Re: Jackass,Viacom&CBS

[Sptseditor@aol.com]

In a message dated Fri, 1 Jun 2001  3:36:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time, "Joseph Pappalardo" <joepappalardo2001@yahoo.com> writes:

<< Well, when you show a TV movie on Thursday night that shows a bunch of kids
lighting a homeless guy on fire...and then on Friday some kids light a
homeless guy on fire...then there's something going on that needs to be
discussed, (not dismissed) as easily as you seem to. >>

Lemme throw my flame suit on before I respond.

I don't think Dan was dismissing the issue. The point I think he was trying to make is that parents/guardians/other half-intelligent influences on youth should be able to reinforce to them that a.) a lot of people on TV really are jackasses and b.) it's not wise to play Follow the Leader, especially when watching a show such as this or some of the foolish things they do on Road Rules, etc. (I must admit I haven't watched Jackass, so I don't know the exact content on the show, but I can imagine...)

Not to get on a soapbox, but lots of children nowadays are taught that nothing they do is their responsibility. It's either the teacher's fault for giving them too much homework, the coach's fault for having high expectations, etc. Such is hogwash. I don't buy the argument that homes where parents are both working can't have parental supervision -- my parents both worked, yet one of them was always there to keep an eye out on me. These shows aren't airing at 4 p.m. in the afternoon when the latchkey kids are home; they're airing at 9 or 10 p.m., when parents should be home checking out their kids' behavior in the first place.

-Sean