October 22, 2009
Mom Always Liked Penn Best!
This story really disturbed me.
I follow PennSays on Twitter and meant to post a recommendation to it last week. Penn does short videos (kind of a cheap imitation of the virtual coffeehouse, really...) that are the closest thing to a vblog that I've ever seen. Jillette is an interesting and likeable guy, and the videos are fun to watch.
Except this one from last week. I found it very sad. While I am still ambivalent on Beck fandom, Penn is 100% right and Tommy Smothers is 100% wrong. "If Hitler has a show, would you go on?" Asinine.
Instapundit linked this morning and I watched it again. Reynolds suggests it's a good excuse not to have idols -- not a bad takeaway.
But the segue machine really kicked in when Don Surber (another awesome Twitter followee) piled on:
Tommy Smothers yelled at Penn Jillette for appearing on a TV show?That’s like Chong yelling at you for having a bong.
God, I am old.
I remember when the Smothers Brothers were for free speech.
I guess the only speech Tommy Smothers supports now is yelling at people he disagrees with.
From the other side Posted by John Kranz at October 22, 2009 6:58 PM
Isn't yelling at people you don't agree with the basic principal of free speech? Or have I been misled by what we call commentary on cable TV?
Posted by: Silence Dogood at October 24, 2009 11:49 PMI can't take the temperature of that comment closely enough to respond. But for the benefit of the young'uns, let me recap:
Tommy Smothers was denied his First and Fifth Amendment rights when his show was taken off the air by government censors, who likely objected to his politics as much as language or "adult situations." Many rallied to their cause and their careers and reputations -- if not their show -- were restored.
Now, Mister Smothers seems too quick to want to take away the voice of someone with whom he disagrees. And ready to deny Mister Jillette his voice. As Mister Surber scored it, that's evil.
Posted by: jk at October 25, 2009 7:01 PM | What do you think? [2]