Saturday, December 17, 2005

Howard's End. Siriusly speaking

I am all for free speech (something I complain about all the time as the Bush administration tries to turn the USA into a dictatorship ripping Constitutional freedoms to shreds). But I also do not think someone just being obnoxious or vulgar on-air makes them some sort of hero.

What amazes me is this. Howard Stern, the "shock jock", whose shows on radio and TV have merely or at least mostly consisted of rude, vulgar, obnoxious, borderline pornographic, profanity laced insignificant drivel, is being considered a martyr or some sort of hero for being "pushed out" of FM radio.

On top of that Sirius Radio is reportedly paying $500 million (over several years) basically to have Howard Stern all to themselves. Good for them, and Good Riddance from Radio and TV that everyone else enjoys.

I admire him for learning to play the media to his own ends, and something a lot of people try to copy. I do respect him for openly criticizing George W. Bush before the election.

But how impotent, politically speaking, Howard Stern is, was proven when George Bush actually WON this last election - despite Stern's calling to his "huge" audience to oust Bush.

I was amazed to read this "article", on AOL, basically sucking up to Howard Stern - as if Nelson Mandela had been sentenced to life in prison by the South African government.

What's next? An article crying that Paris Hilton is a great actress who does not get good movie parts (except the kind she makes herself) because she is being discriminated against?

Sorry, but that kind of idolizing of Stern does not make any sense.

I can put anyone on air with 1000 F-words per hour, and transvestite midget guests who love to have sex with their 7 feet tall sisters, and you would basically get a Howard Stern replacement show.

With Sirius paying $500 MILLION for that, I made sure to pick XM Radio as my satellite radio provider. I would not want my subscription money going to finance pure crap and trash. So, if Sirius wants to pay an obscene amount of money to start up Howard's obscenities again, more power (and Watts) to them. But, In My Humble Opinion, it will not last long.

To me this is not a new start but just a certain Howard's End. Siriusly speaking.

What do you think?

Imran

7 comments:

City Troll said...

Imran like him or hate him yes our fore fathers died for his right of free speech also. "Censorship is an outrage" to quote Chief Justice Rhenquist. If you don't like what you see or hear change the damn channel. You nor I have the right to decide what other people like. He never harmed anyone with his perveted talk, every radio has at least 2 knobs one turns it off and on, the other changes the channel I suggest you learn how to use them.

IMRAN™ said...

You make VERY reasonable comments, City Troll. Thank you for the input. Believe it or not, I agree with you, BUT, then what is stopping us from saying cuss words on air, showing live sex, live telecasts of executions, etc? It is to live within some sets of rules that ensure the "mores" of the day, the morality of soceity at a particular time in history, is "satisfied". So, in the USA we cannot be shown Janet Jackson's NIPPLE on TV but in Saudi Arabia, heck, people can't be shown Janet Jackson! So, they broadcast within their "social norms" and we live within ours. My concern is with making Howard Stern a martyr for freedom, while, sadly, many look aside when the topic of our own government ripping OUR Constitutional rights is brought up. Your, mine and others' energies spent discussing Howard Stern and his "freedom of speech" would be so much better spent fighting to defend what only the USA and its Constitution give more than any other nation in the world. Real freedom from tyranny.

Regards

Imran

City Troll said...

True the "Social Norms" dictate boundries in all societies. Even thogh I was amused by Howard I was not what I would consider a fan. I would never join pay radio to listen to him. His pushing of those boundries I feel were safe however, they stayed in the environment of entertainment, and his show was a matter of choice. Where I see outrage is when a Judge makes a decision from the bench that effects us all. Creating law is not their purview. It belongs in the legislature. Those are the things we can not change the chanel on. They are the outrages inflicted on us by judicial fiat, by people that are not accountable to the social norms because we don't get to vote them in or out of their office as a result of their decisions.

IMRAN™ said...

Again, VERY reasonable comments, City Troll, and, scary as it may seem, I agree.

I personally do NOT find Howard Stern SO dangerous to society, any group or even any individual that he has to be censored or PUSHED off the air. Few people are that dangerous. My concern is people (and there are thousands) who literally worship him as some sort of hero or martyr. He is not.

I totally agree with you that activist judges (yes, many of them tend to be liberal) with some dumbass decisions do force new legal rules on society that is NOT their power to do. But, as Americans, we also have to be vigilant against a President usurping powers and taking us on the path of tyranny.

regards

Imran

IMRAN™ said...

Imran Farooq. I too support challenging arbitrary and often hypocritical "social norms" as well as limits on free political speech (as Stern did do and that I do support). My problem is with him being made out to be some sort of martyr for free speech (which REALLY is in danger under this regime in Washington) when in fact his major contribution to the radio scene was crude sexual and tasteless "content". Saying 1000 F-words per hour and being told not to do so is NOT being a champion of free speech but just a jerk with a radio show.

Imran

Anonymous said...

Imran:

Choosing XM does not exonerate you, considering the more filthy and hateful Opie and Anthony are the shock jocks on the XM airwaves...

IMRAN™ said...

EXCELLENT point, Wacko! I did not know those two pieces of garbage were on XM. Thanks for letting me know!

Happy New Year.

Imran