By John Sklba
In a culture that has allowed men to run society into a state of catastrophic ruin with no real consequences, the fear of lesbians in society doesn’t shock me. It makes for a safe outlet in the “blame anyone but ourselves” game played by the alpha males in control. Lesbians have been given credit for everything from tornadoes, 9-11, canceling prom, and the decline of marriage. Seems you lasses have been quiet a busy bunch.
While some of those charges are quite extravagant in their claims, there might be an iota of truth in them. When more logical reasoning like terrorist, nature, and bigotry appear magically, as if outta thin air, that iota about two women being in love as a reason for some of these problems just seems to disappear in the thinking of most rational folk’s minds. Of course this is America, where freedom allows for rational thinking to be ignored and stupidity to get a pulpit to reach and influence millions.
Case in point, the claim that Ellen Degeneres and her “lesbian activism” is to blame for “American Idol’s” ratings decline. Certainly a bizarre claim if there ever was one, but at least there is some thought process involved with the notion. Conservative minded folks could be inclined in switching to another channel because Ms. Degeneres espouses alternative lifestyles. Gary McCullough, the director of Christian Newswire, explains:
“While renewal talks continue with FOX, excuses for the show’s decline have been widespread. This season’s new judge, Ellen DeGeneres, is the recipient of a good deal of the blame for the rating drop, but not for the glaringly obvious reason: Miss DeGeneres is a lesbian activist.” – Gary McCullough www.earnedmedia.org/ccn0524.htm. 6/24/10.
Hold on one second, research needs to be conducted. Okay thirty seconds using Google and my work is done. When Ellen outed herself on her old TV show it drew some forty two million viewers, a higher number then any average viewing number for any season of “American Idol” in its eight years of broadcast. Guess “lesbian activism” was uber popular back in ’97 or something.
I’m hard pressed to swallow a pill suggesting “lesbian activism”, whatever that actually is, is really to blame for the ratings decline in a show that has been on air for nine seasons. As someone who has watched maybe five minutes of “American Idol”, but knows a thing or two about being a pubescent male, it’s easier for me to think a harder in your face styled lesbian anything might get people who generally aren’t inclined to watch musical shows to tune in. Certainly your more average male viewers might start watching.
Should “American Idol” stoop to such lowbrow tactics; no of course not; the show should be about the performers, but after you’ve shattered multiple television records where else is there to go but down in ratings. Was Ellen brought in to push some gay agenda as McCullough also suggested in the same article; the truth may never fully come out, but I seriously doubt her sexuality was a driving force in her getting the gig when she popped ratings when guesting on other shows and people tend to respond well to her positive attitude. Besides, Ellen being gay is old news and it adds nothing of value to the show.
If Ellen being gay in 2010 would be so controversial that it could cost viewers, I can’t imagine any producer worth one’s salt would give her a position on the show, let alone one so prominent. Of course because its 2010 gays being on TV shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Obviously McCullough missed some of the previous seasons of “American Idol” with Clay Aiken and Adam Lambert or any one of numerous television shows that happened over the last few decades that must have been also been promoting that gay agenda.
Now assuming McCullough isn’t really gay, would someone who’s actually gay tell me what this gay agenda is and how does being on TV promote it exactly? I’m not changing the channel if all it’s about is tolerance and acceptance.
