1. The world is a better place when standards of decency and respect are in place and practised in our daily lives. People have a better quality of life and are happier. That there is a lack of civility and respect in the world does not require approval of it or even tolerance of it. It's the very act of tolerating bad behavior that allows even worse behavior a chance to happen. Privately, act out all you want, although even privately, thoughts lead to public displays of private thoughts eventually (you are what you think). The last few decades of "in your face" disregard for public decency has given us exactly what we have now, which is a lot of rude, angry, resentful people who could care less about consideration of others and who are extremely intolerant of other beings. Nothing complicated about this. As for the Opie and Anthony types, they are obscene and extremely sick individuals.

Jean at 5:51PM on May 11th 2007

2. I agree completely with Jean.
In addition, I believe that these men have crossed a big line, and in doing that, broke the laws regarding decency and inciting illegal behavior.
In addition, they have denegrated women, showed complete contempt for powerful women in government.
If Imus was fired for his remarks, these idiots should also be fired and be charged with any offense that fits the bill.
I am appalled that CBS owns this programming and expect them to clean up their act.
The common indecencies in our daily life have increased to critical mass.
I had considered subscribing to SIRIUS and giving my boyfriend a subscription as well. That WILL NEVER happen now. I encourage others to vote with their feet moving away from these two shock jocks and those involved with their "show".

Mary Supinger at 5:03AM on May 12th 2007

3. What I find appalling is this kind of "shock talk" that supposedly is protected under the guise of "free speech" only when it's to attack Republicans or conservatives. But when a conservative such as Ann Coulter states something usually supported or anchored on historical precedent, previous antecedents, about liberals, then it's viewed as "hate speech" and suddenly the First Amendment evaporates. As discusting as I found these individuals'comments, they have free speech rights. However, so do conservatives. The liberal tyranny of organized, "mainstream" media, reporting only what they deem fit(the public's right to know)and when conservatives exercise their freedom of speech rights get publicly excoriated by the liberal "thought police"then I must say America is heading down a slippery slope. When Al Sharpton can say bigoted things like what he said about Mormons and then turn around and demand Imus' resignation and the media does not report the hypocrisy and call Sharpton on the carpet, we are in trouble as a country. Either you call everyone on the carpet or no one.

Al at 8:05AM on May 14th 2007

4. Cenk, it is clear from listening to an audio clip of the broadcast in question (your use of the word "apparently" suggests you have not, yet I find it hard to imagine you would feel qualified to pass judgement on something you have not heard) that the those comic geniuses Opie and Anthongy weren't merely talking about 'having sex" with female celebrities -- they were talking about raping them. Thus, your argument that the violence part was bad but the sex part okey dokey is bizarre. Nonconsensual sex is an extraordinarily violent act in and of itself, and this program was making light of it -- and used a word for a woman that is every bit as bigoted as the n-word. I have no respect for this administration or the people who work for it, but this sort of hate speech is vile no matter who it is directed at. To say so does not make one "hypersensitive" -- to NOT say so makes one a clod.

The First Amendment is NOT the issue. The constitution guarantees free speech, but it does not guarantee a program on satellite radio. To say that the government shouldn't impose standards is not to say that some sort of standard of basic humanity does not exist. Joking about raping Condeleeza Rice and calling her a bitch falls short of that standard -- even if you have the right to talk like that, what does it say about you if you WANT to talk like that?

richter at 4:37PM on May 12th 2007

5. I tend to agree with Cenk, especially when it comes to satellite radio with parental controls. For example, I got disgusted with Dinesh D'Souza's endless huckstering of his latest book, gay bashing, Afro-American bashing, desire to destroy the First Amendment, desire to control womens' reproductive choices, and his sloppy copying of Rosie's two week old joke, a line Ann Coulter used about 6 months ago, and incomplete research on Daniel Ortega. The blog always has a lot of comments because Dinesh will say almost anything that appears right wing that will provoke a fight or a hate fest. So, I left. Does that mean Dinesh has to stop prostituting his brain for cash - of course not. It just means I'm not going to contribute to the size of the check by increasing the audience.

Phil at 4:37PM on May 12th 2007

6. I want to say that I completley agree with what you have said. I think that comedy can come from very dark places, and that public officials are fair game.

The other people that commented on this seem to think that free speech is only for exchanging pleasentries. Did someone force you to subscribe to something that advertises itself as uncensored radio? Did a ghost had turn your radio to a channel that is nowhere near any other channels, (opie and anthony are on 202)? Don't listen, I don't like rap music, I don't listen to the rap channels on XM.

I used to think I was a liberal, but in the recent radio firings I have learned that I am a person that has very few political friends. The left is just as concerned with squashing free speech as the right. One of the reasons that the democrats lost the working class is because of political correctness, that is also the reason that they will be losing me.

Bryan Quinby at 10:58AM on May 13th 2007

7. QUOTE:
"I agree completely with Jean.
In addition, I believe that these men have crossed a big line, and in doing that, broke the laws regarding decency and inciting illegal behavior."
----------------------------------

Who's "Laws of decency"? Where are these laws and who made them? Further, are you aware that a.) that its a pay subscription service much like CATV? That this is not "public" airwaves? b.) That O&A did NOT have a gun to to Charlies head when he said these things?

Also, your comment "This is denegrating to women" speaks volumes of your hypocrisy. They make fun of EVERYONE, themselves included. Women aren't a minority to be protected, they represent half the human population on this planet. You obviously respect high powered women yet you imply by your statement that women deserve some kind of special consideration (a-la blacks, Hispanics, gays, etc.) You can't have it both ways sweetie.

Lastly, take any media you currently enjoy and understand that it too will be subject to the current hysteria of hypersensitivity sweeping the US. No one has a right NOT to be offended, ESPECIALLY on a pay service. Get off your moral high-horse and look beyond your own ridiculous sense of whats acceptable and what isn't.

HumpX at 11:31AM on May 13th 2007

8. Great write up! Nice to see!

styckx at 9:27PM on May 13th 2007

9. Brian Quinby says: "The other people that commented on this seem to think that free speech is only for exchanging pleasentries." How is it that things can "seem" so wrong to some people?

Me, I think that SPEECH is for doing whatever the hell you want to do with it. ("Free speech" isn't for doing anything with; it is the principle that people may not be prohibited from saying things and punished for saying them ... although there are of course all sorts of things that people may be prohibited from saying and punished for saying, in all societies.)

I also think that speech is for condemning people who say vile and vicious things; mine certainly is. It seems to me that Brian Quinby is the one here (not the only one here or elsewhere, of course) who has a problem with people using their free speech rights.

Oh, and Humpx seems to need to learn to read a little better, too. The person s/he responded to didn't say "laws of decency", s/he said "laws regarding decency". If there are no such laws, one might just note that the fact that the broadcast in question isn't regulated at the moment does not mean that it shouldn't be regulated.

Of course, people who address women as "sweetie" while lecturing them don't actually deserve notice in any event.

bushwah at 8:28PM on Jun 19th 2007

10. I would like to know how many of you, that feel like
Bryan Quinby or this blogger have ever been through
a violent rape. Do you know how it feels to be
powerless and hope to God that when its over you are
still alive.Do you know what it is like to have someone violate you with a knife to your throat. Do you know what it is like if you are 15 and this is your first experience with a man. Do you know what it feels like to have
that repeat over and over again in your head.
Do you know what it is like to have a rape test done
Do you know what it feels like always be afraid,to
feel like you can't be alone anymore. That nowhere is safe. Do you know what its like to think that every man you see could be the guy.
Do you know the pain rape causes and the damage it does.
Until you understand and feel all that, if you go through a rape and find a way to think it is funny
let me know,But I don't think it will ever be funny to a victim. Rape is not sex and if you or anyone else thinks it compares to looking at two donkeys, then the world is alot sicker then it seem last week.

Kaye at 4:01PM on May 13th 2007

11.
First off, to Kaye: It saddens me that this kind of dark humor seems to strike so close to home for you. Obviously something has happened in your life where you wouldn't be able to find humor in this or understand those that do or will but the fact of the matter is, just because you don't like what they say (or in this case, their guest said) doesn't mean that you should be able to dictate what the rest of us pay for and listen too. This was joked about on a pay service that constantly runs warnings and disclaimers that explicit content will be heard on that particular station and channel blocking is available for those with children or those that feel they may stumble upon the station accidently or for whatever other reason you could possibly come up with.

As for the rest of the posters here that found this to be offensive: Your posts absolutely frighten the hell out of me. I see words like "standards of decency" and "public displays of private thoughts" and I just can't help to think about what kind of Orwellian Utopia you would wish for us all. It shames me that I share this country with such narrow minded people that apparently cannot or will not operate a tuner button to change the channel when they here something offensive or that they do not like.

As I mentioned to Kaye, this is a pay subscription service. You don't have to listen to it and you have plenty of methods of insuring that you won't have to listen to it if you do not wish to. Please wake up and smell the Thought Police at our doors because today it's dark, edgy humor.... tomorrow it may be your religion, your politics or something else that you may decide that you wouldn't want anyone telling you what is right or wrong for you.

Kevin at 6:02PM on May 13th 2007

12. RAPE is not sex! Rape is a violent act against a person and a sex organ is the weapon. Rape is often used in war to denigrate women and destroy their very being. Talking about the prospect of raping a person is totally outrside decency.

Linda at 8:46PM on May 13th 2007

13. I agree with Kevin. Thie type of thought that some of these posters have exhibited absolutely terrifies me to the core. Besides the fact that the guest never said rape (I heard the original broadcast LIVE. The fact that these posters FOUND an implication tells me all I need to know about their sick, tormented worlds.), this was on a pay service, one I pay for so I can hear unfettered speech. If it offends, then start an adult dialogue about why it offends you, rather than trying to censor what I paid good money to hear, whether it offends me or not!

Robert H. Brearey, Jr. at 2:55PM on May 14th 2007

14. Perhaps because I was raised in the 50s, my perspective is different but I think that civility and respect for others are important attributes of any society. I am not opposed, or offended, by the reported "outrages" of the Opie and Anthony Show or by the comments made on the Don Imus Show. Or by anything said by Stern or Coulter or anyone else. I strongly believe in free speech. However, I am old enough, and (hopefully) wise enough to understand the concept. I think my lack of offense is due to the fact that I am an adult. One of the first "rules of life" I was taught was "Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me." I grew up in a house free of profanity and vulgarity, I was taught to be respectful of others first of all, and to appreciate those who treated me with respect. These were lessons taught by a society that professed them more on the surface than they did in reality. We had bigotry and prejudice and discrimination but they lay below the surface and weren't acknowledged. It was good that they were brought to public consciousness. It was good that many of our failings were brought out into the light of day. But it was bad that, along with those, civility and mutual respect were also dismissed as desirable traits because they helped cover up the faults of our society. I wouldn't censor anyone or any show but I would hope that we all would censor ourselves and treat everyone around us with a bit more respect.

Douglas at 6:58AM on Jul 28th 2007

15. The Young Turks get it completely right here. There has to be somewhere in media where you can say ANYTHING in a conversational or interviewing mode. Freedom if speech in this country is under attack. No matter how unpopular or offensive the material is, the right to speak your mind is an integral part of this nation's history and greatness. The content is irrelevant. Someone here commented how the Opie and Anthony show is Liberal and Anti-Republican. That is completely false. The show has skewered both Democrats and Republicans equally over the years and has made fun of practically every staid and solid institution we have. Liberals draw their ire just as much as right wingers. The show is about COMEDY people. If you're not laughing, change the channel, but don't write a letter to get them off the air. Thats disingenuous. What if you got up and made an unpopular statement or told a joke that someone found offensive? Would you expect your job to be taken away? I am offended by political wannabes like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson who have never had the support in their communities that they and the media seem to believe they have. In fact, Sharpton just made a crack about Mormons the other day regarding how they don't believe in God the way he believes in God, thus discounting an entire religion! After a minor uproar, he apologized. Thats as far as it went, right? He's been known to make anti-white and other slurs and yet he is still allowed on the airwaves to spew his hatred. Why is he not held up to the same standard as an Imus , a JV and Elvis show, or an Opie and Anthony? He can get away with supporting a liar (Tawana Brawley)in her quest to discredit good men for no good reason, yet he is never called to account? What gives him the right to be the voice of the people and the people's conscience? Nothing. I won't even go into the verbal and personal blunders of Jesse Jackson, except to ask if he's still going to give that scholarship to the Duke LaCrosse team "victim". You know Mr. Jackson, the one who was also found to be a LIAR.
My point in all this is clear. No one in this country should be attacked at their livelihood and core because of something they SAID. Whether it is on the radio or not. We all have the choice to change the channel and not to listen, or in the case of Opie and Anthony, not to go OUT of OUR WAY to subscribe to XM radio and then tune to their specific channel and whine about what they say.

Rob Bruggemann at 10:12AM on May 14th 2007