These are just random thoughts that occur to me while I watch the conversation unfold.
1. What is this conversation about? How many things is this conversation about?
1a. Read the GQ piece. Genius piece of marketing on their part. Their web metrics must be off the charts. Talk about predicting an earthquake on the fault line of the culture war.
2. There is no focus on GQ for publishing the offensive remarks. The focus is now on A&E for the suspension. What is the reason for the suspension?
2a. “We don’t want a bigot on the air.” even though he hadn’t expressed his bigotry on the air nor would it likely have made it past editing. So is this about not airing bigotry? What then about GQ? So you can report on it but you can’t portray it on a reality show? Fascinating.
2b. A&E doesn’t want to be associated with him for an indefinite period, but they sure won’t pull all the past episodes off the air. So what is the suspension about?
2c. Andrew Sullivan at The Dish has the best comment on this:
I have to say I’m befuddled by the firing of Phil Robertson, he of the amazing paterfamilias beard on Duck Dynasty (which I mainly see via The Soup). A&E has a reality show that depends on the hoariest stereotypes – and yet features hilariously captivating human beings – located in the deep South. It’s a show riddled with humor and charm and redneck silliness. The point of it, so far as I can tell, is a kind of celebration of a culture where duck hunting is the primary religion, but where fundamentalist Christianity is also completely pervasive. (Too pervasive for the producers, apparently, because they edited out the saying of grace to make it non-denominational and actually edited in fake beeps to make it seem like the bearded clan swore a lot, even though they don’t.)
3. Phil Robertson of course knew what he was doing. How could you not. He isn’t an idiot.
3a. This takes who by surprise if you watch the show at all?
3b. There are layers to this family that are being played in this episode. They play a role on “reality” TV, but they play roles. These are not stupid people. There’s plenty of shtick about lots of layers in the show. They are a parody of themselves often.
3c. This is the REAL reality show happening now.
4. There’s a self-awareness that the role of media in the cultural moral system is to implicitly set the standards.
4a. The “voice” of “Duck Dynasty” was a way of soothing and luring the alienated right into the fold. Phil just blew it up. A&E can’t tolerate it.
4b. The Robertsons with their wealth, success, quirkiness, “values” etc. create in image of “shalom” viewers can aspire towards. Phil now poisoned the image so he must be dismissed quietly, like pregnant Mary. This is the implicit religiosity of all media. It is a perfected (edited) image into which you project your life or have it shape your identity. Media grooms us towards the images we think will heal and satisfy us. Why is Duck Dynasty so popular in the first place, because it did this so well.
4c. Note this Huffpo commentary on what TV does.
Regardless of whether this turns out to be a good decision, it’s important to note that the media’s role in society is to both reflect and lead culture. It’s always a picture both of who we are and who we are becoming, and that tension can be incredibly difficult, particularly on thorny issues.
Notice the future orientation. She didn’t say “Where A&E THINK the culture is going…” If we are so certain we know the future, why are we so often surprised? 🙂
5. We say we want to have “a conversation” about sexuality and race.
5a. The message sent by this is “you’ll learn what reaction you’ll get for what message you send.” People will now keep their thoughts to themselves or lie, like they do with race. You can’t have a conversation if you don’t really create a space for someone to tell you how they really feel, no matter how you and everyone else feels about how they feel.
5b. The “table stakes” in said conversation is bowing to the shibboleths and making the condemning disclaimers (or approvals) so that already the table is spoiled.
6. I really hope none of them decide to run for political office.
7. History is full of these kinds of strange, unexpected things that either disappear or send things in another direction. No way to know which one this is.
8. Rod Dreher’s piece on 12/20 is quite striking and lovely.
Leadingchurch.com 
Off the Cuff Thoughts on the Robertson Flap
These are just random thoughts that occur to me while I watch the conversation unfold.
1. What is this conversation about? How many things is this conversation about?
1a. Read the GQ piece. Genius piece of marketing on their part. Their web metrics must be off the charts. Talk about predicting an earthquake on the fault line of the culture war.
2. There is no focus on GQ for publishing the offensive remarks. The focus is now on A&E for the suspension. What is the reason for the suspension?
2a. “We don’t want a bigot on the air.” even though he hadn’t expressed his bigotry on the air nor would it likely have made it past editing. So is this about not airing bigotry? What then about GQ? So you can report on it but you can’t portray it on a reality show? Fascinating.
2b. A&E doesn’t want to be associated with him for an indefinite period, but they sure won’t pull all the past episodes off the air. So what is the suspension about?
2c. Andrew Sullivan at The Dish has the best comment on this:
3. Phil Robertson of course knew what he was doing. How could you not. He isn’t an idiot.
3a. This takes who by surprise if you watch the show at all?
3b. There are layers to this family that are being played in this episode. They play a role on “reality” TV, but they play roles. These are not stupid people. There’s plenty of shtick about lots of layers in the show. They are a parody of themselves often.
3c. This is the REAL reality show happening now.
4. There’s a self-awareness that the role of media in the cultural moral system is to implicitly set the standards.
4a. The “voice” of “Duck Dynasty” was a way of soothing and luring the alienated right into the fold. Phil just blew it up. A&E can’t tolerate it.
4b. The Robertsons with their wealth, success, quirkiness, “values” etc. create in image of “shalom” viewers can aspire towards. Phil now poisoned the image so he must be dismissed quietly, like pregnant Mary. This is the implicit religiosity of all media. It is a perfected (edited) image into which you project your life or have it shape your identity. Media grooms us towards the images we think will heal and satisfy us. Why is Duck Dynasty so popular in the first place, because it did this so well.
4c. Note this Huffpo commentary on what TV does.
Notice the future orientation. She didn’t say “Where A&E THINK the culture is going…” If we are so certain we know the future, why are we so often surprised? 🙂
5. We say we want to have “a conversation” about sexuality and race.
5a. The message sent by this is “you’ll learn what reaction you’ll get for what message you send.” People will now keep their thoughts to themselves or lie, like they do with race. You can’t have a conversation if you don’t really create a space for someone to tell you how they really feel, no matter how you and everyone else feels about how they feel.
5b. The “table stakes” in said conversation is bowing to the shibboleths and making the condemning disclaimers (or approvals) so that already the table is spoiled.
6. I really hope none of them decide to run for political office.
7. History is full of these kinds of strange, unexpected things that either disappear or send things in another direction. No way to know which one this is.
8. Rod Dreher’s piece on 12/20 is quite striking and lovely.
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Husband, Father of 5, Pastor