# Fox News hits a new low with Reza Aslan interview **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 29, 2013, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794 "2013-07-29T06:55:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/1 "2013-07-29T06:55:57Z")
Last Friday, Fox News had religious scholar Reza Aslan on their show “Spirited Debate” to talk about his new book “Zealot”, and all the interviewer manages to ask him in about 10 minutes is why a Muslim would write a book about Jesus. She quotes two “experts” or “reviewers” but fails to score a single original question. It’s almost comedic, if it weren’t so sad (and apparently representative of how a lot of people seem to feel). [Article and video](http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/07/28/video_fox_news_lauren_green_asks_reza_aslan_why_muslim_would_be_interested.html) ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/2 "2013-07-29T11:41:49Z")
Especially amusing is that, by 1 minute into the interview, Mr. Aslan is addressing the Foxette with the slow exaggerated diction one uses with hard-to-teach nine year-olds. (… BTW, FWIW, Jesus is the 4th of the five Ulul Azmis of Islam.) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/3 "2013-07-29T12:02:03Z")
It’s like that Russell Brand fiasco on _Morning Joe_ recently. Is there _anyone_ in television journalism who isn’t a superficial idiot? Even the folks who used to make an effort seem to have been lobotomized. It’s no wonder Comedy Central is now a leading news source for many; at least the comedians have to understand the news in order to make jokes about it. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/4 "2013-07-29T12:21:13Z")
If you haven’t seen it and are interested, watch John Oliver’s in-depth interview: [Exclusive - Reza Aslan Extended Interview Pt. 1](http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-july-17-2013/exclusive---reza-aslan-extended-interview-pt--1) [Exclusive - Reza Aslan Extended Interview Pt. 2](http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-july-17-2013/exclusive---reza-aslan-extended-interview-pt--2) [Exclusive - Reza Aslan Extended Interview Pt. 3](http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-july-17-2013/exclusive---reza-aslan-extended-interview-pt--3) Every time I see a Daily Show interview of an interesting personality (they do interview some duds), I have to shake my head and wonder why is it that we have to turn to _comedians_ to get meaningful interviews of people who have interesting stuff to say. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/5 "2013-07-29T14:23:02Z")
It’s stupid, but I doubt this is a low point for Fox News- and if it is, it’s temporary. ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/6 "2013-07-29T14:28:18Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s stupid, but I doubt this is a low point for Fox News- and if it is, it’s temporary. Point taken. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/7 "2013-07-29T15:14:16Z")
I like this comment from the article: > [@](#): > > The fundamental problem here is that the Fox News worldview refuses to believe that someone can be interested discovering the truth, as opposed to using information as a weapon in the current political battles. It is fundamentally unthinkable in the Fox News world for information to trump ideology. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/8 "2013-07-29T15:55:10Z")
“We’re not just talking about **people** who disagree with you. Many **scholars** disagree with you as well.” Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/9 "2013-07-29T16:21:16Z")
Sometimes, picking on Fox News feels like picking on the mentally disadvantaged. But then I remind myself that they are willfully ignorant and so I allow myself a laugh at their expense. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/10 "2013-07-29T16:23:02Z")
> [@Flywheel](#): > > “We’re not just talking about **people** who disagree with you. Many **scholars** disagree with you as well.” > > Ouch. Yeah, the interviewer meant “everyday, ‘normal’ people.” It’s part of the distrust and hate of the “intellectual elite” whom they believe wants to control everyone else they think is stupider than them “for their own good.” ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/11 "2013-07-29T16:28:37Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s stupid, but I doubt this is a low point for Fox News- and if it is, it’s temporary. Fleeting, even. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/12 "2013-07-29T16:41:23Z")
Well, I’d never heard of this book before reading this thread, and now I have ordered it from Amazon, as an addition to my “books that piss off Fox News” reading list. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/13 "2013-07-29T16:53:38Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > It’s no wonder Comedy Central is now a leading news source for many; at least the comedians have to understand the news in order to make jokes about it. The jokes are almost superfluous at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/14 "2013-07-29T16:56:53Z")
**Alley Dweller** is right about that Daily Show interview, by the way. I’m not going to get this book, but it’s about a subject I hadn’t thought very much about. And of course John Oliver was really interested in the subject instead of playing dumb to score some phony outrage points. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/15 "2013-07-29T17:14:20Z")
As an aside, has anyone ever taken the time to count the number of times Fox News has uttered the phrase “Some say”? It has to number in the millions. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/16 "2013-07-29T17:17:53Z")
I was waiting to hear him say, “I’ve written many books on religion and I’d welcome discussion with you about any one of them _after you have read it_.” Of course she could have countered that reading is a Muslim conspiracy. :smack: I’m waiting on her next FOX book review where she interviews a writer of a Math textbook: “If you are just joining us, we have here today Ron Larson, co-author of _Elementary Statistics: Picturing the World (5th Edition)_. Mr. Larson, its good to have you here to discuss your book. But before we do, I would like to ask just when you were going to disclose that the book that you wrote is based almost entirely on _Hindu-Arabic Numerals_???” ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/17 "2013-07-29T17:22:26Z")
Or a microbiologist’s treatise on bacteria: “How can you justify writing this book when you so clearly are eukaryotic yourself?” Or an economist: “Sir, we have received information that you are not currency and yet you consider yourself knowledgeable to write this book?!” I think it’s a great tactic and they should move forward with it at full speed. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/18 "2013-07-29T18:12:02Z")
Just watched the full 3 part interview on the Daily Show vs. the Fox interview. Its like…two entirely different planets. Aliens could watch both and decide there are 2 distinct forms of life on this planet, one sentient, and the other barely elbow deep out of the primordial muck ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/19 "2013-07-29T19:43:31Z")
> [@yanceylebeef](#): > > As an aside, has anyone ever taken the time to count the number of times Fox News has uttered the phrase “Some say”? > > It has to number in the millions. They’ve probably said it more than Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794/20 "2013-07-29T20:25:55Z")
It’s like Fox is following Joseph Pulitzer’s business model, when he pushed for war with Spain as a way to boost circulation. 1898: USA 75 million, Spain 18.4 million 2013: USA 314 million, Islam 1.6 billion [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-hits-a-new-low-with-reza-aslan-interview/664794.md?page=2)