Get Keiller!

I hated A Prairie Home Companion,  Garrison Keillor’s long running Minnesota Public Radio show.  The sound of his voice was like nails on a chalkboard to me.  He was one of those guys who thought he was funny but wasn’t.  I am incensed, however, that the fact that he put his hands on a woman’s bare back (several years ago!) led to his firing.

Alleged improper behavior, read the headline.  We have now reached the point where the crime doesn’t even have to be cited.  This reminds of the Twilight Zone in which a mob in a small mid-American town runs around in a panic accusing people of being aliens.

For far too long people in power have gotten away with murder.  People such as Harvey Weinstein, Roy Moore or Kevin Spacey should lose their jobs and possibly serve prison time.  But I’m not about to put Al Franken, Keillor, or even Louis C.K  in their class.  In Keillor’s case the punishment most certainly does not fit the crime.  Until the orangutan in the Oval office has to answer to his *proven* improper behavior I don’t want to hear about the Keillors or the Frankens.

If we must have mob rule why can’t George Steinbrenner be alive now? And how is Rudy Giuliani getting off scott free?

I’ll be looking forward to tomorrow’s allegations against Tom Hanks. It will take my mind off of my impending tax increase.

Let’s clutch our pearls over Louis C.K.

In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, and Roy Moore stories the Louis C.K. scandal, which broke a couple of days ago, seems like small potatoes.  For those who haven’t heard, C.K., over a several year period, repeatedly asked woman if he could masturbate in front of them.

Truth be told I am not outraged over it.  Is it bizarre and uncalled for behavior?  Yes.  It appears, however, that in most cases he actually asked permission.  He wasn’t forcing the women to stay or threatening physical violence.

That said, I agree that it is freakishly abnormal behavior.  It’s outside the bounds of our social contract.  But what are you going to do?  Some of us are freaks, and truth be told, we all probably have something that we do that is freakish — it’s just that it may not be sexual in nature.

The through-line that I’ve noticed with all of the recent sexual scandals is how easy it is for wealthy and powerful people to get away with abuse.  The Weinstein style casting couch has been going on for decades and we’ve all been aware of it.  The same goes for politicians and athletes, who seemingly can do whatever they want and cover it up with money.

I’ve said it all along:  The real divide is not black and white, men and women, or gay and straight, it’s rich and poor.  Like Cartman in South Park, the rich do what they want.