To Sen. Scott Brown's Daughters: Welcome to Politics

[Pilgrim]

Yet another example of the liberals in the "entertainment" (using the term loosly) industry taking cheap shots at the children of politicians. Of course they cover themselves with a disclaimer and laugh the whole thing off as a joke, but one would think that if Kathy Griffin had an iota of good taste she would tell her talentless writers to come up with something else.

Brown blasts Griffin, Bravo on insult to daughters

Sen. Scott Brown's office sends over a furious statement in response to comic Kathy Griffin's joke on the cable network Bravo Tuesday night — in a segment featuring two CNN reporters — today that a photograph of him and his daughters featured "Scott Brown — who is a senator from Massachusetts, and has two daughters that are prostitutes."
“People can call me any name they want, but families are off limits," said Brown in the statement made through spokeswoman Gail Gitcho. "I love my daughters Ayla and Arianna very much, and any parent would be proud to have them as children. Kathy Griffin and Bravo ought to be ashamed of themselves.”
Arianna Brown is a premed student at Syracuse, and Ayla Brown is a special correspondent with CBS.

Brown blasts Griffin, Bravo on insult to daughters - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com

YouTube - CNN Reporter Dana Bash Laughs as Kathy Griffin Calls Scott Brown's Daughters 'Prostitutes'

 

[greg334]

Honestly, this thing about children being off limits is a bit too much at times. A lot of politicians prostitute their children to leverage their careers into something greater, and when the people parade their children around as part of the campaign or after they are elected, it is open season for all.

I don't see the issue with politicians being the target of newspapers, including children when we have news outlets tearing families apart or trying to find out all the sorted details of someone who has their 15 minutes of fame. The privacy isn't a given until it is equal for all.

IF children are a concern, then the selfishness of the parents to pursue a career in an endeavor where you work for the public should be low on the list of choices. But alas, no one seems to understand that this is not a career, the privilege to serve is just that, a privilege and if one wants to make a career, then become a doctor or a lawyer or a factory worker.

 

[xiggi]

Honestly, this thing about children being off limits is a bit too much at times. A lot of politicians prostitute their children to leverage their careers into something greater, and when the people parade their children around as part of the campaign or after they are elected, it is open season for all.

I don't see the issue with politicians being the target of newspapers, including children when we have news outlets tearing families apart or trying to find out all the sorted details of someone who has their 15 minutes of fame. The privacy isn't a given until it is equal for all.

IF children are a concern, then the selfishness of the parents to pursue a career in an endeavor where you work for the public should be low on the list of choices. But alas, no one seems to understand that this is not a career, the privilege to serve is just that, a privilege and if one wants to make a career, then become a doctor or a lawyer or a factory worker.

I think calling someones daughters prostitutes is a bit much anytime regardless of their parents work choice.

 

[Turtle]

First, "Kathy Griffin" and "good taste" in the same sentence? Please. She's dropped the F-bomb on live television, twice, a year apart from each other, and she knew what she was doing both times.

Second, a politician's life is a public one, including his family's, the minute he appears on stage at an event or on camera with his family. If you don't want your family's life to be in the public eye, don't put them there in the first place.

The "furious statement" by Brown's office is a wonderful example of the fake outrage that's all the rage today. Even watching the video snippet where the context is completely absent, you can easily tell that Griffin wasn't being serious and that it was an absurd statement made for the comedic shock value. One reporter laughed, the other one really wanted to. The big fat hair deal that's being made of this does nothing other than to give Bravo and Kathy Griffin much needed publicity.

 

[bobwg]

The children dont have a choice on being in the spot light or not at least not until they turn age 18 so I think they should not be a target of comics or anyone else. just my 2 cents

 

[greg334]

I think calling someones daughters prostitutes is a bit much anytime regardless of their parents work choice.

NO you didn't get it.

I am saying that the parents are prostituting the kids for political gains, not that the children are. The same thing happens with parents who push their kids in the entertainment industry, Judy Garland and Shirley Temple are very good examples because their parents PUSHED them hard to become stars and they controlled them to the point that it wasn't about what Judy or Shirley wanted but what their mothers and studios wanted.

The 'Beauty Pageant' crap is another perfect example - parents using their kids to live their own childhood. The kids are USED for the gains of the parents at an adult level.

If you ever have been to a casting call for kids, you will see exactly what I am saying. It gets sometimes sick to hear what these parents say and do to these kids, all because the parents want something out of life.

Regardless politicians, INCLUDING Palin have used family as a basis for their campaigns leverage and trotted the kids out which removes any and all 'protections'.

 

[xiggi]

Regardless politicians, INCLUDING Palin have used family as a basis for their campaigns leverage and trotted the kids out which removes any and all 'protections'.

I cannot agree with that statement less. Comedians especially love to make political comments and not for the sake of comedy either. As soon as someone points out how wrong they are on a subject or actually debate them on it they hide right back behind the oh I am just a comedian lighten up line. Some things need to remain off limits regardless what the parents do. Politicians have been trotting out their kids since I was a child, people used to have some respect in this world but now they want to find a reason to justify the lack of it.

 

[Turtle]

Sorry, Xiggi, but in this case that doesn't apply. This is the same Scott Brown who in his victory speech back in January, with his daughters at his side, announced that his daughters were "available". He used them (pimped out) in his campaign and put 'em on display when he won. And that's where Griffin's reference comes from.

As you can see, these girls are not little children. The one on the left just graduated Boston College and was a semi-finalist on American Idol, and the one on the right will be a sophomore at Syracuse this fall.

 

[greg334]

Just the fact that they are american false idol speaks volumes.

BUT they are open targets, just as chelsey is during the campaign when she was asked about monika, all fair because these are not children.

Palin's daughter, the one now getting married is also open to what ever comes her way because nothing is sacred.

Xiggi how do you feel about the situation with these parents who have shows like Kate plus 8 brats or what ever they are. Isn't this the same exact thing?

 

[xiggi]

I guess we will agree to disagree. I think people are coming up with reasons to say it is ok. I say it is not ok.

 

[greg334]

Well I think you should understand that respecting a politicians privacy while the politician is ignoring the people's privacy may be one of the root causes for some of the changes you see. This has been happening since we were founded, nothing really new, but society has taken things a bit too far at times - somewhat like political correctness.

The other thing I think has a lot to do with it is we have become more divided on the political level than ever before. Even in the 1850's there wasn't as much unjustified hatred towards politicians from people with opposing points of view.

But regardless, parents actions determine what the kinds will go through, it happens in real life so why not in political and entertainment worlds too.

 

[layoutshooter]

I never thought about that point Greg. Why SHOULD we respect the politicians privacy when they show NO respect for ours? They have no problem invading our lives, trying to dictate our every move, why should we not respond in kind? After all, turn about is fair play.

 

[xiggi]

Politicians are sleazy people no doubt about it, but from my side of the table that is the person our focus should be on not the kids. Some things just need to remain off limits and our society would be a better place if more people understood that.

 

[layoutshooter]

Politicians are sleazy people no doubt about it, but from my side of the table that is the person our focus should be on not the kids. Some things just need to remain off limits and our society would be a better place if more people understood that.

Yes, Xiggi, it would be a better world if the kids and families were off limits. Of that there is no doubt. They put them up, use them. The rest is the result of their own actions. The society would be better if those same politicians respected the privacy of those who employ them.

 

[Turtle]

I just think it reeks of gross hypocrisy when Scott Brown pimped his daughters during his campaign and joked about them being available during his victory speech, including having them up there on stage with him, and that's all good, because, you know, he was joking about it, but when that no account bіtch Kathy Griffin makes fun of my fellow 'publican, that's out of bounds and off limits. We just can't have any of that nonsense. And that CNN reporter who laughed? Why, she should be fired, of course!

See, people put this crap out there, out of context, putting the focus and anger on Griffin and those evil liberals, while selectively leaving out the fact that Scott Brown set the stage for all this. He should be made fun of and ridiculed. Even the, "...has two daughters that are prostitutes," shot wasn't even fired at the daughters, but squarely at Scott Brown, because he's the one who set the whole thing up in the first place. I guarantee you that if he hadn't set it up, Griffin nor anyone else would out of the blue say he has two daughters who are prostitutes.

If you think about it, we're 6 months out from Brown "pimping" out his daughters, and she comes up with a reference like that. From a comedic perspective, it's brilliant. Of course, Republicans can't or won't see it that way. They can't or won't see that Brown pimped out his daughters, and they have lost all memory that he said they were available, even though they were all quick to jump on the "He was only joking!" bandwagon at the time. All they can see or care about is the fact that we've got some pansy liberal making fun of a conservative, with those evil biased mainstream media reporters lending a hand, and that's just unacceptable under any circumstances. We have to muster all the fake outrage we can on this, get those reporters fired, get Bravo off the cablewaves, and get Kathy Griffin off television forever. CNN, Bravo and Kathy Griffin MUST be silenced!

Tea, earl gray, hot.

 

[layoutshooter]

You mean Brown is NOT a Dumb-O-Crat? He sure seems to vote like one.

 

[xiggi]

I just think it reeks of gross hypocrisy when Scott Brown pimped his daughters during his campaign and joked about them being available during his victory speech, including having them up there on stage with him, and that's all good, because, you know, he was joking about it, but when that no account bіtch Kathy Griffin makes fun of my fellow 'publican, that's out of bounds and off limits. We just can't have any of that nonsense. And that CNN reporter who laughed? Why, she should be fired, of course!

See, people put this crap out there, out of context, putting the focus and anger on Griffin and those evil liberals, while selectively leaving out the fact that Scott Brown set the stage for all this. He should be made fun of and ridiculed. Even the, "...has two daughters that are prostitutes," shot wasn't even fired at the daughters, but squarely at Scott Brown, because he's the one who set the whole thing up in the first place. I guarantee you that if he hadn't set it up, Griffin nor anyone else would out of the blue say he has two daughters who are prostitutes.

If you think about it, we're 6 months out from Brown "pimping" out his daughters, and she comes up with a reference like that. From a comedic perspective, it's brilliant. Of course, Republicans can't or won't see it that way. They can't or won't see that Brown pimped out his daughters, and they have lost all memory that he said they were available, even though they were all quick to jump on the "He was only joking!" bandwagon at the time. All they can see or care about is the fact that we've got some pansy liberal making fun of a conservative, with those evil biased mainstream media reporters lending a hand, and that's just unacceptable under any circumstances. We have to muster all the fake outrage we can on this, get those reporters fired, get Bravo off the cablewaves, and get Kathy Griffin off television forever. CNN, Bravo and Kathy Griffin MUST be silenced!

Tea, earl gray, hot.

Personally I have not used the words conservative or liberal. That has nothing to do with my feelings on the subject. It is wrong from both sides of the table. In this case Scott Brown saying his daughters were available had nothing to do with pimping or hooking it was a reference to being single. Again people are trying to come up with reasons it is ok to go after the kids. I guess I need to call my mom and tell her she was incorrect that I have been told two wrongs do make a right after all.

 

[Pilgrim]

I agree that the Democrat/GOP or Liberal/Conservative labels don't apply to most of the aspects of what triggered this situation. First of all, most all politicians want to portray themselves as regular family men and women who are married with children - normal Americans who unlike John Edwards, Bill Clinton, Elliot Spitzer or Mark Sanford are able to keep their zipper up and their pants on. The pollsters and the hired image makers tell them this image is what the public deems most desireable and trustworthy. It's easy to see how Scott Brown may have used this concept in his campaigns for the state house and senate, so on the local level everything was cool.

However, by the time he runs for the US Senate his daughters are legally adults - they want to contribute to the campaign effort and be part of the event, especially when it becomes evident that he's going to win. Does he at this point tell them "sorry girls, but you two will have to go dark now to keep from being trashed in the media"? How many victory celebrations have we seen with the wives, children, distant relatives, friends, and others on stage for the speech, balloon avalanche and related hoopla? The fact that he jokingly mentioned in a spontaneous comment during his victory speech that they were "available" in NO WAY "pimps them out", and to suggest this is an absurd stretch to say the least. The obvious context (as Xiggi pointed out) was a dad saying his daughters were SINGLE; if he had used that term would there have been a different interpretation? Probably not. At any rate, the Griffin joke was not about Brown being a pimp - it was directed at his daughters being "prostitutes", and there's nothing brilliant about it - it's just a crude cheap shot by a two-bit clown and some hack writers.

The crux of the problem is, Brown and some of his supporters took the bait. How many people even know who Kathy Griffin is, or even watch the Bravo channel? Their audience is insignificant to say the least, and if somebody in the GOP leadership had stepped up to tell Brown and others within the party to "stifle" this lame joke would have sailed by under the radar.

 

[Turtle]

The fact that he jokingly mentioned in a spontaneous comment during his victory speech that they were "available" in NO WAY "pimps them out", and to suggest this is an absurd stretch to say the least.

But no one is suggesting it. The whole "pimping out his daughters" thing was brought up as a joke early in the campaign, and was mentioned throughout the campaign often enough to have become a joke in its own.

The obvious context (as Xiggi pointed out) was a dad saying his daughters were SINGLE; if he had used that term would there have been a different interpretation? Probably not.

Well, that's the obvious context if you dismiss the entire "pimping out his daughters" throughout the entire campaign, but when placed in the context of the campaign and then winning the race, it broadens the context and gives it a double meaning, a meaning which is both funny and quite evident on the face of his wife when he said it.

At any rate, the Griffin joke was not about Brown being a pimp - it was directed at his daughters being "prostitutes", and there's nothing brilliant about it - it's just a crude cheap shot by a two-bit clown and some hack writers.

That's a biased perspective. Can you still not see the connection between the pimpin' joke during the campaign, what he said at the victory speech, and Griffin's joke? Wow.

The crux of the problem is, Brown and some of his supporters took the bait. How many people even know who Kathy Griffin is, or even watch the Bravo channel? Their audience is insignificant to say the least, and if somebody in the GOP leadership had stepped up to tell Brown and others within the party to "stifle" this lame joke would have sailed by under the radar.

There was no chance this was going to stay under the radar.

"And as always, I rely on Gail's love and support and that of our two lovely daughters. So i want to thank Ayla and Arianna for their help as well. And just in case anyone who's watching throughout the country they're both available."

As the crowd started laughing – and a look of extreme annoyance crossed the face of daughter Arianna, and his wife Gail let out a mortified gasp – the future senator did his best to reel in his comment.

“No, no. No. Only kidding, only kidding. Only kidding, only kidding,” he said. “Arianna… Arianna’s, definitely not available.”

“But Ayla is,” he added, eliciting a gasp and then a laugh this time from Ayla.

That last quip, and his timing on it, was equally brilliant.


When people criticized his comments, it was brushed off as him "being giddy" and "He was only joking". It's ironic that when he says something in a joking manner it's fine, but when someone else says it it's not fine. Even if what he said was purely in the narrow context of them being single, it comes off as him trying to get his daughters married right off the stage. Scripted or spontaneous, it doesn't matter, his comments can be looked at as creepy, vile and disgusting, or they can be looked at as hilarious. Same with Griffin's comments. It all depends on how you want to spin it and how much fake outrage you can muster.

Personally, I think the big deal that some are trying to make out of this is funnier than what actually happened.

 

[xiggi]

Sometimes I just shake my head in wonderment.