ABC’s Boston Legal Takes Swipe At Glenn Beck, Ignores His Affiliation With ABC
ABC’s Boston Legal Takes Swipe At Glenn Beck, Ignores His Affiliation With ABC
Yesterday on ABC’s sitcom Boston Legal, attorney Shirley Schmidt, played by Candice Bergen, was tasked with defending a “shock jock” who was fired for saying on air, “Old people should die.” The comment was allegedly part of his political argument that the United States “could be heading for a day when the bulk of our federal budget goes to subsidizing retirees.”
While the plot of the show is fictional, Bergen’s character took a real-life approach in her arguments defending the fired radio host. She blasted the media for censoring political content while ignoring “racist or hateful remarks”:
Glenn Beck. He’s on CNN, the “most trusted name in news.” He’s referred to the Katrina survivors as a vulgarity I’m not allowed to repeat here. He also said he didn’t think it possible to hate any victims faster than the 9/11 victims.
These so-called journalists are everywhere, and frankly, I wouldn’t mind seeing them gone. But it’s one thing to curtail racist or hateful remarks, it’s quite another to censor political content.
Watch it:
Here’s the Sept. 9 quote on The Glenn Beck Show that Bergen referenced:
But the second thought I had when I saw these people and they had to shut down the Astrodome and lock it down, I thought: I didn’t think I could hate victims faster than the 9-11 victims. These guys — you know it’s really sad. We’re not hearing anything about Mississippi. We’re not hearing anything about Alabama. … And that’s all we’re hearing about, are the people in New Orleans. Those are the only ones we’re seeing on television are the scumbags.
Bergen identified that Beck has a show on CNN. But she should also have mentioned that he’s a contributor to Boston Legal’s network, ABC; Beck is a regular commentator on Good Morning America. When he was hired, GMA’s senior executive producer called Beck a “leading cultural commentator with a distinct voice.”
Too bad ABC executives don’t take the advice of their own shows more seriously.
Transcript:
LAWYER: Why can’t a radio station fire an employee for spewing out despicable, immoral, crap? Maybe that’s what Americans are really calling for here. About time.
BERGEN: Was what my client said really so bad? It’s interesting. She mentions Howard Stern. My client was asked by his station to be more like Howard. Howard Stern asked on the air, “So if you’re half Arab and half Jewish, do you negotiate with the sheep before having sexual relations with them?
She also mentions Don Imus. Viacom seems to have no problem with Imus referring to Arabs as “ragheads.” In 2004, he referred to Simon & Schuster, the book publishers, as “Jews who steal.” Then he apologized for the remark as being “redundant.”
Glenn Beck. He’s on CNN, the “most trusted name in news.” He’s referred to the Katrina survivors as a vulgarity I’m not allowed to repeat here. He also said he didn’t think it possible to hate any victims faster than the 9/11 victims.
These so-called journalists are everywhere, and frankly, I wouldn’t mind seeing them gone. But it’s one thing to curtail racist or hateful remarks, it’s quite another to censor political content.
What Bob Binder said may have been offensive, but it was also legitimate public debate. Ironically, one the public and the presidential candidates refuse to engage in. If the older demographic has more economic power to affect the outcome of the presidential elections, and the government is spending more money on the older demographic — gee, shouldn’t somebody be discussing this?
A press — a free press — has always been vital to a free democracy, not just when they serve the bottom line, but perhaps especially when it doesn’t. Your Honor, reporters actually lost their job for criticizing the war. Thirty-five percent of today’s journalists say newsworthy stories are actually shunned if they’ll hurt the financial interests of their organization. In America? The free press?
This man got fired from a news talk show for expressing a political idea. Are we really ok with that? Really?
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
43 Responses to “ABC’s Boston Legal Takes Swipe At Glenn Beck, Ignores His Affiliation With ABC”
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
Leading cultural commentator??
Howza bout
Lardassed racist bloviator?
December 5th, 2007 at 12:18 pmBoston Legal is one of the few reasons I miss TV these days, the others being Daily Show, Colbert Report, Olbermann, HBO, and ‘Ninja Warrior’.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:22 pmoh great. The Beck du Jour. Still tasteless and unappetizing.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:22 pmBeck; I’ll give you a piece of advice.
“Judge not, lest ye be judged.”
December 5th, 2007 at 12:22 pmGlenn Beck is a racist, bigoted alcoholic and any company that employs him should be embarrassed and ashamed
December 5th, 2007 at 12:25 pmThis is not the first time that BL has taken on current news and written it into the script. Kudos to them for their attempts to inform the public in fiction what the msm fails to do in reality.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:27 pmI find it fascinating how reality blends with fiction — sometimes subtly, and sometimes overtly (like this).
It wasn’t that long ago that Dan Quayle took a fictional character (Murphy Brown from the show of the same name) to task for choosing to have her baby and keep it, even though she wasn’t married.
Now we have a fictional character (Shirley Schmidt from Boston Legal) criticizing real-life talking heads.
Also fascinating is that Murphy Brown and Shirley Schmidt were played by the same woman, Candice Bergen. I wonder if she felt any thrill about turning this into a two-way street.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:27 pmBLeck is a racist repukian fascist, bleck off BLeck. Can’t even stand looking at him.
Bush/Cheney
Hague Trials ‘09
Buck Fush
December 5th, 2007 at 12:32 pmFunniest show going. Denny earned a not guilty on his Larry Craig charges - the real Larry might have succeeded in similar fashion, were he not a raging closet-queen.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:33 pmArt imitates life. Fiction blends perfectly in with reality. Priceless.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:38 pmi stopped watching “good morning america” because of beck.
(and you can too!)
December 5th, 2007 at 12:38 pmMmmmm, Candice!!!!
December 5th, 2007 at 12:45 pmAnd while we’re all focused on what was said about Glenn Beck and Don Imus, did anybody catch what the fictional client said about how old people should die because otherwise more and more of the federal budget will be required to take care of them?
Governor Richard Lamm said something similar to that back in 1984, when he said, “We’ve got a duty to die and get out of the way with all of our machines and artificial hearts and everything else like that and let the other society, our kids, build a reasonable life.” Needless to say, his remarks were condemned by just about everybody.
Now, saying ANYBODY should die is exceedingly incorrect, politically. So we’re not going to hear it that much from our elected leaders or even our shock-jocks. Nobody is going to say that their elderly grandmother should die — not even if Grandma suffers from Alzheimer’s, doesn’t know who she is, and suffers pain every day (I myself have a grandmother in that situation, but if anybody suggested she should die, my reaction would be to bop them upside the head — before I saw that they weren’t saying it to be unkind).
By including this in their plot, Boston Legal (like Governor Lamm) has at least pointed out what will be a legitimate concern to have to deal with at some point down the road — even if the resolution in BL was the defendant’s right to say it, not whether or not the point had any validity.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:49 pmO. Bigfoot FOX is a tabloid run by a megalomaniac flip-flopper who likes to kiss political butt and push hidden agendas. Hence his unopularity in Britain and here in the US.
As for Gwynn Blech I have been misspelling his name all this time, my bad.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:50 pmWell, O–Beck drove me, my family and my pet goat away from CNN first! And, we have a Neilsen box.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:51 pmI, and my family, started watching CNN again because of Beck.
(And you can too!)
Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 5, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
Which only deepens the nature/nurture mystery of the origins of stupidity. Are your kids watching Glenn Beck with you because they inherited your idiocy, or are you giving your kids a bad case of moron by making them watch Glenn Beck?
December 5th, 2007 at 12:52 pmI wonder if it has occured to Big (O) that the show is a satire and that Denny Crane is a tongue in cheek name word Larry Craig.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:52 pm“You could get a journalist cheaper than a good call girl, for a couple hundred dollars a month.â€
- CIA operative discussing with editor Washington Post, on the availability and prices of journalists willing to peddle CIA propaganda and cover stories.
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/ RANCHO/ POLITICS/ MOCK/ mockingbird.html
** CNN has been compromised, they can no longer be trusted.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:52 pmWilliam Shatner
Hmm, so many conflicing feelings about the former Capt. Kirk.
I do however highly recommend you all search for and watch his 1962 film The Intruder, which was re-named SHAME.
http://imdb.com/title/tt0055019/
A comment from IMDB:
It is truly a moving, thought provoking, enlightening film.
/sorry OT
December 5th, 2007 at 12:57 pmGlenn Beck is a racist, bigoted alcoholic and any company that employs him should be embarrassed and ashamed
Comment by Blue Stater — December 5, 2007 @ 12:25 pm
LOL. Sorry, but the MSM being embarrassed and ashamed?! That’s rich. Just keep your mouth shut, continue to buy our advertisers wares, and we’ll take your recommendations under consideration.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:59 pmI can’t really complain about ABC not mentioning their own Beck connection. Beck is far better known for his Headline News show and I’m just happy to hear him get slammed on network TV. Remember this is the same Disney-owned network that gave us Path to 9/11.
And Boston Legal previously aired an episode with an incredible speech by James Spader’s character.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:59 pmThis is 1 of my 4 favorite shows . I love Boston Legal especially
Alan and Denny .
But I guess your not aware David Kelly, the shows
writer and producer has many current issuses on his show every week.
He address’s all types of injustices that stem from for one this
ADMINSTRATION and much more .
Every week the cast covers topics the traditional media just ignores or pretends dont even exsist .
You all should check it out
December 5th, 2007 at 1:02 pmTuesdays at 10:00 on ABC
Beck is the jackass whose face is plastered all over billboards here in my town… shame on these media people!
December 5th, 2007 at 1:03 pmWilliam Shatner’s character, Denny Crane, has touted his appreciation for Fox News on the show “Boston Legal†as well.
http://www.dennycrane2008.com/
Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 5, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
bigfoot is too stupid to realize that the denny crane character is looked upon as a clown, an idiot, a typical embedded white male, and that his admittance to watching FOX and being a Republican is part of painting him as a thoughtless fool. but, being a thoughtless fool himself, it’s over bigfoot’s empty head. say, bigfoot, how do you like being as stupid as your retarded, out-of-the-loop, fool of a president?
December 5th, 2007 at 1:09 pm** CNN has been compromised, they can no longer be trusted.
Comment by 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda — December 5, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
Very true.
And thanks in part to Lou Dobbs and his rhetoric, anti-Latino hate crimes are on the rise.
December 5th, 2007 at 1:11 pmWilliam Shatner’s character, Denny Crane, has touted his appreciation for Fox News on the show “Boston Legal†as well.
Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 5, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
The character of Denny Crane is a bold parody of a wingnut. Appreciation of Fox News is an important part of the character, as is embracing right-wing causes in general.
Please do not confuse this as a serious endorsement from a rational person.
December 5th, 2007 at 1:15 pm#25 Lefty,
December 5th, 2007 at 1:18 pmYou’re right - trolls and many conservatives like them are represented by the character of Denny Crane. Republicans, Fox watchers, and trolls often cannot pick up subtlety, satire, or metaphors; there seems to be a deficit in a sense of humor and wit.
You’re right - trolls and many conservatives like them are represented by the character of Denny Crane. Republicans, Fox watchers, and trolls often cannot pick up subtlety, satire, or metaphors; there seems to be a deficit in a sense of humor and wit.
Comment by Marie — December 5, 2007 @ 1:18 pm
Which is why their attempt at a conservative Daily Show was a complete flop.
December 5th, 2007 at 1:20 pmWilliam Shatner’s character, Denny Crane, has touted his appreciation for Fox News on the show “Boston Legal†as well.
http://www.dennycrane2008.com/
Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 5, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
Stephen Colbert’s character, Stephen Colbert, has touted his appreciation for Fox News on the show “The Colbert Report” as well.
http://www.colbert08.org
December 5th, 2007 at 1:22 pmIt totally missed BigMouth that the Denny Crane character is supposed to be a rightard. He is the example of the opposing viewpoint, and is seen as a jackass, also a minority in the show.
December 5th, 2007 at 1:24 pmI, and my family, started watching CNN again because of Beck.
(And you can too!)
William Shatner’s character, Denny Crane, has touted his appreciation for Fox News on the show “Boston Legal†as well.
http://www.dennycrane2008.com/
Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 5, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
Priceless. In the same brief post, borrowing a phrase from Colbert and then embracing another wingnut parody figure.
December 5th, 2007 at 1:25 pmPriceless. In the same brief post, borrowing a phrase from Colbert and then embracing another wingnut parody figure.
Comment by Dumb_Fox — December 5, 2007 @ 1:25 pm
bigfoot’s only contribution so far is sending his wife’s kids off to die for Bushco. other than that, he’s just another wingnut burden on the USA.
December 5th, 2007 at 1:31 pm“bigfoot’s only contribution so far is sending his wife’s kids off to die for Bushco. other than that, he’s just another wingnut burden on the USA.”
Don’t forget his comic value.
December 5th, 2007 at 1:38 pmThis particular episode was posponed because of the California fires but thanks to the Larry Craig news this week it was very topical. I particularly enjoyed the end of Denny’s trial when he quipped about not having to resign from the republican party if he had been found guilty (and by proxy gay). Alan’s retort that the party would continue to embrace him as long as he spoke out against homosexuality was priceless. I hope somebody posts a video of that scene.
December 5th, 2007 at 1:52 pmI would give Candice Bergen a Legal Swipe any day of the week.
(Was that too vulgar? I don’t have a coloquial sense of Swipe)
December 5th, 2007 at 1:56 pmThis is the Headline Story on Buzzflash.com:
Our Country is Filled With Great Promise, But We are Saddled with Incompetent, Mediocre, Mendacious, Narcississtic Pea-Brains in the White House. One Day After Being Revealed as a Liar Redux, Bush Just Keeps on Obsessing About Iran, As If the NIE Never Happened.
…and may I add, the corporate media is helping Bush with this twisted narrative. If Bill Clinton had LIED about the nuclear status of a country he wanted to go to war with, the MEDIA would be yelling IMPEACH!
December 5th, 2007 at 2:04 pm“William Shatner’s character, Denny Crane, has touted his appreciation for Fox News on the show “Boston Legal†as well.
http://www.dennycrane2008.com/
Comment by O. Bigfoot ”
bigfoot idolized Archie Bunker when he was just a size 4.
December 5th, 2007 at 2:08 pmThe show had everything and every body in it. A list of crimes by all the Law Makers, Senator Vitter hiring prostitutes and even Romney flip flop on gay rights. Larry Craig should have gone to trial he might have won. I liked when Danny said he did have sex in bathrooms with woman but never men because he’s not gay.
Now calling African Americans scumbags is a nice way to speak about our soldiers who in Afghanistan and Iraq dying for the United States. Some soldiers came back for Iraq/Afghanistan safe only to see they have no home. At lease these brave men/women got to know what Americans and the US Government really thinks of them. Those Black so called American scumbags that died didn’t know how their country really felt. Our troops think when Americans and the US Government says Support our brave Troops, that meant all of the US soldiers, CNN helped they understand it didn’t mean all just whites. The good news is our US troops support each other under the old US policy of all Americans being equal and they support and protect each other. Sorry to the racist but maybe the US Government can get the troops caught up on the new Racist Policy when the troops come home.
December 5th, 2007 at 2:18 pmI’ve heard bear traps will work on bigfoot, too.
December 5th, 2007 at 2:33 pmIf you can get past the turkey neck, you might get a swipe in.†Gobble gobble…â€
Comment by Southern Man — December 5, 2007 @ 2:30 pm
Is that what your boyfriend calls it? ROTFL!!!
December 5th, 2007 at 2:58 pmPriceless. LOL!
December 5th, 2007 at 5:25 pmGlenn Becks comments were taken out of context. I agree fully with him that there are some 9/11 victims’ families that took advantage of the system and got more than they deserved… they are truly dirtbags. There were also dirtbag victims of Katrina.
For the full story on what he said I recommend his new book “An Inconvenient Book”. It is definitely worth reading (and an open mind will probably help most of you digest it)
December 11th, 2007 at 12:09 pmgreat majority of Americans share the same traditional beliefs, and reject “progressive†beliefs
Comment by O. Bigfoot
and that is why the rest of the world views americans as idiots and Denny Crane is a guy who shoots people,constantly repeats his name and suspects himself of having mad cow disease….i can see why he is you hero
peace
December 11th, 2007 at 3:29 pm