Politically Incorrect Pulled From [Wash DC] ABC [Affiliate]

Newsmax.com ^ | 9-21-2001 | Wes Vernon

[quimby]

Politically Incorrect Pulled From ABC Reprinted from NewsMax.com

ABC Station Yanks Maher Program

Wes Vernon Friday, Sept. 21, 2001

ABC's affiliate in the nation's capitol has decided to take "Politically Incorrect" off its air. WJLA-TV in Washington says host Bill Maher's remarks were "insensitive." Maher had made the statement that the U.S. was "cowardly" in lobbing missiles at Kosovo thousands of miles away. The remark came in an interview with Dinesh D'Souza, who had said that whatever else the despicable terrorists were, a willingness to sacrifice their lives to commit their murderous act Sept. 11 did not show cowardice.
In a statement issued by WJLA-TV's President and General Manager Christopher Pike, the station declared it was "also offended by the insensitive remarks made by host Bill Maher on ABC's Politically Incorrect this week."
The bottom line, where this leading outlet in the Washington is concerned, is that "As a result of these comments, and although we are contractually obligated to air Politically Incorrect, WJLA will substitute a replacement program in this time period [effective immediately]. … We have also passed along our concern to ABC."
The statement made no mention of whether the ban would be lifted after the uproar subsides. And attempts by NewsMax.com to get a clarification were unsuccessful.
When an affiliate of a network cancels a program over a controversy such as this, it becomes an economic battle between a corporation and its customer. And sometimes the economics can be high-stakes. The larger the market, the more money that is involved.
"Although we are strong defenders of the right to free speech," Pike’s statement continued, "Mr. Maher’s ill-timed comments demonstrated a lack of feeling for the victims of this tragedy" in "this time of great sorrow."
With certain caveats, Maher received a measure of sympathy from unexpected quarters. Both Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly, on their shows Thursday, acknowledged Maher's explanation that he did not mean to imply that it was the military that was "cowardly."
Limbaugh accepted that, while agreeing the choice of Maher's wording was poor. The talk show host criticized the "Politically Incorrect" host for using the non-specific term "we."
"We" were not cowardly, the radio talker told his huge audience.
He went on to recall that at the time President Clinton ordered missile firing on Kosovo in 1999, he himself was critical of the action. He had said it raised questions as to whether the presidential directive was issued to "distract attention from what was then going on in Washington, D.C." – a clear reference to the fact that at the time, allegations of rape were then swirling around the then-president, who had just survived an impeachment attempt.
In that sense, Limbaugh said, he could actually agree with Maher if the TV host meant that Clinton, and "only [that] one man" was cowardly. He noted that this was perhaps the "one and only time" he had ever tended to agree with Maher.
Of course, Limbaugh added, the "Politically Incorrect" emcee couldn't bring himself to utter a critical word of "his god, Clinton."
That exact comment was made later on Fox News Channel's "The O’Reilly Factor," where Maher appeared as an interviewee. O'Reilly accepted Maher's explanation of not meaning to implicate the military, though he did note that the timing for Maher's poor wording could not have come at a worse time.
The fact that a station right in the capitol of this nation has yanked "Politically Incorrect" has made other cancellations more likely, depending on what action is taken by the Disney-owned network to make amends.

Looks like he has been sufficiently FREEPED.
Great job, Americans!

1 Posted on 09/21/2001 15:12:39 PDT by I_Publius

[Mission2mars]

I can't agree the sending long range missles was a cowardly act. It wasn't brave either. It was probably a silly response to what was going on. Clinton did a lot of that. On the other hand I think there are plenty of cowards in the good old USA - in fact I'm not sold on how well we're behaving under these trying circumstances. Sure the firemen and police are heroes, but a lot of us have not followed their brave lead - and instead have done things that are not very patriotic. Things like selling our stocks, and canceling trips, refusing to fly, and not going in to the big cities for fear of terrorist activities. We may not like Maher, but he has a right to dissent, and we have a right not to care for what he says. I, for one, didn't like it when those people tried to force Dr. Schlesinger off the air because she dared to state her opinions. I don't like this either.

[clintonh8r]

Well said. By implication, he was calling clinton a coward, for which I applaud him. But calling President Bush a liar while excusing clinton's duplicity is inexcusable. So, I hope the show is cancelled in every market. You deserve it, Maher. You thought you could get away with anything. Turns out you couldn't. Maybe some other "entertainers" will get the message.

[willyboyishere]

I for, one, also do NOT have any major problem with this PARTICULAR statement of Maher's, seeing as how it reflects on X42, the worst Pres of modern times. It may in fact be among a handful of statements of his I have no big problem with. It was his behavior re: all OTHER things Clinton/Gore, including his scoffing at the Impeachment effort, the Juanita Broaddrick rape case, the Florida Election results, etc. that make me loathe him.

[quimby]

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I copied the title from the original post (which was in my browser cache.) As stated in the text of the article, maher was only dropped by the Wash DC affiliate.

[In veno, veritas]

Dinesh D'Souza, who had said that whatever else the despicable terrorists were, a willingness to sacrifice their lives to commit their murderous act Sept. 11 did not show cowardice.

BS. Anyone who attacks unarmed and peaceful people, and uses them to kill more unarmed and peaceful people is a coward.

[stumpy]

The title needs to be corrected in that it is only an AFFILIATE that pulled his show. The whole network needs to dump it.

[Cultural Jihad]

So, I hope the show is cancelled in every market. You deserve it, Maher. You thought you could get away with anything. Turns out you couldn't. Maybe some other "entertainers" will get the message.

Now who will carry the Libertarian banner on monologue ideologue T.V. shows?

[reg45]

Ditto!!

[clintonh8r]

Maher is on now in the Miami market. Seems very subdued. He's an asshole, pure and simple.

[reg45]

Good point!

[Benrand]

Uh-oh...more self-pity from Maher. He's so damn insicere. Who's he kidding? Let's applaud for him, he's SO courageous...

What a jerk.

[jrewingjr]

You guys can watch Maher on Leno now. Pam Anderson is on first. Good idea to keep track of who advertisers are; in my time zone (late in show after I started keeping track), were only spots advertising NBC shows, and local spots. Nice to watch Maher seeing his career flash before his eyes.

[clintonh8r]

Backpeddling now...conciliatory...guess network suits got to him...so contritie! "Filled with regret" "Television is our temple" GAAK! No sponsors! This can't last much longer. Michael Eisner is all about the bottom line. Buh-bye, Billy-Boy....

[The Real Deal]

I sent them an e-mail about it. They sent me one back. Something about Maher being sorry about offending so many people. I sent one back in reply saying that they should have the good sense to cancel it like WJLA did.

[clintonh8r]

The only thing more repulsive than PI guests are PI audiences.

[Benrand]

The whole show is about HIM...what an a-hole. ABC is a station filled with insanity. Holy mackeral.

[StunDexim]

Poincare, dahrlin', did you ever really LISTEN to the show??? I gave it a try in its early days, got thoroughly disgusted with its "let's set up and blast the conservatives" format, and haven't watched since. So, this is no loss............ Now, losing Fox News - that WOULD be a horrible tragedy!!!

[quimby]

The whole show is about HIM..

Kinda remind me of his hero, the clintoon. Both need work on apologies, too.

[patriot5186]

kudos to WJLA for pulling this crap.