February 1, 2014

"You know, Republicans are getting a lot of flack these days, as they should, for waging a war on women. But what's the excuse for the country's most progressive mayor?"

"How can this strain of puritanism endure in the same city that pioneered the kinky hollowed parade? It was bad enough with New York City went all Rick Santorum on Eliot Spitzer to begin with. He's only the guy who arguably did more to reform Wall Street than any other American. Yeah, his libido got the best of him and he paid dearly for it. A brilliant man was reduced to a punchline and banished from public life. But now, anybody he touches has to go?"

Said Bill Maher on his show last night, criticizing Bill de Blasio, "a man so liberal he married a black lesbian," for rejecting a woman seemingly because she was dating Eliot Spitzer — "Lis Smith who ran Mayor Bill de Blasio's communications department in last year's campaign was all set to take over the job that she earned as his top spokesman." How do you "earn" a job as someone else's spokesperson? De Blasio gets to pick the person who speaks for him. If he didn't want to get any Spitzer on him, he's entitled.

Maher cries "slut-shaming from the left" and illegal sex discrimination. Sex discrimination is treating individuals differently based on what sex they are, not treating them differently because of their involvement in sexual activities. Would de Blasio have treated a male slut differently from a female slut? In any case, he's picking his own spokesperson, and I guess he didn't want this complication of his message.

Video at the link — to Real Clear Politics — which is responsible for the ludicrous transcription (which I left intact, above) "kinky hollowed parade." Maher said "kinky Halloween parade," referring to the Halloween parade that's been a tradition in Greenwich Village since the mid-70s and which is more of a theatrical affair than "kinky" (making me wonder what Maher's stream-of-consciousness is all about (Village... gay... kinky?)). Yes, there are some genitalia costumes, but what's kinky about nude body parts?

I'm asking because Maher is attacking the prudes of America. Which makes me want to say: It takes one to know one.

41 comments:

chuck said...

ZZZ... NYC and its politics is boring, it's just another enclave in the republic of crazy that is California and NY. Might take another look a couple of years down the road just to see which rats survived the cage fight, but I have no desire to be a spectator.

Sam L. said...

Maher is someone whose judgment I question.

kimsch said...

It amuses me how some people think that they're entitled to some position (or other people think a certain person is - like Maher above).

Like somehow Hillary is entitled to get the nomination or be president because, like, it's her turn.

It's not her turn. It's never anybody's turn.

Bruce Hayden said...

I think of more worry is the lawsuit that basically is requiring that NYC's stop and frisk strategy be subject to disparate impact, and the race of the subjects stopped be proportional to that race in the city, despite Blacks apparently being involved in a large majority of violent crimes in NYC. The mayor apparently decided not to appeal the lower court decision, letting it stand. The result is likely to take the city back to the situation it faced before Guliani won the mayor race two decades ago. Before that, I was shocked having a good friend of my ex wife tell me that she was routinely mugged about once a year in Manhattan. Most people go through life never getting mugged. It was a level of crime that most of us would not tolerate, and, yet, the new mayor is essentially repealing the program that made the city one of the safer cities.

Bruce Hayden said...

BTW - much of the information for my previous rant came from: Re-breaking the Windows.

CatherineM said...

The only thing I give Maher credit for is for seeing radical Islam for what it is and denying the kooks on his show that Christianity today is more dangerous than radical Islam. The relativism is

Valerie Plame thinks there are Christian Dominionists who are in danger to take over the USA? (Why do people still put her on anything? ) When he's the sane one in the room.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLsxnMmhec4

Scott said...

Has De Blasio's wife declared herself to be a lesbian? If not, she should sue Maher for libel.

Progressives engage in this kind of shitty ad hominem othering all the time.

Chuck said...

Scott said...
"Has De Blasio's wife declared herself to be a lesbian? If not, she should sue Maher for libel.
"Progressives engage in this kind of shitty ad hominem othering all the time."

Scott, the fact that De Blasio's wife was once an out lesbian writer is one of the worst-reported stories in America. Because it throws such a wrench into the mainstream media's campaign to normalize homosexuality.

http://politicker.com/2013/05/bill-de-blasios-wife-opens-up-in-essence-again/

Trashhauler said...

"she should sue Maher for libel"

Why? It's not like he called her a Republican or something.

cubanbob said...

If I was a woman and a taxpayer I would be more upset about the Democrat's War On Taxpayers than the so-called War On Woman.

David said...

A brilliant man was reduced to a punchline and banished from public life. But now, anybody he touches has to go?

Yeah, for an immediate medical screening.

bbkingfish said...

"I'm asking because Maher is attacking the prudes of America."

As I read Maher's schtick, he is not attacking the "prudes of America." Rather, he is chiding "the most progressive mayor in America."

This does not even rise to the level of chum. More like trash, unlikely to attract any but the most enfeebled fish, near death, and starving.

David said...

That particular slut went to my college. Quite a feminist there, was she.

James said...

I dunno...seems to me that Lis Smith should be the one who shouldn't want any Spitzer on or in her.

Bill R said...

Re: " If he didn't want to get any Spitzer on him, he's entitled. "

Most excellent, Professor Althouse.

Rob said...

Maher is not only a prude, he's a racist. He happily tells racist jokes, but he prefaces them by saying, "I'm sure the right-wingers are thinking . . . ." Thereby not only getting to purvey racist humor but tarring others in the process.

William said...

DeBlasio's wife was an out and militant lesbian. He claimed that was part of her attraction. I know that there are some women who are attracted to gay men, but who knew that there were men like that? It seems weirdly perverse.

Revenant said...

After reading Maher's little rant, my only thought is... "and this is why you shouldn't rely on comedians for your political analysis".

Anonymous said...

"he married a black lesbian"
Double pc, what is not to like?

If he did really marry a lesbian, then he may be hiding in a closet. Is there another couple living with them in Gracie Mansion? Enquiring minds want to know.

jr565 said...

"DeBlasio's wife was an out and militant lesbian. He claimed that was part of her attraction. I know that there are some women who are attracted to gay men, but who knew that there were men like that? It seems weirdly perverse"


Deblasio is SUCH a man of the left, that I would almost be more surprised if his wife were straight.

traditionalguy said...

Leftists live by the messages of envy and resentment they send, and DeBlasio senses a better talker leftist as his competition. So she was sleeping with his enemy.

rcocean said...

Gay/Lesbian marriages used to be common, giving cover to both partners. Maybe DeBlasio is a little retro when it comes to sex.

SGT Ted said...

Liz Smith is entitled to the job. Because she has a Vagina and she is a victim of a philandering man.

Hey, it worked for Hillary Clinton!

Anonymous said...

Did he really say "flack," that is, people are getting a lot of public relations agent? Or is that a mistransliteration of "flak," that is, antiaircraft fire, commonly used as a metaphor for criticism?

SGT Ted said...

I know that there are some women who are attracted to gay men, but who knew that there were men like that?

I've often been attracted to lesbians. I had a lesbian couple as room mates and I wanted them both, even at the same time.

Maybe I'm a lesbian trapped in a mans body.

Which leads to the truly important questions that are required to be asked in a society that values equality and tolerance.

Is there a separate restroom for people like me? If there isn't, I'll just have to assume its because you all are haters and are keeping me down.

SGT Ted said...

Deblasio is SUCH a man of the left, that I would almost be more surprised if his wife were straight.

That's a good one.

Titus said...

hate deblasio and maher.

Fen said...

Rob: Maher is not only a prude, he's a racist. He happily tells racist jokes, but he prefaces them by saying, "I'm sure the right-wingers are thinking . . . ." Thereby not only getting to purvey racist humor but tarring others in the process.

^^^This

Renee said...

Adultery isn't just about sex, it is also about integrity.

People don't like cheaters and liars in our personal relationships.

Tom said...

On what effing planet is there a war on women? It. Does. Not. Exist.

gk1 said...

Funny using Maher as the arbiter of who is making a "war on women" He's had a few sexual harassment suits thrown his way, and settled out of court. Why does anyone take him seriously?

tds said...

"Has De Blasio's wife declared herself to be a lesbian? If not, she should sue Maher for libel."

to sue she would have to claim that there's sth wrong with lesbians. otherwise where's damage to reputation?

buwaya said...

Spitzer colluded with the corrupt gang that ran the 2000's derivatives scam. He didn't clean up Wall Street, he helped clear away its institutional restraints, in their service. Such as for instance getting rid of Maurice Greenberg, my old chief at AIG. The crew that he helped depose Greenberg was responsible for the derivatives racket at their London office.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Hard to fault DeBlasio for not wanting to be tainted by any association with Spitzer. Spitzer was one of the sleaziest creeps to ever walk the political stage. Having him and Weiner running in the same election cycle was a black eye for the city. Fortunately the voters responded appropriately.

Now if the public would only take a pass on Woody Allen's movies justice would be fully served.

FullMoon said...

Wait a dang minute here, did DeBlasio cure a lesbian of her birth defect?

David said...

That Ellen Degeneres is cute. And smart. And funny. I'd have dated her. Who knows where it would have gone. Oh Ellen, what could have been.

Quaestor said...

ARM (a retrograde mentality) wrote:
Now if the public would only take a pass on Woody Allen's movies justice would be fully served.

In attempting to hijack the thread ARM reveals his perverted concept of justice: accusation = guilt + punishment. Get your mind out of the 17th century gutter, ARM.

Kirk Parker said...

It says all I need to know about Maher that he thinks Wall Street was a better place after Spitzer's depredations.

Jonathan Card said...

She's been dating Spitzer for a while. She was fired for having sex with him in a public hotel hot tub while kids watched. Details, details, Mr. Maher.

furious_a said...

It's the "Republican War on Women", but it's the Democrats like Bob Filner piling up the body count.

Rick67 said...

Republican "war on women"? Rubbish. Maher's a cheap hack.