Global warming zinger in CBS “The Good Wife”
I was just watching the episode “The Art of War” in the drama “The Good Wife” on CBS and was shocked to see this very pointed put down about climate skeptics.
Scene: A judge is being seated at the bench in a Cook County Courtroom.
The judge (Judge Abernathy played by Denis O’Hare) sits, and then announces to the courtroom.
Thank you for being here on this exceptionally warm November day. I suppose it goes without saying, Global Warming 1, skeptics 0.
The episode will likely be available online tomorrow, and if so I’ll add a link here.
I think perhaps the Hollywood producers or writing staff might have a burr under their saddle about the global warming issue not being front and center anymore, and while some TV shows and movies offer “gratuitous sex” this seems to be a case of a “gratuitous global warming schtick”.
I do. The data says exactly the opposite of what the zinger implies. Yes I know, its fiction, but they’ve opened the door on creative license.
From Fox News Chicago:
Second consecutive month of below normal temperatures
The average low temperature for October was 42.4 degrees which is -0.4 below normal.
Therefore, the average temperature for the month was 51.5 degrees exactly 1.0 degree cooler than normal.
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I would have guessed sarcasm, but there are alternatives to watch. And funnier ones. Try googling “Gary The Global Warming Goat.” It’s probably a bit too rude in places to risk linking directly.
Ian, some of this stems from history as lands were ‘purchased’ from the likes of France (the Louisiana Purchase comes to mind, map of area; it’s more extensive than the name implies) and from which later on ‘land grants’ to the railroads were awarded to encourage development and build-out in that area particularly … point being some of this federal ownership of lands is historical, but the policy of heavy restrictions here in later years on the use and development of these lands seems to be more of a kowtow to environmental groups who oppose ANY use of these lands; we here in the United States seem to have a severe case of ‘developmental constipation’ when it comes to growth and rightful use of our natural resources.
This is a mental condition (or state) rather than a case of being physically unable to utilize our resources (e.g. located at the bottom of the ocean or land-locked behind tall mountains), our politicians, our ‘leaders’ have succumbed to gaia worship and put up ‘no trespassing’ signs on the grass to the left and right of our paved walkways and thoroughfares …
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That judge in both this and other episodes repeatedly makes inappropriate and strange comments which make the people in court squirm or raise their eyebrows. He is a goof. The reaction to his comments on climate was uncomfortable silence and squirming. So I think it was satirical, but you would need to be in on the joke.
This show is politically charged. It looks like Democrats write the scripts. Not too hard to find Democrats in the tv industry, hey mate?
p.s., for those who don’t know, Al Gore, Henry Waxman, and Edward Markey (of famed Waxman-Markey) are Democrats.
3:22 trailer of “The Good Wife”:
I saw the show and have two takes on the scene, both a bit different than those discussed so far here:
1. The judge immediately followed up with some pointed comments about our military personnel in Iraq/Afghanistan that were actually quite off the wall, i.e., outside the mainstream of thinking. These statement marked him as a true liberal loon, on the far fringe of the left that protests military funerals, etc. Once he did that, I found it interesting that they also made him an alarmist. In other words, the net effect of the entire piece was to include alarmist thought with far left loon thoughts, putting the alarmist commentary in good company, so to speak.
2. For those upset about television producers taking sides on the global warming issue, imagine how the average businessperson must feel. I would hazard the guess that for every scintilla of positive imagery directed at business on ALL television shows produced in the past 20-30 years, there are thousands and thousands of negative images, some overt, but much of it just implied by the story lines. It’s a testament to the power of the free enterprise system that it’s even managed to survive under the virtual onslaught against all things business that’s been waged by the television producers over the past few decades. If someone is making money in a television show, and isn’t an artist or a benevolent dictator, he’s always the villain of the piece, always, whether that villainy is explicit or, more often, implicit.
3. And then there’s the conservative politician…..
Imagine if actual judges said things like this: “+1 for the defendant!” or used a trial to talk to the court about some other completely irrelevant issue in the manner of a radio talk show host. Would certainly make jury duty more interesting.
I read the line as merely reflecting the judge’s politics — indicating, perhaps, that he would not be sympathetic to military contractors accused of rape. This judge also prominently endorses God in government, which I do not think is the position of the show.
In any event, the remark fell flat on the courtroom audience, indicating that they were not impressed by his opinion on AGW.
The comment was in line with the previous appearances by the Judge. He is portrayed as a far left thinker trying to do the job right. That comment is not out of character for someone of that political stripe. And since it is in character, I would not read too much into it. In fact, I thought it was an attempt by the writers to reinforce how far out on the left he is.
‘Broadcasting’ per se (at least here in the US), has been moving away from the licensed *public* airwaves – – – (a ‘natural’ resource if you will) – – – to the ‘closed’ circuit of “cable TV” where there is _no_ licensing or requirement to obtain ‘governmental broadcast permission’ – – – (excepting perhaps the local cable ‘franchise’ license but this is for licensing the *cable operator* only, not the individual TV channels or stations per se) – – – to launch a “TV” channel that appears only on ‘cable’ – – – (satellite is similar, but differs in that the ‘license’ is for use of spectrum by the ‘satellite operator’ in the band of service they are operating not the individual channels carried by that satellite).
Terrestrial (earth-based) TV (television) Stations utilizing open-air (not ‘cable bound’) RF (Radio Frequency) broadcast spectrum in the US from 54 – 88 MHz, 174 – 216 MHz and 470 – 806 MHz *do* require licensing from the US ‘post and telecommunications’ agency (the FCC) which is responsible for public airwave ‘administration’ – – – (coordination of use; see for study, for instance, the ‘mess’ that was developing early in the 20th century before order was imposed as to the uniform use of the various bands available at the time!) – – – before construction or the operation of a TV broadcast station may commence … that’s where the ‘licensing’ comes in …
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At least the show said “skeptics” and not “deniers”.
This is something on TeeVee I take it.
What would one expect? This is fiction.
REPLY: No disagreement there, but this is the first time I can recall such a statement being in a prime time drama, hence the novelty. – Anthony
This is pretty common, in TV shows, this judge on this show has made these comments before and is in character. I have seem many examples in the past. We all know the TV, Movie and Arts community ten to lean left. I understand that tonight and tomorrow they are airing the Movie ” The Killing of Osama Bin Landin” showing the POTUS as his stress best. Timing seems odd on the eve of election day but it is free country.
Now if they showed America 2016 right before or after it I think things might be fair… :> (No, haven’t seen it yet, but it seems to be quite decidedly anti-Obama from what I’ve heard…)
As I noted early on in these comments, and perhaps of particular relevance if Obama IS re-elected, a single passing dig in a TV show is meaningless. The thing to watch out for is when the government begins intervening in the content of shows and movies on a regular basis. The door was opened for them with smoking through the anti-drug pathway, and it’ll be just as inviting as a method to mollify a population facing hardships under restrictive energy and other generally “politically correct” policies. Hmm… also worth watching the “friendly-chatty” morning news shows and keeping your ears open for the catty little comments and face-makings and such on issues: picture them emoting over the drowning polar bears and clucking their tongues at a Humvee or a fur-clad model. Those things aren’t governmentally driven yet, but the soil is certainly tilled for it.
– MJM
I do not, and have not for years now, watched any “shows” on any major network channel. I always know I’d end up yelling at the TV. The only series I catch regularly is AMC’s “The Walking Dead”.
TFNJ says:
November 4, 2012 at 11:57 pm
The judge was being (a) insulting, or (b) weakly funny. or (c) delightfully ironic.
Whichever, not worthy of your comment Anthony. You are becoming too thin-skinned.
REPLY: I thought it was novel, I don’t recall seeing such commentary in prime time drama before – Anthony
Anthony they use TV shows to promote propaganda all the time. You obviously don’t watch a lot of TV. Probably why your mind is still sharp 🙂
I took it as a dig at Cook County Judges who decidea cases primarily on the basis of their record of overturns-on-appeal. The way it was played (and therefore, I assume, the way it was directed) was that everyone’s response was sort of like “this is weird ” and then moved on without comment. I also noted that Cook County is the heart of Obamaland.
Doesn’t matter. The hypocracy of Hollywood celebs concerned about AGW does more damage to the cause than virtually anything else. I mean Harrison Ford used his jet to go for a hamburger?!!
Jim says: ‘Broadcasting’ per se (at least here in the US), has been moving away from the licensed *public* airwaves
Very true — and one of the main reasons why I used the phrase “mass programing” instead of “broadcasting”.
Every corporation (even the small, local ones) is a creation of the government, either state or federal, and only continues to exist because it is permitted to do so. I have personally known a gentleman whose radio network was forced into bankruptcy during the Clinton administration because (in my opinion) he was disseminating embarrassing information. Of course there was no clear statement from the federal agencies for him to shut down; they just placed one harassment after another on him, culminating with a years long IRS investigation. The investigation never found anything illegal or questionable, but he was eventually broken by lawyer fees. Whether broadcast or cable, if you make yourself too much of an irritation, you can be shut down.
Can’t happen here? It does happen here, and I have seen it myself. The best defense at present is the wonderful decentralized internet.
I don’t have time to read the comments other than Herbie’s above to reply that
in the context of the show, they’ve established this particular judge as saying such off the wall left of center ideas and basically daring anyone else to object.
As we watched the show and the judge came on (before he said that line) I went
“Oooohhh, THIS guy”.
The show leans left, but the comment was intended to be exactly what it sounded like.
Unintentional injection of an opinion.
Perhaps after the election is over, the cable On Demand service promo loop will stop endlessly repeating the annoying bit where a cartoon character keeps saying, with obvious pride, that it would be out of place at a Republican Convention . . .
It’s a damn TV series.
I don’t want to watch just programs that I agree with, but with viewpoints that take issue with thing I believe in and allow me to question whether those things are right or not in all circumstances. The notion that in a fair world, TV would express and support one particular point of view, whether liberal or conservative, is a totalitarian nightmare. It might be a wet dream of Fox News but it’s totalitarianism just the same.
What if I’m wrong about AGW? What if, despite the transparent fakery of a few climate scientists, what if there was a serious problem that I hadn’t considered? How will I know unless I allow my presuppositions to be challenged?
“The Good Wife” is a good drama series. Let’s not try to convince ourselves that the world should be shaded black and white, because it’s not and nor should it be.
In general, I tend to avoid getting any scientific information from broadcast television, unless nudity is involved ;o)
(P.S. I’ve never seen the show.)
Snowed today in the thumb of Michigan, patchy and looked more like a heavy frost on the ground but it was snow. I’m sure it’s not a record but it is unusual this early in the fall.
Regardless how you feel about Global Warming, Denis O’Hare plays a liberal judge, and that is something a liberal might say. To ignore that fact is hiding your head in the sand.
Paul Jackson says:
November 5, 2012 at 3:03 pm
Snowed today in the thumb of Michigan,
————————————————————————————————————————–
Hope all those great plumbs were picked before the cold hit. That area is a different world!
“this very pointed put down about climate skeptics” may be taken as a back-handed statement, too, by sending up the absurdly illogical claims of alarmists.
For my birthday my kids got me a book about Star Trek. “Captains Log” but out just after Star Trek: The Next Generation ended and Voyager began. It was behind the scenes stuff on every Star Trek series and episode and movie to date.
The last season of TNG had an episode about warp travel damaging the fabric of space. The writers fought for that story because they wanted to make a statement about The Ozone Hole. (Al Gore’s environmental “threat” of the day.) They said so.
Enjoy whatever books or shows you want, but don’t let your guard down. Don’t be blind to subtle points the writers may be trying to make. And guard your kids from what is put in front them for “innocent entertainment”.