Random Thoughts Thread

[AppleQueso]

I highly doubt A&E is willing to make such a risky gamble with their biggest cash cow.

It's also highly doubtful that A&E is just taking some stand on principle. A questionable business move seems far more likely.

[Ack]

I highly doubt A&E is willing to make such a risky gamble with their biggest cash cow.

It's also highly doubtful that A&E is just taking some stand on principle. A questionable business move seems far more likely.

Not necessarily. Duck Dynasty crew members also claim they had to previously fight just to keep in references to Jesus when they prayed. I think this is more an example of a company terrified their program will offend someone, so when someone said something controversial, they panicked and brought the hammer down.

[AppleQueso]

I highly doubt A&E is willing to make such a risky gamble with their biggest cash cow.

It's also highly doubtful that A&E is just taking some stand on principle. A questionable business move seems far more likely.

Not necessarily. Duck Dynasty crew members also claim they had to previously fight just to keep in references to Jesus when they prayed. I think this is more an example of a company terrified their program will offend someone, so when someone said something controversial, they panicked and brought the hammer down.

AKA they're worried (justified or not) that the backlash will hurt their bottom line.

[dsheinem]

I highly doubt A&E is willing to make such a risky gamble with their biggest cash cow.

Really? I mean, reality TV trades in controversy. If the stars do controversial stuff off the screen, even better. There isn't much of a "gamble" here for them.

A) Do nothing and retain viewers who already espouse the same beliefs (perhaps replace lost sponsors with new ones)

B) Offer a slap on the wrist, have statements released by all sides, remain in the news for a while, and see more attention garnered for the show.

I don't think they will lose viewers in either scenario...in the second one they will likely gain them so people can see what the hub bub is about and new like-minded viewers will tune in to "show support". There's money to be made in pandering to a conservative base. I think the choice to launch the show in the first place must have been made with the expectation that the stars would say something that would engender blowback. It's about managed risk and milking controversy for greatest profits. If A&E can make it look like the show includes a tension between Jesus-loving Duck Dynasty members against an Evil Oppressive Secular Network than all the better.

[prfsnl_gmr]

There's money to be made in pandering to a conservative base.

I keep thinking I should do this in the most cynical way possible. It just looks so easy, and you really can make a lot of money.

(When we take long road trips, my wife and I often bounce our "cynical pandering to conservatives" business plans off one another. Shockingly - or unsurprisingly - we later discover that some of our made-up business plans have been implemented by other people...)

[dsheinem]

And in the interest of fairness, there's money to be made in pandering to liberals too.

[AppleQueso]

And in the interest of fairness, there's money to be made in pandering to liberals too.

there's money to be made in pandering in general

[BoneSnapDeez]

Those duck dudes always struck me as a bunch of chodes.

Not sure who watches that shit. Certain people find redneck simpletons to be "endearing" I guess. When you grow up in a rural area and have to deal with folks like that on a regular basis it gets tiresome quickly.

[Luke]

Ack who on earth are you talking to?

Yeahhhh, I was only making an observation.

At the end of the day, all this does is put duck dynasty on the front page of every "news" website. This is CNN stuff happening right here.

[Jmustang1968]

Those duck dudes always struck me as a bunch of chodes.

Not sure who watches that shit. Certain people find redneck simpletons to be "endearing" I guess. When you grow up in a rural area and have to deal with folks like that on a regular basis it gets tiresome quickly.

I watch it sometimes. They arent actually dumb or simpletons, hell they developed a successful business making more money than I ever would. Some of them are fairly funny at times.
The uncle is the most humorous character. He has poor vision and needed an updated prescription, so on one episode when they were picking berries he accidentally ate raccoon shit thinking it was a berry. So that was funny.

But a lot of it, more so now than early on, is so obviously scripted. It gets old fast.