Demand An Immediate Apology
I grew up on Letterman. For years I was in charge of getting tickets to his show (not an easy endeavor back then) for a group of friends and me to see him. I agreed his swipes at the Palin family may have been borderline, but I gave him a pass for that. I gave him a pass on his recent workplace romance record too. But there is no excuse – zero – for this.
Last night in his opening monologue, Letterman made fun of – mocked – Amanda Simpson, President Obama’s recent appointment to the position of Senior Technical Adviser to the Department of Commerce. She is believed to be the first transgender person to be appointed to a government post by a U.S. President.
I’m gratified that GLAAD has contacted CBS, but I’m not sure the outcome will be sufficient. Letterman needs to offer an on-the-air apology before the week is out. I ask you to contact CBS and demand an apology.
Also, read Joe.My.God and Pam Spaulding, who have done a great job explaining why this is so unacceptable.
Oh, and if you want to see yet another example of stupidity, arrogance, and ignorance, read this stupid blog post I came upon while searching Twitter. We all have a long way to go.
Related posts:
- Should Rachel Maddow Have Appeared On David Letterman?
- Yes! Last Night’s Maddow On Letterman!
- 3/16/09: Rachel Maddow On Letterman
- Watch: Mitt Romney: “Marriage Under Attack”
- BREAKING: NY Governor Paterson To Announce Policy On Transgender Rights
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I submitted a complaint. This was really a distasteful display.
David Letterman often makes a living being tasteless, but in this case he cross the line with "humor" ill-befitting a pig. Transgendered persons have an unemployment rate approaching 50%. I don't even want to discuss what many in that position have been reduced to doing in back alleys to keep from starving. Being made the butt of jokes at America's water coolers doesn't help. I don’t find this funny, and those who find it so are likely incapable of basic human compassion and empathy.
I join the group objecting t o David Letterman's new "low". The time has long past when people used to accept "gay" or sexual identity 'jokes'.
if someone tells me where, I'm gonna complain too. might not make much of a difference since living in Germany I might not be exaclty the target group but I guess every complaint whatever small sums up in the end. Might even be good to hear that people from oversea are aware of this insult too.
People–please lighten up. I can't imagine what it would be like to be so fearful and reflexively angry. Join the reindeer games…we're all just a bunch of boobs hanging around til the judgement day…no one is off limits for a little ribbing.
Terror is the absence of humor, and humor is the absence of terror.
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