Golf Funnyman Criticized Over Magazine Article [Feherty, Iraq, Pelosi, Reid]

CNN/SI ^ | 5/9/09

[marshmallow]

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — CBS Sports golf analyst David Feherty came under sharp criticism Saturday for a joke he wrote in a Dallas magazine article that suggested American soldiers would be just as likely to knock off House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid as they would Osama bin Laden.

Feherty was among five Dallas residents who wrote for "D Magazine" on former President George W. Bush moving to Dallas, where the former Ryder Cup player from Northern Ireland has been living the last dozen years.

"From my own experience visiting the troops in the Middle East, I can tell you this though," Feherty wrote toward the end of his column. "Despite how the conflict has been portrayed by our glorious media, if you gave any U.S. soldier a gun with two bullets in it, and he found himself in an elevator with Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Osama bin Laden, there's a good chance that Nancy Pelosi would get shot twice, and Harry Reid and bin Laden would be strangled to death."

Feherty is among the most popular golf analysts on television for his glib humor. He writes a monthly column for Golf Magazine, and the last of the four books he has written was titled, "An Idiot for All Seasons."

CBS Sports quickly distanced itself from Feherty's writing.

"We want to be clear that this column for a Dallas magazine is an unacceptable attempt at humor and is not in any way condoned, endorsed or approved by CBS Sports," spokeswoman LeslieAnne Wade said.

CBS Sports is not televising the PGA Tour this week at The Players Championship, and Feherty did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

[marshmallow]

"He has gone to Iraq the last two years over Thanksgiving to meet with the troops and deliver his irreverent humor, and the experience moved him to the point that he has applied for U.S. citizenship."

[BreezyDog]

Good for him. I always liked him now I know why...

[Traveler59]

I really don't know why everyone is upset over his joke. That joke had made the rounds of the local military base several years ago, he just published it.

- Traveler

[Frantzie]

He is well liked by the pro golfers and golfing establishment. If they go after him a lot of people will be pissed off. CNN/SI may see a lot of their Golf Magazine subscription cancellations as well.

[PghBaldy]

He also joked about hoping pro-lifers be put to death in same article

[PghBaldy]

Here’s the thing: all of this visiting will be perpetrated by people who actually like 43! What about those who consider him the root of all evil? We have a few of those, and I can’t imagine what that bunch of self-righteous, indignant jerks might be like if they get the chance to visit. As for me, my politics are somewhere in the middle—and then way outside both wings. I believe in the death penalty, especially for pro-lifers, child molesters, those opposed to gay marriage, and for stupid dancing in the end zone. I believe in the abolition of estate taxes and the Pickens Plan. I’d lower the legal drinking age and raise the driving age to 18 nationwide, make Kinky Friedman governor of Texas, and make all schools, public and private, start earlier with one hour of physical exercise. http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/05/09/olbermann-again-channels-media-matters-calls-cbsers-firing SOMEHOW, they don't notice he calls for death of HALF OF AMERICANS...in same article

[okie01]

CBS Sports quickly distanced itself from Feherty's writing.

"We want to be clear that this column for a Dallas magazine is an unacceptable attempt at humor and is not in any way condoned, endorsed or approved by CBS Sports," spokeswoman LeslieAnne Wade said.

Does anybody recall David Letterman, for example, receiving any rebukes from CBS for seriously unfunny Bush jokes?

[Big_Monkey]

"Does anybody recall David Letterman, for example, receiving any rebukes from CBS for seriously unfunny Bush jokes?

No. Just $40 million contract extensions.

[Dallas59]

Too bad he couldn’t say what he really wanted to say. ;-)