Bill Maher's New Rule for Earth Day
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 04.23.08
Bill Maher, the host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, posted a short video of his "new rule" for Earth Day over at 23/6. We suppose he's found the site FUH2 while preparing the show...
For the record, we don't think these tactics are productive. They just antagonize people and make them dig in their heels and reject ideas that they might support if emotions didn't enter the picture. Better to share information, show solutions, and help people see for themselves. In short: Good for a laugh, but don't actually do it. The video can be found at: ::Bill Maher: Exclusive Video: Truck Off
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I feel sorry for you who can't grow a sense of humor.
"I feel sorry for you who can't grow a sense of humor."
Maher's thing is funny, no question. But giving the finger to strangers in the real world is not. Not about not having a sense of humor.
KC, it's not about humor, it's just counter-productive and creates a bad name for the green movement.
So yeah, good joke to make. Bad thing to do.
It's a joke! Which means that he's not serious. Getting all "for the record" and preachy on us makes it seem like you don't get it. Hence, the response about growing a sense of humor.
How about this one: http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/155193/
"It's a joke! Which means that he's not serious. Getting all "for the record" and preachy on us makes it seem like you don't get it. Hence, the response about growing a sense of humor."
Uh, the fact that there's a site with photos of people doing exactly that shows that some people are doing it. In fact, I've seen it done myself.
I think TH has a right to say if they agree with this or not. If you see it as preachy, that's your issue man.
I agree with the naysayers above. It's not a joke and it's not funny.
It is an inappropriate, counterproductive and gives the green movement a bad name.
I have indulged in this immature little stunt myself (pulling an FUH2) and felt like an obnoxious little ass afterwards when I evaluated my own actions.
Uh, the fact that there's a site with photos of people doing exactly that shows that some people are doing it. In fact, I've seen it done myself.
Laurie David routinely flips off Hummer drivers. It's not b/c Bill made a joke about it.
Agree or disagree with what? A joke? Bill is not advocating the behavior. He's a comedian. He's making joke. It's like criticizing Stephen Colbert for advocating right-wing policies or pollution. It's a joke. It's satire. Getting all "for the record" clearly shows that you don't get the joke. Which is all I'm trying to get across. The only thing to agree or disagree with is whether it's funny. And on that, I have to say that it's not very. But it's still a joke.
TH, love you, don't change, but I thinking you're missing the point. While flipping off H2 owners might well antagonize them I doubt that they might be open to new ideas. Driving a mammoth SUV is a pretty extreme personal decision. We're not talking about even a "mini SUV" here, we're talking the top 10% of ostentatious, resource guzzling, narcissistic technologies on the planet. The primary argument against flipping the bird is that its only positive impact is likely to be making the flipper feel better through a symbolic blow against the machine in a life when activism almost never feels like the last five minutes of a Perry Mason episode.
Take another similar situation. If i owned a car I might have a bumpersticker saying, "If you drive an SUV, you're funding Osama" (to stick with the Bill Maher theme). Insulting. Unacceptable or educational?