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Had a fun time this morning reading through Wikipedia, which has bios on most of our favorite shows and personalities, and discovered a few things I didn't know before about some hosts. So, I was wondering - on the political scale of left, right, and center, where did some of our favorites fall?
Left
Gene Rayburn (http://\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Rayburn\") - Much to my surprise (because I'd never noticed), Wikipedia says he was an "unabashed liberal."
Nick Clooney (http://\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Clooney\") - Ran for an open seat in the House of Representatives last fall as a Democrat, and lost.
Chuck Barris - Mentions attending a Clinton for President fundraiser in The Game Show King.
Right[/b]
John Charles Daly (http://\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Charles_Daly\") - Not positive about this, but he was a forum moderator for a conservative think tank from time to time.
Pat Sajak (http://\"http://www.patsajak.com/news_archive.php?view=says\") - Pat's political views are fairly well known, although I didn't know he was connected with Regnery (http://\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Sajak\") publishing house.
Bud Collyer (http://\"http://povonline.com/2001/News101201.htm\") - Religious, but also pro-blacklist in the 1950s. The link is to Mark Evanier's site, which has a fascinating article about Collyer, which also includes information about Orson Bean, John Henry Faulk, Henry Morgan, and Mark Goodson. (Its about halfway down the page.)
I don't want to start a political discussion - I just think this is an interesting piece of history.
Any others?
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If anyone doubted about Allen Ludden's political leanings, such doubt was erased after an ep of P+.
Click here (http://\"http://web.archive.org/web/20010713062735/www.public.usit.net/sbeverly/ludden3.htm\") and scroll on down to the paragraph that starts "Perhaps the most out-of-character but celebratory line for political conservatives..."
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Louis Untermeyer was blacklisted and several of the WML? gang got involved. Now I'll have to dust off Gil's book and reread it.
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[quote name=\'dmota104\' date=\'May 15 2005, 01:32 PM\']If anyone doubted about Allen Ludden's political leanings, such doubt was erased after an ep of P+.
Click here (http://\"http://web.archive.org/web/20010713062735/www.public.usit.net/sbeverly/ludden3.htm\") and scroll on down to the paragraph that starts "Perhaps the most out-of-character but celebratory line for political conservatives..."
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I don't see what that quote has to do with Ludden's political leanings. All he said was that Streisand was full of herself. I don't see how that puts Ludden in the same tent as, say, Pat Buchanan. At the time I don't think Streisand's political bent was widely known.
The rest of the Perfesser's speculation about replacing the ailing Ludden reminds me of another NBC game show: Fantasy.
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'May 15 2005, 04:33 PM\']Louis Untermeyer was blacklisted and several of the WML? gang got involved. Now I'll have to dust off Gil's book and reread it.
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Mark Goodson also wrote an essay about this subject - it was called "If I Had Stood Up Earlier..." I had to read it while studying McCarthyism in American History in High School. Maybe if I remember I can dig it out and post it sometime.
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It's a cool high school that makes you read the writings of Mark Goodson.
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This only counts because he hosted the UK's version of Greed (http://\"http://www.ukgameshows.com/index.php/Greed\"). Jerry Springer's a democrat through and through -- as a former Cincinnati mayor, a delegate at the most recent DNC and host of a talk show on WCKY in Cincy.
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I've watched Supermarket Sweep's David Ruprecht appear during a Libertarian Party Convention on C-Span, as well as hosted an infomercial for that same party during a presidential campaign.
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Ruprecht! I'd forgotten about him being a registered Libertarian. Nice catch, byrd!
Bob Eubanks was made to look foolish in Michael Moore's "Roger & Me". That doesn't automatically make him Republican, I just wanted to contribute to this fascinating thread.
I also agree with Chris about Ludden. He just didn't care for Streisand, it had little if anything do to with her politics.
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[quote name=\'calliaume\' date=\'May 15 2005, 02:35 PM\']Left
Gene Rayburn (http://\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Rayburn\") - Much to my surprise (because I'd never noticed), Wikipedia says he was an "unabashed liberal."
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I'm not surprised. In the unsold "Party Line" pilot a contestant tells Gene he likes hunting. Gene says to him something like 'please don't tell me you shoot innocent creatures out of the sky.'
When Representative Gerald Ford was on the color 'WML' he said something like 'too bad your a Republcan' in jest.
This is all speculative. Regarding Dick Clark, I remember Nipsey Russell recite a poem about
how America was rapidly falling behind Japan, a typical gloomy prediction from the Left back then. W/ a wink Dick replied 'No comment.'
Once on 'Hollywood Squares' Peter Marshall once remarked that a player was from the town where the first Republican party was platform was drawn. After I saw that for the remainder of the GSN run I though I noticed Peter being keeping a bit of a distance from any Nixon remarks or jokes but it could have been my imagination. Today there is a picture of him and Bush #41 on Peter's website.
Ricahrd Dawson cracked wise about Govornor to President Reagan, and a chukle in agreement from Gene Wood would usually follow. By contarst Ray Combs was from a traditioinaly conservative state, would say 'God bless' to departing contestants and at least once flew on Air Force One w/ Bush #41.
In any event I'm being specuative about all of this and it does not proove a thing.
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For some reason, I have a vague recollection of Woolery using SCRABBLE93 as a platform for right-leaning issues (these would come out after clues had been solved). Of course, that was 12 years and 13 brain cells ago (didn't have that many to lose to begin with ;-) ), so my recollection could be hazy.
Doug -- celebrating 1200 posts (and enjoying the ride)
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'May 15 2005, 03:33 PM\']Louis Untermeyer was blacklisted and several of the WML? gang got involved. Now I'll have to dust off Gil's book and reread it.
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Just packed it this morning; it's at the new house.
If memory serves, Goodson was pretty supportive of Untermeyer at first, and then his name appeared related to some far-left wing cause or something, and they mutually agreed he'd have to depart. I'm not sure how good a game player Untermeyer was anyway (the earliest ep I have is from 1953). In the cases of Morgan and Bean, Goodson went the extra mile for people who seemed more integral to the show.
There's a whole chapter in The Box about the blacklist, which features Morgan quoted extensively about his situation - but I've packed that one as well.
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Well I know he's not a host of anything, but could we include Governator (Rep.), given his appearances on Dating Game in the 70s? Or is that just stretching it a bit? ;-)
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'May 15 2005, 05:26 PM\']Bob Eubanks was made to look foolish in Michael Moore's "Roger & Me". That doesn't automatically make him Republican, I just wanted to contribute to this fascinating thread.
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Eubanks dedicated an entire chapter of his book to the Roger & Me incident, and while he says he's put it behind him, that seems extremely unlikely.
I didn't get any feel for his political leanings one way or another from the book (I should say the advance reading copy; I got a signed copy for free last year and never sprung for the finished product); only that he liked getting paid. However, since the ARC was over 100 pages longer than the finished book (Amazon has it at 248 pages, but my copy was close to 400 - again, it's packed), I'm wondering what material from the ARC was dropped from the book.
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I will confirm the leanings of those who I've seen make public comments about their politics, but refrain from commenting on the politics I've heard spouted in private.
Goodson went to bat for several in the blacklist era. Panelist Analee says that Goodson called to ask about her politics when he saw her name in "Red Channels". She told him she was not at all politically involved and was certianly NOT a communist. She says Goodson saved her gig by standing up to the network.
Bob Eubanks is a rightwinger. Traditional values, and some of the prejudices that also accompany that political view.
Wink is "an American"!
Rayburn was an absolute rebel and as liberal as they come.
David Ruprecht and I have had several lengthy conversations about his Libertarian beliefs and his activism for the party.
Personally, I like every party - especially when the vodka is premium! ;-)
Randy
tvrandywest.com
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'May 15 2005, 08:10 PM\']Personally, I like every party - especially when the vodka is premium!
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Ah, the All-Night Party.
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I'd be in favor of the third party, but I passed out after the first two.
Ba-da-BING!
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[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'May 15 2005, 06:57 PM\']For some reason, I have a vague recollection of Woolery using SCRABBLE93 as a platform for right-leaning issues (these would come out after clues had been solved). Of course, that was 12 years and 13 brain cells ago (didn't have that many to lose to begin with ;-) ), so my recollection could be hazy.
Doug -- celebrating 1200 posts (and enjoying the ride)
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I hadn't heard of Chuck's leanings until the "Scrabble '93" clue in which the answer to "Some say he's responsible to bad Rush hours" was "Limbaugh". He blamed the clue on the communist pinko writing staff. Limbaugh featured the clip on his TV show for the following two days after it aired.
Being a right winger since the early 80s (at the ripe old age of 10[??]), I've come to respect Chuck a lot for it. Same goes for Sajak and Martindale.
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[quote name=\'calliaume\' date=\'May 15 2005, 02:35 PM\']Gene Rayburn (http://\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Rayburn\") - Much to my surprise (because I'd never noticed), Wikipedia says he was an "unabashed liberal."
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If any more proof is called for, Gene played for Planned Parenthood on Card Sharks' Game Show Emcees Tournament.
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Regarding Richard Dawson, he made fun of Clinton during the FF94 revival as well. I don't think his jabs were directed at any particular ideology, just political figures in general.
Also, I can't believe no one thus far has mentioned Ben Stein...
--Sam
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'May 16 2005, 12:25 AM\']I hadn't heard of Chuck's leanings until the "Scrabble '93" clue in which the answer to "Some say he's responsible to bad Rush hours" was "Limbaugh". He blamed the clue on the communist pinko writing staff. Limbaugh featured the clip on his TV show for the following two days after it aired.[/quote]
Without seeing the clip in context, if Chuck really did use the words "Communist pinko writing staff" and they left it in, it sounds like a joke and not necessarily any deep insight into Chuck's political leanings.
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Rafferty took a jab at Reagan and his 19 cabinet members on the 2/16/87 episode of Blockbusters when a question came up with the correct answer "Cabinet", saying that none of the cabinet members know what they're doing.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'May 16 2005, 09:32 AM\']Without seeing the clip in context, if Chuck really did use the words "Communist pinko writing staff" and they left it in, it sounds like a joke and not necessarily any deep insight into Chuck's political leanings.
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I remember the remark. He called the writers the "pinko Commie lefto staff over here". He also admitted liking Rush's show (didn't specify radio or TV; both assumed).
One more for you. Kevin O'Connell. He may have been "K O for G O" -- but he's not for the GOP.
I think we all know Kevin's in Buffalo at WGRZ anchoring the weather. The Buffalo News reported Kevin engaged in some happy talk with a news anchor that was anything but happy. After President Bush won re-election, Kevin said the wrong candidate won.
The newspaper also reported Kevin's the son of George O'Connell, a prominent Democrat who served as Buffalo's city controller.
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'May 15 2005, 08:10 PM\']Bob Eubanks is a rightwinger. Traditional values, and some of the prejudices that also accompany that political view.
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Can we infer from this, Randy, that you do not subscribe to the same political viewpoint as Mr. Eubanks?
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Joe Pyne of NBC's "Showdown" also had a talk show in the '60s. Whether it was just to provoke, he came off as somewhat right-wing on that talk show.
"Lingo" host Michael Reagan is...., oh never mind.
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[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'May 16 2005, 03:26 PM\']Joe Pyne of NBC's "Showdown" also had a talk show in the '60s. Whether it was just to provoke, he came off as somewhat right-wing on that talk show.
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"Somewhat right-wing" is putting it mildly. See here (http://\"http://www.tvparty.com/empyne.html\").
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Great discussion: Puts me in mind of this song my brother had on a 45 record years ago..Johnny Cash and I think a few others sang it.
The One On The Left Is On The Right
http://www.toptown.com/hp/66/oneonthe.htm (http://\"http://www.toptown.com/hp/66/oneonthe.htm\")
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'May 15 2005, 09:10 PM\']
Bob Eubanks is a rightwinger. Traditional values, and some of the prejudices that also accompany that political view.
Randy
tvrandywest.com
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I also heard that on a Card Sharks episode that Bob was for gun-control but also on another CS show, there was a female contestant who said that she lived with her boyfriend, & I could tell the look on Bob's face that he didn't like that at all.
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[quote name=\'Passepartout\' date=\'May 16 2005, 04:12 PM\']
I also heard that on a Card Sharks episode that Bob was for gun-control but also on another CS show, there was a female contestant who said that she lived with her boyfriend, & I could tell the look on Bob's face that he didn't like that at all.
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This seems really strange to me, considering the really risque humor that Bob seemed to encourage, even thrive on, during the various incarnations of his
"Newlywed Game".
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[quote name=\'Mike Tennant\' date=\'May 16 2005, 11:53 AM\']Can we infer from this, Randy, that you do not subscribe to the same political viewpoint as Mr. Eubanks?
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Oh, I think this is SO not about me. But allow me to say how pleased I am with the style of your post. It's apparent from your proper grammatical use of "infer" that you know the difference between "imply" and "infer". I find that very refreshing ;-)
Randy
tvrandywest.com
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[quote name=\'Mike Tennant\' date=\'May 16 2005, 03:37 PM\'][quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'May 16 2005, 03:26 PM\']Joe Pyne of NBC's "Showdown" also had a talk show in the '60s. Whether it was just to provoke, he came off as somewhat right-wing on that talk show.
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"Somewhat right-wing" is putting it mildly. See here (http://\"http://www.tvparty.com/empyne.html\").
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Morton Downey's old show had been compared to Joe Pyne's....except it was a lot rowdier and quite bleepworthy (even for 1986).
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I gathered that Geoff Edwards was a Democrat after seeing an early Pt% where one of the bonus round questions was "What country proclaimed an economic policy known as the Great Leap Forward that turned out to be a giant leap backward?" One of the (incorrect) answers was the US...the couple did not select it, and when its value was revealed on the board, Geoff made the following remark:
"How many people thought the US took the Giant Leap Backward (answer of "18" is revealed on % sign)...18% thought so, but they were probably Republicans!"
And I think Marc Summers was a conservative...he followed a question about Dan Quayle on the last ep of FDD w/the line "No Quayle jokes".
Regarding Chuck Woolery's leanings, when he mentioned on that WoF THS earlier this yr that he was a devout Christian, I figured he was prolly a Republican.
As for the Winkster, one visit to his website will quickly confirm his political leanings.
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
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As for the Winkster, one visit to his website will quickly confirm his political leanings.
Wink has even appeared on TBN's "Praise The Lord" program. 'Nuff said.
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Excuse the exhumation of an old thread, but I ran into something yesterday some might find interesting. Stopped by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids. In the exhibit of letters to Ford after his pardon of Richard Nixon, they included one from Allen Ludden. He stated that he was upset about the pardon, and where before he felt he shouldn't use his "modest" celebrity status to promote political views, Ludden said he was going to become more politically active and do what he could to denounce the "Nixon-Ford conspiracy."
Maybe he demanded the producers no longer use the passwords "right", "wing", "grand", and "rapids"? ;-p
There went Gerry's shot at being a celeb on Password...though the thought of Gerry on Password has some amusing potential.
"the password is..apple"
"Ten points, Gerry."
"Uh...... mango!"
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Hmmm..."Password" left the air within a year of the pardon (and that letter, presumably.)
Coincidence???
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And last wk on CS, a question came up about how many men thought they could do a better job as Prez than Ronald Reagan, to which Bill Rafferty commented "I think anybody could do a better job than Reagan!"...he quickly went into the "how many..." portion of the question, perhaps to drown out the chorus of boos that suddenly emerged from the audience.
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
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[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Oct 2 2005, 11:36 PM\']And last wk on CS, a question came up about how many men thought they could do a better job as Prez than Ronald Reagan, to which Bill Rafferty commented "I think anybody could do a better job than Reagan!"...he quickly went into the "how many..." portion of the question, perhaps to drown out the chorus of boos that suddenly emerged from the audience.
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Depending on when the taping was held (Reagan was less popular after the Iran-Contra scandal broke in late 1986), this was probably not a smart thing to say in California.
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Another way to get answers would be to see where they put their money. This is from newsmeat.com:
Louie Anderson - gave $2,500 to the DNC
Bob Barker - gave $2,000 to Bill Young (R-FL)
Chuck Barris - gave $10,000 to the DNC, $2,000 to Nick Clooney (D-KY), $2,000 to Bill Bradley (D-NJ), $1,000 to Robert Edgar (D-PA), $1,000 to Arlen Specter (R-PA) and $500 to Daniel Inouye (D-KY)
Johnny Carson - gave $10,000 to the DNC, $1,000 each to Jimmy Carter, Pat Brown, Ted Kennedy and Ronald Reagan for the '80 Presidential run
Fannie Flagg - gave $1,000 to the DNC
Merv Griffin - $28,000 to the RNC, $2,000 to Bob Dole
Mark Goodson - at least $20,000 to many and varied Democrats, including Bess Myerson, token money to some Republicans
Monty Hall - $1,000 to Mel Levine (D-CA), $600 to Tom Lantos (D-CA), $500 to Gordon Smith (R-OR), $250 to Carl Levin (D-MI), $250 to Joe Lieberman, $200 to Sander Levin (D-MI)
Merrill Heatter - $1,000 to Ronal Reagan
Wink Martindale - $2,000 to George W. Bush
Jenny McCarthy - $1,000 to Bill Clinton
Regis Philbin - $1,000 to Bill Bradley
Paula Poundstone - $2,300 to Hilary Clinton (D-NY), $1,250 to Emily's List, $1,000 to Susan Tracy (D-MA), $800 to the DNC, $850 to Barbara Boxer (D-CA), $400 to Al Gore, $250 to Sally Thompson (D-KC), $250 to Sanrda Freedman (D-FL)
Maury Povich - $2,000 to George W. Bush
Paul Rodriguez - $1,000 to Bill Clinton, $950 to Carlos Ortiz (R-TX), $250 to Helen Hernandez (D-CA)
David Ruprecht - $339 to the LNC
Pat Sajak - $5,000 to the RNC, $4,000 to Bob Dole, $1,000 each to Rick Lazio (R-NY), Rudy Giuliani, Randy Hoffman (R-CA) and Bruce Herschensohn (R-CA)
Ben Stein - over $10,000 to various Republicans, he also did give to Ralph Nader, a couple of Democratic PACs and Pat Buchanan
Alex Trebek - $2,000 to Charles Hagel (R-NE) [there's the Jeopardy and Nebraska thing again]
Bruce Vilanch - $1,000 to Al Gore, $1,000 to Margarethe Cammermeyer (D-WA), $500 to Ed Flanagan (D-VT), $300 to Rick Zbur (D-CA), $250 each to Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Peter Navarro (D-CA)
Betty White - $500 to the DNC
--Mike
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[quote name=\'mmb5\' date=\'Oct 3 2005, 12:39 PM\']Another way to get answers would be to see where they put their money. This is from newsmeat.com:
Bob Barker - gave $2,000 to Bill Young (R-FL)
Mark Goodson - at least $20,000 to many and varied Democrats, including Bess Myerson, token money to some Republicans
Maury Povich - $2,000 to George W. Bush
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An interesting list. I assume that Barker's contribution was based on Young's animal right issues' view--I can't imagine him contributing for any other reason but. Could Young had been behind banning greyhound racing?
A Rolling Stone article in the 70s mentioned Goodson as a big Democratic Party supporter--they also mention Ira Skutch, as well.
And I can just see Dubya sitting down to "You're the Father of My Baby and the DNA Test Proves It!" Until next time, America...
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In light of the Winkster's right-leanings, his appearances on the PTL Club, etc., I'm surprised by his current TV commercials. They are very VERY gay.
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Oh Wink, oh Maury, oh Wink, oh Maury, oh Wink, oh Maury, oh Wink, oh Maury, oh Wink, oh Maury ... (HANGS HEAD IN SHAME).
Goodson tooling around in his Corniche Convertible certainly didn't look the part of a Democrat, that's for sure. I remember Ira and Fannie supporting a democratic candidate in 1980 (Henry Waxman?). Then there was the time Howard Felsher ran for U.S. Congress ...
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[quote name=\'geno57\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 12:34 AM\']In light of the Winkster's right-leanings, his appearances on the PTL Club, etc., I'm surprised by his current TV commercials. They are very VERY gay.
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There is, in fact, one version of the Take On Orbitz ad I have seen that is SPECIFICALLY gay...it's a gay single guy against a couple, and they need to find a hotel in Miami Beach or Key West or something like that. I think I saw it on Bravo one day, and I was kinda surprised at how many gay stereotypes they unabashedly used.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 02:44 AM\']There is, in fact, one version of the Take On Orbitz ad I have seen that is SPECIFICALLY gay...it's a gay single guy against a couple, and they need to find a hotel in Miami Beach or Key West or something like that. I think I saw it on Bravo one day, and I was kinda surprised at how many gay stereotypes they unabashedly used.
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I'm guessing that this commercial either airs 1) exclusively on cable, or 2) after 9 or 10 pm (I forget when the FCC's "safe hours" begin)? Obviously this isn't a problem for a network like Logo or Bravo, but I have a difficult time seeing this on a broadcast network. Doesn't bother me, but I just see the religious right and Bible Belters crapping bricks left and right.
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[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 04:38 AM\'][quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 02:44 AM\']There is, in fact, one version of the Take On Orbitz ad I have seen that is SPECIFICALLY gay...it's a gay single guy against a couple, and they need to find a hotel in Miami Beach or Key West or something like that. I think I saw it on Bravo one day, and I was kinda surprised at how many gay stereotypes they unabashedly used.
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I'm guessing that this commercial either airs 1) exclusively on cable, or 2) after 9 or 10 pm (I forget when the FCC's "safe hours" begin)? Obviously this isn't a problem for a network like Logo or Bravo, but I have a difficult time seeing this on a broadcast network. Doesn't bother me, but I just see the religious right and Bible Belters crapping bricks left and right.
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If this is all true (I don't think I've seen this one), how come Wink didn't, as you say, crap a brick?
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[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 05:38 AM\']I'm guessing that this commercial either airs 1) exclusively on cable, or 2) after 9 or 10 pm (I forget when the FCC's "safe hours" begin)? Obviously this isn't a problem for a network like Logo or Bravo, but I have a difficult time seeing this on a broadcast network. Doesn't bother me, but I just see the religious right and Bible Belters crapping bricks left and right.[/quote]
We could probably get into a very interesting dialogue about why a gay-themed ad would be considered "unsafe" in the first place when Will and Grace runs at 8:30pm, but to the best of my knowledge that particular Orbitz ad does run exclusively on cable and specifically during gay-themed programming such as Queer Eye.
Still, no matter how enlightened you pretend to be, if you're only familiar with the mainstream campaign, seeing the gay one can be startling. A fellow member of this forum actually saw my jaw drop the first time I caught the spot.
As for Wink, a paycheck is a paycheck, and I think a lot of liberals would be surprised at how many Christian conservatives are not militantly anti-gay.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 09:50 AM\']As for Wink, a paycheck is a paycheck, and I think a lot of liberals would be surprised at how many Christian conservatives are not militantly anti-gay.
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Or Christians of other kinds.
Kirstin Chenoweth is the Broadway musical star who's on "The West Wing" and would probably do a lot of celeb game shows if they were still around, since she is smart and cute. She's also a deeply religious woman who has put out an album of mostly sacred music because, as she put it, "I want to prove that there is such a thing as a liberal Christian." She was then booked into a "Women of Faith" concert scheduled for November in her home state of Oklahoma--but was forced to bow out "... due to her publicized and heartfelt beliefs that God is accepting of all people on earth. Kristin's personal views and faith to this effect have not changed, despite the Women of Faith's actions":
http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=4905 (http://\"http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=4905\")
As someone who attended for a while a Lutheran congregation in Chicago who was very gay-and-lesbian-friendly, the moral is to not generalize.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 07:50 AM\']Still, no matter how enlightened you pretend to be, if you're only familiar with the mainstream campaign, seeing the gay one can be startling. A fellow member of this forum actually saw my jaw drop the first time I caught the spot.
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Exactly. What surprised me was the overt inclusion of what (if I were gay) I would consider to be totally offensive stereotypes. Everyone (except Wink) was COMPLETELY, well, flaming, and the location of the hotel (I said Miami Beach or Key West before, but now I'm thinking it was San Francisco) was very obviously in what is thought of as a gay population center.
The functional equivalent would have a been a version on BET looking for a hotel in Compton that includes parking for a Cadillac and serves watermelon.
I don't get it. Either the gay community thinks the ad is splendid, which I don't get, because I think it does them a great disservice, or Orbitz completely missed the boat with it, which I don't get, because I can't think any ad company would be that abjectly STUPID.
(Of course, I've learned over time, that given two options, betting on the one that would come about from people being moronic is the safe move.)
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Rereading the earlier posts I recalled one of the gag categoreis on the last '$20,000 Pyramid' was 'Thing Kissinger Didn't Screw Up,' perhaps implying democratic leanings on the 'Pyramid' staff.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 12:01 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 07:50 AM\']Still, no matter how enlightened you pretend to be, if you're only familiar with the mainstream campaign, seeing the gay one can be startling. A fellow member of this forum actually saw my jaw drop the first time I caught the spot.
[/quote]
Exactly. What surprised me was the overt inclusion of what (if I were gay) I would consider to be totally offensive stereotypes. Everyone (except Wink) was COMPLETELY, well, flaming, and the location of the hotel (I said Miami Beach or Key West before, but now I'm thinking it was San Francisco) was very obviously in what is thought of as a gay population center.
The functional equivalent would have a been a version on BET looking for a hotel in Compton that includes parking for a Cadillac and serves watermelon.
I don't get it. Either the gay community thinks the ad is splendid, which I don't get, because I think it does them a great disservice, or Orbitz completely missed the boat with it, which I don't get, because I can't think any ad company would be that abjectly STUPID.
(Of course, I've learned over time, that given two options, betting on the one that would come about from people being moronic is the safe move.)
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Prior to the Wink-hosted campaign, Orbitz ran another ad with a gay theme that was a bit less stereotypical. It did conclude with "see Orbitz for all of your gay travel needs" or something along that line.
Now, on a personal note, while I don't think the ad is "splendid" and I do think it would have been better if they didn't have all of the actors playing the part like Jack from Will & Grace, a part of me is kind of happy to see an ad featuring gay characters at all, even if it is during Queer Eye on Bravo. Just a few years ago no one would have even touched an ad like this.
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[quote name=\'isucgv\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 04:37 PM\']a part of me is kind of happy to see an ad featuring gay characters at all, even if it is during Queer Eye on Bravo. Just a few years ago no one would have even touched an ad like this.
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Except they don't think enough of the gay community to realize that not all of them DO act like Jack on W&G, and that not all of them make a beeline for SF or Key West.
I think it goes back to my basic question of why a "gay travel" service (or ANY gay-centric service) NEEDS to exist when the gay lobby screams about wanting to be treated like everyone else.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 06:48 PM\'][quote name=\'isucgv\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 04:37 PM\']a part of me is kind of happy to see an ad featuring gay characters at all, even if it is during Queer Eye on Bravo. Just a few years ago no one would have even touched an ad like this.
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Except they don't think enough of the gay community to realize that not all of them DO act like Jack on W&G, and that not all of them make a beeline for SF or Key West.
I think it goes back to my basic question of why a "gay travel" service (or ANY gay-centric service) NEEDS to exist when the gay lobby screams about wanting to be treated like everyone else.
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The commercials aren't ideal but, as far as I'm concerned, going from invisible to a demographic is a step up.
As far as the need for it, we aren't treated like everyone else by a sizable percentage of this country and the world, and, as long as we aren't, it's beneficial to have services to point out who is, at a minimum, not unfriendly.
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[quote name=\'Unrealtor\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 06:26 PM\']As far as the need for it, we aren't treated like everyone else by a sizable percentage of this country and the world, and, as long as we aren't, it's beneficial to have services to point out who is, at a minimum, not unfriendly.
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A good point. Fair enough.
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[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 05:38 AM\']As for Wink, a paycheck is a paycheck, and I think a lot of liberals would be surprised at how many Christian conservatives are not militantly anti-gay.
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Wink Martindale is probably a well-rounded individual who forms his political views depending on each individual issue, not always taking the right-leaning views on everything! ;)
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[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Oct 3 2005, 04:12 PM\'][quote name=\'mmb5\' date=\'Oct 3 2005, 12:39 PM\']Another way to get answers would be to see where they put their money. This is from newsmeat.com:
Bob Barker - gave $2,000 to Bill Young (R-FL)[snapback]98423[/snapback]
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An interesting list. I assume that Barker's contribution was based on Young's animal right issues' view--I can't imagine him contributing for any other reason but. Could Young had been behind banning greyhound racing?[snapback]98440[/snapback]
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More than likely, it had something to do with animal rights. I always imagined Bob Barker being more left-leaning politically, as animal rights activists generally do.
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For affinity marketing to work, the subjects of commercials must identifiably belong to the target group. If you're targeting blacks/Hispanics/women/young/old/gays, commercials must feature blacks/Hispanics/women/young/old/gays. In this case, the way to make the character identifiably gay is to make him a little stereotypical and bet that they don't get jumped on for playing up the stereotype.
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Oct 4 2005, 11:27 PM\']In this case, the way to make the character identifiably gay is to make him a little stereotypical and bet that they don't get jumped on for playing up the stereotype.
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I dunno. I was pretty sure he was gay when he was announced with and walked out of the door with his new boyfriend. :)
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Although I'm mostly a "reader", not much of a "poster", this has been a very interesting thread! This brings me to a curiousity question. It seems I remember reading about a heated discussion that took place a year or so ago on Sean Hannity's radio show between Hannity and Marc Summers. Summers supposedly blasted Hannity for some reason or another, but a day or so later called back to apologize. Does anybody remember that incident or what the discussion was about? Thanks, GMar
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[quote name=\'GMar\' date=\'Oct 7 2005, 12:13 PM\']It seems I remember reading about a heated discussion that took place a year or so ago on Sean Hannity's radio show between Hannity and Marc Summers. Summers supposedly blasted Hannity for some reason or another, but a day or so later called back to apologize. Does anybody remember that incident or what the discussion was about? [/quote]
November, 2003. From what I understand, Summers was just a regular caller, not an invited guest. He didn't even say his name until later, he just identified himself as a TV host. He called with a general, generic bashing of Hannity, mostly calling him Limbaugh-lite, to which Hannity responded with bashing of his own. Once Hannity learned who he was, Hannity had the chance to make it personal himself, making fun of Summers' low-rated and low-brow ventures.
It went on for a few minutes and was by all accounts very heated. A couple days later, Summers called back to apologize and make nice, fawning over Hannity in an almost total reversal from the first day. Pretty weird stuff.
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Thanks for the fill-in, Matt. Always wondered what that was all about. I would love to hear tapes of both of those calls! Thanks again.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Oct 7 2005, 01:36 PM\']He called with a general, generic bashing of Hannity, mostly calling him Limbaugh-lite
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Well, ain't libel (or, in this case, slander) when it's true... :)