(N.B. One instance of rough language below)
“I am shocked—shocked—to find out that gambling is going on in here.”
Casablanca, words spoken by Captain Renault
just before the croupier offers him his winnings
Like Casablanca’s Captain Renault, the Hollywood gang, members of Congress, and the press are “shocked—shocked” by the daily discharge of sexual harassment and rape charges making the news. The headlines about Harvey Weinstein, who allegedly asked a brigade of women for naked massages and performed lewd acts in their presence, kicked off the horrified cries of the “shocked” crowd. The furor over Weinstein’s behavior has since led to other actors, journalists, and politicians being outed for sexual harassment.
Some of those accused have confessed their guilt outright. My favorite snippet of one such confession comes from comedian Louis C. K. as reported at takimag.com: “These stories are true. At the time, I said to myself that what I did was okay because I never showed a woman my dick without asking first, which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your dick isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them.”
Okay, Louis. I have to admit, you got me. I have long despised the crudity of your comedy, but this particular bit left me in stiches. You always asked first? How exactly does one pose such a question? Furthermore, why would anyone on the planet want a tour of your lower anatomy? Are you sporting some unrecognized national monument? And it’s a predicament for them?
Sheesh.
News of widespread pedophilia involving underage male and female actresses has also circulated in the media. The reports of these abuses, which again go back decades, will be more subdued, for fear of embarrassing the GLBT crowd, yet we do hear that prominent Hollywood personalities are “shocked”.
Meanwhile, some political candidates and members of Congress are catching the fall-out from la-la land. Certain politicians are calling on Roy Moore, accused of harassing teenage girls nearly forty years ago, to abandon his race for the Senate. This week Al Franken, senator and comedian, wound up in the sights of a woman, now a talk-show host, for unwanted advances committed in 2006. Other politicians and bureaucrats are tonight undoubtedly quaking in their boxers and briefs, waiting for the whoosh of the guillotine blade.
Now that he is no longer of any use to them, a few leftist commentators have even become emboldened enough to attack Bill Clinton for inappropriate sexual behavior. Decades ago, several women accused Mr. Clinton of rape or sexual harassment. Then we learned that an intern was pleasuring President Clinton and his cigar in the Oval Office. His supporters at the time, many of them female, were aware of these crimes and misdemeanors, but decided his liberal politics out-trumped his wandering male organ. Over twenty years ago, a sophisticated progressive from Arkansas, where Clinton had served as governor, put the case to me succinctly. “Everybody down there knows how Bill is and what he does,” she said, “but he’s good for America.”
Ah, yes. Now I understand. As president, Bill Clinton was good for America. Now he is no longer good for America. Ah, well. Easy come, easy go.
Sayonara, Bill.
A question: Why are so many people shocked by this behavior?
I’m not shocked, and maybe you’re not shocked either. Maybe no one is really shocked. Those most vociferous in their claims to be shocked are those personally acquainted with the accused, but I doubt if even they are truly shocked. I’d bet a boatload of money they’re spouting off their astonishment to protect themselves and avoid trouble.
How, in truth, could we be shocked? We are fifty years into “The Sexual Revolution.” The Pill, living together, abortion on demand, millions of babies born out of wedlock, open marriage, gay marriage, insisting no differences exist between males and females, devising more gender identifications than any lexicographer ever imagined possible, decking out eleven-year-olds to look like hookers, watching movies, listening to music, and reading books promoting all manner of sexual acts, swimming in an ocean of online pornography: these are the seeds and the flowers of that Revolution. Pedophilia, incest, and bigamy are waiting their turn to bloom, but otherwise we have come a long way, baby.
Yeah, a long way.
What did we expect from such a Revolution? Saints? Women of rectitude? Men with backbones?
Hypocrisy and a certain comedic irony abound when hearing the outcries of these claimants to shock: the actresses and actors, government officials, writers and musicians. After all, these are the same people who through their work, legislation, and example have fostered a culture drenched in sexuality.
And the rest of us? Well, we’re not exactly angels gliding on gossamer wings above this fetid swamp, are we? Some applauded as we sailed into this brave new world, and many others willingly hopped aboard ship. Nowadays, many ordinary citizens, perhaps a great majority, get their jollies watching porno, immersing themselves in Fifty Shades of Grey, hooking-up online, and otherwise engaging in what our great-grandparents once quaintly called sin, all the while singing our anthem, “Anything Goes.”
In short, our culture and society are, as Tallulah Bankhead once said of herself, “pure as the driven slush.”
Yet we supposedly stand agape, shocked, shocked by salacious behavior. Really? What? Have we all suddenly become puritans?
Now that would be a shock.
Okay, Louis. I have to admit, you got me. I have long despised the crudity of your comedy, but this particular bit left me in stiches. You always asked first? How exactly does one pose such a question? Furthermore, why would anyone on the planet want a tour of your lower anatomy? Are you sporting some unrecognized national monument? And it’s a predicament for them?
Sheesh.
News of widespread pedophilia involving underage male and female actresses has also circulated in the media. The reports of these abuses, which again go back decades, will be more subdued, for fear of embarrassing the GLBT crowd, yet we do hear that prominent Hollywood personalities are “shocked”.
Meanwhile, some political candidates and members of Congress are catching the fall-out from la-la land. Certain politicians are calling on Roy Moore, accused of harassing teenage girls nearly forty years ago, to abandon his race for the Senate. This week Al Franken, senator and comedian, wound up in the sights of a woman, now a talk-show host, for unwanted advances committed in 2006. Other politicians and bureaucrats are tonight undoubtedly quaking in their boxers and briefs, waiting for the whoosh of the guillotine blade.
Now that he is no longer of any use to them, a few leftist commentators have even become emboldened enough to attack Bill Clinton for inappropriate sexual behavior. Decades ago, several women accused Mr. Clinton of rape or sexual harassment. Then we learned that an intern was pleasuring President Clinton and his cigar in the Oval Office. His supporters at the time, many of them female, were aware of these crimes and misdemeanors, but decided his liberal politics out-trumped his wandering male organ. Over twenty years ago, a sophisticated progressive from Arkansas, where Clinton had served as governor, put the case to me succinctly. “Everybody down there knows how Bill is and what he does,” she said, “but he’s good for America.”
Ah, yes. Now I understand. As president, Bill Clinton was good for America. Now he is no longer good for America. Ah, well. Easy come, easy go.
Sayonara, Bill.
A question: Why are so many people shocked by this behavior?
I’m not shocked, and maybe you’re not shocked either. Maybe no one is really shocked. Those most vociferous in their claims to be shocked are those personally acquainted with the accused, but I doubt if even they are truly shocked. I’d bet a boatload of money they’re spouting off their astonishment to protect themselves and avoid trouble.
How, in truth, could we be shocked? We are fifty years into “The Sexual Revolution.” The Pill, living together, abortion on demand, millions of babies born out of wedlock, open marriage, gay marriage, insisting no differences exist between males and females, devising more gender identifications than any lexicographer ever imagined possible, decking out eleven-year-olds to look like hookers, watching movies, listening to music, and reading books promoting all manner of sexual acts, swimming in an ocean of online pornography: these are the seeds and the flowers of that Revolution. Pedophilia, incest, and bigamy are waiting their turn to bloom, but otherwise we have come a long way, baby.
Yeah, a long way.
What did we expect from such a Revolution? Saints? Women of rectitude? Men with backbones?
Hypocrisy and a certain comedic irony abound when hearing the outcries of these claimants to shock: the actresses and actors, government officials, writers and musicians. After all, these are the same people who through their work, legislation, and example have fostered a culture drenched in sexuality.
And the rest of us? Well, we’re not exactly angels gliding on gossamer wings above this fetid swamp, are we? Some applauded as we sailed into this brave new world, and many others willingly hopped aboard ship. Nowadays, many ordinary citizens, perhaps a great majority, get their jollies watching porno, immersing themselves in Fifty Shades of Grey, hooking-up online, and otherwise engaging in what our great-grandparents once quaintly called sin, all the while singing our anthem, “Anything Goes.”
In short, our culture and society are, as Tallulah Bankhead once said of herself, “pure as the driven slush.”
Yet we supposedly stand agape, shocked, shocked by salacious behavior. Really? What? Have we all suddenly become puritans?
Now that would be a shock.
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