Are You Ready For Some…..Free Speech?

Hank Williams, Jr.’s interview on Fox News Monday morning was probably not meant to cause headlines, but the good’ol boy just couldn’t help himself.

He went off on President Obama, comparing him to Adolf Hitler and saying that his golf match with Republican Speaker John Boehner was like “Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu”. As if that didn’t go far enough, he called Obama “the enemy” along with Vice President Biden, referring to the duo as the ”Three Stooges”—apparently, math wasn’t a strong subject for this country boy. He’s no political-science whiz either, despite his introduction as such on the Fox News morning program.

Despite having what might be considered in advance a sympathetic network on which to spew such venom, even the Fox News crew was taken aback. It appeared as though as Mr. Williams was intoxicated or high or both. The dark glasses and wary approach to the interview itself should have been a foreshadowing that this segment would be anything but tame.

Fast forward to Monday night—and ESPN’s decision to drop the “Are You Ready For Some Football” opening segment to Monday Night Football in direct response. Reaction to that decision was mixed as well. Some say that it was censorship—or punishment to Williams for merely exercising his right to free speech.

I disagree.

Williams has the right to say whatever he likes, no matter how ignorant, insensitive or inflammatory his remarks. ESPN also has the right to broadcast what it likes. Both entities are free to spout off—or withhold material. After the interview, Williams made several attempts to explain what he meant, trying to diffuse an outcry over his remarks. Now, it appears that he has decided to stop apologizing.

On Hank Williams, Jr.’s website today, he fired the final shot, deciding not to wait for ESPN’s decision on whether or not to reinstate the popular opening to Monday Night Football. Next to his video “If The South Woulda Won” (which says a lot all by itself, no?), he posted the following statement:

"After reading hundreds of e-mails, I have made MY decision. By pulling my opening Oct 3rd, You (ESPN) stepped on the Toes of The First Amendment Freedom of Speech, so therefore Me, My Song, and All My Rowdy Friends are OUT OF HERE. It’s been a great run.”
So there.

If you missed the original FOX News segment, here it is:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eF6vCv13bw

Notice how Williams displayed his disdain at the Republican presidential field—but then backtracked a bit when reminded that he earlier supported Sarah Palin for President. He deplored the “polarization” of the country, apparently unaware that the statement he just made criticizing both sides for trying to reach compromise was an instant contradiction.

So much for Hank Williams, Jr. and his political savvy.

While not a fan of “political correctness”, there are those whose opinions should probably not be broadcast to a national audience. Were Fox to have confined the interview to area that Williams knows something about----say…..MUSIC, we might have something worth airing. Ignorant or inarticulate comments are great for “man-on-the-street” sound bites, strung together rapid-fire, but few news organizations would grab someone off the street and devote an interview segment to them without gleaning some relevance---or competence ahead of time. The Fox News crew might as well have asked Williams about nuclear fission.

For me, I’ll miss the opening segment of Monday Night Football, but were both sides able to kiss, make up and reinstate it, I would forever have a hard time watching it without thinking about what a creton the guy in the cowboy hat is.

As the old saying goes: “’Tis better to remain quiet and have people believe you are an idiot—than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”

If you’d like my blog in your box, just let me know: tim.moore@cumulus.com