style is usually always at the expense of others ignorance, misfortune, tragedy and/or soulessness. I don't like laughing at somebodies, ignorance, misfortune, tragedy and/or soullessness. I find it really telling of our society that such crude meanspirited humor appeals to so many.

Hannity, Rush...they are serious(they're fans like to think that they are serious and superior)....they are also souless, Maybe they are worse, I don't know. Stern's fans just like more perverted humor mixed with laughter at violence? I just find Stern, Hannity, Rush all on the slippery slope, who is the furthest down to the bottom doesn't make much difference to me because they are all headed in the same direction going towards the same slime spewing place in Hell where people make money on others misery and ignorance.

[Karmadillo]

12. Kick

nt

[Mossadeq]

14. Oh please

anyone jumping on Howard for this is a fool.

Do these names ring a bell ?

Carlin
Mandel
Cooper
Godfried
Carey
Diller
Sagat

This are just a small example of the comedians that appeared in "The Aristocrats"

Mind you this joke involved a family all fucking each other. nuff said.

[NYCGirl]

16. BTW,

that's Gottfried, Gilbert Gottfried, the God of Comedy.

And I LOVE The Aristocrats, although I despise jokes about rape.

[LSK]

18. yes lets bring up something from 7 years ago

About a guy who on yesterday ripped the Bush admin in front of millions of listeners.