Letters to the Editor
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Good Samaritan
In this interview TW demonstrates a great deal more grace, tact and compassion than did the late blowhard in his long, judgemental career.
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Islington
Islington is IN London. North London to be exact. And the wrong part of North London.... Dirty Arsenal luvin' bastards almost to a person.
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Absurd
That adult notions of sexuality intruded upon a show meant for 3 year olds is absurd. My 3 year old loved it. At seven, he's gone on to other things. Too bad Falwell didn't show the same maturity.
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Problems with Laa-laa?
Hmm. I was sympathetic with Tinky Winky's point of view right to the end, when it was revealed that he (it?) and Laa-laa didn't get along. How could any dislike such a sweet character? Dipsy was the one that always seemed like a real jerk.
Sigh. Just goes to show you that you can't judge a celebrity by the role he/she/it plays.
(Yes, I've parented two former preschoolers and watched way more Teletubbies than is probably healthful... Thanks for the interview, King.)
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Why King?
Why did King Kaufman get this assignment. Was it because of Buster? Or did he lose a bet?
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Wednesday, Heaven
In a brief statement, God announced that Jerry Falwell would be welcome in Heaven, but doubted that the late whacky rabblerouser would have the guts to show up at the Pearly Gates.
"We believe he [the Rev. Mr. Falwell] may be too ashamed of himself, now that he has died, and is privy to the Truth," said God, appearing in a purple gown with a matching triangular purple halo.
God refused to speculate on Falwell's whereabouts. She took no questions from assembled media representatives, and returned to Her glorious throne.
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Purple is The Color of Gay Pride?
I never knew that was part of the accusation—purple, yes, but because it represents pride? There isn't one color that represents gay pride. Gay pride is represented by the rainbow. Bigotry is ignorant.
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Goodbye and good riddance
Falwell also hated children's literature -- mercilessly crusading against Farthington Bear and the rest of the Fuzzy-Wuzzy Club, a gang of adorable animals who always managed to find their way into mischief with methamphetamines and violence:
http://electricstorytime.blogspot.com/search/label/Fuzzy-Wuzzy%20Club
Falwell, I toast thee with a tall glass of Campari!
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That was brilliant, thank you!
That was absolutely terrific.
As an aside, I wish you would do something similar for the modern feminist movement, they are as close to Falwell's hatred and hate speech as us progressive liberals need.
But this was terrific, thank you again. I hope it gets widespread distribution.
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And what's amazing ...
... is how this story is constantly misreported, here and in just about every other "news" source over the past day.
The facts: Falwell was commenting on the fact that it was gay groups who were claiming Tinky Winky as their own, as reported in The Advocate. He did not come up with the judgment himself.
A lie will circle the earth a thousand times before the truth wakes up to make its breakfast.
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king kaufman, king
I've never been sure what to make of the fact that some of the best Salon reporting on race and sexuality in America happens in Salon's sports column, but unlike some other letter writers, I'm not at all surprised he wrote it, given other things he's written. Cheers to Kaufman for being both smart and funny on "real" issues while reporting equally well on sports.
Now, if he could just start writing about motorsports, it would be great ... so much he coud do with the antics of NASCAR drivers...
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Triangular halo
The post by "timbuktom" reminded me that I'd seen depictions of God with a triangular halo. I first saw this on a cartoon by a Spanish cartoonist I'd run across, and a little research in Wikipedia confirms that a triangular halo is sometimes used in religious iconography for God the Father himself (herself?).
Purple, of course, is also often regarded as a sacred color. But, Falwell saw Tinky Winky through his own lens, didn't he?
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Snarky warky
I'm not a big fan of Jerry Falwell, but the man just died.
Maybe I am old fashioned, but snarky commentary, however well done, is not nearly as funny when performed while grave dancing.
Conservatives have a point that liberals are condescending.
Pornographer Larry Flynt struck just the right note that is appropriate when a person of prominence dies with whom you don't like:
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/05/15/ap3724761.html
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I got no problem with grave dancing
Aww, the poor baby just died. How can we be so mean to him?
Fuck it. The man was a destructive force and the world would have been a better place if he'd died much sooner. If there was any real justice in the universe, there really would be a hell where he could actually suffer for all the pain and misery he caused. Lucky for him all he has to suffer is oblivion, instead of the punishment his superstititious fantasies would mete out upon him if they were actually real.
I'm dancing big time. Now where's Robertson's heart attack?
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Tinky Winky is not Nelson
In the Simpsons, the Nelson character goes, "Haaaa-hehhhh!" in a childish burst of schadenfreude.
In the Teletubbies, Tinky Winky goes, "Eh-Oh!" or "Again, again!"
This article crosses the wires. You are using Tinky Winky to say, "Haaaa-hehhh!"
Like somebody else said, let's take care not to grave dance.
When Dan Quayle dies, will Salon post a mock interview with Murphy Brown?
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Thanks Tinky
Good grief. You would think Tinky Winky was the ‘man of the cloth’ and Falwell was some cartoonish character in a costume:
Asked about Falwell's death, Winky turns serious and chooses his words carefully.
"I'm not going to pretend I'm sadder than I am," he says. "There were late nights during the dark times when I wished to hear news like this. I'd be lying if I denied that. I don't feel that way anymore. I like to think I've grown over the years, gotten past all that pain.
"But at the end of the day, I'm not terribly sad, and I think a lot of people feel the same way. Jerry Falwell was a divisive person, a hateful person, and what I've tried to be all about, in the Teletubbies days and since then, has been love. I've got to keep it that way. I don't want anybody feeling good about it when it's my time for Tubby bye-bye."