Calling Dr. Huxtable
Andrew Klavan ·
Jan 10, 2011 at 9:36am
After listening to Democrats and their journalist toadies try to capitalize on the Tucson murders to gin up hatred against the Tea Party, I really think what we need is a Tea Party version of the Cosby Show. You know, something that will help unlettered leftists understand that people aren't really bad just because they believe in different things than you do - like liberty, the Constitution, limited government, responsible spending and the rule of law. Maybe the Cos could play Dr. Ben Franklin... I know, I know, it sounds crazy...
Anyway, just to add my two cents, here's me in City Journal on "The Hateful Left."
- Comment (7)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (3)
Comments :
Jun '10
Re: Calling Dr. Huxtable
Whoever plays him, Ben Franklin would be the perfect lead character. The good Dr. Franklin represented many of the virtues we lack in today's culture. Most of all, he represents a belief in the free flow of ideas and the virtue of free and open debate. He could stand against our society as defined by Krauthammer's Law (conservatives think liberals are wrong, liberals think conservatives are evil). Besides, I like the idea of an old fat guy being a television icon.
May '10
Re: Calling Dr. Huxtable
Brilliant, Andrew!
Since Katie proposed a Cosby show as the cure to perceived Islamaphobia, your show could be positioned as a palliative to the Fear of Tea and the related syndrome of Teabagaphobia, currently endemic among American elites. According to the first of these sites,
Fear of Tea is a phobia that affects over 250,000 people in America alone. It is defined as a fear of Tea of any form or kind. People suffering from the fear of Tea or Tea phobia will do anything and everything to avoid Tea of any form or kind. Any event, person or situation that resembles, relates to or symbolises "Tea" can trigger this fear of Tea off.
It is clear, for example, that simply thinking of Sarah Palin -- let alone seeing her image or hearing her distinctive twang -- is enough to bring on some or all of the symptoms described:
shaking/trembling,
sweating excessively,
nausea,
dizziness,
hyperventilation,
chest pain,
dry mouth,
losing control over emotions,
hyperactive bowels,
possible psychosomatic responses,
intense anxiety attack,
incoherency in speaking,
incoherency in thinking.
Thank you for your compassionate proposal to bring healing to our elites, particularly the on-air talent at MSNBC and CNN.
Edited on Jan 10, 2011 at 1:27pmMay '10
Re: Calling Dr. Huxtable
I read your City Journal piece last night, Andrew. I especially appreciated the point you raised regarding when a Maj. Hassan guns down 13 people, we mustn't come to any hasty conclusions but when an Arizona shooting happens well, it's the right-wing, natch!
I'm afraid a Tea-Party version of the Cosby show that would showcase Tea-Party values would soon become the object of scorn and ridicule by the bien-pensants, on par with the scorn a show like Ozzie and Harriet is held today. Too square to be persuasive.
Nov '10
Re: Calling Dr. Huxtable
Douglas - good idea - and maybe the show could actually be set around 1800. Then it could include the 1800 election, and what real attack politics sounded like. I did find a surprising number of liberal friendfs quite enjoyed Sarah Palin's Alaska.
Andrew - this is only very subjective, but while reading your article over at City Journal (good article btw) it struck me that while blood libel accusations aren't all that uncommon, their use has become quite consistent by the left since the suicide of Bill Sparkman, no matter how outrageously false they are. Something terrible happens, and the left fills the press & internet with anti-conservative accusations. Then, as information trickles out, others back the message down. The concept seems to be to tar conservatives while the tar is still hot, and then try to look nice by offering to wash the tar off.
A site listing similar examples - with a description of the incident, copies of the immediate Liberal reactions, and the eventual findings could be a useful resource, if only to be able to point to it and say "We've been here before, let's see how this works out before assigning blame."
Jun '10
Re: Calling Dr. Huxtable
Everyone should spend a few minutes and read Andrew's City Journal comments on the Left's effort to control the narrative (as opposed to "the truth") about the horrible Tucson shootings. It is the most thoughtful and adult discussion of the issue that I've read.
I would also recommend Roger Kimball's posting on Roger's Rules (on the PJMedia site), which demonstrates the audacious hypocrisy of the Left's argument that Sara Palin's used of a target over Rep. Gifford's district caused the shooting. The Left has used precisely the same metaphor itself. Ironically, Daily Kos used a target over Gifford's district because she was not liberal enough: http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerkimball/2011/01/09/how-to-turn-a-tragedy-into-an-emetic/
Bottom line: this tragedy is not the fault of conservatives and we must do all we can to prevent the hypocrites of the left from controlling the narrative. Vigorously telling the truth, as Andrew and Roger do, is our best defense.
Jun '10
Re: Calling Dr. Huxtable
tabula rasa: Everyone should spend a few minutes and read Andrew's City Journal comments on the Left's effort to control the narrative (as opposed to "the truth") about the horrible Tucson shootings. It is the most thoughtful and adult discussion of the issue that I've read.
I would also recommend Roger Kimball's posting on Roger's Rules (on the PJMedia site), which demonstrates the audacious hypocrisy of the Left's argument that Sara Palin's used of a target over Rep. Gifford's district caused the shooting. The Left has used precisely the same metaphor itself. Ironically, Daily Kos used a target over Gifford's district because she was not liberal enough: http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerkimball/2011/01/09/how-to-turn-a-tragedy-into-an-emetic/
Bottom line: this tragedy is not the fault of conservatives and we must do all we can to prevent the hypocrites of the left from controlling the narrative. Vigorously telling the truth, as Andrew and Roger do, is our best defense. · Jan 10 at 11:35am
You can add to these two Victor Davis Hanson's superb article in today's National Review Online.
Dec '10
Re: Calling Dr. Huxtable
Andrew, I liked this a lot. Katie Couric's tolerance is, apparently limited.