JON STEWART: T.L.C. SHOW "ALL AMERICAN MUSLIM" CANCELLED FOR NOT BEING STEREOTYPICAL ENOUGH?
HUFFINGTON POST, December 14, 2011 -- On Tuesday night's "Daily Show," Jon Stewart took a break from his Indecision 2012 coverage to come to the defense of one of TLC's most controversial new shows, "All-American Muslim." The controversy? That a reality show depicting banal, everyday Muslim life in America isn't stereotypical enough for some, yet is also somehow too scandalous for advertisers.
Bravely referring to TLC as "The Learning Channel," Stewart first commented on how boring the show actually is ("It just shows Muslims living their lives like the rest of us f***ing idiots"). He then moved on to David Caton of the Florida Family Association's argument that the show is actually dangerous because it doesn't depict its stars as radical Muslim Jihadists. He also claimed that it goes against his group's "belief structure." Stewart was floored:
"This show is harmful, education-wise, to your belief structure," Stewart said in disbelief. "Is that not the purpose of education [...] to replace your belief structure with facts?"
To further drive the point home, Stewart offered a comparison to the show "Little People, Big World," asking why the FFA doesn't challenge that show for not portraying its stars as Oompa Loompas.
And the backlash to "All-American Muslim" doesn't stop with the FFA. Lowes and other companies have pulled advertising, which Stewart also has a hard time understanding when they have no problem running ads during "Toddlers & Tiaras."
Bravely referring to TLC as "The Learning Channel," Stewart first commented on how boring the show actually is ("It just shows Muslims living their lives like the rest of us f***ing idiots"). He then moved on to David Caton of the Florida Family Association's argument that the show is actually dangerous because it doesn't depict its stars as radical Muslim Jihadists. He also claimed that it goes against his group's "belief structure." Stewart was floored:
"This show is harmful, education-wise, to your belief structure," Stewart said in disbelief. "Is that not the purpose of education [...] to replace your belief structure with facts?"
To further drive the point home, Stewart offered a comparison to the show "Little People, Big World," asking why the FFA doesn't challenge that show for not portraying its stars as Oompa Loompas.
And the backlash to "All-American Muslim" doesn't stop with the FFA. Lowes and other companies have pulled advertising, which Stewart also has a hard time understanding when they have no problem running ads during "Toddlers & Tiaras."
I watched the show since the first time it aired...I don't think the show should have been cancelled...after all it was a show that refuted the myth that Islam is a hate-based religion. Islam is a religion of peace and love.
Also I read in the USA today newspaper that Lowes and Home Depot were forced to pull its ads from the show amid charges the companies were giving in to "bigotry"? I absolutely agree that Lowes, Home Depot, etc. has the right to advertise with whomever it chooses, why in the hell does ANYONE need a politician to tell them where they spend their advertising dollars???