So, Tom Batiuk is responsible for this idiot?

I don't know if I'd ever seen Michael Savage before today. Sure, I'd heard him on the radio a few times, and read a lot of virtriolic crap that spewed from his mouth, but when I read a story today on Joe.My. God. (about his show being dropped from a few stations), I had an epiphany. He smirks like a Funky Winkerbean character. Hell, I think he is a Funky Winkerbean character! Specifically, Les after the time-jump. If you don't know what I mean, count yourself lucky. No, I don't read FW daily, but I do read The Comics Curmudgeon every day, so I probably see the 'bean several times a week, which is plenty. Well, don't just take my word for it. I give you... photographic evidence!

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I rest my case.

Free speech? Public space? What's that?

Via Culture Kitchen

No homosex, please, we're British

Just a few days ago, I read (at Joe.My.God.) about an ad being run by Heinz in the UK that featured a kiss between two men. It's a very chaste kiss, and technically, it's a kiss between a husband and wife. Watch the ad and you'll see what I mean.

Very cute, n'est-ce pas? And well done*, too. They even got the New York accent accurately, which is apparently not easy ("Daleks in Manhattan," anyone?).

Today I found out (via Joe, again) that the ad is being pulled because of the huge number of complaints Heinz has received from people who are upset that it features ZOMG! BOYSEXXORZZ!!!1!!!ELEVENTY-ONE!!1!111, which has forced them to explain the wonders of same-sex attraction to the innocent little kiddos. Silly me, I thought the person in the white hat was meant to be a (presumably) British woman who just makes sandwiches as well as a New York deli counter man, not someone who actually is one. I'm always getting stuff wrong, aren't I?

I'm disappointed in Heinz knuckling under so easily, and in the ignorance of the letter-writers , too. The Brits are supposed to be more openminded about this sort of thing, amirite? After all, as Archie Bunker told us "England is a fag country... the whole society is based on a kind of a fagdom"?

*I do have one quibble with the ad. I'm from New York, and I like mayonnaise on my sandwiches, but I certainly would not call it a "New York deli" thing, nor put it on a lot of typical delicatessen sandwiches. You order a pastrami or corned beef with mayo in a NYC deli, and see the response you get. Go on, I dare you.

Anti-trans hate from Memphis cops

The whole story is here, and at The Blend. As Autumn points out in the comments:

To put February 12th in broader perspective, it was also the day that 15-year-old Lawrence King was killed by a 14-year old-classmate.

I guess it was a bad day to be gender variant in America -- like too many days are.

I know not all police officers are like this, but for some reason, I find the behavior of the nurse even more surprising.

I'm speechless

Well,not really, just disgusted.


You've surely seen the SockObama by now. If you haven't, there it is on the left for your edification you lucky people. Some people find the toy rather racist.In fact, the folks who make itgot a bunch of emails to that effect, and they are miffed. They wrote an email in response, but only sent to those whose emails had the correct tone. They not only say the toy is not racist, but if you think it is, you're the racist, you lousy racist you. It's people like you who are causing the racial problems that tear this nation apart.

We at TheSockObama Co. are saddened that some individuals have chosen to misinterpret our plush toy. It is not, nor has it ever been our objective to hurt, dismay or anger anyone. We guess there is an element of naviete [sic] on our part, in that we don't think in terms of myths, fables, fairy tales and folklore. We simply made a casual and affectionate observation one night, and a charming association between a candidate and a toy we had when we were little.

A toy company that doesn't think in terms of myths, fables and so on? That must be some toy company. And a charming association? Between Obama and a monkey. Charming, my black ass!

We wonder now if this might be a great opportunity to take this moment to really try and transcend still existing racial biases. We think that if we can do this together, maybe it will behoove us a nation and maybe we'll even begin to truly communicate with one another more tenderly, more real even.

Note to pretentious racist asshats: using fancy words incorrectly makes you look really, really foolish. It would behoove you to know how a word is meant to be used before just throwing it into a sentence.
The whole letter is at New York Magazine's Daily Intel.

via Shakesville.

The Fag Bomb

I love Kirby Ferguson.



via joe.my.god.

x-posted

The problem with gender stereotypes...

I read about that "ex-gay" therapy program in Poland, at which they claim to "help lesbians, gays and bisexuals." The story says "Men at the center are taught to play football and women are taught to cook." But what about the bisexuals? I mean, we already play football and cook.

via Pam