There are a lot of people there involved in this decision who are going to lose their jobs over this...I wouldn't get my hopes up. How much you want to bet A&E reinstates Phil, with some statement full of weasel-words and PC-speak, that claims support for both free-speech & gay-rights? Then the compliant MSM shuts up about it as if it never happened...
Well..... upon further reading it seems that Cracker Barrel is removing only the DD merchandise that features Phil Robertson - their facebook page is blowing up with angry ex-customers and their statement is a typical attempt to appease .. this is a sad development because many of the older folks in my family *love* to eat at Cracker Barrel.
Here — interesting take from the Daily Mail:
Sources within the close-knit Louisiana clan say they are convinced A&E are manipulating the controversial situation to bring them – and particularly Robertson – back into line after Television executives grew tired of the family pushing their deeply-held, Christian beliefs.
They also think the network could have done something to stop the controversial GQ article being made public, because an A&E representative was present during the interview with patriarch, Roberston, 67.
Phil Robertson and his family feel that A & E should never have publicized the controversial interview
A source close to the family, who asked not to be named, told MailOnline: ‘You have to ask yourself, why this interview happened and why it ever became public. Someone from A&E was there and was aware of the kind of answers Phil was giving.
‘But despite that, they didn’t ever try to stop it or control it. Instead, they let it hit the headlines and then released a statement condemning it.
‘It is our belief that they knew what was going to happen and then used the situation to exercise control over Phil.
‘It is our understanding that when the TV executives came up with the concept for the show they wanted it to be a case of people laughing at a bunch of backward rednecks.
‘But when it didn’t turn out like that and people actually started identifying with the way the family behaved and were laughing with them, not at them, they became uncomfortable.
It did not sit will with the New York TV types.
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