# Samantha Bee's "Feckless Cunt" comment. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 31, 2018, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214 "2018-05-31T19:08:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/101 "2018-06-01T17:28:34Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Finally, no one in the Trump family should be asking for an apology over anything. Not until Trump apologizes for the million insults and false accusations he’s levied against others over the years. Until that happens, fuck Trump and Ivanka’s feelings. You mean the guy who bragged about molesting women and then turned his public apology into an attack on his political opponent doesn’t get to demand contrition from others? > [@sciurophobic](#): > > Samantha should keep calling Ivanka feckless, but replace the offensive word. Such as “feckless human Ivanka”, or “feckless biped Ivanka” or even “feckless future felon Ivanka.” Bee should have called Ivanka a “plastic-faced vulgarian”. Trump would be confused about what it means or how it relates to the size of his hands, and a bunch of his followers would have to consult a dictionary. > [@Procrustus](#): > > Maybe I missed it, but what “prior behavior” by Bee is objectionable? Bee’s style of humor is intentionally crass and inflammatory. I’m morally certain this is not the first time she has used the word “cunt” nor has she refrained from namecalling the target of her ire. To repeat what Seth Meyers said about Michelle Wolf following her contentious White House Correspondents’ Dinner performance, “She is filthy and she is mean, which is what we love about her. Because those are wonderful qualities for comedians, and terrible qualities for free world leaders.” Bee shouldn’t apologize for anything she said, and certainly not to Ivanka Trump who [gives every appearance of using her position as advisor to the president to influence China to the benefit of her company](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ivanka-collects-her-chinese-trademarks-and-it-seems-ethics-arent-on-brand/2018/05/30/ed8d4a72-6433-11e8-a69c-b944de66d9e7_story.html?utm_term=.e649ae1245fe). And if some delicate souls can’t hand certain words of Anglo-Saxon heritage by a comedianne on a cable television show they should probably exit the public sphere since they will doubtless encounter even worse insults and accusations. As for the implication that Ivanka could influence her father by “Put[ting] on something tight and low-cut,” it just reflects Donald Trump’s long history of making creepy comments about his daughter’s appearance and willingness to date her if she were not his daughter in interviews. People who feign offense at this supposed insult also need to direct their attention to Trump for making creepy and sexist comments. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/102 "2018-06-01T17:39:47Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Well, shit, if that’s all it takes then I have a list of conservatives who need to be fired immediately. > > The only “goal post shifting” is being done by people who want to widen the net from blatant racism to whatever lets them play the “you’re a hypocrite” card. What matters is offense not the means of offense. If someone gets assaulted with a bat or a hammer would the SD be exceedingly pedantic in the differences between the two? Of course…:rolleyes: Sometimes I forget where I am. > [@Miller](#): > > Sorry, no, that’s a misrepresentation of the complaint against Barr. People were angry at her because of her grotesque racism, not because she used naughty language. If you want to argue that using the word “cunt” should get someone kicked off TV, fine, but if I disagree with you, I’m not a hypocrite for still thinking Barr deserved to get the boot for being a racist. They aren’t remotely related topics, no matter how hard the Grifting Right tries to create a false equivalence between them. An ape comparison? Bush was called a chimp. Trump an orangutan. Equal rights means equal target of crass language. What’s with all the double standards? I think that the bigger picture is how any potential slight can be amplified and blown out of proportion. And cunt is misogynistic. As is bitch. Yet for some reason slurs directed at womanhood are treated as trivial. I would argue that misogyny is as bad as racism, homophobia, or other forms of bigotry. Concerning sanctions? I’m not really in favor of mob justice and I think that easily whipped up masses don’t have the intellectual ability or honesty to take things in context or proper proportion. There is a lot of entertainment that has bigoted elements. Music, movies, books, etc. are full of all sorts of crazy language and ideas. Should everyone associated with any potentially offensive content that deals with race be blacklisted and ostracized? I don’t think that would be a very entertaining society. Should Ice Cube be able to find work after his time with NWA? I grew up listening to that and it’s all sorts of offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/103 "2018-06-01T17:54:11Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > An ape comparison? Bush was called a chimp. Trump an orangutan. I’m sure if you tried really, really hard, you could determine what the difference is between comparing black people to apes and white people to apes. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/104 "2018-06-01T17:56:00Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > An ape comparison? Bush was called a chimp. Trump an orangutan. Equal rights means equal target of crass language. What’s with all the double standards? Again, the issue isn’t “crass” language, it’s racist language. It’s not racist to call a white person an ape, just like it’s not racist to characterize a white person as really like watermelon. See, the thing about racist stereotypes is that they’re not applied equally to all races. That’s sort of their whole point. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/105 "2018-06-01T17:59:58Z")
I had no idea who this woman was until yesterday. All I can think, in all honesty, is calling someone a cunt when you believe they are a cunt is a lot different from calling someone the product of Muslim terrorists and apes. I guess the word cunt means more to some people. Maybe they should go out and protest this injustice wearing pink cunt hats. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/106 "2018-06-01T18:03:58Z")
Barr is a person with serious mental illness who was up late at night and on mind altering drugs. In that state she made an offensive joke tweet. Bee had a writer pitch an offensive joke, approved it, read it on air, and then sent the tape off to be broadcast. What Bee did was much worse because it show malice aforethought and was considered and approved multiple times. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/107 "2018-06-01T18:08:34Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > What matters is offense not the means of offense. If someone gets assaulted with a bat or a hammer would the SD be exceedingly pedantic in the differences between the two? Of course…:rolleyes: Sometimes I forget where I am. It was previously explained why (in the opinion of many) the two remarks are not really comparable. If someone wants to make a reasoned argument why wounds from a bat are significantly different than those from a hammer, that’s on them. I assume most people would understand that being beaten with a bat is different from being beaten with a rubber spatula though and not insist that both must be treated the same because both have some degree of ‘harm’. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/108 "2018-06-01T18:10:51Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Barr is a person with serious mental illness who was up late at night and on mind altering drugs. In that state she made an offensive joke tweet. > Bee had a writer pitch an offensive joke, approved it, read it on air, and then sent the tape off to be broadcast. > What Bee did was much worse because it show malice aforethought and was considered and approved multiple times. Oh for fuck’s sake. Why don’t you just say that Bee’s was worse because she’s a liberal :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/109 "2018-06-01T18:12:37Z")
I think both comments were awful and mean-spirited. BUT, what will happen now? I have heard many very offensive things said by most standup comedians. So will every standup act be scrutinized now? We’re going down a slippery slope. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/110 "2018-06-01T18:21:23Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I think both comments were awful and mean-spirited. BUT, what will happen now? I have heard many very offensive things said by most standup comedians. So will every standup act be scrutinized now? We’re going down a slippery slope. A slippery slope? That is pretty much the job description of a comedian. Any administration led by an adult would have ignored it or at most treated it with dismissive condescension, but for Trump and his mouthpiece Sanders this “The the worst thing ever!” I’m now looking forward to seeing other comedians and satirical commentators compete with one another to goad a response and get their names on the CNN ticker feed or on the _Washington Post_ op-ed page. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Covfefe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Covfefe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covfefe)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/111 "2018-06-01T18:35:57Z")
Personally I find the discussion of hypocrisy and morality really ponderous in these contexts. If Bee’s livelihood came from touring and she had made this remark in a club, there’s slim to no chance she’d apologize even if some trumpers or feminists raised up outrage. She gave an apology now because it’s inevitable, she has to as part of the farcical corporate song and dance. You have issues of moral weight, and then there is also this artificial need to avoid crossing certain lines for the network which does not neatly align with what morally ought to be. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/112 "2018-06-01T19:07:31Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > That’s one thing, but I sincerely doubt there are any black public figures or celebrities who’d direct that word, with the r at the end, at another black person in a public forum…and even fewer white ones. For better or worse, it’s the most taboo word in America. In all of the reactions to the Lucas Joyner video “I’m Not Racist”, practically every black person I’ve seen reacting to it get particularly shocked when the hard r is used. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/113 "2018-06-01T19:21:29Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > If you want to argue that using the word “cunt” should get someone kicked off TV, fine, but if I disagree with you, I’m not a hypocrite for still thinking Barr deserved to get the boot for being a racist. They aren’t remotely related topics, no matter how hard the Grifting Right tries to create a false equivalence between them. I think it’s possible to be all kinds of critical and say harsh things about Invanka without calling her a cunt on national television. As Bee herself said, that crosses a line. I don’t blush at the word cunt but as much as I detest the Trumps I don’t think it’s right to use that word in a public forum about the President’s daughter and White House staff member. Whether that justifies firing is up to TBS. I think Disney has more to lose by being associated with a racist than Time Warner has to lose by being associated with a potty-mouthed comedian. Can you imagine how fast ABC would lose sponsors? Can you imagine the boycotts of Disney movies? ---
**Author:** ![Philliam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/philliam/32/3011_2.png) [@Philliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philliam)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/114 "2018-06-01T19:38:14Z")
> [@Pantastic](#): > > I don’t think calling someone a ‘cunt’ is significantly different than calling them a ‘dick’ or a ‘prick’. While ‘cunt’ is more charged in the US, it’s just a swear word based on a body part, there’s not a history with it the way that there is with asserting a connection between black people and monkeys. I’m probably biased because I know a number of women and vagina-posessing genderqueer people who prefer the term ‘cunt’ over ones like ‘pussy,’ ‘vag’, or ‘lady bits.’ I’m pretty sure that, ‘cunt’ is on it’s way to being dethroned as the super-swear word in the US in the next decade or two, it’s already a friendly term of endearment in Australia. I have to agree here that the the ‘c-word’ is more of a generic term these days. When I worked offshore in the '80s with primarily British, Irish and Australian crews, this term was applied liberally (no pun here) to other men in a totally non-sexual way - primarily to those who were, shit-disturbers, arrogant, obtuse, nasty drunks or any combination of general unplesantness. Being told " That bugger’s a right cunt" pretty much let you know what sort of person you were dealing with. Certainly had no connection to ‘lady parts’ in connotation. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/115 "2018-06-01T19:40:14Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I’m sure if you tried really, really hard, you could determine what the difference is between comparing black people to apes and white people to apes. > [@Miller](#): > > Again, the issue isn’t “crass” language, it’s racist language. It’s not racist to call a white person an ape, just like it’s not racist to characterize a white person as really like watermelon. See, the thing about racist stereotypes is that they’re not applied equally to all races. That’s sort of their whole point. I think an important step in equality is actually holding people to equal standards not different but politically convenient standards. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/116 "2018-06-01T19:43:33Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > I think an important step in equality is actually holding people to equal standards not different but politically convenient standards. Well too bad. White people will probably always get shit for saying “nigga” too. If that keeps you up at night fuming at the ridiculous double standards society has, then you should probably take some Ambien before bed. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/117 "2018-06-01T20:12:54Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > I think an important step in equality is actually holding people to equal standards not different but politically convenient standards. I think an important step in reasoned discourse is not relying on 'whataboutism" as a defense. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2018, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/118 "2018-06-01T21:00:17Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Well too bad. White people will probably always get shit for saying “nigga” too. If that keeps you up at night fuming at the ridiculous double standards society has, then you should probably take some Ambien before bed. Make sure you turn your phone off first though, or at least log out of social media. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/119 "2018-06-01T21:26:08Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Well too bad. White people will probably always get shit for saying “nigga” too. If that keeps you up at night fuming at the ridiculous double standards society has, then you should probably take some Ambien before bed. You identify as white? You just typed “nigga.” Should you lose your job? I’m white. I just listened to NWA’s “Fat Girl” and “Dopeman” should I be ostracized and financially ruined for supporting misogynistic and racist rap stars? > [@DrDeth](#): > > I think an important step in reasoned discourse is not relying on 'whataboutism" as a defense. Nice deflection. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214/120 "2018-06-01T21:35:59Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Nice deflection. Nope, you and the Op are “deflecting”. Look, Bee’s comment has NOTHING whatsoever to do with Barrs comment. Trying to claim that Bee is being given a pass as she is liberal and Barr is not is pure 100% “whataboutism” and that is a poor debating technique. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samantha-bees-feckless-cunt-comment/815214.md?page=7)