Syndicated talk show host Laura Ingraham has this poll on her site.
It's a harmless enough question, albeit an outdated one. Didn't we get past the point long ago when men's tears were considered a sign of weakness?
The issue: Did Brett Favre embarrass himself by crying in public?
If Ingraham wants to put up such a goofy poll question, that's her prerogative. That's not the problem.
It was her discussion of Brett Favre's tears at his press conference announcing his retirement that was stunningly insensitive. Even the bumper music mocked Favre.
Some quotes from the beginning of Ingraham's March 7 show:
"All these years and I didn't know there was a woman quarterback in the NFL."
"That's a great message for young boys. Get up there and act like a girl."
"At some point I thought the authorities were gonna come take him away."
"It was a non-stop blubber fest."
"Brett Favre wanted to remind all of you that this was a sacrificial moment."
"There's just something unseemly about it."
"I've heard enough crying from men over ridiculous things."
What a compassionate woman!
Ingraham's sidekick Tom also weighed in:
"It was just this self-indulgent 'Me fest.'"
"I think he's embarrassing his teammates. They have to be recoiling... They must be so thankful he's not coming back."
What a sweetheart!
Ingraham doesn't have a problem with women crying in public, but she definitely has a problem with Favre, this man of steel, showing his emotions. Her remarks were cruel and seemed extremely sexist to me.
It was OK with her when Ellen DeGeneres cried on her show over Iggy the puppy.
But a man crying in public? No.
Ingraham mocked Favre for breaking down and crying. She called his press conference a "sob fest." I've never heard anyone say "blubbering" so many times in such a short span.
Byron York, her regular Friday guest, also was merciless. So were most of the callers.
Most female callers said that Favre's behavior was way over the top.
Caller after caller said, "No blubbering" for men.
Ingraham compared Favre's breakdown to Judge Larry Seidlin's tears during the custody hearing for Anna Nicole Smith's daughter, a ridiculous comparison.
She belittled Favre's masculinity.
It was positively sickening the way she talked about Favre's "blubbering."
Ingraham and York can't handle the "man hug," the "man purse," and men's tears.
About Favre's tears, York said, "It was pretty pathetic, wasn't it?"
Barb, a caller from Milwaukee, did her best to defend Favre. Ingraham wouldn't give an inch.
York said, "Favre was a masculine figure. This could be what he's remembered for."
How classless!
I highly doubt that Favre will be remembered for his press conference.
About an hour into her show, Ingraham acknowledged that she had opened up a "can of worms." She was loving it. Earlier she said, "I'm having fun with this."
She gets her jollies at the expense of others, when they're at their most vulnerable?
That's not a pretty side of Ingraham.
One idiotic male caller said Favre was in his 40s. Yeah, he's obviously a real football fan. Ingraham wasn't bright enough to correct him.
One caller complained about Favre saying it wasn't about the money. They didn't buy that.
One male caller said his first reaction was to laugh. Then he said he got angry, that Favre was so privileged he had no right to fall apart.
A female caller said that when she first heard the unidentified crying clip, she thought it was Bill Clinton and she was waiting to hear what latest offense he was sobbing about.
Ingraham said that she didn't want to hear from any "Cheeseheads" because they couldn't be objective.
She read an e-mail about Favre being a "girlie man" and being pouty when a play didn't go his way.
Ingraham yapped on and on about Favre not bowing out with the grace that Ronald Reagan did. She said Favre was no Lou Gehrig and no John Wayne.
She kept asking what would Reagan do?
She even played Reagan's goodbye address as an example of the right way to leave.
How lame!
The Constitution prevented Reagan from staying on as president. He had no choice. Reagan's goodbye required no self-evaluation, no measuring of abilities past and present to determine whether to go on. Favre was choosing to walk away, a much more difficult thing.
All of that's beside the point. Brett Favre is his own person. He's not Reagan or Gehrig or Wayne.
The comparisons aren't valid.
By the end of the show, Ingraham was backing off slightly. That probably had something to do with being bombarded with e-mails defending Favre.
You don't have to be a Packer fan or a Brett Favre fan to relate to what he was experiencing as he announced his retirement.
We can all understand what it's like to say goodbye, to come to terms with the fact that good things do come to an end. We aren't immortal. Time moves on. We can't turn back the clock.
I think what bothered me most about her cruelty was that Favre wasn't posturing. It wasn't an act. His emotion was sincere.
I've heard Ingraham cry on the air. Apparently, that's acceptable. No mocking allowed during her very real, human moments.
Bad move, Laura. Very bad move.
___________________
Ingraham will be talking about Brett Favre's tears tonight on The O'Reilly Factor.
___________________
UPDATE:
Ingraham had very little to say about Favre on O'Reilly.
O'Reilly: What is your beef with Brett Favre?
Ingraham: I merely brought up this issue where big, strong men... break down blubbering for 20 minutes.
I mean, the sobs just never stopped... kind of funny.
It's not about Brett Favre. He's a wonderful person.
If it's not about Brett Favre, then why did she go on and on about how Favre acted at his retirement press conference? Why did she play clip after clip of Favre breaking down? Why did she put up a poll on her website about Favre?
It was, indeed, about Favre.
Ingraham is trying to put a very nice spin on what she did on her show, as if people are getting bent out of shape over nothing. She's pretending she wasn't being cruel when she was.
She claims that she was speaking about the larger "cultural phenomenon" of men publicly crying.
Whatever. That doesn't change the fact that she brutally attacked Favre as she examined this "cultural phenomenon."
20 comments:
I have already sent Ms. Ingraham a stern email about her callous remarks towards Favre. It is no wonder that Ingraham remains single. Who would want to be married to a woman with no understanding of the word passion. Brett Favre has a passion for his work. He loves the game of football. He said it himself...he hasn't done anything else. Why does Ingraham find it so difficult to accept that a man's man would shed tears at not being able to play gladiator anymore? Yes, football is a game, but, for those lucky enough to play professionally, it is a job--a career when played as long as has Favre. Laura reminded me of Hillary...crass, mean, snobbish. Sorry Hillary, maybe that was unfair. I will be watching O'Reilly tonight to see if Ingraham inserts her other foot into her ever growing oral cavity.
Hey Laura, what it wrong with a guy showing his human side. Our family has much respect for Brett Favre and his family and feel he is an excellent role model for all young people. We wish God's Blessings for him and his family!!
Scott and Rose Robertson
Harris, Iowa
I agree. Brett Favre is an excellent role model.
I was surprised that Ingraham was so cruel. It was really extreme, really unfortunate.
Laura is way out of line here, it was simply the culmination of emotion that has been building for a long time. He feels fortunate to have done what he has done and wanted to express his gratitude for those that helped him. He came from humble beginings and is grateful for what life and football have given him. I was agast at her reaction and that of other women that were calling in to the show... unbelievable
Well, if she's from Texas that would explain a lot. I saw her on O'Reilly's show and while I didn't hear the radio show, it sure seemed as though she lied about what she had actually said.
The fact that practically the whole world knows of this news shows how big Favre's persona is. Retiring from something you absolutely love, that consumed you for the better part of your life, that you were (are) gifted at and became one of the best at, and as an icon to the game and position . . . nope, that's not worth crying about.
Ms Ingraham:
Didn't Jonn Elway cry at his speech during his retirement from the Denver Broncos?
Did't the great mean and tough Bears defensive linebacker Dick Butkus cry at his induction speech into the Hall of Fame?
Big Men have an emotional time too!!
She has shown her true colors. She's an elitist from dartmouth. You would think that someone who prides herself on being much more educated than anyone else wouldnt be so dumb as to offend her political base. White, southern, republican, christians. Just shows you she has stepped way over the line. I don't think I'll be listening anymore. She's to full of hate. Maybe that's why she can't get a man, other than, the eunichs she surrounds herself with.
William
Tupelo, ms.
Given the reaction of many callers, I don't think Ingraham has to worry about offending her listeners.
For the most part, the ones calling in to the show agreed with her.
Jimi, her comments on O'Reilly really surprised me. She totally misrepresented what she had done and said on her show earlier in the day.
She claims it wasn't about Brett
Favre. That's false. She's trying to say that she was really talking about the larger issue of men crying in public but without a doubt she was targeting Favre. Callers were targeting Favre. Her poll was about Favre.
It's ludicrous for her to say it wasn't about Favre.
Maybe someone less angry than I could send her a copy of John 11:35. And there's the other obvious parallel, Brett's wife. I don't believe I'll be listening to look for an apology, just like I wasn't after Michael Savage went off on Bono.
We should've taken her out back and killed her years ago. You suck and I hope when you get FIRED you start to cry. You dont know the first thing about Men, about football or about retirement. If you wanna continue to fulfill stero types then get off the Radio, and get back into the kitchen you classes, no talent clown
Laura wins her own "but monkey" and "lie of the day" award. "I was talking about men crying, BUT not about Brett Favre" She's back pedalling alright. Deep in her mind, I would say heart but she doesnt have one, she knows she screwed up. There's a long list of american heroes who have cried. So why make an example out of Favre? Bush cries, even the beloved Ronald Regan has cried. I don't think I'll be able to listen to her anymore without thinking about Brett Favre and how she mocked a great guy let alone probably the greatest QB of all time. She's opened my eyes, I think she's all about the ratings and this was her way and her 2 little piss boys way of trying to be cute....well, it backfired.
Gee, Tim, tell us how you really feel.
Get a grip. Show your sensitive side. Your "should've taken her out back and killed her years ago" comment is way, WAY out of line.
I think Ingraham's radio comments about Favre's sincere display of emotion were classless. She made matters worse by being a "but monkey" and winning her own "lie of the day" award with the comments she made during her appearance on O'Reilly.
As I said earlier, this won't impact her ratings. Many callers agreed with her. And I doubt that regular listeners of her show who were offended by her callousness will jump ship. Maybe some will.
Ingraham's done. She's the worse. Sounds like it's maybe it's time she should take the dildo out of the freezer and get some new batteries.
"Anonymous 5:09 PM, March 09, 2008"--
What's your problem? That's really offensive.
Disagree with Ingraham. I do. Give your opinion.
You're just lashing out. No need to debase yourself.
This is how far right or far left leaning personalities make money. Say something that is extremely controversial, and watch the ratings pour in. Lucky for them, there are millions of listeners who have trouble thinking for themselves.
I've never read anything by Laura nor have I ever seen her show. A friend told me that she's good. I should give her a look and a listen. Well, I just read her criticisms of Brett Favre. She must be profoundly ignorant. She doesn't have a clue as to what it means to play football for one quarter let alone to have the career that Favre had. Some men who should know have said that Brett's accomplishments are among the greatest ever achieved in the history of sport...not just football. Clueless, ignorant, and cruel. Seems fitting that she's on with Bill O. Sheesh!!
"Anonymous 1:11 PM, March 10, 2008"--
What evidence do you have that "there are millions of listeners who have trouble thinking for themselves"?
Weird.
Ingraham was very short on compassion and human decency when she berated Favre.
Is there something wrong with someone who shows emotion after participating
at such a high level in anything for 17 years? Is it fair to take cheap shots at someone
who played football with everything, everyyear, everyweek for 275 weeks, plus again 16 years with a team like the Packers? I don't think there's a thing wrong with
showing the difficulty of transitioning away from a sport where he played with everything he had. We should all put into what we do with such dedication and passion. The world would be a better place. For sure, such professionalism and a high level of dedication in reporting would be greatly appreciated by this reader.
My email to Ingraham was posted on my blog - http://jeffircink.blogspot.com/2008/03/conservative-talk-radio-host-laura.html
i think it speaks for itself.
Laura probably only watched the first 2 minutes of Favres press conference just the way the drive by media usually does it. If she had watched the whote interview she would have realized what a class act Favre really is. He is the most loved sports figure in America not only for his ability to throw a football.
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