Season Three and Beyond: FFwSB

[ganesh]

That was a good deconstruction on why going on Fox News is problematic. And for the people who get their news from there, well, try a reliable news source instead.

I mean, ok, you might not be able to name all the candidates, but that guy couldn't name any? Even just with pictures? Come on.  

I did like the little manbaby whining about being insulted and Warren just flatly shuts him down. 

(If Alanna needs a little lovin', just look me up fyi). 

Edited May 24, 2019 by ganesh

[ABay]

Did anyone else have a problem with the sound? The first several minutes were silent and then finally the sound kicked in.

[possibilities]

All my TV was like that tonight, due to weather. It wasn't just Full Frontal. Are you by any change in MA, or anywhere else with a massive weather kerfuffle? My DirecTV was burping like crazy all evening.

[ABay]

CT, and also Directv, so that was probably it. There were a few blips on Colbert as well.

[meowmommy]

15 hours ago, ganesh said:

I mean, ok, you might not be able to name all the candidates, but that guy couldn't name any? Even just with pictures? Come on.  

Were they really people off the street, or were they actors?  Given that they participated in the supermarket sweep and said all the suitably amusing things, I suspect the latter.  Especially when Shalena looked right at Allana's picture and didn't recognize her.  

I am very well informed but there are a couple of candidates off my radar, like the Florida mayor whose name I don't know.  And I agree with the guy who played the host (who looked very familiar but I just couldn't place), if you don't have a chance, get out of the race and let people consider the viable candidates without all that noise.

[peeayebee]

I didn't think they were actors, but they were definitely playing up their ignorance and the silliness in that supermarket game. And did the guy's name tag say "Itch"? Is that his name?

I love Sam's correspondents. They're much better than the ones on TDS. 

I also liked Sam's take on Dem candidates avoiding Fox much better than Trevor's take, which was basically "Do the Fox town hall/interview." Fox basically has two "news" sides: the fairly legitimate daytime news shows, and the primetime talking heads of Hannity, Perino, Ingraham, and whoever else I'm forgetting. They are the ratings grabbers, the real faces of Fox. The other news programs lend legitimacy to the primetime lineup. By going on a regular Fox news program, in interview or town hall style, you're saying Fox should be taken seriously. But Fox will just use the Dem appearance in their more popular shows in a biased, twisted, manipulated way. And this is what most of the Fox viewers are seeing.

[meowmommy]

37 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

But Fox will just use the Dem appearance in their more popular shows in a biased, twisted, manipulated way. And this is what most of the Fox viewers are seeing.

They're going to do that anyway, whether a town hall is sponsored by Faux or CNN or CNBC or anyone else, but with an appearance on their network, at least there's a slight chance that a Faux viewer might be favorably impressed by what they see for themselves.

[ganesh]

Is it worth that 'slight chance' though? 

[meowmommy]

16 minutes ago, ganesh said:

Is it worth that 'slight chance' though? 

I don't know.  Really, what do they have to lose?  They're going to be pilloried by Hannity, Carlson, Ingraham, and the morning news ninnies regardless of what they say or where they say it, but going on their network is their only possibility for presenting themselves before the right wing filter is applied.  And they get brownie points for "courage."  

I get Sam's point, and she makes it well.  I just see the other side, too.

Edited May 24, 2019 by meowmommy

[ganesh]

Time and money imo. I think the strategy is to get to the 'both are just as bad' demo rather than the off chance of convincing maybe 5 Fox viewers to switch. 

[biakbiak]

7 hours ago, meowmommy said:

Really, what do they have to lose? 

For the hour of tv he did of the townhall he had them spend the next day and a half using selectively edited clips to attack him and mislead viewers about his statements on nearly all of their shows they wouldn’t have given him that same amount of negative coverage if he had done that TH on CNN and MSNBC maybe a brief mention but not the all out smear campaign.

In addition it gives them cover to say see we are an unbiased news network we have people with different views and let them have airtime.

Edited May 25, 2019 by biakbiak

[ganesh]

14 hours ago, biakbiak said:

For the hour of tv he did of the townhall he had them spend the next day and a half using selectively edited clips to attack him and mislead viewers about his statements on nearly all of their shows they wouldn’t have given him that same amount of negative coverage if he had done that TH on CNN and MSNBC maybe a brief mention but not the all out smear campaign.

*smear* is the key word there. It's not like he said, "I will get back in the Iran deal if I'm president", and they spent the day yammering on how the Iran deal is the worse deal ever, and he's young and naive and doesn't have the chops to deal with the realpolitik needed for the middle east. (The Iran deal was fine and should stay). 

They literally edited video footage to misrepresent a position he had to make it seem like the opposite. They all knew that, and continued with the slander. *Slander* They willfully made false statements about a duly elected American citizen. 

Here's the thing - he's going nowhere. We all know that. But they did it anyway. Someone like Warren, while she may not be the nominee, she'll likely be around till the end, just has to point this out *with literal video footage* and say, 'There you go.' 

If I were a traitor to my country like the worthless scum on Fox News, I leave him alone, then I have the high ground. "Hey, Pete came on. Why won't you Senator Warren?" Now, she still has Fox News in her press corps and answers those questions, so they just handed her a win without having to fire a shot. 

I don't know if it more insulting to me that they're just criminals or stupid fucking criminals. 

[possibilities]

Warren says she's not going on FOX because she doesn't want to give them the ratings, and shore up their advertising dollars. She says she can reach voters by going to red states and holding events there.

[Hanahope]

On 5/19/2019 at 9:05 PM, ALenore said:

I liked the sex education lesson Sam gave.   I couldn't believe the first guy she quoted who seems to believe that you get pregnant the second you have sex.   It can take days for the sperm to reach the egg, and then 6 to 10 days for the fertilized egg to implant itself in the uterus.  Where did he get the idea it happens instantly? 

Church.  This is totally what many churches preach.  Instant conception.  

[peeayebee]

OMG, those leggings! Who designed those? I loved how Sam could barely keep it together when the designs that looked like a penis and a vagina were on screen.

I really like the new correspondent. Penny? 

[walnutqueen]

Seriously, YouTube?

[Lantern7]

Bee on the crotch of leggings = the "fly" on a man's pants?

John Oliver covered MLM in November 2016, two days before we would need him and Sam so much more). It's a shame that appears to still be a thing.

[iMonrey]

Yes, I remember John Oliver's piece on multi-level marketing quite well. I feel sorry for the suckers that buy into it. Why on earth did that merchandise arrive soaking wet?!?

Edited June 14, 2019 by iMonrey

[izabella]

23 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Why on earth did that merchandise arrive soaking wet?!?

I pondered that myself.  Wet warehouse?  Wet Chinese ship they were shipped on?  Soaked in water to remove toxic chemicals from the print?  It's a mystery.

[littlecatsfeet]

On 6/14/2019 at 11:11 AM, izabella said:

I pondered that myself.  Wet warehouse?  Wet Chinese ship they were shipped on?  Soaked in water to remove toxic chemicals from the print?  It's a mystery.

There was a big backlash from Lularoe consultants a while back that encompassed a lot of things, mostly having to do with getting stuck with thousands of dollars of merchandise and getting little to no support from HQ. There were reports of clothes being stored outside (prior to shipment to reps) due to warehouses running out of room. You can google "lularoe scam" and get a lot of hits, this is the article I remember reading a few years back. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-04-27/thousands-of-women-say-lularoe-s-legging-empire-is-a-scam

here's an excerpt from that article: 

"The company calls the stinky legging allegations unfounded. It says that during its “explosive growth,” products were kept briefly on loading docks but were covered and that it maintains strict quality control."

Riiiiiiight. 

[ombelico]

The thing that puzzled me about Lularoe, and what finally got me to stop buying their clothes (I got into it because a friend of mine became a consultant and was touting it on Facebook, relatively soon after I moved to a new place where the clothes shopping options were rather thin), was that some of their clothes were actually rather cute or had pretty patterns. The dresses, in particular, weren't all that bad and didn't have some of the crazy patterns that the leggings did. But then the bulk of the stuff was just eyesores that were not marketable at all. They clearly had the ability to design some cute stuff, so why did they design so many ugly things? That's when I discovered that the consultants didn't even get to choose what they would be responsible for selling, and couldn't return items that wouldn't sell. I realized it was a scam and immediately stopped buying or wearing any of it. Now it's all gone to Goodwill.

I feel a bit stupid that I bought as much as I did, and I didn't invest nearly as much money as these well-meaning women who in almost all cases were just trying to make some extra income for their families. It was a total scam and I hope that people are now more educated about all of these MLM companies so I'm glad that FFwSB and John Oliver are bringing attention to the problem.

(I just checked and realized that while I have referred to Lularoe in the past tense, it seems they are still operating. So I guess it's even more urgent than ever to get the word out about this and similar companies.)

[iMonrey]

I loved, loved, LOVED the "Run for Senate Goddamit" segment. I've seen this pointed out elsewhere and it needs to be elevated to the mainstream conversation. So many of these third-tier candidates are running for President just to raise their profile or get a book deal or whatever. They never had a chance of winning the nomination and they had to know that going into it. If they really want to make a difference they need to pour that energy into a more realistic goal. Steve Bullock could actually flip a senate seat in Montana. Hickenlooper could flip a seat in Colorado. Stacy Abrams could flip a seat in Georgia. That they are unwilling to even run makes me stabby.

Also making me stabby? (Why, thank you for asking.) Mitch McConnell blocking all efforts to secure elections. I can't think of anything more treasonous. I don't know how anyone in congress, regardless of party, can excuse or defend that. Shame on all of them.

[ganesh]

Sam said it herself - odds are they can't win and they just don't want to do the work for what they think is a futile effort. It's lame and they should be called out on it.

Plus, our precious butthurt dudebros from downhome aren't voting for anyone with a D next to their name. It's a nondebatable fact that Iowa farmers are hurting because of the tariffs. They're still going to vote R. 

McConnell is the greatest traitor to this nation since Arnold. We all know damn well he didn't vote for Obama and he sure as shit wouldn't have voted for the civil rights legislation in the 60s.

Edited June 20, 2019 by ganesh

[Hooper]

I too loved the "run for senate, goddammit" segment.  And I don't see why it would be considered a futile effort for Bullock or Hickenlooper to run for senate.  Obviously, it's not a given that they could win, but both Bullock and Hickenlooper were elected as governor in their state, and both Colorado and Montana already have one D senator, so it's not like butt hurt white dudes are the only constituency in either state. 

On the other hand, hearing Hickenlooper say he didn't want to run for senate because that idea just didn't attract him because he wouldn't have a big enough team to work with as a mere US Senator did make me think, well fuck 'im.  Being Dem Senator # 51 could save us from decades of utterly unqualified appointments to various courts from the Supreme on down, but that's just not attractive enough to Ol' Hicky.  So, fine, run for president with your .3% support.  See how much of an enterprise you get to be captain of that way. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

Sam said it herself - odds are they can't win and they just don't want to do the work for what they think is a futile effort. It's lame and they should be called out on it.

They have a much better chance of winning a Senate seat than they ever did getting the nomination for President. They just don't want the "menial" job of being Senator. Which means they're not really interested in helping make things better, they're only interested in bettering themselves.

[ganesh]

Yeah that's what I meant when I said they don't want to put in the work. 

It's kind of a party leadership issue too though. 

[purist]

Good show this week. I always love it when Sam gets righteously angry, and the first segment, in which she read the media to filth because they should all be asking Drumpf and all GOP members about the TWENTY-TWO sexual assault allegations made against the Toddler-in-Chief, and they aren't, and they all need to DO THEIR FUCKING JOB, had me punching the air in support.

[ganesh]

Baby McCain is dumb as fuck. 

Sam is right about the media, and PBS is still doing a good job, but I also think the media just doesn't know what to actually do at this point. 

Alana looked fantastic in the tux. Everyone looked like they were having a lot of fun in that piece too. 

Edited June 30, 2019 by ganesh

[Hanahope]

On 6/28/2019 at 3:16 AM, purist said:

Good show this week. I always love it when Sam gets righteously angry, and the first segment, in which she read the media to filth because they should all be asking Drumpf and all GOP members about the TWENTY-TWO sexual assault allegations made against the Toddler-in-Chief, and they aren't, and they all need to DO THEIR FUCKING JOB, had me punching the air in support.

ITA, but they will never do so, especially during an one on one interview.  they know T will just get up and leave, and they will lose all access to the WH if they do so.  But someone should bite the bullet.

[Lantern7]

When is the series coming back? I learn a lot from it . . . like how Mitch McConnell isn't that popular in Kentucky. Gives me a little bit of hope, y'know?

[Victor the Crab]

5 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

When is the series coming back? I learn a lot from it . . . like how Mitch McConnell isn't that popular in Kentucky. Gives me a little bit of hope, y'know?

According to this site, the show will be back this month on the 17th, 24th, and 31st.

[Hanahope]

I appreciated the information about central america and how the US contributed to the mess in that area decades ago and because of the mess, people left the countries and came to the US, got arrested, put into prisons, learned to be criminals, got deported back to their countries and now criminals run those same central american countries, causing the next generation of people to flee to the US.  So good job US!

[Robert Lynch]

Samantha was on fire yesterday. That ethnicity question Kellyann hit on the reporter...wow. I can't believe it.

[Lantern7]

10 hours ago, Robert Lynch said:

Samantha was on fire yesterday. That ethnicity question Kellyann hit on the reporter...wow. I can't believe it.

I can, because this is KAC we're talking about. Even scarier was the lady with the panel of blonde women who didn't see how the president was wrong is telling freshmen Congresswomen to go back to their countries (even though they're American).

Nice late night talk show parody/homage from Sam. Has there ever been a time where her husband Jason Jones didn't come off as a douche? I'm saying he seems to do it very well. Too well.

[meowmommy]

17 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Nice late night talk show parody/homage from Sam. Has there ever been a time where her husband Jason Jones didn't come off as a douche? I'm saying he seems to do it very well. Too well.

Damn, and I was going to come here to say that I've missed him since TDS, and wonder why Sam doesn't put him in front of the camera more often.  But the parody makes it crystal clear that FF isn't a talk show, even though it's often described as a talk show.  A lot like how Last Week Tonight is a talk show only in the sense that John Oliver does a lot of talking.

Tammy Duckworth is a badass.  Wish she would have been one of the 20 running for Prez.  She would kick a lot of asses, even with prosthetic legs.

17 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Even scarier was the lady with the panel of blonde women who didn't see how the president was wrong is telling freshmen Congresswomen to go back to their countries (even though they're American).

It's been well reported that this was not a random collection of Republican women, but a specific 45-promoting organization calling itself the Trumpettes of America 2019 Palm Beach Team.  CNN has been panned for not identifying these women as part of a unified organization.

[Lantern7]

7 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

Damn, and I was going to come here to say that I've missed him since TDS, and wonder why Sam doesn't put him in front of the camera more often. 

Isn't Jason on The Detour?

[DoctorAtomic]

I didn't like the last segment, though I agree with Sam's point. Duckworth had a lot to say and the format didn't really let her get more deeply into the issues she was talking about. 

[peeayebee]

Stephen Miller luring children into the sewer was perfect.

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I didn't understand what decriminalizing immigration meant. I knew it didn't mean "open borders," but I hadn't gone further into what it involved. That was informative.

Good luck Amy McGrath. 

[iMonrey]

Julian Castro was a good sport about being in on the joke. But then again he probably figures he could use all the exposure he can get at this point.

[possibilities]

I was very happy that they had Julian C on the show and that they spent so much time explaining what "decriminalizing the border" means. So much of the so-called actual news is NOT explaining things when they report on them, leaving most people confused about what is actually being said. I don't know if it's because the news organizations also don't understand, or if it's because they think the general population already knows, or WHAT their reasons are for sowing so much vagueness and confusion, but it was great that Full Frontal decided to step in and dissipate some of it.

Also, I just really love Julian Castro. And he doesn't get much media attention. So I was glad for his appearance on that level, too.

[purist]

I'm a week behind, but I thought last week's show was great. From the first segment with Sam excoriating everyone who refuses to blame the mass shooting thing on guns, to the informative (if depressing) second segment on the reasons behind the rise of white supremacy in recent years, to the very encouraging final segment on young women voters, I really enjoyed it.

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Sam is back on Wednesday 2019.09.11. 

[possibilities]

Is there an actual pattern to the show's schedule? I haven't figured out yet if they just air randomly or if there's some predictability about when to expect another episode.

[meowmommy]

11 hours ago, possibilities said:

Is there an actual pattern to the show's schedule? I haven't figured out yet if they just air randomly or if there's some predictability about when to expect another episode.

Have to agree with you there.  I don't know how you build up a following for your show when it feels like a series of intermittent one-offs.  I was one of those who complained when Sam wasn't offered The Daily Show, but if she can't do half an hour once a week, every week, then she wouldn't have done very well on TDS.  (I say that knowing it might very well be the network and not Sam who's responsible for the spotty schedule.)

I never watch TBS otherwise; what do they air in Samantha's place when she takes yet another week off?

[DoctorAtomic]

I think a segment on the electoral college is kind of low hanging fruit. Yes, it's outdated. States can apportion electors however they want, so it could be more reflective of the popular vote. That's really the only actionable thing to do right now. There just aren't enough states that would vote to amend the constitution. 

[Lantern7]

It's funny Sam did a bit on the president and golf. i just finished reading Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump by Rick Reilly. Great book, unless you want to avoid getting angry at that guy some more. Basically, he is the worst everywhere, including on the links.

Sam should have back the bus over Rudy Giuliani some more. What a creep he is. I don't think she could top the time he was incoherent on a morning show. The display showed the time being "9:12," and Sam quipped that he usually faded "after nine-eleven." Nastiest thing she said, and that was the episode she referred to Ivanka as a "feckless c**t." But hey, Rudy deserves it.

[purist]

2 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I think a segment on the electoral college is kind of low hanging fruit. Yes, it's outdated. States can apportion electors however they want, so it could be more reflective of the popular vote. That's really the only actionable thing to do right now. There just aren't enough states that would vote to amend the constitution. 

Still, I really appreciated the segment. I'm not from the USA, and the electoral college is still a mystery to me, even though I have read a bit about it.

Also really liked the segment about Drumpf's undocumented workers. Genuine question: what will it take to charge Drumpf and his family with all those crimes? Why can't it be done now?

[DoctorAtomic]

The last segment was excellent. I felt awful when the woman said she was hit. 

[meowmommy]

I couldn't understand a word Sam uttered in the cold open, but it was nice to see Josh Charles.

On 9/12/2019 at 8:28 PM, Lantern7 said:

Sam should have back the bus over Rudy Giuliani some more.

Damn DVR cut that last bit off.  But yes, drive over him early and often.

[DoctorAtomic]

Oh, those halcyon days when climate change wasn't a political hot potato and people believed in science.