Tag Archives: condescending

Jason Aldean Defends Blackface Costume: People Are So Sensitive!

Blackface is up there with the Charleston and calling people “Mack” on the list of things that have been socially unacceptable for at least the past 90 years. And yet it seems that at least once a year, some ignorant celeb goes full-Al Jolson for a Halloween costume. Last year, it was Jason Aldean. Yes, as recently as 2015, Aldean thought it would be okay to paint his face to dress as Lil Wayne. It seems the country singer didn’t learn from the controversy that accompanied  Julianne Hough going as Crazy Eyes from Orange is the New Black and he was shocked – shocked ! – that anyone was offended by his get-up. Now, in a recent interview, Aldean is doing that thing where he simultaneously apologizes, justifies his actions, and basically tells you you’re dumb for being angry. It’s a tricky maneuver commonly known ad “the Bieber.” Aldean tells Billboard that he “painted his face so he could go unrecognized in public.” Yes, the 39-year-old apparently believes that’s the only way he could’ve gone incognito on Halloween. We assume that when he walks into a costume shop and sees a wall of masks, he believes they represent the souls of the undead, a la that weird cult Arya was involved with on Game of Thrones . “In this day and age people are so sensitive that no matter what you do, somebody is going to make a big deal out of it,” Aldean tells the mag. “Me doing that had zero malicious intent.” “I get that race is a touchy subject, but not everybody is that way. Media tends to make a big deal out of things,” Aldean goes on, adding: “If that was disrespectful to anyone, I by all means apologize. That was never my intention. It never crossed my mind.” Memo to white people who did something racially ignorant: Shut up about your intent. That’s not the point. View Slideshow: 14 Celebrity N-Word Scandals Hilariously, Aldean goes on to bitch about his music being described as “bro country,” complaining that the term is an ignorant misrepresentation that undermines his  “It’s meant to talk down to us,” the singer tells Billboard .  “Don’t talk down about things you’ve never experienced.” “I’ve traveled the world, and you go to a place like Los Angeles and people assume you just sit around on a hay bale and live in a trailer. Whenever the South is portrayed in a movie, it’s seldom flattering.” So it upsets you when people who know very little about your experiences appropriate your culture and depict you in an unflattering light? Do go on! Cue the condescending Willy Wonka meme ( RIP, Gene Wilder ) and the sad violin music for the poor, misunderstood Jason Aldean.

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Jason Aldean Defends Blackface Costume: People Are So Sensitive!

Is It Rude To Tell People How To Raise Their Kids?

Riding public transportation in Philadelphia, there isn’t a day I don’t see people’s questionable parenting techniques. I understand how challenging it can be to want to discipline your child without hitting them, but also not ruin other passengers’ commute because your child wants to eat the cookie you’re trying to save until after dinner. It’s as frustrating as it is embarrassing when you’re trying to control a full on tantrum while avoiding the condescending looks of people who you know are thinking, “What that child needs is a good behind whooping.”…. Continue Continue reading

The Bachelorette Recap: It’s the Climb

The Bachelorette ran it back with another partially-contrived, unintentionally hilarious, uber-dramatic episode tonight on Memorial Day. And what an episode. Okay, it was pretty run-of-the-mill. But between some vintage Bachelorette cliches, a romantic date with Arie Luyendyk, Jr. , and some man tears, it had its moments. After two weeks of first impressions – some good, some not – the remaining men took another shot tonight, and man oh man, things started to get REAL. Real dumb. Follow this link for a rundown of The Bachelorette spoilers we know now, including the (alleged) final three. Then read on for THG’s +/- Bachelorette recap! After three weeks, it’s still cute that Emily’s a mom. Plus 8 , and Plus 4 more for the prospect of her looking as good as her mom does in her 40s. Chris and his serial killer eyes get the first one-on-one. Minus 5 for ABC not casting him as the villain this season. Kalon’s looks aren’t as terrifying. He’s even wearing the Dexter shirt! Plus 4 . Minus 70 for the obligatory, recycled building-climbing date and corresponding metaphors. It is not like love, life or relationships. Please, just spare us. Plus 7 for Chris saying she looks good in a harness though. You could see the wheels turning and Fifty Shades of Grey -esque images in his head. Emily tells Chris he’s cute. A LOT. Minus 2 . Chris actually is pretty mature for 25. Plus 14 , because he still doesn’t seem like stepfather material right now, but maybe he could get there. John sees Emily holding a football and is hoping for … a relaxed, chill day. Surrounded by a dozen testosterone-filled dudes. So chill. Plus 1 . Em tells her friends to put “y’alls detective skills to work.” Plus 9 for the accent. Minus 8 for one friend saying “here for the right reasons.” Wait … the guy with the egg is still on the show? Minus 5 . Wait, Stevie is still on the show? Minus 9 . One of Emily’s friends dubs Sean “the genetic gift to the world.” Plus 10 , as that’s kind of totally true AND when he talks, his stock rises! Ryan tells Emily he’d still love her if she got fat, he just might love ON her as much. Yeah. Quite the statement. Minus 16 , even in jest. We thought Jef with one F actually was one of the kids at the park. Plus 5 . Sean and Doug are dominating this group date, both with friend time and Emily time. Plus 11 . Everyone else is playing for third right now. Kalon McMahon is so that name-dropping, ass-kissing, pompous douche at the high school reunion who everyone dreads seeing. Minus 7 . Tony contemplates leaving and talks to his little boy in a touching segment. One clearly drawn out to eat up time in a two-hour episode that really could be condensed to 90 minutes or even 60, but nevertheless. Cute. Plus 5 . Emily and Tony break up so he can go home. Both seem content with the decision. If only all reality TV splits were so amicable. Plus 8 . Arie gets the one-on-one date and jets off to Dollywood. Emily could not be more excited … about Dolly, and maybe Arie too. Plus 5 . Wouldn’t you know it, Dolly Parton herself is there to provide a private concert! And some love advice. Who’d have guessed? Minus 3 . Dolly’s been married 45 years? WOW. Plus 45 . Arie’s probably texted that many girls in the time he’s been on the show. Player. Minus 5 if he’s truly Mr. There For the Wrong Reasons . Having dated (and lived with) a woman with two kids is only helping his cause, though. He’s Mr. Saying All the Right Things. Plus 6 . Plus 10 for Emily being so up front, all the time. Well, except when she’s trying to punk Arie, but points for that half-hearted effort. She’s cute. She’s not even funny but she’s cute. And honest. And self-secure, yet vulnerable. Kinda the whole package. Plus 15 . Think he’s as genuine as she is? That’s the open question. Wash . Whoa, first quasi-makeout of the season! Plus 10 . The already-awkward cocktail party time becomes three times more so after seeing Kalon’s glasses. What a schmoozer. Minus 10 . Is he essentially implying he considers Ricki a compromise of shorts? Minus 15 … and Minus 15 more for the condescending remark after. Then Alessandro actually calls it a compromise. No rose for you. Minus 20 . Did he not know who The Bachelorette was this season? Aww. Arie is there to pick up the pieces and make out with her again. So suave, and so well coached by the producers. Plus 4 . Sean is really giving him a run for his money, though. The kind words about Ricki make this guy the anti-Alessandro. Plus 13 . Kissing session #2! In one night! Plus 5 . Chris Harrison sighting! Plus 3 . Plus 18 more for Ryan calling Arie a “dainty” man and for the outtakes in which Alessandro admits he dated his cousin. No longer in the running after tonight: Tony (set free) Alessandro (booted) Stevie (not given rose) Shelly the egg (shattered) EPISODE TOTAL: +40. SEASON TOTAL: -105.

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The Bachelorette Recap: It’s the Climb

The Bachelorette Recap: It’s the Climb

The Bachelorette ran it back with another partially-contrived, unintentionally hilarious, uber-dramatic episode tonight on Memorial Day. And what an episode. Okay, it was pretty run-of-the-mill. But between some vintage Bachelorette cliches, a romantic date with Arie Luyendyk, Jr. , and some man tears, it had its moments. After two weeks of first impressions – some good, some not – the remaining men took another shot tonight, and man oh man, things started to get REAL. Real dumb. Follow this link for a rundown of The Bachelorette spoilers we know now, including the (alleged) final three. Then read on for THG’s +/- Bachelorette recap! After three weeks, it’s still cute that Emily’s a mom. Plus 8 , and Plus 4 more for the prospect of her looking as good as her mom does in her 40s. Chris and his serial killer eyes get the first one-on-one. Minus 5 for ABC not casting him as the villain this season. Kalon’s looks aren’t as terrifying. He’s even wearing the Dexter shirt! Plus 4 . Minus 70 for the obligatory, recycled building-climbing date and corresponding metaphors. It is not like love, life or relationships. Please, just spare us. Plus 7 for Chris saying she looks good in a harness though. You could see the wheels turning and Fifty Shades of Grey -esque images in his head. Emily tells Chris he’s cute. A LOT. Minus 2 . Chris actually is pretty mature for 25. Plus 14 , because he still doesn’t seem like stepfather material right now, but maybe he could get there. John sees Emily holding a football and is hoping for … a relaxed, chill day. Surrounded by a dozen testosterone-filled dudes. So chill. Plus 1 . Em tells her friends to put “y’alls detective skills to work.” Plus 9 for the accent. Minus 8 for one friend saying “here for the right reasons.” Wait … the guy with the egg is still on the show? Minus 5 . Wait, Stevie is still on the show? Minus 9 . One of Emily’s friends dubs Sean “the genetic gift to the world.” Plus 10 , as that’s kind of totally true AND when he talks, his stock rises! Ryan tells Emily he’d still love her if she got fat, he just might love ON her as much. Yeah. Quite the statement. Minus 16 , even in jest. We thought Jef with one F actually was one of the kids at the park. Plus 5 . Sean and Doug are dominating this group date, both with friend time and Emily time. Plus 11 . Everyone else is playing for third right now. Kalon McMahon is so that name-dropping, ass-kissing, pompous douche at the high school reunion who everyone dreads seeing. Minus 7 . Tony contemplates leaving and talks to his little boy in a touching segment. One clearly drawn out to eat up time in a two-hour episode that really could be condensed to 90 minutes or even 60, but nevertheless. Cute. Plus 5 . Emily and Tony break up so he can go home. Both seem content with the decision. If only all reality TV splits were so amicable. Plus 8 . Arie gets the one-on-one date and jets off to Dollywood. Emily could not be more excited … about Dolly, and maybe Arie too. Plus 5 . Wouldn’t you know it, Dolly Parton herself is there to provide a private concert! And some love advice. Who’d have guessed? Minus 3 . Dolly’s been married 45 years? WOW. Plus 45 . Arie’s probably texted that many girls in the time he’s been on the show. Player. Minus 5 if he’s truly Mr. There For the Wrong Reasons . Having dated (and lived with) a woman with two kids is only helping his cause, though. He’s Mr. Saying All the Right Things. Plus 6 . Plus 10 for Emily being so up front, all the time. Well, except when she’s trying to punk Arie, but points for that half-hearted effort. She’s cute. She’s not even funny but she’s cute. And honest. And self-secure, yet vulnerable. Kinda the whole package. Plus 15 . Think he’s as genuine as she is? That’s the open question. Wash . Whoa, first quasi-makeout of the season! Plus 10 . The already-awkward cocktail party time becomes three times more so after seeing Kalon’s glasses. What a schmoozer. Minus 10 . Is he essentially implying he considers Ricki a compromise of shorts? Minus 15 … and Minus 15 more for the condescending remark after. Then Alessandro actually calls it a compromise. No rose for you. Minus 20 . Did he not know who The Bachelorette was this season? Aww. Arie is there to pick up the pieces and make out with her again. So suave, and so well coached by the producers. Plus 4 . Sean is really giving him a run for his money, though. The kind words about Ricki make this guy the anti-Alessandro. Plus 13 . Kissing session #2! In one night! Plus 5 . Chris Harrison sighting! Plus 3 . Plus 18 more for Ryan calling Arie a “dainty” man and for the outtakes in which Alessandro admits he dated his cousin. No longer in the running after tonight: Tony (set free) Alessandro (booted) Stevie (not given rose) Shelly the egg (shattered) EPISODE TOTAL: +40. SEASON TOTAL: -105.

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The Bachelorette Recap: It’s the Climb

Newsweek to American Guys: We Can Learn Some Lessons from Europe on How to Be a Man

“To survive in a hostile world, guys need to embrace girly jobs and dirty diapers,” argued the Newsweek writers Andrew Romano and Tony Dokoupil in the subheadline of their September 20 article “Men’s Lib.” The writers set out to explain “[w]hy it’s time to reimagine masculinity at work and at home.” If American men want to be competitive in a global economy, they argued, they need to suck it up and get comfortable with the idea of working traditionally “girly jobs” and/or being stay at home dads: It’s possible to imagine protectionist trade and immigration policies boosting blue-collar employment at the margins. But the U.S. can’t stop globalization. If male morale—and the American economy—are ever going to recover, the truth is that the next generation of Homer Simpsons will have to stop searching for outsourced manufacturing jobs and start working toward teaching, nursing, or social-service positions instead. Fair enough. But Romano and Dokoupil also cast their gaze across the Atlantic, arguing America needs public policies that emulate European countries on paid parental leave, particularly paid paternal leave (emphasis mine): In 1995, Sweden passed a simple but revolutionary law: couples would lose one month of leave unless the father was the one who took it. A second use-it-or-lose-it month was added in 2002, and now more than 80 percent of Swedish fathers take four months off for the birth of a new child, up from 4 percent a decade ago. And a full 41 percent of companies now formally encourage fathers to go on parental leave, up from only 2 percent in 1993. Simply put, men are expected to work less and father more. By altering the roles of the Swedish father and the Swedish worker, Sweden’s paternity-leave legislation has, in turn, rewritten the rules for Swedish men (and, by extension, women). “Swedish dads of my generation and younger have been raised to feel competent at child-rearing,” writes Slate’s Nathan Hegedus, an American who experienced the system firsthand. “They simply expect to do it, just as their wives and partners expect it of them.” If a man refuses time at home with the kids, he faces questions from friends, family, and, yes, other guys. Policy changes produced personal changes—and then, slowly but surely, society changed as well. The implication is clear: American society must be engineered to catch up with the needs of a rapidly-changing global economy, and what better mechanism to make that progress than government. In fairness to Romano and Dokoupli, they do make a case for personal, spousal, and parental responsibility by American men at the close of their article: Ultimately, the New Macho boils down to a simple principle: in a changing world, men should do whatever it takes to contribute their fair share at home and at work, and schools, policymakers, and employers should do whatever they can to help them. After all, what’s more masculine: being a strong, silent, unemployed absentee father, or actually fulfilling your half of the bargain as a breadwinner and a dad? But the fact that this duo of  writers feel the need to preach this message is a window into the condescending view many liberal journalists take on the great unwashed masses who aren’t reading their pontifications.

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Newsweek to American Guys: We Can Learn Some Lessons from Europe on How to Be a Man