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Phil Robertson returns to A&E

They miscalculated what they stood to lose. It has nothing to do with "free speech" of course, just that A&E makes more money. It's the American way.

It should have been obvious that offending very a large part of mainstream society in order to avoid offending a very tiny population of immoral freaks, is never going to be good for business.
 
That doesn't matter; his comments are still in the public eye. He doesn't stop being an A&E employee when he steps off the set.

He didn't stop being an A&E "employee" ever, except for a brief (rumor of a?) publicity "suspension", and now has the DD show's popularity at an all time high. Have you not been paying attention to the current situation? Have you ever seen Phil Robertson's contract with A&E or the written terms of his alleged suspension?
 
so you think A&E had in Phils contract he had to drop his religion because it goes against homesexuality?:lamo

It probably had something regarding what he said in interviews meant to promote the show.

I went to a Catholic High School. It was specifically in the student handbook that if you did something detrimental to the public image of the school, even on your own time, that it could be grounds for expulsion. I don't know of anyone who was expelled for that, but it was right in there. In other words, such clauses are not unheard of.
 
It should have been obvious that offending very a large part of mainstream society in order to avoid offending a very tiny population of immoral freaks, is never going to be good for business.

A large part of mainstream society actually thinks that we should treat gay people with respect. Not a "tiny population of immoral freaks." A majority of Minnesotans, for example, voted NOT to ban gay marriage. This wasn't just gays that voted that way. Regular, straight, mainstream folks out in the suburbs voted that way.
 
He didn't stop being an A&E "employee" ever, except for a brief (rumor of a?) publicity "suspension", and now has the DD show's popularity at an all time high. Have you not been paying attention to the current situation? Have you ever seen Phil Robertson's contract with A&E or the written terms of his alleged suspension?

I've not seen it, and neither have you. However to think that such a clause would appear is not exactly unheard of. You can be sure that A&E's lawyers dotted the i's and crossed all the t's. It ain't just some slapdash operation.

For some reason, your side got it in your collective heads that there was no clause about hurting the show in public interviews, and that they could just pick up and move to a different network because they felt like it. IF that's true, then A&E has the dumbest lawyers on the planet bar none.
 
I've not seen it, and neither have you. However to think that such a clause would appear is not exactly unheard of. You can be sure that A&E's lawyers dotted the i's and crossed all the t's. It ain't just some slapdash operation.

For some reason, your side got it in your collective heads that there was no clause about hurting the show in public interviews, and that they could just pick up and move to a different network because they felt like it. IF that's true, then A&E has the dumbest lawyers on the planet bar none.

Amen, to the bolded above. If you think that A&E management was not extremely smart to pretend to cave into GLAAD pressure, get national media attention (free publicity) and then simply drop the matter, cashing in on the all time high DD ratings, then you are among the dumbest on the planet.
 
He didn't stop being an A&E "employee" ever, except for a brief (rumor of a?) publicity "suspension", and now has the DD show's popularity at an all time high. Have you not been paying attention to the current situation? Have you ever seen Phil Robertson's contract with A&E or the written terms of his alleged suspension?

Well, A&E did issue a statement that he was suspended; to claim it was a fake publicity stunt is leaning toward conspiracy theorizing. For the purposes of the First Amendment discussion, let's say he actually was.

I should have said "representative," not "employee."
 
Well, A&E did issue a statement that he was suspended; to claim it was a fake publicity stunt is leaning toward conspiracy theorizing. For the purposes of the First Amendment discussion, let's say he actually was.

I should have said "representative," not "employee."

It is leaning toward a full understanding of the actual situation - Duck Dynasty is now more popular than ever. It was not a "fake" publicity stunt it was a real and extremely cost effective publicity stunt.
 
It is leaning toward a full understanding of the actual situation - Duck Dynasty is now more popular than ever. It was not a "fake" publicity stunt it was a real and extremely cost effective publicity stunt.

Is it? What evidence is there that this is actually the case?
 
It's not unreasonable to believe this marathon was already planned; such things are not uncommon on holidays ... for this to be a "coincidence" (rather than an actual coincidence), wouldn't GQ have to have been in on it as well?

In on what? They got an exclusive interview with a popular TV star and with the blessing of A&E; it was a win-win deal.
 
In on what? They got an exclusive interview with a popular TV star and with the blessing of A&E; it was a win-win deal.

I'm not buying that this was some sort of pre-planned thing, if that's what you're insinuating. And the presence of a DD marathon (already A&E's most popular show) is not evidence that the show is "more popular than ever."
 
I'm not buying that this was some sort of pre-planned thing, if that's what you're insinuating. And the presence of a DD marathon (already A&E's most popular show) is not evidence that the show is "more popular than ever."

Wait and see, Grasshopper. ;)
 
I'm not buying that this was some sort of pre-planned thing, if that's what you're insinuating. And the presence of a DD marathon (already A&E's most popular show) is not evidence that the show is "more popular than ever."

Whether it is or not more popular than ever. Both Mr. Duck and A&E did get a ton of free publicity. In the show business regardless whether that is good or bad publicity, it doesn't matter. what matters is the interest it raises among the folks who watch TV. No publicity is the worse kind.
 
Whether it is or not more popular than ever. Both Mr. Duck and A&E did get a ton of free publicity. In the show business regardless whether that is good or bad publicity, it doesn't matter. what matters is the interest it raises among the folks who watch TV. No publicity is the worse kind.

That I'll generally agree with, although I wouldn't tell that to Michael Richards. :lol:
 
You haven't been paying attention, it was on the news a few days ago, it is almost like it never happened. I imagine they received a letter from a law firm, and they would have lost in court. Employers do not control your beliefs especially when it comes to religion, they would have lost miserably

Wishful thinking, A&E has a few lawyers of their own. Foolish you be to think A&E acted without a consult with their legal. The suspension is from filming, kinda difficult to whiteout Phil from the episodes already shot. I thought that was made clear days ago.

I don't see the suspension as a firing, it was something far less than that. Of course the CONs are going to howl and use the term fired but the Phil's lawyer knows the difference. When a football player gets a 4 game suspension for a bad hit, do you scream he was fired??? No and neither did A&E.

Now this can go nova if both sides continue to ramp this up. My money is on what Phil says publicly to help put pressure on A&E is not what he is saying in private. I also think the 'pressure' the redneck vote tries to use will not be helpful and not decide the issue.
 
Wishful thinking, A&E has a few lawyers of their own. Foolish you be to think A&E acted without a consult with their legal. The suspension is from filming, kinda difficult to whiteout Phil from the episodes already shot. I thought that was made clear days ago.

I don't see the suspension as a firing, it was something far less than that. Of course the CONs are going to howl and use the term fired but the Phil's lawyer knows the difference. When a football player gets a 4 game suspension for a bad hit, do you scream he was fired??? No and neither did A&E.

Now this can go nova if both sides continue to ramp this up. My money is on what Phil says publicly to help put pressure on A&E is not what he is saying in private. I also think the 'pressure' the redneck vote tries to use will not be helpful and not decide the issue.

Usually when a television show suspends someone "indefinitely," that means they aren't planning to take them back. I think A&E jumped the gun here, got a lot of complaints about it and has now reversed their decision of course all based on their viewers.
 
I have called my boss an asshole many times, are we talking about DD or being ballless, I am confused now

We are talking free speech, you wouldn't want someone to get punished for free speech right? So it should be illegal for your boss to fire you for calling him an asshole right?
 
Wishful thinking, A&E has a few lawyers of their own. Foolish you be to think A&E acted without a consult with their legal. The suspension is from filming, kinda difficult to whiteout Phil from the episodes already shot. I thought that was made clear days ago.

I don't see the suspension as a firing, it was something far less than that. Of course the CONs are going to howl and use the term fired but the Phil's lawyer knows the difference. When a football player gets a 4 game suspension for a bad hit, do you scream he was fired??? No and neither did A&E.

Now this can go nova if both sides continue to ramp this up. My money is on what Phil says publicly to help put pressure on A&E is not what he is saying in private. I also think the 'pressure' the redneck vote tries to use will not be helpful and not decide the issue.

dude the suspension has been lifted, including the season filmed already and the 2015 season. it is already over.

Since the "redneck vote" is their target audience and the people complaining do not even watch the show, kudos to A&E for making a smart business decision
 
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