HGTV Gives R.W. Extremist New Reality Show

[lilwriter85]

I have heard about Lisa Metzger before. I have been reading comments on this article for the past couple of days, and some people, in support of the brothers can't understand how private industry works or why the brothers don't have a right to a TV show. There are some comments about the "gay agenda" and how homosexuals are trying to convert others :roll: Another thing to add is HGTV probably considered the possible workplace environment with the brothers. The brothers' views could have created a hostile environment if there were gay people working on the show. I'm not sure about the reality show business, but I do know from a couple of sources close to me that there quite a bit of gay people who work behind the scenes on scripted TV shows and in the movie industry.

http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2014/05/hgtv ... -activist/

[GeoBQn]

I'm amused by the guy on the FB page who said he was going to stop watching HGTV the way that he stopped watching the Food Network after "what they did to Paula Deen." He really hit the trifecta--anti-gay, anti-choice, AND racist.

[bumblebee]

I get really annoyed when I see people trying to link this back to "oh they don't believe in gay marriage, big deal!" They are not simply anti marriage equality, they are (extremely, violently) anti gay in general. Same with the Duck Dynasty. Simply boiling it down to "our faith" makes me sick, you'd think it was the only thing the bible ever mentioned.

[Becket70]

Does anybody recall a few years back when (I cannot remember the network) a show about an American Muslim family and their day-to-day activities was being broadcast? The far-right complained about it and the show was yanked. The main sponsor, Lowe's, pulled their advertising. The uproar about showing this family was disgusting. The Right always complains that moderate Muslims never step up and voice opinions yet when they tried, the Right was offended by their very presence on TV. So these Right-wingers should spare me the "woe is me" attitude. They cannot complain about being persecuted for their religion at the same time huge numbers of them persecuted this Muslim family. I normally don't watch much HGTV except for Hawaii Life (a girl can dream, can't she?) but I think I will be paying more attention to what they have to offer. Good on them!

[PennySycamore]

That show was on TLC. IIRC, the show was titled American Muslim. Yeah, it's too bad that show got canned.

[thoughtful]

I just read through a lot of the comments on their Facebook page, and everyone, pro and con, seems to be focused on the Benham brothers' vile views about gay people. Not a mention of choice issues.

[GeoBQn]

That seems to be the trend. It's like when there was an outcry over the Duck Dynasty guy's comments on gay people, but hardly anyone mentioned his vile comments on women in that same interview, or his recommendation for teen marriage that surfaced a short time later. Both things should be equally appalling.

[thoughtful]

Why, what a surprise. :roll:

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal ®, in a speech Saturday at Liberty University, will attack HGTV for cancelling a show hosted by a pair of brothers who have spoken out against homosexuality.

The Benham brothers -- twins David and Jason -- told CNN on Thursday that they lost the show after a liberal Web site posted audio of David Benham talking about how "homosexuality and its agenda that is attacking the nation." The site also noted David Benham led a prayer outside the Democratic National Convention in protest.

The brothers are graduates of Liberty University, the same evangelical Christian college where Jindal is set to speak.

[ViolaSebastian]

This whole business has ended up on the front page of CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/09/showbiz/b ... ?hpt=hp_t1

Predictably, they blame the 'gay agenda' and ebil, gay bullies for having the plug pulled on their show.

[bucherwurm]

Why would two super-straight Christian brothers want to be mixed up in interior decorating? It's what I went to school for, and I don't know any straight male decorators. Not saying there can't be male decorators, but since male decorators have a reputation for being gay, you would think they would want to avoid that.

[2xx1xy1JD]

Private media companies have the right to consider viewer reactions when making program and casting decisions.

I agree that the brothers in the cancelled proposed series seem vile, but it does raise some interesting questions for folks across the political spectrum about how committed they really are to the idea that viewer outrage and/or life decisions of cast members should be considered by those in the TV and movie industry.

1. Was there any problem with TLC broastcasting All American Muslim?

2. Was there any problem with TLC cancelling All American Muslim after protests and loss of sponsors?

3. Was there any problem with A&E suspending the guy on Duck Dynasty?

4. Is there any problem with A&E keeping Duck Dynasty on the air as long as it makes them money?

5. Was there any problem with big studios wanting stars to hide things like homosexuality or adultery or abortion history from the public?

6. Would there be any problem today with a studio or network getting rid of a host/actor who was gay, had an abortion or was a Communist, if they were under pressure from viewers or sponsors to do so?

7. Would you protest/boycott any films with Woody Allen or Roman Polanski, even if you admired their film work, on the basis of wanting to object to men sexually abusing young girls?

[darkplumaged]

Why would two super-straight Christian brothers want to be mixed up in interior decorating? It's what I went to school for, and I don't know any straight male decorators. Not saying there can't be male decorators, but since male decorators have a reputation for being gay, you would think they would want to avoid that.

I thought they were house flippers, not decorators.

Getting rid of them was a smart business decision for HGTV, nothing more. Why risk offending a number of their other show hosts/featured pros or alienating non-bigoted viewers?

[Howl]

Somebody needs to tell these guys (and the Duck Dynasty family) that not having a TV show is not persecution. Nobody has a constitutional right to be a reality star. What HGTV did was capitalism in action. They figured that the number of people that they would offend by having the Bentham brothers on would be greater than those who would be attracted to them. If the shoe was on the other foot, they wouldn't be complaining.

Coming home from visiting an elderly relative, I caught a few minutes of a talk show on a XTian station by NPR on the dial. This gist of it was, the Benham bros' show was cancelled and this was CLEARLY religious persecution and their opinion was that the brothers should sue the network, since they had a contract and the network broke the contract. (I suppose it never occurred to them that the brothers broke some aspect of the contract by their very public homophobic remarks. Net works are in it for the money; they don't really like controversy, unless it works out for them and increases viewership. In the case of Duck DyNasty, because $$$, Phil stays.)

Anyway, when the host took calls, the first person was trying to make a point about consenting adults, and the host quickly took a sharp right turn and started asking, well are you OK with incest? No, well what if it is between consenting adults? Are you OK with incest? What if you wife decided to become a prostitute? She's an adult, would you be OK with that?* Then launched into statistics for gay men and AIDS.

Just FYI, dear readers, gay men are not the only people who get AIDS. For example, a very AIDS-vulnerable population in Florida was found to be heterosexual senior citizens. No need to use protection if you are past childbearing age, right? Anyway, tragic results.

It quickly became obvious that any relevant, coherent comments about the Benham brothers and why they no longer have a TV show would be easily taken care of by crazy talk from the host or callers.

[thoughtful]

There are a lot of obnoxious comments on the HGTV Facebook page, and some wonderful ones.

OT, but too funny not to share -- someone posted this picture:

:lol:

[GeoBQn]

Those are all good questions, 2xx. I guess when it comes to boycotts or networks canceling shows, where I draw the line is whether the star:

1. Is actively working to take away the civil rights of others.

2. Has a history of physically or sexually hurting someone with no remorse or willingness to be accountable for his actions.

So to answer your last question, I avoid Polanski and Allen films. (Also Mel Gibson. I will not financially support someone who is anti-Semitic.)

[thoughtful]

And now, youtube CCs the Benhams! The first one's a two-parter:

[thoughtful]

It seems he's not just Anna, he's Sister Anna!

[DGayle]

Why even sign these loons at all? That's right, because it gets them attention and free publicity.

[DGayle]

HGTV has released a statement about the new show, saying they are now looking into the Benhams' positions -- what, nobody googled? :roll:

Years ago, a website called Art of Manliness has a Man of the Year contest when post-coming-out Neil Patrick Harris was their spokesperson. They didn't google the contestants, or even look at the pics. The winner is a radical anti-gay racist. Somehow the picture submitted of him looking like a snobby plantation massah next to an African war lord didn't set of red flags.

[thoughtful]

Years ago, a website called Art of Manliness has a Man of the Year contest when post-coming-out Neil Patrick Harris was their spokesperson. They didn't google the contestants, or even look at the pics. The winner is a radical anti-gay racist. Somehow the picture submitted of him looking like a snobby plantation massah next to an African war lord didn't set of red flags.

Oh, I know -- Matt Chancey.

For anyone who doesn't:

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/12/1 ... w-chancey/

I guess there are people who are bad at their jobs everywhere, including those who are supposed to vet others via search engines.

[thekate]

And they've lost no time proving HGTV correct.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/1 ... _hp_ref=tw

[thoughtful]

Well, I would alter the above to say "some Christians."

Oh, and there was a dust-up with the bank that finances some of the Benhams' projects:

Benham Real Estate said late Friday that its property listings with SunTrust Banks had been restored – hours after the Concord-based realty company announced that the bank had pulled all of its property listings.

Benham Real Estate, which markets and manages homes that banks repossess, said SunTrust informed the bank Thursday that the listings were being pulled. The company said SunTrust is also pulling listings from some of the company’s franchises across the U.S.

Reached for comment, SunTrust said in a statement that it doesn’t “make choices on suppliers nor base business decisions on political factors, nor do we direct our third-party vendors to do so.â€

Last year, SunTrust consolidated the management of some of its residential real estate assets with a third-party vendor that contracts with Benham, the bank said in its statement. The bank did not identify the vendor, or say whether the vendor had discontinued a relationship with the Benham company.

SunTrust “supports the rights of all Americans to fully exercise their freedoms granted under the Constitution, including those with respect to free speech and freedom of religion,†it said.

Later Friday, the Benham company said the listings had been restored by the vendor, which it did not identify. SunTrust spokesman Michael McCoy said in a statement: “As of this afternoon, this issue has been resolved.â€

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/0 ... 3dG1Citb4U