# I pit 'Tyra' for misuse of the word 'culture' **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 26, 2009, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656 "2009-05-26T07:17:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [May 26, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/21 "2009-05-26T16:05:49Z")
It’s not a particularly articulate way to phrase what she meant, but it’s also an extremely inconsequential thing to care about. I’m far more offended by “purity balls.” Is that some skeevy shit or what? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/22 "2009-05-26T16:14:43Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I’m far more offended by “purity balls.” Is that some skeevy shit or what? Oh yeah? I got yer “purity balls” right here, buddy. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/23 "2009-05-26T16:16:40Z")
People, please! Why all this fighting? Can’t we come together and all agree that there are a lot of reasons to pit Tyra and respect each other’s hatred of her? ---
**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:** [May 26, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/24 "2009-05-26T16:29:41Z")
All I’ve ever seen of Tyra’s show is the clips they show on _The Soup_. If those are anything to go by, she sets a new bar for clueless self-absorbtion and self-worship. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/25 "2009-05-26T16:36:24Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It’s not a particularly articulate way to phrase what she meant, but it’s also an extremely inconsequential thing to care about. > > I’m far more offended by “purity balls.” Is that some skeevy shit or what? Since it’s mostly about virginity, I always wondered what happens if a girl was raped – is she still allowed to participate? Besides, don’t stats show that most of these so-called “chastity vows” end up being broken? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/26 "2009-05-26T16:57:41Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > People, please! Why all this fighting? Can’t we come together and all agree that there are a lot of reasons to pit Tyra and respect each other’s hatred of her? It’s sad that a message board can be torn apart by something as simple as a pack of wild dogs. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/27 "2009-05-26T17:01:57Z")
Did anyone else notice that the OP’s name is twat? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/28 "2009-05-26T19:20:28Z")
Purity Balls? Aren’t those the plastic things you fill with fabric softener (preferably Purity brand) and throw into the laundry? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/29 "2009-05-26T21:08:10Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Purity Balls? Aren’t those the plastic things you fill with fabric softener (preferably Purity brand) and throw into the laundry? Yes, same thing, except you shove them up your hoohaa. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/30 "2009-05-26T21:18:56Z")
> [@tvvat](#): > > Saw part of an episode of the Tyra show on Purity Balls - fancy events popping up around the US where fathers sign a covenant to be good examples of “purity” for their daughters - abstinence bullshit mostly. Huh, why should a father, presumably a husband need to deceare their purity through abstinence? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/31 "2009-05-26T21:21:50Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Huh, why should a father, presumably a husband need to deceare their purity through abstinence? Maybe it’s a pledge that the parents won’t fuck in front of the children? Probably, though, it’s some kind of bullshit pledge of monogamy. ---
**Author:** ![Fastidiots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@Fastidiots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fastidiots)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/32 "2009-05-26T22:06:39Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Huh, why should a father, presumably a husband need to deceare their purity through abstinence? Think “lead a holy life as an example” and the daughters in turn pledge to be abstinent. It was interesting to watch both families bridle their instinct to spout about Jesus, then try to justify their position with quasi-secular ideas and vocabulary. I can imagine the producer before the show - “Mmmkay guys, ixnay on the God, Jesus, Bible, Scripture, Holy Word, His Will… speak without capitalization alright?” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/33 "2009-05-26T22:12:45Z")
> [@tvvat](#): > > What irked me was after the segment on the white, home schooled, large christian family who started the movement, she went to introduce the second segment saying that the fad “also crosses cultural boundaries” - then continued the introduce a black, home schooled, large christian family… what the fuck man? I didn’t expect better from you Tyra, but a family similar in every way who even lives in the same town and attends the same wacky event except for the fact they are black is _not_ cross-cultural. Was it established that they were from the same town and same church? ---
**Author:** ![Fastidiots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@Fastidiots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fastidiots)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/34 "2009-05-26T22:45:33Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Was it established that they were from the same town and same church? The show made clear that they were from the same town, and attended the same Purity Ball. The show didn’t say anything about the same church, and neither have I. Though I have made the assumption that they are both christian - which was obvious. I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised that they are from the same church, but there is no evidence for it. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/35 "2009-05-26T23:10:02Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > All I’ve ever seen of Tyra’s show is the clips they show on _The Soup_. If those are anything to go by, she sets a new bar for clueless self-absorbtion and self-worship. Tyra’s an idiot. She filmed right across the street from my school. The crowds were funny, they were relegated to this tiny little stretch of sidewalk but they would shoot it just so so it seemed big and glamorous at 11 o’clock in the morning. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/36 "2009-05-27T00:18:17Z")
Pitting Tyra Banks for saying something stupid is like pitting Ruth Bader Ginsburg for being a lousy mixed martial arts fighter. ---
**Author:** ![Fastidiots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@Fastidiots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fastidiots)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/37 "2009-05-27T00:29:46Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Pitting Tyra Banks for saying something stupid is like pitting Ruth Bader Ginsburg for being a lousy mixed martial arts fighter. I’ve got to admit I never paid her much attention, and this thread has exposed some of you’se people’s pet hates. Stupid can be tolerated, even admired. Watching some Jackass boys do silly shit is endearing. A woman like Tyra, who I’m sure considers herself an expert on modern issues of ethnicity and black American history, making skin color synonymous with culture seemed especially disconnected. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/38 "2009-05-27T00:34:26Z")
> [@tvvat](#): > > I’ve got to admit I never paid her much attention, and this thread has exposed some of you’se people’s pet hates. Stupid can be tolerated, even admired. Watching some Jackass boys do silly shit is endearing. A woman like Tyra, who I’m sure considers herself an expert on modern issues of ethnicity and black American history, making skin color synonymous with culture seemed especially disconnected. I don’t give a damn about Tyra one way or the other and despite everything people are saying about her ego, etc., can you tell me what makes you say that she considers herself an _expert_ on modern issues of ethnicity and black American history? Perhaps you’re suggesting she shouldn’t have gone anywhere near the subject _until_ she was an expert. Help me out here. I realize she misspoke but with two fairly long-running TV shows on the air (neither of which I watch), she’s connected to something out there. A lot of TV show hosts don’t know everything about subjects they broach on their shows. And Tyra’s a former model for Pete’s sake. Not every model is dumb and uneducated but the expectation the they’d come from that to Rhode’s Scholarshipdom would be reaching. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/39 "2009-05-27T01:11:36Z")
Love Tyra. Love her. Don’t watch her show (did watch a few episodes of ANTM, which I actually enjoyed), but I love anyone that a ton of people get together and think they are so smart for hating. Love Oprah most of ALL! ---
**Author:** ![Fastidiots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@Fastidiots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fastidiots)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656/40 "2009-05-27T01:29:57Z")
> [@5-4-Fighting](#): > > I don’t give a damn about Tyra one way or the other and despite everything people are saying about her ego, etc., can you tell me what makes you say that she considers herself an _expert_ on modern issues of ethnicity and black American history? > > Perhaps you’re suggesting she shouldn’t have gone anywhere near the subject _until_ she was an expert. Help me out here. I realize she misspoke but with two fairly long-running TV shows on the air (neither of which I watch), she’s connected to something out there. A lot of TV show hosts don’t know everything about subjects they broach on their shows. > > And Tyra’s a former model for Pete’s sake. Not every model is dumb and uneducated but the expectation the they’d come from that to Rhode’s Scholarshipdom would be reaching. My mention of her expertise in any regard would be an off-hand remark, except for perhaps the modeling industry, fashion, TV production, and what it’s like to be a celebrity. My smart-ass wager would be that she _probably_ would think she’d be in a better position to comment on black American history, and issues pertaining to adversity in ethnic diversity. She most likely would be too! As I am a young white Canadian. My point is that someone who I would think should be more sensitive than most re: black/white America, would not say skin tone = culture. She didn’t even say that, it was implied. The show didn’t have anything to do with racism, it was about Purity Balls, it was presented as such. I nit-picked, and now I feel better. In addition to that, I doubt she misspoke because talk show hosts read from teleprompters. Moreover she probably didn’t even write the script. Maybe she’s as annoyed about it as I am. Thus, damn you anonymous daytime TV script writer, you are a prick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-tyra-for-misuse-of-the-word-culture/497656.md?page=3)