The website Latino Rebels has an emailed response from Michael Hicks regarding his extremely embarrassing appearance on last night’s episode of The Daily Show. A note for Mr. Hicks: if you didn’t want to have your idiotic, ill-informed comments amplified to a national audience, don’t do an interview with The Daily Show.

I would actually argue that they did “inform” rather than “amuse,” because just the line where you said you preferred to get your information from hearsay instead of actually visiting the classes says everything anyone needs to know about your leadership on the school board. In fact, I’ve been somewhat sympathetic to the position that John Huppenthal and Tom Horne put the TUSD School Board in by seemingly forcing their hand economically. This segment basically changed my mind.

I realize we generally get what we pay for with school board members, but it would be nice to have someone who cares enough about his job to actually investigate a situation for himself before running his mouth off with baseless opinions. Clearly, we’re not getting that from Michael Hicks.

With all due respect, the Daily Show is a money making satirical show. It is not a news show. They do not present the complete remarks of their guests. They slice and dice footage to serve their need to entertain.

I went on this show to talk about the Mexican American Studies (MAS) classes. I was mislead by the “reporter” and was told that they were interested in a real interview. It was nothing of the sort.

It is unfortunate that the Daily Show opted to amuse rather than inform.

And for the record, you can see where they spliced my comments in several areas during this segment. I can assure you that my statements were taken out of context Many of my answers were altered to suit their agenda.

What I find more troubling is that there are those who will believe that what they saw on the Daily Show is accurate and complete news.

These individuals will then most likely base their judgments on inaccurate information designed specifically to support the view of Daily Show producers.

Real children were being exploited, and the producers of the Daily Show chose to ignore that.

This article appears in Mar 29 – Apr 4, 2012.

The editor of the Tucson Weekly. I have no idea how I got here.

13 replies on “Michael Hicks, Not Really Helping His Cause”

  1. Once again, satire conveys the larger truth of an issue, far beyond the general news media’s capabilities.
    I think Stewart & Colbert should share the expense of a fulltime Arizona correspondent, given the rich vein of venality, narcissism, jingoism and downright ignorance we seem to have struck with our elected “leaders.”

  3. “These individuals will then most likely base their judgments on inaccurate information …” – Michael Hicks

    As opposed to basing their judgments on HEARSAY like you did, you pignorant schmuck?

    “They do not present the complete remarks of their guests. They slice and dice footage to serve their need to entertain.” – Michael Hicks

    Every word you uttered on that show was in a COMPLETE SENTENCE, you pathetic dunce. Not one word you said was misrepresented or taken out of context.

    Grow a pair and admit that you made a complete and total ASS of yourself by BEING YOURSELF.

    You’re a disgrace to educators and an embarrassment to mankind.

    And yes, I would say that to your face.

  4. Oh, Mr. Hicks, really? Rosa Clark? Clark? You should have no say in education whatsoever. Clark?!?!

  6. I wish the Daily Show would post the full interview. That much stupid stuff even out of context is still pretty stupid. (And by stupid I mean ignorant and racist).

  7. only a simian would take a sliced and diced interview by the Daily show seriously. Anyone referring to the Daily Show as justification to criticize Hicks has the intellect of a spoon.

  8. Kudos to The daily Show for exposing how ignorant and intolerant, Arizona politicians are.

  9. My spouse & I watched this and laughed our way through it. Now the entire country can see how utterly stupid the people in charge of running this state into the ground are. He never even sat in on a class, but goes off “heresay.” Yeah, that’s what we expect from those in charge of our kids’ education. I can’t find anyone who ever voted for Hicks–I sure didn’t. Really makes me wonder who is counting these votes. AZ is battling MS for bottom of the ladder in education, this interview is another clue on why that is.

  10. If Mr. Hicks thinks facing a “real” reporter would have made him look less buffoonish, hoo boy.

    The TUSD was basically forced to drop MAS or lose a huge amount of money, but I remain amazed that someone overseeing the educational process could be so shamelessly ignorant of its most basic tenants.

    Whatever the outcome of the MAS battle (and I think it’s very likely Arizona will lose in court), this guy needs to removed from any responsibility over the education of anyone.

  11. @ Rebecca.. seriously, did you watch the interview/segment? Did you see where he said no need to sit in class, that he based his decision on here say? Did you see where he referred to Rosa Parks as Rosa Clark? You’re defending this guy? Really? I suppose you’re also ok with CCA, GEO Group and other private prison corporations driving AZ policy on immigration law.. WTF is wrong with you people?

  12. The Burrito: a gateway weapon.

    Rosa Clarks, Malcolm Y, and Martin Luther Queen (coined by my friend Ian) are all rolling in their graves.

  13. This man is a disgrace to the education system and a hindrance to the children of AZ. It seems that they want to control what the children learn and how they learn it. Unbelievable that this is allowed to happen in the year 2012 its like we are regressing to the dark ages The fact that Jan Brewer supports this kind of behavior, shows not only her lack of intelligence but her agenda & lack of concern for all the people .Its a shame this state has such uneducated, racist people in all the important positions. The white supremacists are trying to control the way people think and if they think they have problems now wait till they are the majority there. Hate crimes will rise; intolerance & corruption will be everywhere. They won’t be able to trust anyone. It will not only affect the people of color but all the people because it’s all about control, power & hate. No good will come from it.

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