Today’s Moment of GOP Derp
The RightOnLine conference probably produced many moments of Derp, but this one, by Bill Whittle (advertised as conservative writer and TV editor), has emerged as one for the ages. One of the real holy grails for the conservative movement is to find some way to get their narratives captured by the “popular culture”. Even though they widely disdain much of the “popular culture” — not just because they think its politics are all wrong, but also the reason why the Kids Are Not All Right. But Mr. Whittle has a new theory — that the show Family Guy is the reason why the GOP can’t get its message heard. Family Guy.
“Any audience of people that grew up with classical Superman automatically love this country because Superman is about the best America we can be, and when Superman was all over the pop culture we were a nation that loved this country,” he remarked. “Now, 20 years after the peak of Superman‘s popularity along comes Gilligan’s Island. That’s pretty neutral in terms of politics. Really about the only message you can get from Gilligan’s Island is if you want to get off the island all you have to do is kill Gilligan.”
“But if you’re a young person out there today and you can finish the theme song from Family Guy, then all the anti-American, anti-capitalist, anti-Christian, anti-morality messages of Family Guy are in your head as completely and thoroughly as that theme song is.”
The message that you’d have to kill a character in a comedy to get the resolution you want is a particularly GOP-like message. And Superman would smack this guy upside his head for even hinting that he would be party to teajhadi values — values that defend the the worst behavior of the powerful, rather than stepping up to defend the regular guy being abused by the powerful. Besides, wasn’t Superman an illegal alien anyway?
Tags: Moment of GOP Derp
Neutral? Gilligan’s Island is a reactionary capitalist cousin to Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’…d’uh.
Don’t be fooled by Thurston Howell and Lovie – they aren’t the capitalists, they represent post war Europe. The capitalist is the Skipper with occasional help from the Professor (Academia), Ginger (the media), and Maryann (the heartland). Gilligan represents the bumbling, incompetent “people” and by extension the government.
Insofar as the Skipper is unburden by Gilligan’s general uselessness, the society prospers. This is a bit hazy in the TV show, but came across clearly in the novel.
The thing I never got about Gilligan’s Island was why there were not lots of little Gilligans and the Professors and so on running around after awhile.
But the Skipper always beating Gilligan with his hat was all about keeping the little guy down.
I wonder if this Whittle guy is related to Chris Whittle, the founder of an education company about 35 years ago to “modernize” content in classrooms through video productions and shows. He was a former Ad guy I think from North Carolina who was really the first to bring the whole privatization idea of public schools to discussion.
The thing I never got about Gilligan’s Island was why the Howells and Ginger had full wardrobes when they where just going on a three hour tour.
Obama is the best thing for the GOP, since that moron was elected there are more GOP Governors, more U S Senators, more GOP Congresspersons etc.
Keep it up Barry.
Speaking of Today’s GOP Derp — look who showed up to claim it!
But wait – Superman was an ALIEN that assimilated into American culture………
and NOW the GOP says ” because Superman is about the best America we can be,”
so can the GOP explain what their issue is with comprehensive immigration reform again??? and aliens??
I don’t even think he had permission to enter the US either..hmmmmm
gettin a little too cerebral for your average Johnny-reb republican.
Republican Senators in 2008: 49
Today: 45
Add innumeracy to LAI’s list of flaws.