FMBQ publishes an the only semi even-handed article on The Incident

[Ted the Poster]

Guest Lands Opie & Anthony In The News

May 11, 2007

Most recently it was Imus, and now Opie & Anthony are being subjected to self-proclaimed arbiters of humor over content aired on their XM Satellite Radio program yesterday (5/10). In the segment, guest Homeless Charlie made comments about having sex with Condoleeza Rice, Laura Bush and Queen Elizabeth, as O&A chimed in with a few comments. The segment barely lasted a minute and wasn’t an issue until hours after it aired when The Drudge Report posted a link to the audio.

The story has since taken on a life of its own, including incorrect reports of Homeless Charlie saying he wanted to **** the aforementioned women.

For their part, the duo began today’s syndicated CBS Radio show by reading an apology issued by XM yesterday, stating, “We apologize to the public officials for comments that were made on our XM show. We take very seriously the responsibility that comes with our creative freedom and regret any offense that this segment has caused."

O&A made no other reference to the incident today, aside from the apology, but they did end their XM show earlier than usual this morning. CBS Radio has said it has no plans to fire the duo.

Meanwhile, activist group People Against Censorship, are planning a rally this Saturday, May 12 in New York City’s Union Square to demonstrate “against censorship, against special interest groups who attempt to censor, and to support free speech on commercial radio, Imus and JV & Elvis.”

It will be interesting to see if the witch hunt on this type of content extends to Sirius Satellite Radio, as Bubba The Love Sponge recently aired a recording by show member Manson that paints a scenario of President Bush getting ebola and bleeding out of every orifice, with John McCain using his genitalia to stop the bleeding. The recording also suggests that Rudy Giuliani have anal sex with White House press secretary Tony Snow.

Other reports suggest the O&A incident could have consequences on the XM-Sirius merger.

[alclark]

:clap::clap::clap:

I was waiting for FMQB to chime in, and they came with a doozy.

[shameless plug thats related to the article]
www.peopleagainstcensorship.org

[Hobo_Cum]

paints a scenario of President Bush getting ebola and bleeding out of every orifice, with John McCain using his genitalia to stop the bleeding. The recording also suggests that Rudy Giuliani have anal sex with White House press secretary Tony Snow.

that actually sounds like a segment of that useless cunts show that i would find funny... as long as the cunt sponge wasnt talking during it

[kloraferm]

People are completely losing their minds lately. This is such a fucking non story. Some whacked out homeless dude says some shit and now we all have to be in a panic?! Enough with this nonsense already.

[Bill Lehecka]

I feel like we're hitting critical mass here. There has to be a point where people say, "OK, are we taking this fire everyone from radio jobs thing a little too far?"

At this point, there won't be any name jocks on the air...

And Mancow STILL won't get a job.

[DoucheMeister]

Another great article.

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070511/ENTERTAIN/70511019/-1/OPINION



Airing a homeless man fantasizing about ****** Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, is just the latest in a string of radio incidents that prove America is ignoring the principles upon which it was founded.

As deplorable as such jokes may be, the laws of the government for which Rice works protect the rights of radio personalities Opie and Anthony.

An affection for offensive humor is not shared by many Americans. But these two so-called “shock jocks,” whose time is mostly spent delivering witty riffs on the news, making fun of people who deserve a good smashing, and talking like a bunch of guys sitting at a bar, should be able to say what they want.

First and foremost, “Opie and Anthony,” a daily morning show aired on WFNY and subscription-based satellite service XM, is a comedy show. It’s raunchy, it’s edgy, and it’s the listeners' prerogative to listen to what they want.

Unfortunately, for radio personalities such as O&A, it’s the shocking things they do that makes headlines and dictates how the mainstream public views them.

Previously, radio icon Don Imus was fired for calling the Rutgers Women’s basketball team “nappy headed ho’s.” Soon after, mid-day New York talkers JV and Elvis were suspended indefinitely for airing a prank call to a Chinese restaurant.

Imus, an old white man who wears a cowboy hat, hardly learned the term “nappy headed ho’s” on his own. JV and Elvis didn’t invent the Chinese restaurant prank phone call. But for some reason, each has recently been severely punished for doing or saying what’s been done or said before.

Opie and Anthony are far from the first people to air over-the-top comments about government officials.

Moreover, the comment that’s causing this stir is only part of the story. Taken out of context, the headline “Opie and Anthony Joke About ****** Condoleezza Rice” looks bad. Really bad. But nobody’s reporting the complete context in which it was said.

The homeless man, named Charlie, was on a profanity laced rant where he attacked Al Sharpton, Jewish people, white people, and other important females such as First Lady Laura Bush and Queen Elizabeth II.

He was an equal opportunity offender, ripping on everyone.
But one Web site that no one has heard of, breitbart.tv, decided that comment was wrong and sent only one minute of audio to the Drudge Report. That was the seed that started this whole thing.

To start both their shows Friday, Opie and Anthony apologized for airing the hurtful words about the Secretary of State. They know their creative freedom comes with a higher level of responsibility and they are sorry. But is that going to be enough? Imus apologized. JV and Elvis apologized. Both are now gone.

Though no official action has been taken on Opie and Anthony over the statement (which, incidentally, only aired on XM a world free from regulation by the Federal Communications Commission and where listeners pay for the privlege to hear O&A), the half-informed public outrage is enough to give pause.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution tells us that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech.”

Responsible or irresponsible, appealing or unappealing, funny or unfunny, Imus, JV and Elvis and Opie and Anthony are within their rights to broadcast hurtful language.

Otherwise, the American soldiers who have died fighting to defend the freedom of this country aren’t defending the freedom of speech – just the freedom to say things that don’t hurt other people’s feelings.

[Juncti]

At least some places can take a little bias out of their tone while reporting.

[Rynomyte]

Bubba The Love Sponge recently aired a recording by show member Manson that paints a scenario of President Bush getting ebola and bleeding out of every orifice, with John McCain using his genitalia to stop the bleeding. The recording also suggests that Rudy Giuliani have anal sex with White House press secretary Tony Snow.


I Hate Bubba the love Cunt but you know what? Good. He has the right to say whatever the fuck he wants. Fucking witch hunt.

[SOS]

FMQB does not have such a blatant agenda.