0:01

Hello, you're listening to a preview of a premium

0:04

episode of Blotcher reported. Katie, what are we going

0:06

to talk about on the preview? Elmo

0:08

we've got some Elmo content. Elmo has

0:10

been abused. Elmo has been abused. We're going

0:12

to break some news on that. We're going to talk

0:14

about Will Wheaton's response to it. And we're going to

0:17

talk about a Jad Slaeman update

0:19

on this weird ongoing

0:21

series of race controversies at

0:23

WHYY. That's the preview. The

0:25

full episode includes more talk about Will Wheaton.

0:27

You're really going to want to hear about

0:29

Will Wheaton a lot going on there. And

0:31

then we're also going to talk about Emily

0:33

Gould's essay about divorce,

0:35

desperation, mental health. We've got some thoughts on

0:37

that. So if you want to hear all

0:39

that, go to blockterreported.org where for just $5

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and up a month, you

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can get three extra episodes just like this

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one every month. And it is the best

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way to support us I think, right? What

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else? That's it. Don't buy merch. Just join the

0:53

program. Don't buy merch. I hope

0:55

you enjoy the preview. Before we get into

0:57

the guts of the episode, you also

0:59

had a Jad Slaeman update.

1:02

I do. Okay. So yeah, we're going

1:04

to quickly follow up on the ongoing

1:06

personnel saga at WHYY Philadelphia's public radio

1:09

station. So before we do that, Jesse,

1:11

why don't you give people just a

1:13

quick reminder about what's been going on

1:16

there? We produced a brilliant episode. I

1:18

can't remember who led it. It was

1:20

no way to know, but it was

1:22

great. It was about Jad Slaeman who's

1:24

this Muslim. I

1:27

see people mostly by their religion. There's

1:30

a comedian who worked at a public

1:32

radio station and basically got fired because

1:35

he made jokes. People in

1:37

his office found offensive, particularly management. He

1:40

made jokes. He was not making the jokes in the office.

1:42

Sorry. Yeah, I told that story horribly. He was a standup

1:44

comedian. He was not going to

1:47

read at work. I mean, do you

1:49

want me to explain it or do you want me to do it? I want you to do

1:51

a good job. Both

1:54

know that's not possible at this point. Yeah,

1:56

he was sorry. He did stand up on the side and folks

1:59

should just. It was the episode We Are

2:01

Amazing audio of Decide Judge try to

2:03

explain his jokes and his station management's

2:05

ended the day he was reinstated to

2:07

his job and this this was high

2:09

stakes for him to the his health

2:11

problems and he was fired under what

2:13

seem to be pretty ridiculous are for

2:15

life were better word cancel Culture Yeah

2:17

circumstances. right? So after going

2:20

through this arbitration process with W H

2:22

Y Y Jagged, I saw back at

2:24

least briefly part, but something else came

2:26

out of this. So one of the

2:28

complaints against Sad was that he used

2:30

the term rag Head and his act.

2:32

Now he's Arabic born to Muslim family.

2:34

I don't know if he's actually a

2:36

practicing Muslim, but he's. Yeah, she's about.

2:38

he looks. Muslims N N E

2:41

journals Moses he does and

2:43

chat in the union that

2:45

represented Ham. Argued. In

2:47

this arbitration like basically he's allowed to use

2:49

the term rag had because he is himself

2:51

a rag had ah so it like it's

2:53

not a sense of when you're referring to

2:55

your own group. you know the same way

2:57

that I can call myself a dyke. You

3:00

can call yourself a time he'd you do

3:02

to the did you. Could call be

3:04

your chances. Are know

3:06

how that's it's own, but it happens on. And then

3:08

so during this arbitration process,

3:10

the union. Ah us if

3:12

that was allowed. Like are. It. Or

3:15

improves allowed to use these in

3:17

group terms And A W H

3:19

Y Y executives were like know

3:21

we never tolerate this and then

3:23

so the judge side played audio.

3:26

Have another W H Y Y employee

3:28

a guy name a mere Richardson. she's

3:30

a robber. He performs as the Bull

3:32

Day and silly. He's pretty well known

3:34

in the silly rap scene. He had

3:36

a song on our supporters that she

3:38

the so called. The. One son silly

3:40

about the school. It's really funny. Ah

3:42

yeah, simulated pop culture. Question of

3:44

it. Elements are missing a noisy

3:46

as her one of our watch

3:48

sports apparently murder lights are to

3:51

them. What are the. Up So he's

3:53

A he's a woman robber and silly and

3:55

he uses the n word with impunity on

3:57

his wraps. So. Sideways

3:59

the audio and W H Y

4:01

Y was basically trotter. That points

4:03

because they just said the. Arab

4:06

a guy can't use the term rag

4:08

head and now they have tape of

4:11

the black guy using the N word.

4:13

So afterwards they demanded that Richardson who

4:15

I heard was a store employee at

4:17

the station. They demanded that he take

4:19

the of sending wraps off and social

4:22

media and rather than do that. Is

4:25

that he said it is fed into. The

4:27

supernatural point of all? they're slow

4:30

Zola. you're making a blast. Employee

4:32

resign for his wraps right? with

4:35

crazy. And apparently when Sarah

4:37

glover she's a Vpn News and

4:39

Civic Dialogue and w Israelites after

4:41

he resigned, she's also blocked Saucer.

4:44

He resigned. She sent like an

4:46

office wide email saying goodbye to hand

4:48

and like wishing him well and our

4:50

friends yard. replied. All and

4:52

said that she source. versus.

4:56

A way just alone or with the company

4:59

I'm he. He can't comment on the inner

5:01

workings of W is were like any longer

5:03

on the there is a lot of drama

5:05

over there and silly. I. Mean, I would

5:07

guess that the next thing you know, Terry Gross is going

5:09

to be fired for calling herself a jealous. Yeah,

5:12

there's a lot of details we don't have the

5:14

I'm guessing Wh Were was not exactly a wash

5:16

and trash at the moment, and we seem to

5:18

be spending a huge amount of time. I.

5:21

Just Policing. Do

5:23

different employees of colors, use of slurs

5:25

or drugs themselves. I just I would

5:28

love someone to do the told him

5:30

how much money they spent almost as

5:32

I do. If you're going to donate

5:34

to the station, it's it's probably going

5:36

to like the Edward since the first

5:39

spotted for athletics wasn't. Rates.

5:42

For every what do you think about this or

5:44

you know I like I think the whole thing

5:46

is silly but are they. Just ran. Everyone should

5:48

be fired for every and you know what I

5:51

mean. I. Do think if

5:53

you have a rule like nobody can say

5:55

use these racially loaded term, you can't really

5:57

make exceptions for people based on the color

5:59

of skin. Like of. If the rule is, you can't say

6:01

the bad word. It's gotta be. Nobody

6:03

can say the battered. I mean, there's such

6:05

an obvious difference between using it as a

6:08

racial slur to hurt somebody and using it

6:10

in these contests you update. or even a

6:12

very dumb institution which is supposed to be

6:15

could understand that distinction. But I'm. This

6:17

is actually doesn't justice. Yeah,

6:19

So the seems, Yeah, this is all

6:21

this is stupid. right? This is

6:23

just as. Well I'm

6:25

glad a very wise making the world a

6:27

better place. I mean there is a question

6:30

of like where. We've said before

6:32

I've said if you're a journalist, there's

6:34

gonna be some limitations on what you

6:36

can say publicly. I met more light

6:38

is pressing political opinions. I'm not sure

6:40

that applies to rapper stand up comedy

6:43

or that I said by it's ah

6:45

read. This. Station appears to be

6:47

imploding softly. Some more news will we gotta?

6:49

we can talk about it. Ah okay, before

6:51

it. Before he finally getting them got I

6:54

wanted to make one sort of correction in

6:56

our last Premium episode I talked about. I

6:58

dislike was basically. Slopping. The

7:00

dobbs of air traffic controllers row

7:02

where a services like others so

7:04

all sorts of I was up

7:06

at. Allies are super professional, especially

7:08

during emergencies. They keep their cool.

7:10

A friend of the pod basically

7:12

said that. The idea

7:15

that air traffic controllers are actually keeping

7:17

pine super high, are super hot, or

7:19

actually. Dobbs. Fat Slobs

7:21

stats his records or know you just said

7:23

that. Liked the idea of the key planes

7:25

flying in in the air is overrated and

7:28

I'm I might have actually sort of know

7:30

that I don't think effort to while but

7:32

city centers are decide to ninety seven article

7:34

in the Atlantic. That's interesting and Us explains.

7:36

Air traffic controllers are much more about assists

7:39

and see especially of high volume airports and

7:41

actually keeping planes a loft. so let me

7:43

as he added linked to that and I

7:45

am not sure we did say anything more

7:47

than that. Rate is as soon. As I

7:49

think they're the only thing to say about it is I told

7:52

season when. You meet you told me so. i told you that

7:54

this that this wasn't gonna be a job that was

7:56

gonna be replaced by a i knew or like no

7:58

no no this takes creativity the takes human activity.

8:00

You said they are the artists of the

8:03

sky? No, skywriters.

8:07

I said the skywriters are the artists of the

8:09

sky. Okay, skywriters now that might

8:12

be a good job that AI. Here's the direct

8:14

quote of what I said. I'm reading it here on the transcript. I

8:16

love air traffic controllers. I want to

8:18

hug and kiss and snuggle with them,

8:21

but they're too busy saving lives. Nothing

8:23

about the artist. You did seem to think that

8:25

this was like the last job that could be replaced by

8:27

AI, which struck me as stupid at the time. But, you

8:29

know, I love it. I don't. Okay, these

8:31

are separate issues, but we don't, neither of

8:33

us knows anything about this. I'll link to

8:36

the thing. Let's talk about a true artist,

8:38

Wil Wheaton. Katie, if I say that name,

8:40

ignoring the last couple weeks, three weeks ago,

8:42

what would you have said if I asked

8:44

you to just respond to the name Wil

8:46

Wheaton? Who? Yeah, okay. Wil Wheaton played a

8:48

minor character on Star Trek, The Next Generation.

8:50

He has been blogging forever and is a

8:52

nerd, and I sort of associate him with

8:54

Game or Gate because my brain is broken,

8:56

but it's always been like staunchly on the

8:58

side of social justice and goodness. He has

9:00

some kind of streaming CBS show. He's

9:02

very online. 1.2 million

9:05

Instagram followers, more than half a million

9:07

on Facebook, whatever that is. I didn't

9:10

check Blue Sky or Threads. He's even I have

9:12

certain limits in terms of what I'll expose myself

9:14

to. Are you active on either of those? No,

9:16

I dip my toe in every once in a while and

9:18

then quickly back away. Blue Sky is a very,

9:20

very bad place. Yeah, it's like it's

9:23

like the Gulag guards

9:25

all hanging out. It's just creepy.

9:28

I reviewed some of his old Game

9:31

or Gate era output, and he's this

9:34

very specific type of poster who will

9:36

constantly poke hornets nests over and over

9:38

and over, and then he'll be like,

9:40

where did all these hornets come from?

9:42

This is unfair. That reminds me of

9:44

some... Shut up. All right, Katie, read

9:46

these screenshots I've shared with you, and then PAX

9:48

is like a video game conference. This is

9:51

what we in. He says, I really

9:53

hope there's some serious discussion at hashtag

9:55

PAX about the cesspool of misogyny that's

9:57

trying to ruin gaming. As they say...

9:59

Today, the comments on any article about feminism

10:01

justify the need for feminism, grow up boys, women

10:04

are people, get you spit. This is very, this

10:06

reminds me of Dave Roberts. It's like you have

10:08

plugged into something that you can tweet

10:10

maybe several times a year. You can milk forever. It's

10:13

like giant titties that you can just

10:15

keep milking. Social justice titties. And it

10:17

will almost certainly go viral and make you look

10:20

like one of the good ones, as Freddy

10:23

DeBorb would put it. And we can talk about

10:25

how bad Twitter is now, and it is bad

10:27

as evidenced by the fact that I just, if

10:30

I'd wanted to last night, I could have

10:32

watched two hours of Alex Jones interviewing Brett

10:34

Wideside. Can you believe

10:36

that? We're gonna do it again,

10:38

we're gonna do it again. There are certain people

10:40

who have really turned in to the things

10:43

that they're, to the people their critics said

10:45

they were all along. Alex Jones to me

10:47

is in a whole category of he's just,

10:50

he's playing evil. Some of the shit he's done, it's

10:52

so far beyond like- Oh, I think he's a fun.

10:55

Except for the whole Sandy Hook thing. Except for the whole

10:57

Sandy Hook thing. But this

10:59

reading these Waweeden things reminded me

11:02

of, in many ways, Twitter is

11:04

actually much worse. And you're addressing this with

11:06

the Finland host, like, is it good that

11:08

Twitter no longer has these influence? So this

11:10

tweet, as they say the comments on any

11:12

article about feminism, justify the need for feminism,

11:14

grow up boys, women are people, get used

11:16

to it. More than 2000 retweets. That's

11:20

crazy. This is the sort of thing that like, when somebody

11:22

tweets that, you know that he has a woman locked up

11:24

in his basement. I know, I know, yeah.

11:27

I mean, we can't say that with

11:29

certainty, we're being ironic, but he does,

11:31

obviously. You're being ironic, I know. I

11:33

should say like, for defamation purposes, we're

11:35

not saying Waweeden does have a woman

11:37

locked up, change her radiator in his

11:39

basement, right? We're not saying that. We're

11:41

also not saying he doesn't. We're not saying he doesn't, because

11:43

that could also be its own form of defamation. Right, exactly.

11:46

Against the woman. So

11:48

yeah, just endless posting designed to get people

11:51

mad about him. I'm

11:54

gonna ask you to read one more thing. I made like,

11:56

the biggest mistake I made was going to his Facebook page,

11:58

which I had to do for the story. It might

12:01

be the worst Facebook page I've ever seen.

12:03

I'd rather go to the Der Stürmer Facebook

12:05

page. Just read this

12:08

one post from January 31st, the top

12:10

two paragraphs. If

12:12

I cared any less about the NFL, it would take

12:14

effort. I get that it's massively popular,

12:16

and for some of its fans, quote,

12:19

I like football, is their entire personality. Good

12:21

for them. Sincerely, it's just not my thing. But

12:24

I love and admire Taylor Swift, which is the

12:26

only reason I know that the Chiefs had some

12:28

kind of huge comeback against Detroit, and they're going

12:30

to the Superb L against the team I can't

12:33

remember, and you don't need to identify. Edit, whoops,

12:35

I'm accepted to playoff games. I still don't care.

12:37

He's like, this reminds me of the people who

12:39

talk about how they don't have a TV, but

12:42

they watch five hours of TV a night on

12:44

their laptop. It's also like him

12:48

and his circles. I like

12:50

football is their entire personality. Will we

12:52

then build an entire online brand out

12:54

of being a minor character on Star

12:56

Trek the Next Generation? It's

12:58

just so like, Dave

13:00

Roberts is exactly right. Dave Roberts is

13:03

like, Will Whedon-lite. Anyway,

13:06

Will was traumatized by something very

13:08

troubling that happened recently. And

13:11

no, this is not a mass shooting

13:13

or Gaza related. It's much worse than

13:15

that. Larry David strangled

13:17

Elmo on the today show a couple

13:20

weeks ago. I assume you saw

13:22

this clip, this horrific violent act. Of course. Of

13:25

course I did. I've been posted a long Facebook

13:27

post. I couldn't possibly read

13:29

in its entirety. I think Shakespeare in the Park

13:31

is going to do a

13:33

treatment of it this coming summer. I

13:35

have to read a little bit of it. The context here

13:37

is that Whedon had an abusive dad, which

13:40

sucks. Nobody, not even Will Whedon should have

13:42

an abusive dad. Apparently. Jesus

13:44

Christ. I

13:47

didn't say that. I didn't laugh. Katie,

13:49

come on. We're trying to be better.

13:51

Remember we're trying to be better people

13:53

this year. Did we make that agreement? I

13:55

don't know. You were high. Apparently

13:58

seeing. Elmo

14:00

get briefly made, which

14:03

just, can we just reflect as all this

14:05

is happening? Elmo is

14:07

a fuzzy red, immortal puppet, right?

14:10

He's actually somebody's arms. I mean, technically he's

14:12

somebody, wait, is that like they have like a growth

14:14

effect? That's just what their arm looks like. Or you

14:16

made the puppet. I saw, I was at a,

14:18

I went to a public radio conference and some

14:20

of the key notes were there.

14:23

He was, he was, it was actually Cookie Monster was the

14:25

key note. They're only two genders. But,

14:29

uh, you, so I actually saw what they are

14:31

and they are people's arms. This had been a mystery to

14:33

you before that. You didn't know what Elmo was. I

14:35

didn't know what part of the body I'd like. It

14:38

was a day. I thought nobody's big as that big Jesse. Come

14:42

on. How big is Elmo's day? He doesn't have

14:44

a butt. Oh, they should introduce the bottom half of Elmo and

14:46

have him get rid of that. Tickle

14:48

me Elmo. It's a giant, swinging red, fuzzy

14:50

day. Um, let

14:52

me just read part of this post. I'm going to

14:55

try to read it with a straight face with the

14:57

gravity it deserves. So

15:00

I heard about Larry David assaulting Elmo

15:02

on life television. That's

15:04

it. That is the preview you get. I hope you liked

15:06

it. If you want to hear the whole thing, go to

15:08

blockimportant.org. Sign up for just $5 a month and up.

15:11

Best deal in media. Thank you. Goodbye.