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WMVP suspends Chet Coppock over M-O-N-E-Y Remark

I am glad I don't have to entertain people, or make them laugh as a career. It's getting to the point where you don't know what is simply funny and what will offend someone. I think the Imus case presented a lack in judgment and was in poor taste. But, Chet, in my opinion, was just having fun with a common stereotype. Unlike Imus, he didn'tcall anyon a rude name or anything like that. Now, if Chet were to make light of the Holocaust or something like that, that would be different.
 
Brian Stevens said:
But, Chet, in my opinion, was just having fun with a common stereotype.
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Having fun with stereotypes? Making it clear that, yes, you don't know what is funny and what will offend.

Coppock, in my opinion, should have been fired.
 
DToTheJ said:
brian_stevens said:
Brian Stevens said:
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Are you two related? ;D
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I know! What are the odds? I think that's the first time that he responded to one of my posts! But, back to the topic at hand, how many times have you heard jokes about a priest and a rabbi? And, usually, the punch line plays on a stereotype. It reminds me of a joke about blind people, which I feel free to mention, as I, myself, am blind. Basically, a guy walks into a bar with his seeing eye dog. And no, that's not the joke. He didn't walk into a bar and hurt himself! Anyway, all the customers look at him as he picks up his dog and swings him around. Out of curiosity, the bar tender asks him what he is doing. He replies, "just looking around!" Now, if Chet told that joke, should he be fired? Personally, I think the joke is lame, but not offensive. It's a groaner! But, playing off of stereotypes makes comedy. Obviously, there are things that are clearly offensive. To me, this doesn't seem to be one of them. And, there is the double standard if a Jewish person would have said that, it would have been okay. I probably wouldn't get in trouble on the air if I told that blind joke, but perhaps a sighted person would. All I'm saying is that true creativity is in danger if we can't simply lighten up and laugh at ourselves from time to time.
 
Brian Stevens said:
It's getting to the point where you don't know what is simply funny and what will offend someone.
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It seems pretty simple to me. If your "joke" is based on an attempt to paint an entire group of people with a negative attribute, there's a good chance it will offend someone. Why is that so hard?
 
Did you see Spamalot? There a whole ten minute musical number making fun of jewish stereotypes. It won a Tony!
As they sing in Avenue Q: "Everyone is a little racist" (Another Tony winner).
That's why I only made fun of the Amish when I was on the air. If they complained, they were the ones in trouble!

Chet was hired to share his opinion. There are two ways not to hear him. Everyone has the options to turn him off or turn the channel.

Question: Was the singer of "Tiny Bubbles" a Nappy Headed Ho?
 
You really can't compare a thoughtful critically-acclaimed satirical play to a stupid off-the-cuff remark by Chet Coppock. "Avenue Q" especially has a pretty strong anti-racist message if you consider the whole thing in context. There's no way to interpret Coppock's remark as anything other than ignorant.

Of course everybody has the option to change the station. But it's our job as broadcasters to attract listeners, not run them off. If you were on the air, I hope your comedic skills were sharp enough that you could do an entertaining show with "making fun" of anybody based on juvenile stereotypes.
 
Yes I can compare silly English stereotypical humor to off-the-cuff remarks by Chet. Freedom of Speech, remember?
By the way, I thought Avenue Q could have been much better without the ten minites of puppet sex.

Our job as broadcasters in "commercial radio" is to attract an audience so that the sales department can generate revenue.
There is a huge audience that enjoys South Park, Family Man and stand up comedy that is filled with stereotypes. Radio has just as much a right to use humor as any other medium. We just need to avoid the seven words.

After all, why does everyone yell in sports radio?
 
I read in ROBERT FEDER'S column (http://www.suntimes.com/business/feder/788664,CST-FIN-feder12.article) that some one out there seems to think that Chet Coppock is a "has-been/never-was... (who) get(s) work... (and) ...a true talent like Bruce Wolf always seems to struggle?". Did this person forget that Chet Coppock is/was Bruce Wolf's idol/mentor/friend/etc??

Also... I'll never forget the day that Mayor Washington died, the man's body wasn't even cold, and Steve and Gary were playing a song called "Bozo In The Sky".

I mean, really, what's the difference between with what Coppock said, and Steve and Gary said/did for 25+ years?

Just a thought...
 
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