# Question about insulting another Doper **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 12, 2011, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044 "2011-09-12T12:38:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/1 "2011-09-12T12:38:47Z")
In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=622883), there’s a discussion about a TV show on Science Channel. The actual host of the show, Hackett, has apparently found the thread & joined as a guest, which is kind of neat. However, I’d like to post some comments about the show, including some disparaging things about the host. Will this run afoul of the “Do not insult other posters” rule? One part of the rule states: > [@Dex](#): > > Special Case: If a member posts their own poem, for instance, or a link to a song they wrote, then the rule about “Not Insulting Posters” takes precedence over the permission to insult the writer. “Reasonable limits” for insulting the artist mean that if the artist is also the poster, no personal insults permitted. Again, it should be possible to be critical of a work without insulting the author personally. However, Hackett didn’t post his work - it was freely available elsewhere, and he joined for the purpose of answering questions/seeking comments about the show. My disparaging comments will be about the actions of the host of the show, not the words of the poster. There’s no real way to separate him as the host from the show itself - he’s the only person ever seen/heard on camera, so any discussion would be in relation to his performance. There’s no way to actually verify that the person who signed up as **Hackett** is the host of the show, though there’s no particular reason to doubt it either. I just don’t want to get a warning, but on the slim chance that something like this happens again - person claiming to be the host or actor on a show under discussion shows up in a thread about the show - I think some clarification would be helpful. And yes, I realize this is probably all a tempest in a teacup anyway. ETA: Would it make sense to be allowed to treat the host of the show as a character, even though it’s being presented as the person itself? e.g. if Alec Baldwin started posting on the board, we could still insult Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock as much as we wanted. Would the same thing apply here? ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/2 "2011-09-12T12:44:35Z")
These “disparaging things” you wish to say — can’t you say them without being insulting? There’s a difference between critical analysis and nasty remarks. So, instead of saying “he’s got a face like a baboon’s butt and ought to be banned from television,” couldn’t you say, “I’m surprised the producers didn’t choose a host with a more aesthetically pleasing countenance; surely such things matter when selecting television hosts.” ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/3 "2011-09-12T12:49:05Z")
Since I was quoted by the OP, I’d like to echo what **Ellen Cherry** said. It should be possible to be critical without being insulting. Frankly, we should be delighted if we get more artists, writers, actors, musicians, etc to come here. Most of them are open to constructive criticism expressed in a positive way. And it’s good for the rest of us to learn to express comments without being personally insulting. 🙂 ---
**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:** [September 12, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/4 "2011-09-12T15:57:07Z")
How many people would get banned if Geroge Bush started posting here? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/5 "2011-09-12T16:47:00Z")
Or James Randi? Why can’t we have criticism on its own merits? Why does it have to be personal insult? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/6 "2011-09-12T17:25:43Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Or James Randi? Randi has an account here. He’s only posted three times, but he does pop up once in a while. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/7 "2011-09-12T17:42:37Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Or James Randi? > > Why can’t we have criticism on its own merits? Why does it have to be personal insult? Well, I hadn’t planned on calling him a big giant doodie-head. But criticism of game & reality TV shows in CS often leads to criticising/complaining about the host, and having fun doing so. If Alex Trebek joined the board, the Jeopardy threads would become remarkably boring. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/8 "2011-09-12T18:04:42Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Well, I hadn’t planned on calling him a big giant doodie-head. But criticism of game & reality TV shows in CS often leads to criticising/complaining about the host, and having fun doing so. If Alex Trebek joined the board, the Jeopardy threads would become remarkably boring. I think that if Alex Trebek joined the board to post in Jeopardy threads, the Jeopardy threads would become much more interesting! ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/9 "2011-09-12T19:45:47Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > I think that if Alex Trebek joined the board to post in Jeopardy threads, the Jeopardy threads would become much more interesting! Not as interesting as they would if Sean Connery joined in.😃 ---
**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:** [September 12, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/10 "2011-09-12T21:50:36Z")
I’ll take the rapist for 400. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/11 "2011-09-12T21:52:05Z")
STFU, d-bag – meaning, of course, sit the Frenchman down, delicious bag-of-treats. Eh, not that funny. Credit for trying? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/12 "2011-09-12T22:31:39Z")
I think this is something that should fall under some sort of “public figure” clause, whereby even someone who is an SDMB member can be subject to insults for things that fall in the scope of their public activities (rather than are simply revealed here on the Dope). If someone were to post, in Cafe Society, something like… > [@](#): > > I don’t mind some of the Daily Show sketches, but Jon Stewart is such an insufferable douchebag that i can’t watch the show. …this should not change just because (someone who claims to be) Jon Stewart joins the Boards. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/13 "2011-09-14T02:35:41Z")
IF and WHEN we have more celebrities joining up, we can re-address the idea. However, if Jon Stewart were to post on the boards, we’d need to be careful to distinguish between “Jon Stewart” [the character he plays on the show] and Jon Stewart [tbe human bean who is a poster on our boards.] It’d be easier with Stephen Colbert 🙂 Note the conclusion of the OP: > [@muldoonthief](#): > > if Alec Baldwin started posting on the board, we could still insult Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock as much as we wanted. In the case of _soi-disant_ “reality” shows, or where the actor and the character become hard to distinguish, that we just need to be clear that we’re insulting the character, not the actor. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/14 "2011-09-14T04:49:11Z")
I once started a thread criticizing a particular strip of the webcomic Multiplex and Gordon McAlpin showed up to defend it. SF author S.M. Stirling has posted on a few occasions in threads where his work is being discussed. He has responded to some critical posts about his work. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/15 "2011-09-14T21:45:49Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > IF and WHEN we have more celebrities joining up, we can re-address the idea. However, if Jon Stewart were to post on the boards, we’d need to be careful to distinguish between “Jon Stewart” [the character he plays on the show] and Jon Stewart [tbe human bean who is a poster on our boards.] It’d be easier with Stephen Colbert 🙂 > > Note the conclusion of the OP: In the case of _soi-disant_ “reality” shows, or where the actor and the character become hard to distinguish, that we just need to be clear that we’re insulting the character, not the actor. Human bean? Holy frijoles, it’s made of people! ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/16 "2011-09-14T21:55:57Z")
Bean? As in when Ender says: “Say hello to my little friend.” ? I’m such a Card… ---
**Author:** ![rebeccasrevenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ec8ea/32.png) [@rebeccasrevenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rebeccasrevenge)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/17 "2011-09-19T10:56:06Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > These “disparaging things” you wish to say — can’t you say them without being insulting? There’s a difference between critical analysis and nasty remarks. So, instead of saying “he’s got a face like a baboon’s butt and ought to be banned from television,” couldn’t you say, “I’m surprised the producers didn’t choose a host with a more aesthetically pleasing countenance; surely such things matter when selecting television hosts.” Same thing ,different words.You could describe someone as "He’s a devout follower of our Lord and Master,a true lover of the Madonna"In other words He’ a masochistic Mother Fucker.I much preferred the days before P.C existed there was so much less mendacity. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/18 "2011-09-19T13:34:59Z")
> [@rebeccasrevenge](#): > > I much preferred the days before P.C existed there was so much less mendacity. Ahhh! The joys of longing for a time that never happened. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/19 "2011-09-19T15:37:54Z")
> [@rebeccasrevenge](#): > > Same thing ,different words.You could describe someone as "He’s a devout follower of our Lord and Master,a true lover of the Madonna"In other words He’ a masochistic Mother Fucker.I much preferred the days before P.C existed there was so much less mendacity. Politeness and courtesy is a new thing? ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044/20 "2011-09-19T16:10:50Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Politeness and courtesy is a new thing? No, I think the poster is implying **lying** is a new thing. In the old days (think Borgias, Shakespeare and the Byzantine Empire) everything was straightforward and out in the open, without all this subtlety and deceit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insulting-another-doper/596044.md?page=2)