Counting On - Part 5: Ben Raps, We Cringe

[patsymae]

7 minutes ago, Chickenbutt said:

I can see the police getting wind of a "white boy in preppy clothes" wandering the streets of the inner city and going out to find him and send him home to Arkansas.

The police will assume he is there to buy drugs.

[nst]

Just now, lascuba said:

Is it possible that he's just not aware of how fucked up the Duggars are and just sees the show as a good way to grow his audience? We know how weird the leghumpers are because of how much time we spend reading about these people, but just judging by the few casual viewers I know, I can imagine Flame thinking appearing on TV with a famous Christian couple would be good move on his part. He should have done his research, but I can sort of understand. 

maybe he looked up Ben's videos and liked what he heard despite what we think 

Maybe he was charmed by Ben

 

[marmalade]

Just now, Sundaymorning said:

Wonder what J'Chelle and Boob think of all of this? Their original cult hates every kind of music except hymns and maybe some classical pieces.

I think Christian bluegrass and Country are okay. The Reiths excelled in the former, and FSM help us, Lawson Bates dabbbles in the latter. Other Bateses play bluegrass...Tori plays a mean fiddle. 

[Mothership]

3 minutes ago, CreationMuseumSeasonPass said:

. Do you guys remember the scene from National Lampoon's Vacation where they get lost in East St. Louis?

There was a time (IIRC in the late 80's) when the city of East St, Louis (across the river in Illinois) was bankrupt.  There were stories of garbage in the streets--no city services.  it was really a sad time.  And,  it was generally known that you didn't want to cross the river and get lost in East St. Louis--although, it's hard to know whether this warning wasn't in part a racist reaction.

[lascuba]

2 minutes ago, nst said:

maybe he looked up Ben's videos and liked what he heard despite what we think 

Maybe he was charmed by Ben

 

My mind boggles at this possibility. I'm still trying to understand how Ben didn't trip off Jessa's creepy meter when they met. 

[Kittikatz]

1 hour ago, lascuba said:

There's a certain type of white person who looooves to claim friendships with people of color. If you're a POC, there's a good chance your the "friend" of that coworker you secretly hate. 

Amen. I had a more than a few people at my work tell me that I was their only 'ethnic' friend, and it was supercool that their 'ethnic' friend was also their 'pet Jew' because it was a two-fer. Unfortunately, my boss and boss' boss are among those claiming a proprietary interest in me, so I have to suck it up. I'm just waiting for one to pet my hair. All bets are off if that happens... 

[nst]

Just now, lascuba said:

My mind boggles at this possibility. I'm still trying to understand how Ben didn't trip off Jessa's creepy meter when they met. 

maybe TLC paid him  

 

[CreationMuseumSeasonPass]

Just now, Mothership said:

There was a time (IIRC in the late 80's) when the city of East St, Louis (across the river in Illinois) was bankrupt.  There were stories of garbage in the streets--no city services.  it was really a sad time.  And,  it was generally known that you didn't want to cross the river and get lost in East St. Louis--although, it's hard to know whether this warning wasn't in part a racist reaction.

We took a few trips to St. Louis when I was a kid. Right or wrong, we just always knew you didn't want to cross the river into East St. Louis.

[lascuba]

Flame's deleting negative comments? Well, that'll teach me to give people the benefit of the doubt.

[lascuba]

1 minute ago, Kittikatz said:

Amen. I had a more than a few people at my work tell me that I was their only 'ethnic' friend, and it was supercool that their 'ethnic' friend was also their 'pet Jew' because it was a two-fer. Unfortunately, my boss and boss' boss are among those claiming a proprietary interest in me, so I have to suck it up. I'm just waiting for one to pet my hair. All bets are off if that happens... 

Let me know if you need an accomplice. Or alibi. 

[patsymae]

I'm white and middle-aged and worked in--and got lost in--some really rough areas (Cincinnati, Chicago, Camden). You have to have a certain amount of street smarts--check out a block before you start down it, learn what kind of eye contact to make (quick enough to acknowledge you see the people, but not look like you're challenging them). Nobody ever bothered me. I got lost driving around the projects in Chicago once and no issues--a friend later told me people probably thought I was a social worker.
mostly it's best to mind your own business, which I don't think would occur to Bin, who either has to act like he's one of the cool guys or else bring them Jesus. Either way, he's bound to piss people off.

[CreationMuseumSeasonPass]

On a lighter note, Mr. Museum came out when I was watching the show to tell me Flame and V. Rose were hot. He's a special one, my Mr. Museum.

[MarblesMom]

2 minutes ago, lascuba said:

Flame's deleting negative comments? Well, that'll teach me to give people the benefit of the doubt.

I read some other negative comments when I posted, now they are gone, too.  Nothing but leghumpers on his FB. 

[CreationMuseumSeasonPass]

If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen...FLAME!

[Chickenbutt]

But, but, but......Jesus will protect him in the inner city. Just like Jesus has protected all murder victims everywhere......oh wait, Ben is the chosen one. His God led him there to minister to the poor downtrodden folks.

[Coy Koi]

5 minutes ago, lascuba said:

There is no corner of entertainment that Christians won't sink their teeth into. 

Though it's really not that surprising. While of a different type than the Duggars, Christianity is a big part of African American culture. It makes perfect sense that there is room in hip hop for Christianity. 

But regular rap is so in-your-face braggy and hardcore Christians have to at least pretend to be humble. It's hard for me to picture rap with such a completely different attitude. I tried to listen to a Flame song someone linked to the other day, but my boredom wouldn't let me. I was shocked it had almost 900k views though. I know tons of Christians who listen to rap (and most of them are some degree of wannabe rappers themselves ) but they sure don't listen to Christian rap.

[bella8050]

13 minutes ago, lascuba said:

Is it possible that he's just not aware of how fucked up the Duggars are and just sees the show as a good way to grow his audience? We know how weird the leghumpers are because of how much time we spend reading about these people, but just judging by the few casual viewers I know, I can imagine Flame thinking appearing on TV with a famous Christian couple would be good move on his part. He should have done his research, but I can sort of understand. 

I think that's probably what happened, which is part of the reason the family gets by. Too many people are willing to just accept what they're offering on the surface and not giving it a second look even if their gut is saying "this family is weird".

[Jana814]

20 minutes ago, Sundaymorning said:

Wonder what J'Chelle and Boob think of all of this? Their original cult hates every kind of music except hymns and maybe some classical pieces.

Maybe they think its ok because it's Christian music. 

[Sundaymorning]

10 minutes ago, Jana814 said:

Maybe they think its ok because it's Christian music. 

I doubt it. Real fundies usually loathe "modern" Christian music.

[Chickenbutt]

Maybe it's about the $$$$$'s. Ben raps, the leghumpers go wild, more people watch, yada, yada, yada.

[Jinder Roles]

I cannot believe Jessa and Ben just said "spitting the bars"... bruh I'm dying over here.

FYI Benessa: it's "spitting bars".

[EmCatlyn]

1 hour ago, ElegantMajesticPearls said:

Oh god. Does anyone else think Ben is going to that bible college in Chicago so he can minister to the "inner city" kids there?

Ben's ministering to the inner city anywhere is going to be like Derrick and Jill ministering to the Central American heathens.  

[bella8050]

38 minutes ago, patsymae said:

I'm white and middle-aged and worked in--and got lost in--some really rough areas (Cincinnati, Chicago, Camden). You have to have a certain amount of street smarts--check out a block before you start down it, learn what kind of eye contact to make (quick enough to acknowledge you see the people, but not look like you're challenging them). Nobody ever bothered me. I got lost driving around the projects in Chicago once and no issues--a friend later told me people probably thought I was a social worker.
mostly it's best to mind your own business, which I don't think would occur to Bin, who either has to act like he's one of the cool guys or else bring them Jesus. Either way, he's bound to piss people off.

When Ben was reacting to Flame's stories of his life growing up I wondered if the fundies really are that sheltered growing up or if he was just lying about being shocked over his surroundings. I think if he was being honest it does show that they have no street smarts at all. I grew up in suburbs but always near a large city. I was taught from a young age how to maneuver. I once had a "nice" conversation with a man on a main tourist street of NYC about how he just got out of jail for theft, he told me he appreciated how I made eye contact with him and treated him like a normal person, because in the past the people that blew by him where the ones he targeted to steal from. I feel like Ben would be completely lost if he was left on his own anywhere outside of his bubble.

[Jinder Roles]

OMG, FLAME and Spec turned Spurgeon's cooing and Bin's lame rapping into a pretty decent trap beat. Best. Episode. Ever!!!

[bingbangboom]

2 hours ago, Sundaymorning said:

Is St. Louis know to be a "dangerous" place?

We live in the same state on the other side, Go Royals!, and while KC is pretty dangerous, had a guy get shot in front of our old house on a weekday morning... Known of lots of drugs, hookers, crime and violence. KC is dirty, (in a lot of spots) but, I think STL is worse...

although someone from STL would likely say that about KC.