Like many of the 9.6 million viewers I've enjoyed the adventures of the Robertson family on Duck Dynasty. It is a show with both humor and wit that has captivated so many. It has always reflected that the Robertson's are also a religious family normally ending around the dinner table with a short prayer of thanks and also included a couple of episodes where there have been short segments with Phil expressing his religious beliefs before assembled congregations. While I'm an atheist I can respect the religious beliefs of others and have no problem with that. But simply reflecting their religious beliefs on the show is apparently going to change in the upcoming season. http://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/tv-news/-...t-member-—-and-he-s-beardless--164934702.html If the show is going to be dedicated to a Bible thumping preacher as opposed to the humorous exploits of the Robertson family it's going to lose all appeal for me and perhaps millions of other viewers. If I wanted religion then I'd watch The Bible Network (TBN) and not A&E. If preaching is becoming the focus of the program than I would suggest it be moved to TBN which is where it would be a nice show for those that enjoy being preached at. It would also make it easier for me to avoid a bunch of Bible thumping on TV. Whether the show moves to TBN or not (which it probably won't) the Robertson family is risking losing millions of viewers that don't tune in to watch to be preached at by a Bible thumper. There is a fine line here and I fear that the Roberson's aren't aware of the fact they might very well be crossing it.
I think they've made it clear they are not going to change the content of the show to have a more secular appeal. And there isn't near the number of liberals and atheist protesting about the content for them to even be concerned. The protests over guns and prayer are more of a social media hoax than anything else. Guns and prayer may be one of the many allures to the majority of viewers. Funny thing though... I lived in that town/area for almost half my life, and I just can't get into that show. Watched a 2-3 episodes, but can't find the same appeal for me that millions of other viewers have for it. While funny, it seems too fake and contrived. It could be just my perspective is biased a lil since I know that town like the back of my hand. Another funny thing... their warehouse use to be an after hours club where I use to get seriously polluted on the weekends.
There's actually a station called "The Bible Network?" Ultimately any TV show is make or break by viewership because the sponsors who pay for and make the commercials want viewers. More viewers, more watch the commercials...the more who watch the commercials, the more will buy their products or services. If people are turned off by the preaching and stop watching, then the show will be cancelled, or on the flip-side if it attracts more viewers, the preaching and TV show will continue. It's a business, so I suppose if enough folks like you stop watching because it's too religious, a business decision will be made.
This is not about making the show have more secular appeal but instead its about the show becoming more sectarian. As I noted I didn't find anything objectionable about the limited sectarian aspects of the show in the prior seasons. By analogy I've never really objected to the Christian prayer at the beginning of NASCAR events even when I was a member of NASCAR. The France family that owns NASCAR are Christians and they have every Right to have the prayer if they want even though it doesn't reflect the beliefs of NASCAR members. If NASCAR turns into an evangelical event then I'll simply stop watching the races which is my Right. There is no difference with Duck Dynasty because as long as the show is primarily secular then I'll watch but if it changes to being primarily sectarian preaching then I'm gone like a cool breeze and millions of others will stop watching it as well. People have been watching the show because it's been based upon secular humor and not for sectarian reasons.
Well, technically it's the Trinity Broadcast Network that has many cable stations and other broadcast media but the "short-form" slang is to just call it The Bible Network" because that's all that they deal with. http://www.tbn.org/ These are scary stations from my perspective because I've clicked on them once or twice in the past and the hatred and bigotry being propagated on them is scary. I watched John Hagee spouting pure anti-Islamic hatred and paranoia once and to see that kind of thing on TV was horrifying. It deserves a special TV rating like XB (Extreme Bigotry) and children shouldn't be allowed to watch in. Watching those stations is about like going to a "White Nationalist" or some of the "Patriot" organization meeting that would scare the pants off of most Americans. I highly recommend not watching any of these stations unless a person is really prepared for some of the most scary anti-American messages being spread around America today. Anyone that believes the US Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land and that all People have Inalienable Right should never watch these stations. The "business" decision would be to terminate the show which would be a pity because it had a good foundation for four years and it appears that they might be abandoning that for religious reasons.
If I had to guess he probably hopes to reach people more through example and personal stories then actual preaching. I doubt A&E would let him change the over all tone of the show. You may hear a little something here or there but I doubt it'll be anything cringe worthy.
Perhaps true but that isn't what he seems to be expressing from what I read. I could be wrong and hope I am and while I don't object to the sectarianism that has been on the show so far because it's not too intrusive it has never really added to the appeal of the show for me. The show was already pushing it a bit with a short segment on Phil preaching at a church. As I mentioned it can go from secular humor to sectarian BS very easily and I hope they don't go there.
As noted the ratings are down but we can't simply state that it was because of "evangelical religious right" comments made by Phil Robertson. It could certainly be combination of factors include something as simple as the humor was based upon such a narrow platform that it has run out of anything really new to present that's funny. I've been watching the show and it simply isn's as funny as it was before. Perhaps we can only laugh so long at "right-wing rednecks" before they become boring. Sure, "right-wing rednecks" are funny because of their many idiotic beliefs but "stupid" only goes so far when it comes to humor.
I think the problem is overexposure. I enjoy the show, but I'm getting turned off by the DD stuff everywhere I turn.
5 seasons, and they were running marathons when all the "tolerant" people in our wonderfully free country started getting their panties in a wad over the views that another human being holds that they take issue with. I do find it "stupid" that the biggest opponents of DD are most likely people who wouldn't even have a voice to express their disdain for another culture if it weren't for the tolerance that they themselves abuse and cry foul over. . . . Edit: And if there is going to be a rule that people of a certain religion and a certain culture cannot be on ONE SINGLE TV show on a private network then I don't want to see anymore shows focusing on Islam or Judaism or Hindu or anything else. Especially on Public Television! If were going a little secular with TV, lets go all the way. Then we'll let the votes decide who gets what. Sound good? [video=youtube;Vfp6QipYV3w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfp6QipYV3w[/video] Doesn't matter to me one way or the other... . . . ;
I certianly wouldn't advocate such a rule but people will watch what they choose and when a star of a TV show comes out with Homophobic or Islamaphobic rhetoric then those that oppose this bigotry are probably not going to watch the show. Of course the private broadcast network has every right to restrict whatever they choose related to the shows they air. If they don't want bigoted religious beliefs that will reduce the number of viewers of the show expressed by those on the show, either on the show or publically, they have every right to censor the member of the cast that would violate this policy.
LOL I watched it when it first came out because "stupid rednecks" can certainly be funny but that humor wanes over time. Simply being stupid only goes so far when it comes to humor. You can only laugh at stupid people for so long before you begin to pity them instead. As far as Phil Robertson goes his homophobic and Islamophobic personal beliefs really haven't manifested themselves on the show but the show has become boring and not worthy of watching anymore.
So whats the hype about? Watch it or don't watch it but when it becomes some sort of gross political movement then people start stepping on their neighbors toes... I really wish stupid people would stop accusing others of bigotry everytime someone disagrees with them. Smacks of hypocritical bigotry to me. And intellectual flaccidity...
I would suggest reading and understanding the definition of the word bigotry. When a person reflects this in their statements expressing their beliefs then it is appropriate to use the term. There is a fundamental difference between Phil Robertson, based upon what he's said publically, and myself has he has expressed intolerance whereas I have not. I'm not intolerant of Phil Robertson, even though I completed disagree with him on the issue of "homosexuality" as I believe the homosexual should be entitled to the identical Constitutional Rights and Protections that I enjoy, but I do correctly note that he is a bigot because he expressed intolerance of others. Where Phil Robertson has a conflict is that he can't be a "Christian" and an "American" at the same time because his "Christian" ideology conflicts with the ideology of the United States that holds that all people are created equal with certian inalienable Rights. He would deny equality to others based upon his religious beliefs and opinion that is based upon a 2000 year old religious philosophy where the Divine Right of Kings, slavery, and treating women as chattel (i.e. the property of the father and later the husband) was the norm. Phil Robertson is intolerant of others based upon his bigoted religious beliefs. He ignores over 2,000 years of philosophical enlightenment where tolerance, not intolerance, has been developed based upon the inherent equality of all persons based upon their identical inalienable Rights as a Person.
Why can't we accept that everyone is different, that others have views different than our own, and just get along? Why must we point fingers at those with whom we disagree? Why are we so intolerant of those who seem to be just as intolerant as we? So what if Phil interprets the bible and thinks and says what he believes? Why is that so different than calling him, a human being, and ignorant fool redneck or whatnot? Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness isn't a one way street folks. There are others who have the same right to that street as you and I.
It's not a complicated word. Bigots come in all shapes and sizes, colors and political affiliations. Tolerance is a key word in the definition of bigotry... The big joke being that you don't even know whether he actually believes this or it was just a ratings stunt and your own stereotyping and "bigotry" drew you in to get all huffy puff about it... Lol!!! You do know this is a TV show don't you? If you wanted to debate religion there is a sub-forum for that. I'd suggest you start a thread there. . . . ;
Two years later and the results are in. The ratings for Duck Dynasty have dropped from a high of 11.77/million viewers in 2013 to 2.51/million viewers by January 2015. Going more "sectarian" in the show resulted in a loss of over 75% of their viewing audience. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_Dynasty#Ratings Too bad because it was a pretty good show before they decided to incorporate their religious beliefs into it.
Andrew Dice Clay wasn't PC,either.Does that mean he should have not been allowed to perform? Someday people will wake up and realize that there are others with different views outside of their bubble.
