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[pmcd9]

I was pretty indifferent to Duck Dynasty for a long time. Out of curiosity of the fact that the show has become so popular I watched it once while staying in a hotel with cable in Marietta Georgia last summer. The contrived plotlines and situations struck me as ridiculous. To my eye there was very little reality in this "reality show" with all of it's homespun wisdom and backwoods Christian philosophy which was carefully crafted in an office in Los Angeles, probably by a Jew. Of course seeing the show only confirmed what I had already intuitively assumed.

The show itself doesn't bother me too much. The fan base that has arisen is a bit annoying, but it wouldn't be the first time something really dumb has captured the imagination of American monotremes. I wonder what the venn diagram of Duck Dynasty fans and people who think the Civil War was about states rights would look like? What does bother me is that now Duck Dynasty wants to be taken seriously. I happened upon this video in which members of the cast talk about their lives and give testimony about how they came to Jesus. Duck Dynasty wants to be America's spiritual authority now, I guess.

The reason this bothers me is I'm trying to make a truce with religion. I can't believe the Bible, it's way too farfetched. But religion exist and the people I love the most are heavily involved with it. Some of them are also Duck Dynasty fans for what it's worth. If it were other people I wouldn't care, but I have a hard time reconciling my feelings that people who fall for this crap are intellectually weak and my family who I love. And it seem like each time my feelings start to soften toward religion I see something like this and it makes me laugh, but the jokes on me because I'm really laughing at the people I love and I hate that.

[wombat]

This post was much more profound than I expected from the thread title.

[jaydub]

And here all this time I thought it was some sort of Disney spin-off involving whatever levels of inbreeding are required for the lack of direct descendants in the Scrooge McDuck/Donald/Daisy/Huey, Louie, Dewey lineage.

[theinevitable]

I really wish I could learn not to be mad when people really like things that I don't like. Maybe I'm getting better over time.

This is extra hard with religion, because at least people who like Dr Who don't try to live their life according to Who Principles and teach me about them.

"Thank you for helping me, young man"
"you're welcome! Enjoy the mocha."
"no, really, May Dr Who Come Into Your Life and Bless You"
"...thank you ma'am"

[wombat]

True, but right now I know way more people who talk about Dr Who too much than people who talk about religion so it sure takes up more of my time.

[Choop]

wait is there a new filter because if so wow how amazingly perfect

[Arachno-capitalist]

I can't stand Duck Dynasty. Every episode is like someone telling the same joke over and over. They are really driving that schtick into the ground and their religious angle feels like just another part of the characters they are playing.
Remember when we learned Jerry Springer was a total sham and they had to go court to explain that people weren't really assaulting each other live on television? People didn't stop watching Jerry Springer and no matter how many times we learn that reality tv is a scripted fiction, we keep watching it just like we watch any other scripted fiction.
 

But Paul, you can't win here. People are always going to push what you figure is a plate full of bullshit at you in the hopes you'll eat up. I guess the best you can do is get good at saying nope to it.

When someone gets aggressively evangelical at me I turn it around and start teaching them about the 4th dimensional reptilians that are really running things. Even the most ardent bible thumper can't stand up to David Icke's drug fueled conspiracy story about shapeshifting aliens and their maniacal quest for monoatomic gold.  

[Choop]

i have a stack of timecube pamphlets i hand to any jehovah's witnesses that knock on the door

(actually i don't, i literally just thought of it, and i think i'll start working them up this weekend)

[pmcd9]

Of COURSE Phil Robertson is a homophobe.

[wombat]

Someone on Twitter:

I've never seen Duck Dynasty, but I assume it's about some idiot being stupid. But now people are shocked that he did something stupid?

[theinevitable]

I always thought it was like that prairie dog show where they narrated the lives of prairie dogs to make it a soap opera.
We have duck dynasty shirts for sale at work, for some reason.

[pmcd9]

We have duck dynasty shirts for sale at work, for some reason.

Because that shit is ubiquitous. This is the year of Duck Dynasty.

[pmcd9]

Just now I almost posted "Duck Dynasty fans don't understand how the First Amendment works" on Facebook. Lord help me people I don't need that drama.

Oh yeah there's a Stand with Phil Robertson page now. Over one million likes in 24 hours. Wow, that's a whole lot of dummies.

[AugustWest]

I have probably watched more Duck Dynasty than any of you.  I'm not going to defend the show to you -- it's kind of like a train wreck.  But it has it's moments. 

These latest events are kind of predictable, really.  I have always thought Phil was kind of an officious jackass.  Willie isn't a redneck at all, just another MBA playing a role.  He saw his opportunity to parlay the family sporting goods business into a marketing empire and jumped at the chance.  But he realizes that he's a 9 day wonder.  The cash-flow potential is there now, this Christmas, and is likely to dry up soon.  He's willing to put their faces on any and everything possible to milk every single possible dollar out of the franchise while he can.  Cause the next big thing will be along in a few weeks or months, and while he'll still be able sell the brand as a C or D list celebrity family, the value will drop by an order of magnitude or so. 

Phil mouthing off is just another (very shrewd) tactic.  It's just attention whoring.  It's a cynical publicity stunt.  And it's working very well -- people are paying more attention than ever to these assholes.

I'm OK with Si -- he's a genuine character and I don't think there's any harm in him.  And Jase seems OK.

Prediction -- within 10 years Willie Robertson runs for political office -- either Governor or Senator from Louisiana.

[pmcd9]

Phil mouthing off is just another (very shrewd) tactic.  It's just attention whoring.  It's a cynical publicity stunt.  And it's working very well -- people are paying more attention than ever to these assholes.

Oh it's deeply cynical alright, that much is certain.  Someone posted this article on Facebook. Here's is my comment... "Well yes, that aspect of the story occurred to me, but my cynicism goes even deeper. I think the whole thing, if not completely ginned up, then at the very least the response is part of a larger program. Mark my words, after a period of time they will make a big deal out of his contrition and his suspension (which was probably a pre-arranged vacation, notice how this happened almost at the end of filming for the season?) will be lifted and he will make a triumphant return to the show."