# A Perfectly Reasonable Amount of Schadenfreude about Things Happening to Trump & His Enablers (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 14, 2020, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537 "2020-11-14T00:09:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 208
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4147 "2022-01-16T18:00:01Z")
Of course, it also works the other way. Conservative cable users are funding CNN and MSNBC whether they watch it or not. That might be more fertile ground for pushing this kind of selectivity, as I’m sure that if they thought about it they would think they are funding the apocalypse and child sex rings. The real issue is to be able to select and pay for only those channels you actually want to watch, which will never happen absent some major change in the cable industry. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4148 "2022-01-16T18:08:39Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I found this _current_ article saying that AT&T has sold controlling interest in DirectTV to someone else, and it appears to be those new owners who are now giving OANN the heave-ho. > [@Shoeless](#): > > Interesting… the CNN article linked above says that AT&T spun off DirecTV as a separate company but still owns 70%. You’re both right: AT&T still owns 70% but the agreement gave TPG control. [https://www.mediaplaynews.com/tag/directv/](https://www.mediaplaynews.com/tag/directv/) ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4149 "2022-01-16T19:32:31Z")
Is it possible to take Fox out of a cable channel listing? I haven’t had cable in decades, so I have no idea. Unfox appears to be doing two things: - Put pressure on cable providers to take Fox News off the standard tier and put it onto a premium tier; and - Encouraging people to cord-cut if those cable providers keep paying premium price to carry Fox News standard. It seems to be less “online petition” and more “organize a boycott” to me. > [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Of course, it also works the other way. Mmmm hmmm. Of course, CNN & MSNBC get a larger % of their revenue from ads vs. subscriber fees, according to Unfox, so the damage wouldn’t be symmetric. It leads to greater polarization of media, which might be a bad thing these days - or it may just be an indicator of where we’re headed. > [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > The real issue is to be able to select and pay for only those channels you actually want to watch, which will never happen absent some major change in the cable industry. With the cord-cutting trend, changes are on their way. I think a lot more action is going toward streaming services - live sports (UEFA Champions League is on Paramount+), news, and live talk shows (what is _The View_ but a podcast with a nice set?) ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4150 "2022-01-16T19:56:04Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > Of course, CNN & MSNBC get a larger % of their revenue from ads vs. subscriber fees, according to Unfox, so the damage wouldn’t be symmetric. This surprises me, since Fox has higher viewership ratings it should get higher ad revenue. I mean, that’s what ratings are for, really, it’s the only way they pay off. Well, I’m from the old days of advertising, perhaps high ratings pay off in some other way now. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4151 "2022-01-16T19:59:28Z")
Nowadays, sometimes they mean you can install whatever idiot you want as POTUS. Oh, and exert pressure, if not outright control, over what is debated by politicians. That doesn’t even get into the fundraising aspect. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4152 "2022-01-16T20:21:45Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > This surprises me, since Fox has higher viewership ratings it should get higher ad revenue. Unfox claims: > The advertising industry has already taken big steps to reject Fox News. They’re implying that advertisers are (or were, when they wrote that copy) shying away from putting their ads on Fox. I don’t know how to evaluate the truth of that; and as I read it again, and follow the cite, there’s nothing concrete about advertisers abandoning Fox. Plus, I misread their site, and while they talk about CNN/MSNBC in relation to Fox News, it doesn’t say what I thought it said - it’s still possible that the proportion of their revenues from ads is greater than Fox News’, but that would be because Fox News has way more revenue from subscriber fees. So, Unfox is really about putting cable providers in a bind by activating their left-leaning subscribers and, after that has happened, forcing providers to choose between two small-but-rabid groups of subscribers. Still maybe something for my folks to think about, as they’re pretty rabid as it is… ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4153 "2022-01-16T21:12:10Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > Is it possible to take Fox out of a cable channel listing? I haven’t had cable in decades, so I have no idea. So, what did you think “UNFOX” meant? I took it to mean “get rid of Fox News.” Instead, it’s saying Fox gets a cut of what you pay in cable, so you should support a measure to opt out of Fox from your TV package. However, all the other networks get a cut too. Why should that be my primary reason for getting rid of Fox News? It’s more of a reason to get rid of cable altogether. Just because restaurant menus offer plenty of dishes I don’t eat doesn’t mean I should demand I pay less for my dinner. Plus, I already don’t watch Fox News. Calling for me to boycott the channel is superfluous. Sorry, I don’t think UNFOX is going to be as influential as you wish it to be. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4154 "2022-01-16T21:25:06Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Just because restaurant menus offer plenty of dishes I don’t eat doesn’t mean I should demand I pay less for my dinner. It’s not exactly a menu, as in a restaurant, you only pay for what you eat, not everything on the menu. It’d be more like going to an all you can eat buffet, and learning that they have veal or something else you are ethically opposed to. It’s not enough that you don’t eat it, you don’t want to pay for it at all. You tell the manager, “I’m not coming back so long as you serve veal on your buffet.” Maybe they care, maybe they don’t, but if enough customers do so, then they may take veal off the buffet and only offer it to those who wish to pay for it as an extra. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2022, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4155 "2022-01-16T22:06:20Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Sorry, I don’t think UNFOX is going to be as influential as you wish it to be. Who said I thought it was going to be influential? At most, it could put a little more movement behind trends - cord cutting and the like - that already seem to be happening. I think it’s something my cable-subscribing relatives might want to think about, particularly if they are considering cutting the cord anyway. **k9bfriender** already said the rest better than I could. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2022, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4156 "2022-01-17T00:53:49Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > > [@SunUp](#): > > > > Is it possible to take Fox out of a cable channel listing? I haven’t had cable in decades, so I have no idea. > > So, what did you think “UNFOX” meant? I took it to mean “get rid of Fox News.” Instead, it’s saying Fox gets a cut of what you pay in cable, so you should support a measure to opt out of Fox from your TV package. > > However, all the other networks get a cut too. Why should that be my primary reason for getting rid of Fox News? It’s more of a reason to get rid of cable altogether. Just because restaurant menus offer plenty of dishes I don’t eat doesn’t mean I should demand I pay less for my dinner. Plus, I already don’t watch Fox News. Calling for me to boycott the channel is superfluous. > > Sorry, I don’t think UNFOX is going to be as influential as you wish it to be. A big part of the rationale behind the “UNFOX” movement is not that the politics of Fox News are offensive, but that Fox News is NOT news—a position supported by Fox itself in the course of defending itself against lawsuits: > [@](#): > > …For now, the judge rejected Fox’s argument that it’s top on-air personalities who broadcast the false claims by Trump’s supporters were just reporting the news with a little flair. > > “Although Fox classifies its reporters’ remarks as ‘commentary’ that used ‘loose and hyperbolic rhetoric’ for entertainment value… - and > [@](#): > > … Calling it clear that Fox viewers aren’t listening to Tucker Carlson for facts but for entertainment, a Trump-appointed federal judge threw out defamation claims from a former Playboy model who claims she had a 10-month affair in 2006 with the current president. > … Fox removed the case to federal court where its lawyer argued in June that no reasonable viewer would believe that “undisputed facts” would follow Carlson’s preamble. > … “Given Mr. Carlson’s reputation, any reasonable viewer ‘arrive[s] with an appropriate amount of skepticism’ about the statements he makes,” the 19-page opinion states. … \*\* If Fox “News” isn’t news but merely entertainment, goes the argument, it should be treated by cable providers the same way channels like Starz or Epix are treated: as opt-in channels that customers can pay extra for, should they want to view them. > - > **[Judge Rules Dominion Defamation Suit Against Fox News Can Move Forward](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2021/12/17/646158.htm)** > > Fox News probably had enough information after the 2020 presidential election to know a conspiracy theory claiming Dominion Voting Systems Inc. rigged the \*\* > **[Nixing Libel Suit, Judge Says No One Expected Facts From ‘Bloviating’ Tucker...](https://www.courthousenews.com/nixing-libel-suit-judge-says-no-one-expected-facts-from-bloviating-tucker-carlson/)** > > Calling it clear that Fox viewers aren’t listening to Tucker Carlson for facts but for entertainment, a Trump-appointed federal judge threw out defamation claims from a former Playboy model who claims she had a 10-month affair in 2006 with the... ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4157 "2022-01-18T02:01:47Z")
Looks like George Nader plead guilty to giving Clinton money and the FBI recommended that he serve less than the usual sentence and that it run consecutive with his child porn charges: > **[Mueller witness pleads guilty in illegal scheme to funnel UAE money to...](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/mueller-witness-pleads-guilty-in-illegal-scheme-to-funnel-uae-money-to-hillary-clintons-2016-campaign)** > > George Nader, a key witness in former special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation and a convicted child sex predator, quietly pleaded guilty last year to involvement in an illegal campaign finance scheme funneling millions of dollars from... Sounds like a man who’s been cutting deals. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4158 "2022-01-18T02:41:17Z")
In response to DirecTV canceling OAN, Rand Paul has canceled his DirecTV subscription. > **[Rand Paul cancels DirecTV subscription after it drops OAN](https://thehill.com/homenews/media/590044-rand-paul-cancels-directv-subscription-after-it-drops-oan/)** > > Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) says he is canceling his subscription to DirecTV after the company announced plans to drop pro-Trump conservative cable channel One America News (OAN) from its listings.… That’ll show 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4159 "2022-01-18T02:45:05Z")
He didn’t cancel DirecTV; he just said he was going to. And he won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4160 "2022-01-18T16:48:41Z")
Assuming of course that he even has/had a DirectTV subscription. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4161 "2022-01-18T19:00:20Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > [Mueller witness pleads guilty in illegal scheme to funnel UAE money to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign - Washington Examiner](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/mueller-witness-pleads-guilty-in-illegal-scheme-to-funnel-uae-money-to-hillary-clintons-2016-campaign) Funny how [the indictment linked in that article](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/california-ceo-and-seven-others-charged-multi-million-dollar-conduit-campaign-contribution) doesn’t mention which candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4162 "2022-01-18T22:25:13Z")
That’s not the indictment; that’s a press release. It even says so: > [@](#): > > Press Release Number: > 19-1,336 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4163 "2022-01-18T22:49:08Z")
From the Washington _Examiner_ article: > He was [accused](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/california-ceo-and-seven-others-charged-multi-million-dollar-conduit-campaign-contribution) of conspiring with Khawaja to conceal the source of more than $3.5 million in campaign contributions to political committees associated with Clinton. As I said, funny how there is no mention of which candidate in that link. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4164 "2022-01-18T22:56:38Z")
😃 😃 😀 😄 😃 😀 😀 😀 😜 😃 > **[Rudy Giuliani among Trump allies subpoenaed by Jan. 6 panel](https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-boris-epshteyn-bennie-thompson-donald-trump-subpoenas-871ecaecc54ffff987205684833850ed)** > > WASHINGTON (AP) — The House committee investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection issued subpoenas Tuesday to Rudy Giuliani and other members of Donald Trump’s legal team who filed bogus legal challenges to the 2020 election that fueled the lie that... ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4165 "2022-01-18T23:13:13Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > As I said, funny how there is no mention of which candidate in that link. From finance records, they can tell that it’s Clinton, not Trump. Here’s the actual indictment (at the bottom of the page): [https://www.axios.com/mueller-witness-nader-clinton-donations-charges-912e9bca-ce94-41cb-9ba7-88922dc67780.html](https://www.axios.com/mueller-witness-nader-clinton-donations-charges-912e9bca-ce94-41cb-9ba7-88922dc67780.html) There is one promising element in the indictment, though. In the introduction to the characters, it explicitly mentions “Candidate 1”, “Candidate 1’s spouse”, and “Candidate 2”. There is no need for a “Candidate 2” to appear in the document as they are never referenced again. This would seem to imply that the document originally had a section about Candidate 2, which was imperfectly removed from the final and/or publicly released version. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/4166 "2022-01-18T23:42:54Z")
I guess they’re starting with the real dumbbells and working in toward the brains of the operation: > **[Exclusive: Eric Trump and Kimberly Guilfoyle's phone records subpoenaed by...](https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/18/politics/eric-trump-kim-guilfoyle-subpoena-jan-6/index.html)** > > The House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol has subpoenaed and obtained records of phone numbers associated with one of former President Donald Trump's children, Eric Trump, as well as Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is engaged... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537.md?page=207) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537.md?page=209)