So Says Fox Commentator Muppets: Marxist Manipulators?

As of Monday, December 12, 2011

In a world where the rich and powerful, especially giant corporations, are the truly oppressed members of society, it’s a good thing that Eric Bolling and his cohorts at Fox Business News are vigilant and ready to warn us of threats to capitalism.

If they hadn’t been on the job, we might never have known about the imminent Marxist peril posed by the Muppets.

As you might have heard, there’s a new Muppet movie out from Disney, starring Kermit, Miss Piggy and the gang, as well as that guy from “How I Met Your Mother” whose name I can never remember.

Bolling, the host of FBN’s “Follow the Money,” was offended by the portrayal of the movie’s villain, an oil baron named Tex Richman (played by the multi-award-winning actor Chris Cooper). Richman, the story goes, wants to drill for “sweet, sweet oil” under the Muppets’ home/studio, and the Muppets and their human friends have to save it.

Well, Eric Bolling and the cracked — sorry, crack — team at FBN weren’t going to take that kind of socialist slander lying down. “Liberal Hollywood depicting a successful businessman as evil? That’s not new,” Bolling sneered.

Actually, that much is true, as we are reminded this season by multiple portrayals of characters like Ebenezer Scrooge of “A Christmas Carol” and Henry F. Potter of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Ranging farther afield, you can find a lot of fictional villains distinguished by great wealth. Lex Luthor. Goldfinger. Montgomery Burns. Donald Trump. Wait, Trump’s real. I still have trouble believing that.

A few moments’ consideration would probably lead a reasonable person to theorize that rich and powerful characters make effective villains because their power makes them a credible threat to the aims of the scrappy underdog hero(es). Without a credible threat, there’s no suspense, and no story. A homeless guy isn’t going to do much to stand in the hero’s way, unless you give him a rocket launcher, and that would just be silly.

But not as silly as Bolling and Company when they’re convinced that leftism is afoot.

“It’s amazing how far the left will go to manipulate your kids,” fussed one of Bolling’s guests, Dan Gainor of something called the “Media Research Center.”

Andrea Tantoros, one of the co-hosts of the talk show “The Five,” chimed in. “I wish they could just leave little kids alone,” she said, her voice quivering with indignation. “We’re teaching our kids class warfare,” Bolling agreed, adding, “Where are we, Communist China?”

Yes, according to the geniuses at Fox Business News, the Muppets and the Disney Company are agents of the International Chinese Communist Conspiracy. You cannot make this stuff up, folks.

Perhaps the most amusing thing about the whole segment was that all the time Bolling, Gainor, et al., were warning us all of the Hollywood conspiracy to defame those poor oil company execs, and thus the very concept of capitalism itself, clips from the movie were playing on an inset in the screen — Muppets and humans dancing, singing, and generally being a heck of a lot more fun than these overprivileged whiners sitting in a New York studio and complaining about how mean Hollywood was to the people who brought you price gouging and the Gulf oil spill.

Apparently, it’s not enough that oil companies enjoy astronomical profits every year and that their executives enjoy compensation that would shock a Medici prince; now everyone, including the Muppets, has to be extra-special-nice to them to avoid hurting their (or Eric Bolling’s) feelings.

After other pundits began mocking Bolling for taking on the puppets in a children’s movie, he eventually apologized — sort of. Being a true product of Fox, even his apology made him sound like a passive-aggressive jerk.

“Apparently,” he said, “I said some things that offended little Kermit and Miss Piggy the last few days. And listen, I apologize.” Then he went on to step in it again, adding: “I just wanted to say, listen, froggy — what’s his name? Kermit, Miss Piggy, if you want to debate this any time, I’m all for it. So let’s bring it.”

I guess offering to debate creatures made of felt is moderately less crazy than demonizing them as communist agents. But only slightly.

You have to wonder: Was there no one in the entire studio willing to take Bolling aside and go, “Dude. Muppets? Really?” Thanks to the 24-hour news cycle and the Murdoch media empire’s unceasing hunger to find new and fresh outrages to satisfy right-wingers’ need to feel oppressed and put-upon, the answer appears to be no.

Dusty Rhoades lives, writes and practices law in Carthage. Contact him at dustyr@nc.rr.com.

More like this story

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months ago

The Smurf's are communist's

Arestorer 3 months ago

The_AnonymusProfit15 minutes ago; And you will learn as you get older, how stupid you were, when you were in your twenties..

Nezumi 3 months ago

Kind of ironic given how News Corporation values the (greater) China market for his TV network business. (STAR TV)

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months ago

im not sure what your comment is supposed to mean arestorer

Courseaire 3 months ago

TAP - He's just saying that with age comes knowledge and wisdom. DR - Very good piece. I always thought Ms. Piggy was a little too pink, Kermit a little too French and I'll not even go into the Blue Blood Smurfs.

justpassingby 3 months ago

well dusty, as you like to say to some here, but you keep coming back! you just wasted a whole column on Fox News absurdity! you are way too easy!

im_a_harleyman 3 months ago

It is easy to trivialize faux news - but this column is simply funny!

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months ago

Why is it that you attack fox news but never cnn or msnbc? O those are liberal bastions I forgot.

dustyrhoades 3 months ago

Thanks, Harleyman and Courseaire.

As for jpb: Haters are gonna hate.

dustyrhoades 3 months ago

AnoynmousProfit: I mock Fox because they're constantly doing something mockable, like trying to gin up controversy and panic over the freakin' Muppets. CNN and MSNBC are just boring.

LaissezFaire 3 months ago

" oil companies enjoy astronomical profits every year and that their executives enjoy compensation that would shock a Medici prince". What about the astronomical hourly rate of Attorneys? I would say they enjoy profits as much as any oil company.

dustyrhoades 3 months ago

I wish.

In 2010, J. S. Watson of Chevron received $16,260,528 in total compensation. By comparison, the median worker made $33,840 in 2010. J. S. Watson made 480 times the median worker's pay.

dustyrhoades 3 months ago

In 2010, R. W. Tillerson (ExxonMobil) received $28,952,558 in total compensation. By comparison, the median worker made $33,840 in 2010. R. W. Tillerson made 855 times the median worker's pay.

In 2010, John B. Hess (Hess Oil) received $18,188,947 in total compensation. By comparison, the median worker made $33,840 in 2010. John B. Hess made 537 times the median worker's pay.

No. I'd pretty much have to say that oil company execs are making more than me.

JER 3 months ago

Gee, I would have thought the wingnuts would have liked the Muppets. Little brainless stuffed shirts with someone making their mouth move and saying the words for them.

I apologize in advance for hurting your fragile little egos.

Sorry to be so mean but I'm having a bad day...just found out Alvin and the Chipmunks are Tea Party members.

justpassingby 3 months ago

pointing out how you are to fox news what you chide others for being to you makes me a hater? maybe you just missed the point as usual!

im_a_harleyman 3 months ago

"pointing out how you are to fox news what you chide others for being to you makes me a hater? maybe you just missed the point as usual! "

hmmmmmmm........maybe he means............nah.........ok - he means.........nope...........

damn - what the #### does he mean?

wdd101st 3 months ago

Oh come on Mr. Rhodes, if John Edwards made millions as a lawyer, you can too.

dustyrhoades 3 hours, 6 minutes ago "I wish. In 2010, J. S. Watson of Chevron received $16,260,528 in total compensation. By comparison, the median worker made $33,840 in 2010. J. S. Watson made 480 times the median worker's pay."

Come on now, I'm sure you are not a median worker. Mr. JS Watson is a man in charge of a multi-billion dollar company and several thousand people. Were as the median worker isn't. Managers and executives make more because they are responsible for more., otherwise you would be paid the same thing as your administrative assistant or law clerk.

bigD 3 months ago

A local attorney make 33 times more per hour than a local burger flipper...what a social injustice!

Courseaire 3 months ago

But the local burger flipper gets free fries - that's a social injustice.

dustyrhoades 3 months ago

Sigh...more idiots who think the internet makes them psychic. Combined with even bigger idiots who won't even post under their own names but expect me to tell them how much money I make (other than "it's less than an oil company executive"). .

Courseaire 3 months ago

Dusty, Esq. - Though I'll remain Courseaire, let it be known that I don't care how much you make or what you charge as an hourly rate. You've earned the right and if you have willing clients, then I'm sure you're worth every penny.

justpassingby 3 months ago

the point isn't how much a person makes, the point is you think it is wrong for an oil executive to make so much than you, but its okay for you to make so much more than a burger flipper. if you are not making much more (my liberal words with no meaning, see 'fair share'), then I apologize but I am not psychic.

Courseaire 3 months ago

I'm all for an individual making a profit, However, I do have a problem with Execs taking a small fortune when their company's failing or losing money. As for the Exec's listed above, what I would want to know is what comp did they receive when the business was not making those large profits. If they still received the same $$millions, then I would have a problem.

justpassingby 3 months ago

read slowly and carefully harley, you are the only one that didn't get it. sorry.

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months ago

Oil execs making money...there is a problem with this? I wonder, how many hours a day do those execs work. How much time did they put into their education? what age did they start working. Hmm what i this? O personal responsibility. They make more because they are smarter then you, they make more because they work harder then you. They make more because they risked more then you. Dont hate the player hate the game.

As for what DR makes. Depends on what kind of law he practices. there are different fees for different things and a steady clientel is important. But 250 an hour is not unheard of. Having said that watching my mother in law work...400 an hour would not seem unreasonable to me. For all of dusty's falings..and there are SO many. He did pass the bar which means he probably knows more about law in some areas then the layman. So he can charge for that. I know alot more about my field of training then the layman and I charge accordingly. I also pay alot more taxes then the layman.

Yes I just defened DR, Yes I still think he needs to go back to school and pay attention to history.

Courseaire 3 months ago

TAP - I'll bet that Dusty will take a few History classes if you take a few English & Writing classes.

bigD 3 months ago

You have posted in the past your hourly rates and you already know this idiots real name.

Justpassing by got the point!

im_a_harleyman 3 months ago

"read slowly and carefully harley, you are the only one that didn't get it. sorry."

Or maybe no one else reads your silly posts except for the few times I do :)

im_a_harleyman 3 months ago

bigD "A local attorney make 33 times more per hour than a local burger flipper...what a social injustice!"

well bigd - perhaps you could get a job doing something else that would pay better!

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months ago

Can you not find substance to criticize coursaire

im_a_harleyman 3 months ago

"Oil execs making money...there is a problem with this?"

IF ............... they work 16 hours a day ......356 days a year, and make $16,000,000 a year, that is almost $3,000 and hour. Only basketball players are worth that much.........smiles

Courseaire 3 months ago

TAP - Believe me, I looked but could not find any. Dusty didn't need to be defened about his falings, so instead of criticizing, I offered a constructive suggestion.

bigD 3 months ago

i applied to law school but they said my math scores were to high.

Courseaire 3 months ago

I applied to Law School, but during the interview the truth came out of my mouth & they said I wasn't lawyer material.

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months ago

So I have been dying to ask this. If you think execs make to much. How much should they make? What is "fair" in your mind. And while your answering that let me ask you what is considered "Rich" in your eyes? Then after answering that answer this..What should be done about this inequality of pay?

Post questions.

Do you feel that what you are paid is "Fair"? Do you feel that you should be payed more? What are you willing to do to earn more?

I dont expect answers cause your answers will show what you really are.

bigD 3 months ago

They also said i dont write so good

dustyrhoades 3 months ago

Another of the Right's most ridiculous memes is that you supposedly can't talk about poverty or the rapidy increasing income gap in this country unless you are, yourself, poor. It's the classic tactic of someone with nothing to say on a subject--make the discussion of it taboo, at least for the person you're trying to silence.

A second's reflection will reveal how chuckleheaded this idea is, but apparently a second's reflection is beyond the capability of a wingnut in full-on "defend the rich" mode.

dustyrhoades 3 months ago

Recognizing the problems of growing poverty and a growing income gap in this country does not mean I think specific executives "make too much." JM & J, there are more damn straw men being erected in this message board than in all the cornfields of the Iowa and Kansas combined.

justpassingby 3 months ago

the current tax break before Congress gives more to the 'have mores' than to the 'have less'. isn't that against your liberal principles folks? has 3 years of supporting the bush-obama tax breaks made you less sensitive to the poor? wouldn't it make more sense for either tax credits where everyone received the same or a plan where someone making $20,000 a year gets more back than someone making $100,000? does anybody else find this more relevant than muppets or Faux News?

RmeMP 3 months ago

I don't understand where all the, "its not fair" attitude came from; since when did people in this country start damning those who work hard and make a lot of money? For that matter, who gets to decide what exactly is a lot of money? Sure, oil company executives make a ton of money compared to most Americans, but so do lawyers and doctors if I'm not mistaken; why is that? Lots of school, lots of risk and reward, lots of competition to be good, so they deserve it. I don't hate Dusty simply because I'm sure he makes more money than I do - good for him, I'm sure he went to school, works hard, and competes with a lot of other lawyers to stay employed. As long as people are willing to pay him his rates, then why be envious? Why say, "that's not fair"...

Reality check: people are not born into the same circumstances in life, and are not given the same chances; get over it; stop worrying about others, and concentrate on taking care of yourself and your family :)

justpassingby 3 months ago

I don't hate Dusty simply because I'm sure he makes more money than I do

wouldn't even make Letterman's top ten!

im_a_harleyman 3 months ago

RmeMP - preach on brother remp - preach on!.

RmeMP 3 months ago

on a side note:

since you want to link how much money the oil exec's make - why dont you also point out how much money they pay in taxes and charities? Do they write off charity contributions, sure some of them, but they still pay more than in taxes and charities than this entire county combined :)

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months ago

The founding fathers search for ultimate truth lead them to write words that ring in history as no other words can. Words like We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with unalienable rights among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

One of the key issues we face today is a complete lack of understanding of what these words mean. The founders understood that there would be Rich and Poor in america. Understanding this they created a system that would allow the poor unparalleled ability to acquire wealth. What we do not understand however is that the founders did not compare wealth with happiness. The pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of truth. The pursuit of understanding. Wealth can not ever bring true happiness. Truth can. And this is why we face what we face today.

We have taken away key elements of our society that are so important to our happiness. We have killed GOD, and destroyed the Constitution, Our bill of rights is meaningless when we allow the government and the courts to rule against our freedom of speech. I don't always like what people say on this blog but I understand that this is there God given right as a human being. Legislation such as the Patriot Act have taken away our freedoms and liberties.

America has become an Imperialistic, Fascist, Manipulative country that espouses freedom and democracy. We invade countries that have resources while ignoring ones that don't. We saved the Jew's but ignored the people of Darfur. We overthrow democratically elected governments because they don't toe the line while supporting military dictatorships.

Until we are wiling to realize that all we have to do is agree on certain basic principles. Basic rules of law and basic moralities will adhering to freedoms of speech and religion, and use our over abundance of scientific understanding and technology to create the "Utopia" we think we desire we will continue down a path of destruction. Currently we are Rome before the Ceasers, we are quickly giving away our rights and will soon be left with Julius, Et Tu America?

TreadLightly 3 months ago

THOUGHT QUESTIONS:

What executive is paid an enourmous amount of money in a company that is not

(1) Highly regulated by the government?

(2) Doesn't do big business with the government?

This is the basic portal of crony capitalism. It deserves whatever bad name it gets.

Otherwise, the big money is paid to people who invent something, make something valuable, provide a valuable service or draw crowds to expensive movies or ball games.

If I get in BIG trouble, I am not running to Dusty. I want an EXPENSIVE lawyer.

Executives do not set their own paycheck amount, owners of the company do.

RmeMP 3 months ago

@ T.A.P. - I agree and disagree (respectfully) with you on several topics and would enjoy being able to sit down and discuss with you over lunch, or a beer. :)

nothingspecial 3 months ago

My personal favorite villian on the silver screen is the EPA guy in Ghost Busters.

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months ago

I would gladly oblige RmeMP my personal email is olric152@gmail.com

marathonman 3 months ago

CNN and MSNBC are just boring. Rhoades said.

Then why not at least point out their lies and inconsistencies? But then you are a lugnut who finds fault with those who chose to write under pseudonym without one wit of understanding why.

Nezumi 3 months ago

IMHO - CNN's only redeeming quality is that they have one show worth watching: Fareed Zakaria GPS. Whether you agree with his opinions or not (he states his opinion section clearly in "Fareed's Take") you finish the show more versed in global affairs.

Courseaire 3 months ago

Dusty - I must admit that I like marathonman's depiction of the left as "lugnut" to your depiction of the right as "wingnut". Either way, we are all getting screwed.

dustyrhoades 3 months ago

CNN and MSNBC are just boring. Rhoades said. Then why not at least point out their lies and inconsistencies? But then you are a lugnut who finds fault with those who chose to write under pseudonym without one wit of understanding why.

So I should write about something I find boring to please someone who doesn't have the courage to even take responsibility for their own words? I should take marching orders from some gutless twit who tosses out demands and insults while cowering behind a pseudonym?

I don't think so.

TreadLightly 3 months ago

The large push of progressiveism (Marxism) was from Wilson to FDR. (Income tax, popular election of Senators, Social Security.)

The last time the gap between the upper 1 percent was this large was just before the large crash in 1929.

The most recent progressive advance is The Great Society (Johnson), Medicare and Obamacare. The gap between the top 1 percent is again large, and no one sees a government fingerprint or crony capitalism anywhere in sight.

May God have mercy on us.

TreadLightly 3 months ago

And like 1929, when everyone sees that they should get out of the stock market, it will be too late.

justpassingby 3 months ago

hey dusty, you never found tax cuts boring but don't have an opinion on obama's latest tax cut? let me guess, obama tax cuts are boring unlike bush's. kind of like obama's war in Afghanistan is not nearly as relevant as when it was bush's. you must be an independent! right jer?

im_a_harleyman 3 months ago

"And like 1929, when everyone sees that they should get out of the stock market, it will be too late."

With your ability to see into the future - I'll bet you have hit the lottery many many times :)

JER 3 months ago

justpassingby: Don't drag me into your drivel unless you are willing to read and comprehend what is being written. I AM AN INDEPENDENT!!!!! I do not vote for the party, I vote for the person. I find things that I can agree with on both the left and the right. Unlike you, I do not require all my ideas to come from just one source. You are a conservative, right wing Republican who thinks only conservative right wing ideas are worth considering. I, on the other hand, don't limit my thinking to just what is offered by the folks on the left. I agree with a lot of what Ron Paul has to say and I disagree with some of the things the Obama administration has done since taking charge. I am free to pick and choose the best of both while you are handicapped by the front end alignment that has you constantly pulling to the right.

geoffcutler 3 months ago

JER- It was quite some time ago, but I think I recall justpassingby tell us he/she is a Democrat, but one who is honest enough to admit that Obama has made a hash of his presidency, and hurt the nation badly in the process. It's that type of intellectual honesty that has been missing from liberals and the Democratic party since at least Clinton, and probably Carter, and contributes mightily to the divisions our society faces today; putting party before country. You can ask him/her if my memory is correct, but not listening to others, in favor of hearing yourself speak, you've missed the mark once again.

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months ago

jeez I dont think anyone actually reads what others say. they just spit out what is on their mind without ever thinking about what they actually said.

such drivel

im_a_harleyman 3 months ago

"It's that type of intellectual honesty that has been missing from liberals and the Democratic party since at least Clinton, and probably Carter, and contributes mightily to the divisions our society faces today; putting party before country. "

This is the dumbest statement I have read in these posts!

And here I thought jpb had a lock on them!

JER 3 months ago

geoffcutler: I could care less what party JPB belongs to. When he says stuff I don't agree with, he'll hear my side of the story. When what he says sounds like conservative, right wing Republican talking points, that's how I'll treat it. You know, if it walks like a duck....

But thanks so much for sticking up for a "Democrat" who has seen your light. Also, thanks for mentioning intellectual honesty. Did you recently read a book about it?