Syrupy singer Barry Manilow canceled a scheduled appearance on ABC's "The View" after ABC refused his request not to be interviewed by co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck (he dislikes her conservative politics). "Unfortunately, the show was not willing to accommodate this simple request, so I bowed out," his statement said, adding "I strongly disagree with her views. I think she's dangerous and offensive. I will not be on the same stage as her... I cannot compromise my beliefs."
Now, just imagine the outcry if a conservative entertainer canceled because the network refused his "simple request" to push aside a liberal interviewer? The cries that he was asking the network to discriminate on the basis of the interviewer's political beliefs would be heard throughout the land.
15 Comments for “Oh, Mandy!”
posted by Jordan on
Hah! Good stuff! Barry just won a few bonus points in my book!
posted by Brian Miller on
just imagine the outcry if a conservative entertainer canceled because the network refused his “simple request” to push aside a liberal interviewer
It would probably be as much disingenuous outrage as what you’re displaying here. In either event, who cares? I cannot imagine that Manilow has much of interest to say, and I know that Hasselbeck doesn’t.
posted by kittynboi on
What in the hell does this have to do with gay issues at all?
posted by Michigan-Matt on
kittynboi asks: “What in the hell does this have to do with gay issues at all?”
Gee, kitty, maybe it has something to do with a fading closeted liberal gay icon (Manilow) once again showing America a face of intolerance and gay political hegemony? While BrianMiller might not think Manilow has much to say… I’d think it safe to say that on any given day in all the elevators and bigbox stores in America, more people come in contact with BarryManilow’s work than ever voted for a Looney-tarian candidate. Heck, more people probably can identify Hasselbeck correctly than can recall the last Looney Prez nominee.
posted by Karen on
I always react with skepticism when someone asks me to “just imagine” the hypothetical (and of course, ridiculous) reaction of a group they don’t like to some hypothetical event.
Liberals may or may not have reacted more loudly than you did, were the situation reversed. That’s not important. If you want me, as a liberal, to shoulder responsibility for the imaginary reaction of liberals everywhere to an imaginary event, then by all means you ought to shoulder responsibility for the reaction of *conservatives* everywhere to this event. Ergo, if conservatives are not reacting loudly enough to this ‘travesty’ for you, they must, as a class, have misaligned moral compasses, yes?
posted by Bobby on
So Barry Manilow is a bigger pussy than I thought.
“oooh, conservatives are scary, I can’t be in the same room with them, they might be contagious.”
What an idiot. Please, somebody out this bastard. Maybe once he comes out of the closet he’ll grow some balls.
posted by Marc on
Manilow’s reaction had more to do Hasselbeck’s comments to ROsie O’Donnell, who is a long-time friend. Manilow is free to pick whomever he feels the most comfortable talking to (and certainly conservatives do the same thing by chosing FOX over CNN, etc.), but surely he had to know that the format of the show is designed to get conflicting opinions. He is just hawking an album, anyway; appearing doesn’t mean he is supporting one “view” over another. ANd because he is still in the closet after 60 some years, it is rather disingenious for him to carp at someone else’s openness about their opinions.
posted by ColoradoPatriot on
So Bobby is opposed to outing unless it is Barry Manilow? That is an odd position to take…
posted by North Dallas Thirty on
One, Barry Manilow’s sexual orientation, whatever it may be, is irrelevant to the discussion.
Two, from a philosophical standpoint, he is free to offer his request, ABC is free to accomodate it, and he is free to withdraw his request if he doesn’t like the accomodation. Welcome to an open capitalist society.
Three, you’re talking about an artist I don’t listen to and whose expression of his views I don’t care about refusing to appear on a show I don’t watch.
This is not a recipe for outrage or action on my part.
posted by Bobby on
“So Bobby is opposed to outing unless it is Barry Manilow? That is an odd position to take…”
If you’ve read many of my posts on this site you’ll see I’m a consistent supporter of outing, for democrats, republicans. My philosophy has always been that since heterosexuals don’t get to fool around and stay in the closet, neither should gays. If you know someone is gay, and that person is a celebrity, it’s your responsability to out them.
“conservatives do the same thing by chosing FOX over CNN,”
—That’s because Fox treats them fairly instead of attacking them. They don’t do the crap they did to Ann Coulter when she appeared on MSNBC. However, most conservatives will go on liberal programs because getting their point of view accross is more important than being comfortable.
Manilow is a coward, I was on a conservative radio show where the host kept saying “you like to play with men’s penises” while being nice to the liberal lesbian that was there. I guess having a vagina gives you special treatment from homophobic straight men.
Anyway, I stand by my comments. Hasselback is a decent girl with controversial opinions. For Manilow to be afraid of her is disgusting, it shows the tunnel vision liberals tend to have. They’re so used to not being contradicted that God forbid if anyone doesn’t agree with them.
posted by Jordan on
“That’s because Fox treats them fairly instead of attacking them.”
The fact that you can even say this with a straight face instantly destroys any credibility you have, have had, or ever will have. You’re either a complete lunatic, or a bold-faced liar.
posted by ColoradoPatriot on
I’m sorry for misrepresenting your stance on outing Bobby. I might not agree with you on most things, but I am sympathetic to your stance here.
posted by Bobby on
No problem, ColoradoPatriot. At least you don’t disagree for the sake of disagreeing, I respect that.
“The fact that you can even say this with a straight face instantly destroys any credibility you have, have had, or ever will have. You’re either a complete lunatic, or a bold-faced liar.”
—Jordan, do you ONLY watch CNN and MSNBC? Do you ONLY read websites that hate Fox and republicans? Who are you calling a lunatic?
The fact is that I’ve seen conservatives being attacked many, many times in the mainstream media. Bernie Goldberg is a great example, he’s a moderate, but after writing his book Bias, most mainstream media channels would not interview him, and when they did, it was 2 far-leftwingers against Goldberg.
Bill Maher uses the same format, it’s never 2 republicans and one liberal, but 2 liberals or 3 liberals and one republican, and sometimes no republicans.
Maybe YOU should stop hanging out at far left sites and get the real truth of what’s going on.
posted by Jorda on
“Maybe YOU should stop hanging out at far left sites and get the real truth of what’s going on.” I was going to respond, and then I got to this and just decided it’s not even worth it. I believe you’re what they call a “wing-nut.” No use in even arguing, because you don’t have a clue what’s real and what’s not.
posted by ETJB on
(1) I never heard that Barry might be gay, and I am not sure I really care too much. I really thing that we caring waay too much what celebrities and what shows they chose to appear or not appear on.
(2) How many Independents or third political party politicans or people get on the major networks? How many openly gay people are in the mass media news (not entertainment) business?
How many people of color? or disabled?
I suspect their exclusion is a tad bit more evil, then an entertainer appearing (or not) on a vanity show, or the fact that both Democrats and Republicans have their own media realms.