Last night, I cringed when I watched David Letterman apologize for the now-overly analyzed and debated joke about Gov. Sarah Palin and her daughter—Bristol. Reaction to this mess reminds me of the human stupidity that led to Bill Maher being fired from ABC post-Sept. 11, or when Air America’s Randi Rhodes was let go for calling Hillary Clinton a whore during the presidential campaign.

Letterman’s apology, however, isn’t as sad as the discussions claiming that this bullshit has helped us usher in a new feminism. Palin’s attack is political opportunism and nothing more. To make it part of a true discussion on feminism just adds more to this stinky heap.

This article appears in Jun 11-17, 2009.

17 replies on “New Feminism, My Ass!”

  1. “Last night, I cringed when I watched David Letterman apologize for the now-overly analyzed…” Posted by Mari Herreras on Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 10:41 PM

    On a good day Red Star would have put the hyphen between “overly” and “analyzed,” rather than between “now” and “overly” (and dropped “now”).

  2. Yeah, but maybe he needs to consider that Mari is not have a good day – especially because she is not the Tucson Weekly’s Top Blogger.

  5. Women who have pride in themselves are not putting up with the demeaning of women any longer. I canceled HBO today and have emailed all my pals to do the same. Maher is offensive and can’t wait until he makes another Palin joke so we can get him too. Bet olde Dave will not be making another “joke” about the Palin’s either. Yesterday, a former Yankee ball player was sentenced to prison for 45 years for raping a 12 year old. Very sad.

  6. And YES, there is a new feminism. We have blown off NOW for their failure to support all women and not just the Libs. The New Agenda is devoted for improving the life of women and girls, no matter their political leaning. You can imagine how bad those “jokes” were for NOW to come out and put Letterman in the Hall of Shame. Ladies, if we are not for us, who will be??????

  7. Well, then you may not want to blog here again. I think I’ll make a Palin joke every week on The Range in your honor. Enjoy!

  8. Why would I not want to blog here again? I am not afraid of controversey and can handle any “jokes”. I am part of the new feminism and we are coming out strong.

  10. Sherp I look forward to you returning to blog here as often as possible and sharing more insight on new feminism. This is a good way to altert all those old feminists out there that times are changing – Anita Bryant and Phyllis Schafly – welcome to the fold. I always wondered what it would be like to share some nice blog time with Ann Coulter. Now I know and can check it off my list.

  11. Wow, comparing me to the beautiful, articulate, highly educated, brillian writer and successful Anne Coulter is truly a high commplement. We have Ann Coulter, Governor Palin, MIchelle Malkin and Elizabeth Hassenback. They have Helen Thomas and Pelosi. No wonder they are so angry.
    Seriously, we need to stop the constant attacks against women and girls. I think women have had enough as as NOW has shown its true colors and barely speaks out against those insulting women and girls, I am glad to see the New Agenda take an active role in women’s issues.

  13. OK, Sherp, we need to set some new rules that apply to everyone, because evidently even your beloved Coulter could use a lesson. It seems the “new” feminists have one standard for David Letterman and Bill Maher, but Rush Limbaush can say anything he wants. Remember in 2005, he said, “Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society.”
    Here is what he said about 13-year-old Chealsea Clinton: “Did you know there’s a White House dog?”
    Speaking of Chealsea, John McCain (Palin’s running mate and our beloved New Feminist Senator) said in 1998, “Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno.”
    McCain also once called his wife a “cunt” in public.
    I don’t remember the calls for Rush Limbaugh’s firing then or now, and John McCain made it to the top of the ticket. So I am looking forward to the “new” feminists, like you Sherp, taking on these issues against McCain and Limbaugh, too. Go for it!

  14. Red Star – Mari’s husband says yes to Palin as MYLF, and Mari says no to McCain as FYLF.

  16. We are big girls now and don’t have to be slinging cuss words around like first graders. It has neven been verified by anyone that Senator McCain used that lanugage about his wife. It’s a ‘somebody said” story and never proven to be true.
    Letterman and Maher crackeling “jokes” with sexual innuendo about teenagers. For those who actually listened to the original “joke”, Letterman said at Yankee Stadium during the 7th inning, a 34 year old married man had sex with the daughter of Governor Palin. That can only be the 14 year old. Trying to make it the 18 year old does not help his cause in any way. Letterman does not even have the cajones to stand up and admitt his sins but tries to use a misinterpet excuse. Letterman using a crass nasty word for impregnated women (it does not refer to unmarried women but pregnant women) is beyond the pale. Tor that, hopefully millions are boycotting CBS and the Letterman sponsers. Another dirty old man, Maher trying to get in on the action uses cuss words and sexual images against women too.
    Calling someone a dog is not in the catagory of 10 women to be hate f&&&^^ or slandering the good name of a sitting Governor of the United States. Chesea Clinton is a beautiful accomplied women for whom I have much respect.
    In any event, that was years ago and clearly women today, in this time and in this age are weary of sexual raping comments about other women and girls and the new feminism is letting the men and feminnazis know that its over. We will tolerate no more. For NOW to add Letterman to the Hall of Shame and actually take a stand against men using women as sexual foils shows just how awful that “joke” was that he told. I support the New Feminism that defends and strives to improve the lives of all women and girls, not just liberals.

  17. If you do not like Mr. Letterman’s comments, then change the channel, or, turn it off and do something constructive with your life. Mr. Letterman owns that show and can say whatever he wants, we once had a constitution that protected things like that.

Comments are closed.