# Fox News show mocks soldiers in Afghanistan... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 24, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548 "2009-03-24T03:12:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/21 "2009-03-24T07:46:01Z")
I’m with **magellan**. It’s no big deal when comedians make fun of the military. Like remember when Bill Maher dissed the US military? That was okay, right? He what? Oh. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/22 "2009-03-24T07:47:52Z")
If it’s not funny, then Fox News should do the honourable thing and cancel the show. In what way did DtC not characterize this as a(n attempted) comedy show? Is it not on Fox News Channel? ---
**Author:** ![FarmerChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@FarmerChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FarmerChick)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/23 "2009-03-24T11:47:42Z")
Excellent OP DtC, as a Canadian, when I heard about this, I was totally pissed off. I’m sick of “comedians” poking fun of our soldiers. We may be a small under-equipped army, but we are good at what we do. Ignorant assholes like Gutfield needs to go spend some time in Afghanistan with our soldiers to see what they really do. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/24 "2009-03-24T12:16:21Z")
Gee whiz - a [faked](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=8157701&highlight=Afghanistan#post8157701) attempt at outrage over something he would lap up as eagerly as Obama’s urine from the floor of the White House men’s room were it aimed at American soldiers, interspersed with slurs about closeted homosexuality and obesity. That’s original. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/25 "2009-03-24T12:31:08Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Gee whiz - a [faked](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=8157701&highlight=Afghanistan#post8157701) attempt at outrage over something he would lap up as eagerly as Obama’s urine from the floor of the White House men’s room were it aimed at American soldiers, interspersed with slurs about closeted homosexuality and obesity. > > That’s original. > > Regards, > Shodan _checks watch_ Ah, a thread on the military. Time for Shodan to come in with a _tu quoque_ lie. Tell me, do you have any evidence for anything you said? (And no, not caring about Afghanistan is not the same thing as not caring about insults to people who were trying to make it better. Nice try, though.) ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/26 "2009-03-24T12:35:13Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > _checks watch_ Ah, a thread on the military. Time for Shodan to come in with a _tu quoque_ lie. Tell me, do you have any evidence for anything you said? (And no, not caring about Afghanistan is not the same thing as not caring about insults to people who were trying to make it better. Nice try, though.) Have some sympathy! Can you imagine his disappointment that his search did not turn up any evidence of **Diogenes** saying something negative about American military personnel in Afghanistan? **Shodan** basically said “Pull my finger” and then could only muster up a silent one. Kind of pathetic, really. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/27 "2009-03-24T12:41:01Z")
Meh. For obvious reason, as a French I don’t really get the outrage here. If we raised an international shitstorm every time somebody joked about our army, we’d never get any womanizing or pastry done. ---
**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:** [March 24, 2009, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/28 "2009-03-24T13:00:06Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Gee whiz - a [faked](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=8157701&highlight=Afghanistan#post8157701) attempt at outrage over something he would lap up as eagerly as Obama’s urine from the floor of the White House men’s room were it aimed at American soldiers, interspersed with slurs about closeted homosexuality and obesity. > > That’s original. > > Regards, > Shodan You forgot to mention Clinton. Are you not feeling well? Irregardless, Fear Itself ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/29 "2009-03-24T13:01:54Z")
Having to take a ‘synchronized break’ is kinda funny though. It does invoke the image of all kinds of nonmilitary stuff, like synchronized swimming, synchronized diving, etc. What I find funnier, really, is that Diogenes is watching right wing TV shows in the middle of the night. Coupled with the fact that he always seams abreast with the latest right wing talk shot points, Rush Limbaugh quotes, and Fox News flashes, I agree with his OP. There is definitely some closet behavior going on. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/30 "2009-03-24T13:17:45Z")
If bad jokes are the driving factors behind removing Fox ‘News’ hosts, then why hasn’t Steve Doocey been drawn and quartered yet. I can’t believe I’m agreeing with **magellan01** but this is my take: are you fucking kidding me? It was a joke. If John Stewart had said the same thing we’d be holding our sides laughing about it. Is the Canadian military really going to rend itself asunder because some dick told a bad joke on basic cable at 3:00 in the morning? Who gives a shit? There’s so much more on the right we can be offended about. What has me the most confused is what Doug Benson (of [Super High Me](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1111833/) fame) was doing there. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/31 "2009-03-24T13:22:08Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > If John Stewart had said the same thing we’d be holding our sides laughing about it. I don’t think so. First, it is patently unfunny, in and of itself. Secondly, Jon Stewart wouldn’t do that joke, because a) it’s not funny, b) he is extremely respectful of people in the military, and c) it’s not funny. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/32 "2009-03-24T13:29:20Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > I don’t think so. First, it is patently unfunny, in and of itself. Secondly, Jon Stewart wouldn’t do that joke, because a) it’s not funny, b) he is extremely respectful of people in the military, and c) it’s not funny. Besides, these days the Daily Show tends only to go after people who’ve deserved a punch in the head in some way. I’m not sure the Canadian Army qualifies. I took another look at the quoted piece, and really, what stands out as offensive is not the “yoga, painting landscapes, running on the beaches” part. That could be said as a mild elbow in the ribs among friends, just joking with Canada. Heck, Weird Al has a mildly funny song devoted to making fun of Canadian stereotypes, and I don’t recall any uproar over that. But _then_ he calls Canada “this ridiculous country.” That’s where he stepped over the line, and turned what could have been a friendly jab into something a good bit nastier. It shows a lack of respect for people who did nothing to deserve it. ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/33 "2009-03-24T13:29:34Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I can’t believe I’m agreeing with **magellan01** but this is my take: are you fucking kidding me? It was a joke. If John Stewart had said the same thing we’d be holding our sides laughing about it. It depends on how Stewart did it. It is one thing to poke lighthearted fun. It is another think to make clear that you have contempt for the object of your mockery. Stewart wouldn’t do the latter, but it sounds like Gutfield did. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/34 "2009-03-24T13:36:01Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > What has me the most confused is what Doug Benson (of [Super High Me](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1111833/) fame) was doing there. Based on what I’ve seen of Mr. Benson, you could not possibly be more confused than he. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/35 "2009-03-24T13:36:02Z")
All in all, it’s still some minor 3:00 in the morning “look at me I’m funny too” show that no one cares about. It’s not like anybody is taking this yutz seriously in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/36 "2009-03-24T13:42:36Z")
Anyone with a clue knows that the Canadian’s are doing a hell of a job in Afghanistan…a hell of a lot better than most of our other allies there in fact. Their combat record is one of the best (if not THE best, taken on a man for man basis) and they don’t seem as shy as, say, the French, in mixing thing up. If this was supposed to be a joke it was pretty much abysmal. A GOOD joke takes elements of the truth and then plays off of them…that’s what makes it funny. I stand by my earlier assessment…the guy is an asshole. Of course, as another poster pointed out, this IS Fox…what did ya’ll expect?? 😛 Good pitting DtC. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/37 "2009-03-24T13:44:33Z")
> [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](#): > > Stewart wouldn’t do the latter. Yeah. Just ask Jim Cramer or Tucker Carlson. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/38 "2009-03-24T13:49:29Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Gee whiz - a [faked](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=8157701&highlight=Afghanistan#post8157701) attempt at outrage over something he would lap up as eagerly as Obama’s urine from the floor of the White House men’s room were it aimed at American soldiers This is complete horseshit, unsupported by anything I’ve ever said on this board, especially since I’ve BEEN in the US military. What is your link supposed to prove, by the way? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/39 "2009-03-24T14:04:25Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > Having to take a ‘synchronized break’ is kinda funny though. It does invoke the image of all kinds of nonmilitary stuff, like synchronized swimming, synchronized diving, etc. > > What I find funnier, really, is that Diogenes is watching right wing TV shows in the middle of the night. Coupled with the fact that he always seams abreast with the latest right wing talk shot points, Rush Limbaugh quotes, and Fox News flashes, I agree with his OP. There is definitely some closet behavior going on. I have admitted in the past that I am morbidly drawn to right wing media. I check Drudge mulitiple times a day. I sometimes venture over to Free Republic. I even look at Fox News. Left wing media, by contrast, bores me to tears. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548/40 "2009-03-24T14:04:41Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > Yeah. Just ask Jim Cramer or Tucker Carlson. Yeah, Cramer and Carlson are totally comparable. Dick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-show-mocks-soldiers-in-afghanistan/490548.md?page=3)