Conservative Values

“NEW YORK (AP) -- Fox's plan to air a prime-time special on the selection of a Playboy centerfold next week has drawn the ire of conservative groups urging the network to think twice about showing it.

The two-hour show, "The Girl Next Door: The Search for a Playboy Centerfold," is scheduled for 8 p.m. on May 10.

"It's men victimizing women for the sake of money and ratings," said Jan LaRue, chief counsel of Concerned Women for America. CWA is one of seven groups, including the Christian Coalition and Focus on the Family, that protested the show in a letter to Rupert Murdoch, chairman of Fox's parent News Corp.

A Fox spokesman, Scott Grogin, said on Wednesday, "We respect all of our viewers' rights to their opinions. If this is a show they don't like or feel is appropriate, please don't watch."

The special, during a "sweeps" month where ratings are watched closely to set advertising rates, focuses on a dozen women flown to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams of becoming a centerfold.

Playboy puts the women up in an estate, and follows them "sunbathing by the pool (and) primping for photo shoots." The women are treated to Hollywood shopping sprees and evenings out at restaurants and clubs.

At the end, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner selects one for a centerfold shoot.

On its face, the program appears to be a cross between ABC's popular "The Bachelor" series and its Victoria's Secret fashion show aired last November. The Victoria's Secret special prompted a Federal Communications Commission investigation that ruled it didn't violate broadcast standards for decency.

LaRue said she was concerned the special would encourage men to treat women as sex objects and sends a dangerous message to girls.

"It communicates to 12- and 13-year-old girls that this is what you have to do to be attractive to men," she said. "It dehumanizes, it objectifies and it is a gateway to hard-core pornography."

The special is airing on a Friday, normally one of the least popular nights for television viewing, but a big one for males.

Some of the same groups last month complained to the FCC about Fox's "Boston Public," saying the classroom drama is heavy on sexual topics, particularly for a program airing it what used to be known as television's family hour.

Fox defended "Boston Public" and series creator David E. Kelley, saying "we're proud to have it on our air."

Rupert Murdoch = strong conservative Republican supporter”

“Surprised it'll be aired at 8pm. That seems a bit early for that sorta show.”

“

April 29, 2002

Pat Robertson's high horse

Cal Thomas

     Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson, who's spent a considerable number of years on television handicapping the sins of others and prophesying their destruction, owns a racehorse.

     "I don't bet and I don't gamble," Mr. Robertson told New York Times sports reporter Bill Finley. "I just enjoy watching horses running and performing." So far, Mr. Robertson has invested $520,000 in his horse, named "Mr. Pat," after himself. The man who once said the city of Orlando would be attacked by killer tornados because Disney World held a "gay day" also bred one of his mares to a horse whose stud fee is $125,000, the reporter found.

     This reminds me of the warning about sin's slippery slope delivered by professor Harold Hill to the people of River City in the Broadway musical, "The Music Man": "The next thing you know your son is playin' for money in a pinchback suit; and listenin' to some big out-o'-town jasper here him tell about horse race gamblin'; not a wholesome trottin' race, no, but a race where they set down right on the horse. Like to see some stuck-up jockey boy sittin' on Dan Patch? Make your blood boil, well, I should say." Hill was a con man.

     Mr. Robertson is trying to have it both ways, which is a familiar practice among some religious leaders of different denominations. "I wish horse racing was not supported by gambling," he told the New York Times. "They call it the sport of kings. People from King Solomon on have been raising and racing horses. The people I see at the track, they don't seem to love horses. They're looking at the Racing Form and are trying to make money betting. I like to look at them as performers and to study their bloodlines. That's what I find interesting."

     It is shocking, shocking, to learn that most other people go to the track to gamble. Who knew? All that praying turns out to have been for a horse to win, place or show.

     "The whole culture of horse racing involves gambling, and all the money comes from people trying to hit it big gambling," University of Chicago theologian Martin Marty told Mr. Finley.

     Rationalization is not new, in religious or secular life. We want approval for the things we do, even when they don't look good to others. But using Mr. Robertson's rationalization, a visit to a bordello could be justified because he might testify to his appreciation of the piano's player's prowess or his desire to study the "bloodlines" of the well-proportioned staff.

     Speaking of King Solomon, God did have something to say about horses, though in a different context, to that ancient wise man: "The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself, or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them." (Deuteronomy 17:16).

     Some in evangelical Christian circles go to great lengths to avoid even the appearance of sin. The more fundamental among them believe that to be seen in certain places, such as bars or establishments where gambling takes place, hurts their "witness" to nonbelievers. Actually, Jesus hung out with many of the despised and rejected, which scandalized the hypocritical religious leaders of His day. The difference was that while He ate dinner at their homes, He didn't behave as they did.

     "The notion of an evangelical entering horse racing and gambling, well, [Mr. Robertson] can pretend all he wants that he's in it for the beauty of the sport, but you can't look at it that way or buy your way out of it by saying that," Martin Marty commented to Mr. Finley.

     "Mr. Pat" has yet to run a race. The thoroughbred is reported to be in less than perfect health, but that shouldn't be a problem for Mr. Pat, the broadcaster. Mr. Robertson is regularly seen "healing" people on his TV program. Maybe he can call on God to heal his horse. While that would be something worth seeing, don't bet on it.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist

”

“Good one, Violin.”

“thebackpacker what is your point? Are you trying to say Rupert Murdoch is a hypocrite? Just because he is a Republican doesn't mean he fits into your narrow-minded mold. To be honest, I really don't think the show should be own either. However, to say every Republican is a faithful religious conservative is as ignorant as saying every Democrat is a sissified pink panty wearing, tree huggin, baby aborting, homo. Were all people with different backgrounds, views, values, and perceptions. Poor argument. Shouldn’t you be at school?”

“I'm not quite sure what your point is tbp. Murdoch is an economic de-regulation Republican, these critics of Fox shows are social conservative Republicans. It is interesting that there is a continuing clash, but I don't see that this point to any hypocracy.

Funny how Fox has brought some of the best and worst stuff to TV. Tracy Ullman (I miss it!)and The Simpsons are two of the best things to have happened to TV.”

“I was prolly 12. Our family had been invited by another family. They had two sons about my age.

The three of us were walking along the patio one night. The tide was extra high due to a storm. The waves were crashing violently against the seawall. The patio was awash - some waves actually sprayed the building.

Across the front of the building, at the patio level, was a bank of sliding glass doors. The drapes were closed on all but one of the doors. It was a dressing room. At the vanity sat a buck nekkid lady, but she had her back to us - doh!.

Not to worry, for within three seconds another lady entered the room. She, too, was buck nekkid. We got quite an eyefull before the standing lady spied us and rushed the drapes closed.

Gooooooooood times!”

“So are you trying to demean conservative values or people that falsely claim to be supporters of those values? If you meant to demean conservative values, you failed. Why does a few hypocrites in position of power make the values wrong? I certainly do not hold up Murdoch or Robertson as roll models of how to live. I don’t think any support of republicans by Murdoch has anything to do with his views on sexual morality.

I like nudity but not playboy. Nudity in playboy is made to be sexual. Nudity is not just about sex. Most people spend more time nude for reasons related to sex than they do for sexual reason. I know I have put cameras in your house and have been timing you. Really though, showering, dressing, sleeping, etc. adds up. Nudity is not a sexual act, but sexual acts are best when nude. My conservative values do not rule out some public nudity but they do rule out promiscuity

Personally I thing the playboy thing is more women exploiting men. Men pay money to see a picture of a nude women. The women gives up what? Heck with computer technology what it is, the women may not look much like the printed picture.