So now a satirical television show needs a disclaimer at the beginning of the episode because they take a humorous look at-horror of horrors-the issue of gay marriage.
Yes, The Simpsons took it on in one of their most brilliant satirical moments in years, and hit a bullseye. The show has had jokes about homosexuality for years...think back to the early days when Homer's assistant "Karl" was madly in love with him. Remember the John Waters episode in which Homer thought Bart might be gay? And how about when Homer moved in with two gay roommates?
But now, oh heavens, NOW they went and introduced the "m" word, igniting a controversy among some die-hard right-wingers that the show is promoting an agenda.
Ummmm, hello....The Simpsons has always promoted an agenda: it's called making fun of the absurdities of the world around us, including their own show. No one escapes from the writers, no matter the topic. Alas, it must be a case of the jokes only being funny until one takes aim at you.
So what was the big issue this time out? That Patty Bouvier revealed she likes women. All in all, not exactly the biggest TV shock of all times.
And guess what, in the end, there was no wedding, as Patty's fiancé turned out to be doing a little Tootsie-esque masquerading to make it on the LPGA tour.
The idea that this show needed a disclaimer shows how bizarre things have gotten in this country. We can't even make jokes about certain topics without fear of some sanction befalling us.
Lighten up people-it's a fictional cartoon, nothing more.
I thought it would be interesting this morning to tune in to the ultra-conservative talk show run by Bill "Fly Me To Vegas" Bennet, to see what he would be saying about the tapes in which the Shrub in the White House essentially admits to past drug use.
It would have been funny if it weren't so pathetic to hear the same people who would be calling for a Democrat's head had Clinton/Gore/Kerry been the subject of the Weed tapes bemoaning the (I'm not making this up) "betrayal of the President."
Seriously. Bennet even had the audacity to call it a tragedy for the country if a President doesn't feel he (or she?) can trust people.
That takes ducking the issue to a mind-boggling new level. Had it been someone with a (D) next to their name on those tapes, Mr. Weed would be hailed for exposing the fraud, the hypocrisy and the horrors of those evil liberals in office. But let it be "W," and no, the issue isn't that he did e-x-a-c-t-l-y what Clinton and Gore did. No. It's that someone betrayed his confidence.
Want to guess what the conservative attack dogs would call someone who KEPT the confidence for a Democrat? Probably a co-conspirator.
For the record, I didn't think Bill Clinton's past drug use or his sexual, um , proclivities, were relevant to the job I was casting a ballot for; nor do I think the fact that Bush tried drugs disqualifies him from office. But since Limbaugh, Hannity, Bennet, Savage, O'Reilly (who by the way is an outright liar; but that's for another time) have loved to hang the "pot-smoking" tag on Clinton so frequently when they describe him, will they do the same for our illustrious leader now? And how about going one step further and calling Shrub a coke-snorter and pot-smoker?
Don't hold your breath...and not just because of the funny-smelling smoke.