१८ ऑगस्ट, २०१०

The Emily's List "Mama Grizzlies" ad — is it funny/good/accurate?



Ace hates it, but Ace is not in the category of people/bears the ad is trying to win over. I thought the ad was charming and well done. Ace does a "Top 10" list of problems the ad, and the #1 thing wrong with the ad is: "Wicket just emailed me to say only one was worth 'nutting on.'" Nutting on, i.e., ejaculating on. Yeah? That's how you criticize women? They aren't good enough for you to ejaculate on? Despicable.

ADDED: Ace participates in the comments and is very gracious about it:
I can't say the Wicket joke was *funny.* It was obligatory, and it had a funny set of elements behind it, but in the end it was... not a good joke. Best I could do. (I had to do the whole list in 10 minutes ....)

So I concede it wasn't a strong joke....

But despicable?

At some point I think the objection here is something that can't even be expressed without sounding lunatic -- the idea that men cannot take notice of women as sexually desirable, at least not publicly, even as a joke, even as an *Ewok* commenting upon another *Ewok's* sexual desirability.

And because that idea is so transparently absurd as to dissolve upon first contact with sunlight, it's hidden within the conclusory word "despicable."
Lots of commenters seemed to think I didn't get the Ewok joke, but did they get my Daffy Duck joke? I'm kidding, but really: Guys, when women don't get you and your explanation has "Star Wars" in it, you probably should think again about making wisecracks about women not being sexy enough.

१४३ टिप्पण्या:

AlphaLiberal म्हणाले...

I will look at it and render my ever-so-valued opinion.

Meanwhile, here is another Republican video, this time "Republican Women vs Democrat(ic) Women."

Hint: They say Republican women are way hotter (and they include Pain and her makeup). Seem to be a lot of doctored photos, too.

Audio for the R women: "She's a woman"
Audio for the D Woman: "Who Let the Dogs Out."

I'm linking via Digby, as she rocks.

Phil 314 म्हणाले...

Preaching to the choir. Note the end; urging core democrats/liberals to vote. Will that ad motivate liberal women to vote?

Since I'm neither I can't say but I'm dubious.

John म्हणाले...

The Emily's list ad will resonate with a certain breed of self entitled rich white women. In other words it will preach to the choir.

knox म्हणाले...

It's way too long. After 30 seconds, you get the idea.

I suppose it's effective, because it's anti-Palin. The people who are rabidly anti-Palin can't get enough of stuff like this.

WV: palid Exactly!

GMay म्हणाले...

My sarcasm meter must be broken. Was this post supposed to be sarcastic Professor?

Do you know who Wicket is?

Ann Althouse म्हणाले...

"Do you know who Wicket is?"

No, but I can't think of any answer that will walk me back from my "despicable" opinion. Spewing offensive opinions through another character isn't going enough here.

अनामित म्हणाले...

Just creepy.

AlphaLiberal म्हणाले...

It's cute and funny! I didn't see it was Emily's List (mostly D) at first.

First I have heard of this "nutting on." Hmmm, is that he best the younger generation can do? Really?

GMay म्हणाले...

Wow, so it wasn't sarcasm.

Your outrage over what is a reference to an Ewok (the furry little creatures from Return of the Jedi that basically look like little teddy bears) is what makes this even funnier.

The Ewok theme is a long running meme over at Ace.

Oh the humanity of fictional teddy bear ejaculation!

अनामित म्हणाले...

Well...Ace already went too far with point number 8.

One does not mention yiffing in polite company.

He also blew it from a Letterman Top 10 perspective. The funniest/crudest line has to come in at #3. By the time #1 rolls around the audience is clapping and they are going to commercial.

Jim म्हणाले...

Professing to be shocked at Ace making an obvious joke about the "Mama-Grizzly wannabes" ACTUALLY LOOKING LIKE EWOKS INSTEAD is really beneath your usual standards.

I have to say that I'm puzzled about the OUTRAGE!!!! here since I KNOW that you're fully aware that Ace has never pretended to be anything other than "over the top."

Slamming him for his lack of political correctness is like slamming IHOP for serving pancakes.

What's your point?

El Presidente म्हणाले...

I hate it when people use a fictional character to voice offensive opinions.

Jim म्हणाले...

One does not mention yiffing in polite company.

If you're talking about "polite company," then obviously you've never spent any time at Ace's place.

GMay म्हणाले...

I'm still laughing about this. Someone's wound just a wee bit tight on women's issues.

X म्हणाले...

It was a play on the "I'd hit it" meme and the lefty women are less attractive meme. It certainly wasn't meant seriously, and you are playing right into the "that's not funny" meme.

ricpic म्हणाले...

Wow, what strong proud women, every last one of them wedded to the state.

Wince म्हणाले...

I wonder why Emily's List chose to qualify the "therapists's" unemployment as only lasting three months?

Has Palin ever opposed base-period state unemployment benefits?

I'm not sure of Palin's stance, but it sure conveys the impression that Emily's List itself is hard-pressed to defend multi-year federal extensions of unemployment payments.

Jim म्हणाले...

Sorry,

But although the women in the ad are super-self-serious, how is ANYONE supposed to take anything they're saying seriously?

The only POSSIBLE response to this is complete mockery. If you've resorted to dressing up like an Ewok to make a SUPER-SERIOUS (!!!) political point, then you've already excused yourself from the conversation.

Let's talk about what kind of idiot thought:

a) that these costumes looked ANYTHING like grizzlies rather than Ewoks
b) that people seeing this would actually LISTEN to what they were saying while they were wearing such ridiculous costumes, and
c) that this would make them look GOOD compared to Palin?

THAT is the better topic for this conversation: the mindset of the people who put it together in the first place.

I'm thinking that commenters here could come up with a GREAT "Top 10"
on that....

chickelit म्हणाले...

Laughing at the notion of Althouse being offended by a "not funny" Ace of Spades" after she posted this: linkage.

Lincolntf म्हणाले...

This is an instant classic. The "roaring" segment alone is worth listening to the stupid patter.
Just when I think those wacky Womyns can't beclown themselves any further, they go and do something like this.

Jim म्हणाले...

EDH -

Has Palin ever opposed base-period state unemployment benefits?

The WHOLE video is Ewoks attacking strawmen:

1) Palin has never opposed abortion except on a PURELY personal level. Her stated position is that she would leave it up to states to decide.
2) Palin's not opposed to "health care." She's opposed to "ObamaCare." Being opposed to big government solutions is NOT the same as being against doctors.
3) Palin has NEVER said she opposed unemployment benefits. For that matter NO Republican has as far as I know. They just asked THAT THEY BE PAID FOR. An alien concept to the Democrats in charge, I know.
4) Palin, AFAIK, has never opposed federal funding for schools. I do. I think it's purely a local matter to be controlled and PAID FOR by locals. But I don't think Palin has EVER come out against it.
5) Palin has NEVER said that people can't "hibernate" with whoever they choose. In fact, I believe she supports civil unions. You know, kind of like, THE PRESIDENT.

So they missed on EVERY SINGLE POINT.

Really, they should have stuck to attacking the Imperial stormtroopers. They did a much better job there.

X म्हणाले...

it was also self depracating in the "me and my commenters are shallow horndog morons" sense.

you do know that ace doesn't actually hunt, kill, and eat hobos don't you?

Ann Althouse म्हणाले...

"Laughing at the notion of Althouse being offended..."

I'm not offended by sexual "dirty" things. I'm offended by judging women by their looks at the level of talking about ejaculating on them.

Dark Eden म्हणाले...

So despondent Palin despising uberfeminists are supposed to watch this add, and get fired up to vote in Nov right? Can any despondent Palin despising uberfeminists comment on the firing up quality of this ewok video?

Jim म्हणाले...

you do know that ace doesn't actually hunt, kill, and eat hobos don't you?

WHAT?!!??

Say it ain't so!

I'm so disillusioned that he was just saying that BECAUSE IT'S FUNNY, not out of deeply held personal conviction.

My whole world is caving in on me...next thing you know somebody will tell me that Obama really ISN'T going to pay my mortgage and make my car payment....

::sobs uncontrollably::

अनामित म्हणाले...

Abortion.

That's it.

The bedrock issue of the Democratic Party is abortion on demand without restrictions.

The rights of men to their children and the rights of children to live are irrelevant.

And this is a great moral stance?

GMay म्हणाले...

The Professor's outrageous outrage aside, this video leaves me with a number of questions. A few of which are:

After hearing a number of women say "Sarah Palin doesn't speak for me", what is it like to look for people who speak for you based on your genitalia/sexual preference/skin color?

What drives liberals so absolutely crazy about Sarah Palin? I mean, here we have video evidence of the fact.

Why do groups that aren't expressly conservative, always drift to the left? Or was Emily's list always hopelessly liberal?

William म्हणाले...

I have never looked to political ads for sexual stimulation. That said, I wonder why any woman would take such trouble and effort to appear unattractive. It seems very perverse. Perhaps there's some subliminal message I'm missing.

Jim म्हणाले...

I'm offended by judging women by their looks at the level of talking about ejaculating on them.

I hope that Wicket is on notice that this sort of behavior will NOT be tolerated. Especially when we're not even talking about REAL Ewoks but women who only play them on the internet.

I am duly offended on behalf of all female Ewoks everywhere that Wicket has displayed his obvious misogyny in such a vulgar manner. He will be henceforth ordered to attend Ewok Awareness Workshops and be paid at half the wage of other Ewoks so that he can gain a better understanding of how female Ewoks are made to suffer at the hands of the Ewok patriarchy.

Let this be a lesson to any other Ewoks who would consider publicizing their own prurient fantasies about pretend-Ewoks.

Let's make this a teachable moment.

Beer, anyone?

MadisonMan म्हणाले...

Knox, I agree. Way too long.

chickelit म्हणाले...

Althouse wrote: I'm not offended by sexual 'dirty' things. I'm offended by judging women by their looks at the level of talking about ejaculating on them.

Good on you. Personally I prefer to see beyond all the scatological/pornographic scribblings and their enablers and focus on the issues.

Jim at 9:44 AM did a pretty good job of this.

GMay म्हणाले...

AA said: "I'm offended by judging women by their looks at the level of talking about ejaculating on them."

I'm offended by people who are only offended by their pet issues.

rhhardin म्हणाले...

But they're not mama grizzlies.

Grizzlies are into violence.

They're not liberals.

Dave C म्हणाले...

The video self parodies itself..

Anyway.. The Wicket [An Ewok from Return of the Jedi movie] joke was funny.

What the hell do you expect from women dressing as Ewoks?

rhhardin म्हणाले...

I think criticism of looks is fair; social life depends on looks, otherwise why all that feminine fashion; and they're trading on it.

The counter-move is to ask for some better looking women.

Wince म्हणाले...

Nutting on, i.e., ejaculating on. That's how you criticize women? They aren't good enough for you to ejaculate on? Despicable.

Now, maybe you think my mom's "nuts." You're entitled to your opinion. I don't think she's nuts.

I, for one, think Althouse is "nut-worthy."

;)

Scott M म्हणाले...

When liberal women start becoming offended by things like, oh, I don't, genital mutilation, I'll start taking them seriously.

alan markus म्हणाले...

"That's how you criticize women?"

And this is how to praise a President (Clinton):
Sex For A Cause

Former Time contributor and White House correspondent Nina Burleigh:

"I would be happy to give him a blowjob just to thank him for keeping abortion legal. I think American women should be lining up with their presidential kneepads on to show their gratitude for keeping the theocracy off our backs."

Jim म्हणाले...

alan -

And this is how to praise a President (Clinton):

And let's not forget how Obama's election was supposed to deliver a baby boom.

Because, according to Newsweek, Obama was supposedly going to create an ACTUAL nationwide liberal orgy.

But we can't have the non-approved proles talking about ejaculation. That would be....OFFENSIVE.

Leland म्हणाले...

Wow, a bunch of women dress up like bears. Bears! Because why? Because they can't make a point dressed like everyday women. But let's not ridicule women incapable of making a point without being a women. Let's instead hold our disdain for a man that mocks the women for dressing like bears.

wv: gotshi No, I'm afraid I don't gotshi.

J म्हणाले...

What's scary is there are actually people who think a commercial with a bunch of lawyers and public sector parasites whining about shrinking the government is going to help their candidate.

Clyde म्हणाले...

Somehow, I don't think any of those "grizzlies" has a Brazilian...

pm317 म्हणाले...

Yeah? That's how you criticize women?

To the right, a liberal woman is not a good enough woman; to the left a right wing woman is not a feminist enough woman; if you are a Hillary, you are not a woman at all to you or them.

Pastafarian म्हणाले...

Wow. What the hell.

Althouse can appreciate the shit-humor of Titus (shit referring as much to its quality as its content), but not a reference to a male ewok acting boorishly with respect to a female ewok.

Ace of Spades, and this blog, are the two internet stops that I make daily. When Ace is on a roll, he's the funniest writer on the internet; and he has several good co-bloggers who provide commentary on just about every important topic that comes down the pike.

Now, he does specialize in off-color humor, and portrays himself as a misogynistic murderous drunkard, but it's a play on how conservatives are seen by the left. I doubt that he actually murders hobos or drinks Val-U-Rite vodka.

Consider number five from his list:

"5. Ad unlikely to resonate with mothers worried about paying rent and putting food on the table during near-depression when it asserts that what's most important to your average married woman with children in dire financial straits is right of gay dudes to get hitched"

And number 2:

"2. Ad about female empowerment and advancement seems a little too fixated on make-up and funky hats"

That's how he criticizes women. The "nutting" part was a joke.

A joke. About ewoks nutting on each other. Jesus, lighten up. I really hate the idea of my two favorite bloggers despising each other. Ace has actually complemented you on his blog -- he referred to Althouse, IIRC, as an 'ally in the war against stupidity'.

Unknown म्हणाले...

A new definition of the word lame.

More to the point, a cutesy variation of the Not In Our Name rallies protesting the campaign in Mespotamia.

The Lefties really need some new writers.

Sharc 65 म्हणाले...

I don't know, Professor -- I think the identity of "Wicket" turned out to be pretty important to whether Ace's comment is funny or not. So as I now understand it, "Wicket" is a fictional Ewok from the Star Wars movies. Ace says Wicket finds the self-serious video women -- who inadvertently dressed up as Ewoks rather than grizzlies -- are (with one exception) unworthy even of defiling through a show of despicable and fictional Ewok machismo. The joke is that they not only missed the mark as convincing grizzlies, but that even for Ewoks they are off-putting. Sure it's off-color (though not nearly as offensive as the Titus days you condoned to the alienation of some readers, which seem blessedly over), but it's a little absurd to take it as seriously condoning the practice for human male-female interaction. I didn't get it at the beginning of this thread, but now I do. Ha.

Phil 314 म्हणाले...

Not to excuse but I wonder if Ace is unconsciously thinking of this

Pastafarian म्हणाले...

You know, as I think about it, I think Althouse simply made an error here.

She had to look up "nutting on" in the Urban Dictionary; but she had no idea who Wicket was. And she probably didn't look this up -- she just assumed it was some regular commenter at the site.

So she didn't realize that it was Wicket, an ewok, who said this in a fictitious email. See, that's what makes it funny -- that an ewok would say something so offensive.

And now Althouse can't admit her error, and she'll just dig in with the same formidable entrenching tools she used after voting for Obama and later realizing just what she'd voted for. That's a shame.

kalmia म्हणाले...
ही टिप्पणी लेखकाना हलविली आहे.
Sofa King म्हणाले...

Pasta -

She's a law professor. That's what they do.

Ace म्हणाले...

>>>He also blew it from a Letterman Top 10 perspective. The funniest/crudest line has to come in at #3. By the time #1 rolls around the audience is clapping and they are going to commercial.

But that's what I did! The Wicket line was lame so I put it at number one. The best joke on the list was the women smelling, under all that latex and fur, like "Brian Dennehy's taint's gym socks," which was at number 3 or number 2.

The Wicket line could have been a decent joke but I couldn't think of any funny thing for him to say and so I went with what I had, and what I had was lame, so I stuck it in at number one.

LordSomber म्हणाले...

Protestors, whether you get naked, dress as a furrie, or drag around giant puppets, talking down to your prospective audience like they're 5-year-olds (let alone acting like 5-year-olds yourselves) is not a very wise avenue of persuasion.

But then again, it's not about persuasion, is it?

What it is: A simple facilitation of exhibition-attention/psychosocial projections.

---

Female notions of ‘empowerment’ abound across the social spectrum. Unfortunately, many rely upon simplistic visual façades to project deeper conceits of need, worth, protest, ego, etc.
All of which are valid issues until adopted pretenses engender (no pun intended) diminishing returns, resulting in the propagation of conspicuous clichés which, in the end, reveal a larger truth:


Empowerment Assertions = Self-Marketing

Ace म्हणाले...

I can't say the Wicket joke was *funny.* It was obligatory, and it had a funny set of elements behind it, but in the end it was... not a good joke. Best I could do. (I had to do the whole list in 10 minutes for reasons I won't bore you with.)

So I concede it wasn't a strong joke. In fact, there were only two jokes I liked at all -- yub-yub and Brian Dennhey.

But despicable?

At some point I think the objection here is something that can't even be expressed without sounding lunatic -- the idea that men cannot take notice of women as sexually desirable, at least not publicly, even as a joke, even as an *Ewok* commenting upon another *Ewok's* sexual desirability.

And because that idea is so transparently absurd as to dissolve upon first contact with sunlight, it's hidden within the conclusory word "despicable."

Ace म्हणाले...

I can't say the Wicket joke was *funny.* It was obligatory, and it had a funny set of elements behind it, but in the end it was... not a good joke. Best I could do. (I had to do the whole list in 10 minutes for reasons I won't bore you with.)

So I concede it wasn't a strong joke. In fact, there were only two jokes I liked at all -- yub-yub and Brian Dennhey.

But despicable?

At some point I think the objection here is something that can't even be expressed without sounding lunatic -- the idea that men cannot take notice of women as sexually desirable, at least not publicly, even as a joke, even as an *Ewok* commenting upon another *Ewok's* sexual desirability.

And because that idea is so transparently absurd as to dissolve upon first contact with sunlight, it's hidden within the conclusory word "despicable."

Joe म्हणाले...

You've done it now, Althouse...you've pulled Ace into the "Vortex"...when Dan Riehl or Ed Morrissey show up, it will be the perfect storm.

WV: "notlari" mostly likely then, Moe or Curly.

kent म्हणाले...

At some point I think the objection here is something that can't even be expressed without sounding lunatic -- the idea that men cannot take notice of women as sexually desirable, at least not publicly, even as a joke, even as an *Ewok* commenting upon another *Ewok's* sexual desirability.


WIN.

Chip Ahoy म्हणाले...

The umbrage is with the term nut on? It's not a real 'on', it's a metaphoric 'on'. To feel better, substitute 'about'.

Incidentally, did you know the word 'at' is a troublesome preposition for Spanish speakers? One shoots a gun, throws a stone 'to' something. The idea of 'at' is a bit tricky to pick up.

This concludes my pedantry for the moment.

Clyde म्हणाले...

Ace, I wouldn't screw any of them with Wicket's dick!

Dawnfire82 म्हणाले...

Oh lighten up. The Wicket comment was hilarious.

Unknown म्हणाले...

Althouse has never heard of the intentional fallacy.

Ace म्हणाले...

>>>she had no idea who Wicket was. And she probably didn't look this up -- she just assumed it was some regular commenter at the site.

That's what I think. But give me some credit; I don't just elevate someone's statement that they would only "nut on" one woman into a joke in a main post.

Also there was a hint that I wasn't really commenting on their sexual desirability at all: It was impossible. It was head-shots only (from what I saw; I saw only the first twenty seconds) and their faces were obscured by cheap, ugly BEAR SNOUT prosthetics. So no one could see their faces nor their bodies.

So like how could I even seriously evaluate their nut potential, even if I wanted to? They were wearing, for all intents and purposes, bear burkas.

Anyway, enough, I guess. I have defended the honor of my disposable Wicket the Ewok of the Moon of Endor joke.

I just think people are really keyed, trained, actually, honed, to find offense, because finding offense somehow is empowering.

The beginning of the post with snarky thoughtless semi-jokes about the appearance of liberal women generally is more offensive, if you want to find offense.

I mean, if you're hell-bent.

blake म्हणाले...

I thought the list was "meh" and (despite being a moviegique) and reading AOSHQ commentary pretty regularly, I also thought Wicket was a commenter.

It's obviously funnier if you get it.

Still "meh", but not bad for 10 minutes! And, hell, you said you were mostly listing actual gripes rather than jokes.

If you had a show like Jon Stewart's, the audience would have laughed through the whole thing, tho'.

Ace म्हणाले...

I did say the list was "so-so" and further that I couldn't even come up with ten jokes.

Apart from the Dennehy joke (which I'll use again), it was disposable.

Beto_Ochoa म्हणाले...

Since I may be the only commenter here who is From The Hood I will translate

"nutting on." means fornicating with
"nut" means to ejaculate or orgasm

William म्हणाले...

Those Ewoks got plenty of nutting. If women wish to dress up in outfits that Ewoks find lewd and suggestive, they should take responsibility for the feelings that they arouse. This is like a stripper complaining about men leering at her.

Laika म्हणाले...

Ace, I should probably post this over at your place, but I thought the Wicket thing was pretty funny. When I saw the video and your list of jokes, I wasn't looking for the Misogyny Inherent In The System.

I was unable to stop giggling as a lady with a glued-on brown nose solemnly declared, "I am an entertainment lawyer. But I'm also a Mama Grizzly".

Ms. Althouse, I often find your media commentary to be very insightful, and I love to stop by your blog daily, but I think on this one you just missed a crucial bit of the Ewok joke.

I think this video is hilarious because once again we see how permanently Sarah Palin is camped out in the liberal brain.

I may or may not be the target of that clip: I'm female, and Sarah Palin does not instinctively repel me. This video was not successful in changing my mind.

BuckIV म्हणाले...

Alternate Althouse approved #1

"Wicket the Ewok just e-mailed to say that there were only 2 or 3 Emily-list spokes-ewoks that he would consider asking out for coffee and a nice stroll around an outdoor marketplace."

Feel the humor.

Dave S. म्हणाले...

I agree, the idea of Wicket the Ewok nutting on a liberal is despicable.

Wait, "despicable" means "makes you laugh until you pee", right?

Mr. Bingley म्हणाले...

Ann is also perhaps not aware that Ace is himself, in fact, an Ewok and thus is, in fact, "in the category of people/bears the ad is trying to win over. "

Rachel म्हणाले...

They're biggest concern--the first issue mentioned in the video--is that their daughters should be able to get abortions on demand.

Really? In this economy?

I think the Wicket remark is a whole lot less offensive than that.

Ace म्हणाले...

Wicket just emailed me again to say, "Can you blame me? Look at how those hussies were dressed!"

ndspinelli म्हणाले...

It's progressive humor...lame and stupid.

blake म्हणाले...

Hey, waitaminute.

Are there any female ewoks?

AC245 म्हणाले...

Ann Althouse said...

I'm not offended by sexual "dirty" things. I'm offended by judging women by their looks at the level of talking about ejaculating on them.


Oh bloody hell. Ignorance-based outrage.

As others have pointed out, this is Wicket.


Pastafarian said...
And now Althouse can't admit her error, and she'll just dig in with the same formidable entrenching tools she used after voting for Obama and later realizing just what she'd voted for. That's a shame.


Yes. If the pattern holds, soon there will be demands to address an obnoxiously distorted hypothetical, rather than the actual joke that Ace made.

अनामित म्हणाले...

"I thought the ad was charming and well done." Pardon the pun, but Enuff said, no?

kent म्हणाले...

Are there any female ewoks?

Other than Janeane Garofalo, you mean...?

Mr. Bingley म्हणाले...

Are there any female ewoks?

Robert Reich comes to mind.

progressoverpeace म्हणाले...

It's a real shame that Palin didn't talk about "Mother Elephants". I would have hated the metaphor but the Emily's list ad would have been that much funnier. While those ewok noses are pathetically funny, elephant trunks would have been downright hysterical.

Next time.

Kensington म्हणाले...

I think it's despicable to make jokes about Brian Dennehy's glandular condition.

THE MAN IS A TREASURE!

Franklin म्हणाले...

"I'm offended by people who are only offended by their pet issues."

Seconded. C'mon - out of all the things on the internet, you find THIS offensive?

Get off your hobbyhorse.

अनामित म्हणाले...

My thoughts, in no particular order:

• How embarrassing (general theme of dressing up like bears). I hate my gender. If I were a man, I would be gay. How do you straight men stand 75% of the female population?

• How embarrassing (specific). These women think they are “strong and powerful” and yet, their biggest source of offense is consistently that someone else might not take care of them or their children. Ditto on above.

• I have a right to choose to have sex. I am sick of people saying that not being allowed to kill the baby that might result means that I don’t have a right to choose.

• I can’t believe that a group that claims to represent women’s rights puts together an ad for the sole purpose of attacking a private individual woman who is not running for any elected office. Shameful.

• “Mamma Grizzly” was a term that Sarah Palin entered into the lexicon; therefore, she gets to define it. You can’t just get offended because you decided you should be allowed to call yourself it, too.

• Someone else laid out the strawmen. Absurd.

• I just assume that anyone who doesn’t say “I represent Lyssa” isn’t speaking for me. I don’t have to tell people that someone who I don’t like and have never endorsed doesn’t speak for me.

• Ace kind of bores me. I can’t get into it for some reason. To each his own, I guess.

- Lyssa

GMay म्हणाले...

Pasta was right, AA is loath to admit error, so will undoubtedly stick to her guns on this one. All one has to do is review her poor rationale justifying her vote for Obama.

And AC245 nails it with the impending hypo she's cooking up.

And Ace, seriously dude, WTF? The wicket joke was funny. Now get back to hobo hunting.

Quilly_Mammoth म्हणाले...

I was already laughing at Ann's outrage at an ewok nutting over women disguised as ewoks and then Ace describes them as wearing Bear Bhurkas!

Priceless.

JAL म्हणाले...

Forget Ace for a minute.

Is Sarah Palin running for office? For anything?

Color me confused or bemused.

For someone who was written off November 5, 2008 as being soooo over, (and Tina Fey could get back to her day job) this is puzzling.

What is wrong with these women? Obessessive Personality Disorder?

JAL म्हणाले...

And these women are not Mamma Grizzlies.

They are Wannabees.

(Besides they need to educate themselves on what Sarah Palin's record and positions really are.)

Wince म्हणाले...

Tarantino used the "bust a nut" metaphor symbolizing female empowerment through the allegory of a car chase scene in Death Proof.

Kim: I'm gonna bust a nut up in this bitch right now!

[chasing after Stuntman Mike]

Rockeye म्हणाले...

The cinematic equivalent of sending DNC bumper stickers to members of the teacher's union. While perhaps cute in a bedtime story sort-of way, the video will convince nobody to change their mind, or to go vote democratic who wasn't going to already, much less walk to the polling place.
Having some women wearing Ewok costumes while attacking strawmen isn't exactly a groundbreaking combination. I see the same thing every time a politician like GHB or Obama roll up their shirt sleeves while conducting meaningless political theatre.

Rockeye म्हणाले...

I wish I had thought of "Bear Burqas."

Synova म्हणाले...

I thought it was really stupid.

But I also thought, "HA! So you finally noticed someone "talking for you" did you? And you didn't like it? OMG!"

Because this is a lifelong thing, this habit of claiming me, as a woman, in the ranks of those promoting what I disagree about. The Million Mom March pissed me off. "Mom's for gun control", well they never *asked* me, did they.

So these ladies don't like to be co-opted, huh? What are the chances that lesson will sink in in any sort of useful way? Zero?

Joe म्हणाले...

Synova, those mom's WERE speaking for you, you just didn't want to hear their message...so too these womyn. Abortion is the MOST CRITICAL Right, in all the Universe, you just may not realize it.

So yes they had every right, then and now to speak for you, and in fact, to tell you to STFU if you objected to their speaking for you, because they are RIGHT and SMART and wear an Ewok Outfit like noone's business, whereas you obviously are a tool of the phallocrcy and well I've never seen you in an Ewok Outift, but I bet you don't pull it off as well as these broads, errrr I mean Womyn.

WV: "aunly" as in aunly too moor weaks 'til chrissmass.

Unknown म्हणाले...

Ann, I really think you ought to lighten up on this. I have been a longtime commenter on Ace's and really, you don't give the place enough credit.

As a woman, I often find things on AoSHQ that would be offensive to the uninitiated. The constant drumbeat of demands from Ace's crew for me to lift up my shirt for the whole world to see startled me at first, as did the retorts of "PIX, or GTFO" when I tried to relate my trying experiences of being stripped down and put into the "hi-speed" cycle at the laundromat. The insistence of the ONT crew on waggling their genitalia all about the place was similarly frightening for a n00b. Believe me, girl, Ewok sex isn't even the HALF of it over there.

But once you get past the initial shock, Ace is really a fine young man running an incisive and hilarious blog; and let's face it, this ad is really stupid. I certainly wouldn't let anyone dressed up in a bear suit nut on ME. You know, if I had anything to say about it.

Synova म्हणाले...

"The WHOLE video is Ewoks attacking strawmen:"

Honest... I was driving home from work this morning thinking about the video (saw it at AoS yesterday and watched almost the whole thing) and wondering how to do a spoof of it with Wizard of Oz scarecrows (strawmen) under the furry costumes.

I decided that my idea had technical issues that were likely insurmountable.

While I was watching the "grizzly" video I kept thinking... what? I suppose it's cute if you don't listen to them at all or think about what they are saying. If the video is actually effective, it's going to be effective at making its liberal audience believe that even a single one of those things is, for real, Sarah Palin's policy on *anything*.

Someone else listed each point, and each point is wrong on the video. So... are these ladies clever in their deceit or just too stupid to know the difference between unemployment as designed and an unfunded, perpetual extension?

Also... ditto to lyssa noting how the strong independent ladies are all about being taken care of by government. Embarrassing.

Synova म्हणाले...

I got sort of distracted right at the beginning where the mamma grizzly protecting her cubs means killing her grandcubs, but I tried to be fair and remind myself that they don't think of it as anything that matters. But still, like getting an abortion is good for you or something. Mom, get your daughter to the doctor and get her a Norplant so you don't have to worry that she chooses to saddle grandma with a baby to raise after you were so sure you were done with that.

Show some responsibility!

Dust Bunny Queen म्हणाले...

Real mama grizzlies, when the salmon stop running, go look for other sources of food. Berries, rodents, roots.

You didn't give this choice, but I vote for Stupid.

Sheesh. They can't even get their fake noses on straight.

अनामित म्हणाले...

Althouse, this is your "Dr. Laura" play, isn't it?

Because any other explanation is too absurd to be believable.

I guess I'm just surprised that you picked Ace's site to try and boost site visits. Has he really gotten that big?

William म्हणाले...

The Ewoks are small, furry creatures whose dearest wish is to live in harmony with nature and each other. They celebrate the joy of life not just by weaving baskets but by nutting on each other in a way that we find excessive. It should be noted that their closest earth relative is not the pandda bear but rabbit. Well, they are entitled to their own sexual mores. A tolerant person would look past their nutting to their other more agreeable habits. I'm sure that if Althouse honestly examines the innocent, joyous custom of Ewok nutting, she will see that her disapproval is similar to that of the missionaries who dressed Polynesians in Mother Hubbards. I myself find the Na'vi habit of copulating with plants and trees somewhat distasteful, but alien species are, by definition, alien species. We must accept them as we find them. I certainly hope that Althouse overcomes her insane, anti-Ewok bigotry and becomes a better person.

Dangerous Dreamer म्हणाले...

The fact that AA thinks this is well done and charming disturbs me greatly...

Joe म्हणाले...

@William
I agree Althouse is an Ewokaphobe! It's sad that such Ewokaphobia can exist in today's society!

Would Althouse allow Ewok Holy Place near 9/11, or I guess would Althouse allow the Ewok's to build one an Imperial Base?

blake म्हणाले...

Let's not romanticize Ewoks here.

The seditious little fur bags were instrumental in bringing down the Empire, the only stabilizing force in the galaxy.

Why do you think Lucas made prequels instead of sequels? Because a galaxy without the Empire became a chaotic, randomly violent place (versus the controlled, measured violence of the Empire).

The Ewoks and Jedi are bad guys, and this typical leftist propaganda glamorizing their rebellion (resulting in billions of deaths) is shameless.

chickelit म्हणाले...

This whole thread is nuttier than squirrel poop as my brother would say.

Crimso म्हणाले...

Were he still alive, Anthony McAuliffe would probably have found Wicket's comment funny.

jamboree म्हणाले...

Stupid. Tried to like it. Couldn't make it through. It's the personalities that think this is cute that annoy me.

You know how the mere personality of a Christian Lady is comedy fodder and generally gets on a liberal woman's nerves before anyone says a thing?

Well, I understand that, but it works in reverse. I'm indy. As Margaret Cho (who i love) would say, "where's my parade?" (There's a reason she's the professional and these women aren't.)

अनामित म्हणाले...

Ewoks are a technologically primitive race. It is culturally insensitive to be offended by anything one of them says. Shame on you!

BJM म्हणाले...

@DBQ

Exactly. These women are the antithesis of the Mama Grizzly meme.

I'd also bet not one of them owns a weapon or can change a flat tire.

Phil 314 म्हणाले...

I was continually distracted by the nasal tone of the speakers

those stupid bears noses

And yes an entertainment lawyer dressed up as a bear and making fun of Sarah Palin has to be the epitome of stupidity and irony (?ironity)

dbp म्हणाले...

I was as distracted by their crooked noses as by their phony claims.

अनामित म्हणाले...

I can't believe it took us this long to confirm that the feminist in the "THAT'S NOT FUNNY!" jokes actually exists.

1775OGG म्हणाले...

What is totally ridiculous is that Mark Levin does a radio ad for Emily's List. Oh well, perhaps he got paid for it. After all, he's supposedly a confirmed Capitalist. But, isn't there supposed to be a limit or are we truly operating in a mutual suicide pact environment?

Jar Jar Binks म्हणाले...

What about me folks? If you want to start standing up for despised Star Wars characters, I'm your guy.

Known Unknown म्हणाले...

Isn't a Bear Burka a Bearka?

Also, AA's apparently not that into satire. Or Star Wars.

Unknown म्हणाले...

Nuttin on? Huh. I don't get it...

blake म्हणाले...

I actually wrote a defense of Jar Jar Binks once.

To summarize.

First of all, it's a freakin' kiddie movie. Sorry if that harshes your mellow, Star Wars fans. It was meant as a callback to serials of old--also for kiddies.

Second of all, from a dramatic standpoint, Jedis are supposed to be basically emotionless. (I don't recall this from the first trilogy, but much changed in Lucas' head in the 20 years between the two.)

A lot of our perception of drama is based on the reaction of the characters we who are supposed to be experiencing it. Jedis are too cool to provide any dramatic interest as a result.

Jar Jar Binks was a necessary balancing factor.

OK, yeah, a little over-balancing. Unbalancing in the wrong way. Extraordinarily bad compensation.

Jar Jar sucks.

(I confess I defended him better before Lucas made me sit through five more hours of even worse crap.)

Mary Beth म्हणाले...

I would hate being in that teacher's class if she nods her head up and down like a bobblehead all day. It was annoying for me to watch for just a few seconds.

knox म्हणाले...

I'm not offended by sexual "dirty" things. I'm offended by judging women by their looks at the level of talking about ejaculating on them.

Well, titus has judged women here in the comments by their looks, more than once. And in a very cruel way, at times. You not only overlooked that, but you made him a favorite.

knox म्हणाले...

I want to be clear that I was never a target... I am anonymous, never posted a pic. But I know how I'd feel if it was me. And Althouse didn't see fit to delete or, at the very least, make it clear it was unwelcome commentary. Or not reward him for it with the extra attention!

The Scythian म्हणाले...

If you're a Left-wing feminist and you have to try to co-opt Palin's language, it's a sign that you're losing.

अनामित म्हणाले...

2 clear rules: don't use the n-word and don't attack non-famous individuals who aren't here participating in the dialogue.

Both rules violated here. People keep referencing "nut on" and attacking these non-famous, non-talented, non-honest, non-thinking lap dogs.

garage mahal म्हणाले...

I have to come down on the pro Ace side on this one. This video was completely retarded, and probably should have been mocked in any way necessary. Even though it wasn't. Also manning up and showing up in the comments is way credible.

tjl म्हणाले...

Outside of Disney movies few will pay much attention to the political ideas of talking bears.

Ralph L म्हणाले...

Althouse, this is your "Dr. Laura" play, isn't it?
Now she'll mount a tweaker defense.

AST म्हणाले...

Charming? I thought it was silly. And the argument that mama grizzlies want the right to have abortions, if true, would help to explain why people think Grizzlies are endangered.

Most of these ladies looked more like Yogi's girlfriends, not Mama Grizzlies, which I think is a silly trope to begin with. I don't think this ad will change any minds. Attacks on Palin are a waste of time. Her appeal has never been to people susceptible to feminist doctrines anyway.

AST म्हणाले...

Hey, you can't fool me! Those aren't female grizzlies. They're women in bear suits with some kind of black stuff around their eyes.

Can you imagine having a mama grizzly as a therapist? It would be a lot worse than having R. Lee Ermey.

JAL म्हणाले...

See. There's hope for Garage.

In the last three weeks he has commented sensibly several (like more than 2) times.

Keep it up GM.

Sorin म्हणाले...

"Well, titus has judged women here in the comments by their looks, more than once. And in a very cruel way, at times. You not only overlooked that, but you made him a favorite."

That's because she knows the true identity of Titus.

"I'd also bet not one of them owns a weapon or can change a flat tire".

Urban girls don't do these things. They are above it with their "high powered degrees". I wonder if anyone of this girls can cook or have children at home to make them women.

I say girls because they don't represent the attitude of many mature women.

Sorin म्हणाले...

OK, these

JAL म्हणाले...

JAC Now, maybe you think my mom's "nuts." You're entitled to your opinion. I don't think she's nuts.

zerbinetta No, but the commenters on her blog sure are. Holy moly.

Chase म्हणाले...

Winner of the thread: Youngblood

If you're a Left-wing feminist and you have to try to co-opt Palin's language, it's a sign that you're losing.

Garage's last comment is a close second.

Can we move on now, Mama Ann?

Chase म्हणाले...

I must admit, however, that I would love to see Emily's list spend as much money as possible on ridiculous things like this.

Think I'll send a message and a donation telling them to Pour. It. On., especially now, 2 years before the next election!

More ads Emily's List! More ads now!

Kensington म्हणाले...

Anyone who thinks Jar Jar Binks went too far should take another look at how buffoonish and irritating C3PO was in the original trilogy.

blake म्हणाले...

Kensington--

It's a pattern with Lucas.

No one's mentioned the dark secret of the Ewoks: They were created to put something on Burger King collectible cups.

The Crack Emcee म्हणाले...

Oh, Ann, when will you learn? This whole n-word thing is silly and harmful. Now you're also showing how arbitrary it all is. Your fixation on feminism is more intense than your fixation on race but both are pretty noxious. I mean, this was a fucking joke, ferchrist'ssake. Come on: if I can cop to PTSD then you should be able to cop to,...whatever the fuck it is that gets you so twisted. Be brave. It's there for everybody to see already.

Ace, it was a good joke. You're hot, dude - a total favorite: link a nigga up.

And Panda Bear, M.D.

And iownTheWorld.

We're all "despicable".

The Crack Emcee म्हणाले...

Me - from two days ago:

"There's just too many frames of reference in this country for this 'I'm so offended' nonsense."

I think Ewoks prove my point.

The Crack Emcee म्हणाले...

Hell, I think Ace of Spades proves my point.

Fred4Pres म्हणाले...

I find hirsute women unattractive.

Mr. Bingley म्हणाले...

I think this whole discussion is ursinine.

Ann Althouse म्हणाले...

So finally something is more compelling than Sarah Palin. Fucking "Star Wars." Blech!

exhelodrvr1 म्हणाले...

There was a mixup before the video was made. The script actually called for bare liberal women. ANd the the Top 10 list would have hit closer to home.

Synova म्हणाले...

Star Wars may not be sexy but my lvl 80 ranger is sexy, and my 53 fae dirge on EQ2 is too cute for words. ;-)

The Dude म्हणाले...

R. Lee Ermey would call Titus a jack wagon. Titus would correct him - you mean jack off wagon!

WV: anowbran - for perfectly lovely pinched loaves.

Phil 314 म्हणाले...

cross posted.

Palin responded (via twitter)

On this anniversary of women’s suffrage, let’s take a moment to be grateful for the diversity of the debate. Women don’t walk in lockstep with each other in politics, any more than men do. We should be proud of our ability to engage in a civil discussion and healthy debate. I know I am. Unfortunately, I’ve recently come under attack for speaking up for sisters who seek to serve in public office. The sad part is that the attack comes from other sisters who happen to be on the other side of an issue that has been of great importance to American women from the time of our feminist foremothers, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, down to today. I’m speaking of the issue of life. I feel compelled to offer some advice to our sisters who like to throw stones at those of us who respectfully disagree with them on this issue (and they sometimes refuse to even countenance the fact that some of us can call ourselves feminists and disagree with those who claim the mantle of “real feminists”). First, ladies, it’s hard to take a critic seriously when they lecture you wearing a bear suit. So, it’s difficult for me to drum up much outrage at this latest ad. But, really, lying about a sister while wearing an Ewok outfit is no way to honor our foremothers on the eve of the 90th anniversary of their victory. But, that aside, I’d love to know where you got those get-ups. Halloween is just around the corner, and Piper and Trig would look adorable as little grizzly bears.

1775OGG म्हणाले...

@c3: See, see, that's more proof that Palin's not fit to fit in with those Bear costumed princesses!

Cheers!

jungatheart म्हणाले...

Althouse,
"I thought the ad was charming and well done."

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope.

Ritmo Re-Animated म्हणाले...

So, is the offense taken over a matter of placement? Really?

Wanting to be nutted in is apparently nice and complimentary (if all the niceties are attended to first). Nutted on? Shameless.

All you sloppy ejaculators out there have been warned! There is no excuse for poor aim or sloppy sex! It's disgusting, filthy, and shows disrespect for the object of your ejaculation!!!

Whatever. The blogger lady has spoken. Make sure to put a coaster under your wine glass, boys. Filthy, disgusting boys. With inappropriately bad aim.