A&E just released a statement and the Big Duck is back in. The indefinite “hiatus lasted” two weeks. An A&E statement to The Hollywood Reporter read:
As a global media content company, A+E Networks’ core values are centered around creativity, inclusion and mutual respect. We believe it is a privilege for our brands to be invited into people’s home and we operate with a strong sense of integrity and deep commitment to these principals.
That is why we reacted so quickly and strongly to a recent interview with Phil Robertson. While Phil’s comments made in the interview reflect his personal views based on his own beliefs, and his own personal journey, he and his family have publicly stated they regret the “coarse language” he used and the mis-interpretation of his core beliefs based only on the article. He also made it clear he would “never incite or encourage hate.” We at A+E Networks expressed our disappointment with his statements in the article, and reiterate that they are not views we hold.
There’s more, but you get the idea.
What A&E is hanging their hat on is the “Phil and the family apologized for the coarse language…” trope.
Let’s be really clear here. A&E, and GLAAD, got their heads handed to them. We were going to say “got their asses handed to them, but changed our mind. Then we changed it back. We’re old, that’s our prerogative.
The “disappointment with his statements in the article” is simply hogwash. A&E knew exactly how Phil felt about homosexuality before they signed the Ducks to the first episode. There have been videos of Phil speaking, among other place, at Rick Warren’s church and he said essentially the same “coarse” stuff there. This was not a surprise.
In addition to their prior knowledge of Phil’s beliefs, A&E had a PR rep at the GQ interview. They knew exactly what Phil said long before the article was published and they did exactly nothing but gear up for the storm, hoping to be able trash the family in a media brawl.
What they didn’t expect was that Phil and the family would stand up and tell them to take their show and stuff it.
The difference between the Duck Dynasty and A&E and their buddies at GLAAD is that the Ducks actually have very high standards and they hold to them. If A&E & GLAAD didn’t have hypocritical standards they’d have none.
We may come back in another article and deconstruct the hypocritical statement that A&E thinks will fly under the radar, but right now we just want to celebrate the reinstatement of a program we’ve never watched (we just don’t watch reality TV) and probably won’t watch.
The Curmudgeons are please to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, and make no mistake about it, the people who run A&E and the GLAADhanders are the epitome of evil.
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