January 29, 2008
Protest Against Discovery Channel Belies Honors
Sometime last week a friend of DCist sent in this rather hilarious web site promoting what appears to be a one-man crusade and protest against the Silver Spring, Md.-based Discovery Channel. As you can see, the singularly named "Lee," with his faux-tough mug shot and all-caps, is dishing out a little of the old insane rambling on the cable network to promote his "Save the Planet Protest Against the Discovery Channel," which the web site says is planned from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the entire week of February 15—23, 2008:
These guys have been very sneaky and deceptive as to their contribution to the planetary problems. Just look at their ‘new’ show about saving the planet, “Planet Green,” to me, it’s just another show about more PRODUCTS to make MONEY, not about actual solutions. We can’t let them get away with doing it anymore. Join me in the PROTEST AGAINST THE DISCOVERY NETWORK to get them to start broadcasting real shows that actually work to save the planet. But not just a show about THEM TELLING US WHAT LIGHTBULB TO USE, but shows where solutions are brought to the new shows from people all over with good ideas.There's plenty of other gems in this guy's manifesto, but we can't possibly quote them all. We also couldn't quite figure out what to do with this big pile of crazy, especially since, if it wasn't obvious from the text of the web site, a Discovery Channel employee told us that this appears to be the work of someone who is a fan of Daniel Quinn (the author mentioned at the bottom whose book would apparently fit the bill as the basis of a show the Discovery Channel should air), who is also a disgruntled, aspiring TV producer who has apparently gone off the deep end after having his pitches rejected by Discovery on several occasions. It just seemed kinda sad.
But after reading this Express story about how the company's headquarters has become Maryland's first existing structure to secure Platinum-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, we couldn't help ourselves. Anyone who seriously ponders questions about the Discovery Channel like, "If their ‘environmental’ shows are actually working, then why is the news about the environment getting worse?" is just asking for a good mocking.
|
Discovery can radically reduce their carbon footprint by ridding themselves with the show SmashLab and just run a blank screen for an hour; not only will it reduce greenhouse gas, but also make for more entertaining TV after Mythbusters.
I have a hard time believing Daniel Quinn wrote that, if that's what you're saying. Everything I've read by him (which is quite a bit) reads like someone rational wrote it, even if the ideas are radical. Quinn also has much more effective channels of communication at his disposal.
However, I'm sure tons of crazies glom onto his work, and this Lee guy appears to be one of them.
Thanks mara, what I meant to type there was "someone who is a fan of Daniel Quinn", I've posted a correction.
a Discovery Channel employee told us that this appears to be the work of Daniel Quinn (the author mentioned at the bottom whose book would apparently fit the bill as the basis of a show the Discovery Channel should air), a disgruntled, aspiring TV producer who has apparently gone off the deep end after having his pitches rejected by Discovery on several occasions
Daniel Quinn is the author of Ishmael and other influential novels that some have adopted as a template for explaining the universe. According to Wikipedia, he lives in Houston, TX and as far as I can tell he has no career history as a TV producer, "aspiring" or otherwise. Quinn may have some controversial ideas ("stop increasing food production, and the population explosion will take care of itself"), but I don't see any evidence he's linked to this protest (other than the fact that his novel My Ishmael inspired the organizer. If you meant to say that "Lee" the protest organizer is a failed TV producer with a grudge, you really need to completely re-write this jumbled sentence to make that clear.
Yes, again, that was an error, my apologies, it should be fixed now.
it's kind of rant-y, but yeah, i hear what he's saying. and he's right if you think of it simply: discovery is a business and they're in it to make money (by selling stuff, whatever that stuff may be).
they're not altruistic, but then again, damn near no one is.
worst protest ever.
It's déjà vu all over again
poor guy probably didn't get enough attention as a child. he just wants to be heard!
Why doesn't this guy just turn off the television?
This must be referred to
Pierre Bernard and his
"Recliner of Rage" for
arbitration.
I'm with this guy. Let's just nuke Silver Spring and be done with it
I have to say I kind of think he has a point, even if his rant is a bit misplaced. A lot of the media's new obsession with environmentalism has turned into selling us more stuff, only "green" this time, which doesn't do much to end our overconsumption.
But I guess I'm just another crazy Daniel Quinn fan.
If anyone cares: Planet Green is a new channel that Discovery is launching later this year, not a show.
Anybody notice the full page ad in the Express today? If you saw someone laughing hysterically on the Metro, that was me...
I read the ad in the Express today as well. At first, I thought it was a joke.
It has the logic of a group of first graders.
Starting Today
I'm just so tired of seeing these ads! He must've spent a fortune on them. That money could be better spent on, say, handing out copies of Ishmael to passersby.
At least he's doing something, right? Making environmentalists and fans of Ishmael look like raving lunatics?!
grrrrr.
I love the line in the express ad, "if there is ANY network who's responsibility it is to save the planet, it's the discovery channel's"
douchebag says what?
I thought discovery's "responsibility" was to provide interesting or informative programming.
A few friends and I are planning to go to Silver Spring tomorrow (2/15) around noon to show our support for Discovery. We enjoy the entertaining (and occasionally educational) programming they offer, and realize that it's up to us as individuals to turn this mess around, not the Discovery Channel. Just a friendly way of saying we disagree with 'Lee'.
Come join us and bring your 'I love Cash Cab' signs. Maybe we can get some Discovery Channel t-shirts or something. Anyone have a boombox we could play the theme from How It's Made on?