It looks like the social media crackdown on Alex Jones is seeping into cable television, and the gatekeepers are going to have to be more strict with whom they allow a platform to speak.
MSNBC host Ari Melber, for example, on Tuesday evening hosted Georgetown professor Michael Eric Dyson and Turning Point USA’s Candace Owens for a discussion on civil rights, which did not please a lot of MSNBC viewers, including ABC News’ Matthew Dowd.
We have a special civil rights discussion tonight on The Beat with @MichaelEDyson &@RealCandaceO
— Ari Melber (@AriMelber) August 7, 2018
Uh oh.
This is actually a great example of my earlier tweet. Media should not give platforms to people who travel in fictions. The goal should be the truth, not balance. If guests take us further from the truth, they shouldn’t be given airtime.
— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) August 7, 2018
Now, we at Twitchy have had our own issues with some things that Candace Owens has said, and we’ve called her out on them. But we really don’t like the idea of — who, exactly, we don’t know — deciding who “travels in fictions” and then denying them a platform to debate.
It’s funny: Dowd and other MSNBC viewers certainly didn’t complain the previous evening when Melber’s guest was 9/11 truther Rosie O’Donnell, who insisted on “The View” that World Trade Center 7 fell as a result of a demolition, and that it was “physically impossible” that burning jet fuel toppled it, as it would have been “the first time in history steel was melted by fire.”
"I don't believe that he's a legitimate President" and "I think Helsinki was the last straw for a lot of people" – @Rosie pic.twitter.com/tSHpyEqaTZ
— TheBeat w/Ari Melber (@TheBeatWithAri) August 6, 2018
But yeah, give her a platform on ABC to spout that crap in the first place, and then bring her on MSNBC and forget she ever said it. But ban Candace Owens from the very same show the following night for being too nutty.
Like we said, MSNBC viewers were not happy to see Owens on to debate Dyson. Even poor Shaun King was appalled.
WHY?
— Shaun King (@shaunking) August 7, 2018
@MichaelEDyson yes, Candace Owens Hell No. Why must you have that nut job on your show? After you gave us the great @Rosie O’Donnell yesterday you turn around and give us Candace. Why Ari why?
— Nana_49 (@msleen1970) August 7, 2018
Both sides nonsense.
— Sonji AJ (@Sonji_AJ) August 7, 2018
If Ari becomes another Chuck “Both Sides” Todd I’m done #msnbc
— Call Congress 202-224-3121? (@KsKM3) August 7, 2018
Justify having Candace on…it’s unjustifiable.
— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) August 7, 2018
I’m certain that when Candace looks in the mirror, this is what she sees pic.twitter.com/rn33RlEXKS
— Cosmic Dancer (@EtreEtro) August 7, 2018
Just … wow. Classy.
Cut her freaking microphone already!
— Phil Salamone (@philrsalamone) August 7, 2018
As a Black woman I’m confused by you bringing @RealCandaceO on? No substance! Lies! Just arguing! She showed the myth that all black women are argry. A complete disgrace. All Trump supporters whether black brown or white are radical liars.
— WeSee (@awarness2020) August 7, 2018
@RealCandaceO is the rudest guest you’ve ever had on. I see why she was harassed at a restaurant. She likes to start fights doesn’t she?
— N B Beamer #Demforce (@shareitarie10) August 7, 2018
Likely she invites fights. A narcissist craves attention, bad or good no wonder she IDs with #PresidentLoco
— Phillipa (@odawa49) August 7, 2018
I should have skipped. That girl makes my blood boil. Stain was right, she’s narcissistic and think she defined black injustice. Boohoo bitch.. so what you got kicked out of a restaurant- some people have real problems.
— Ya Cuddus (@yacudd) August 7, 2018
Oh Ari, that was a shitshow, not a civil rights discussion. Please don’t contaminate your brand with her again.
— Philly Snowflake (@phillysnowflake) August 7, 2018
https://twitter.com/EBickley1/status/1026968110711103489
@RealCandaceO doesn't have an opinion or a perspective to offer, she has a schtick. You're doing a news show, not a variety show.
— Jay Bookman (@jaysbookman) August 7, 2018
https://twitter.com/golf4miles/status/1026969693859401729
I’m wondering if she thought that made her look sane. Was that her goal? Did she think that was the way to get viewers to see her point? I couldn’t figure out what she was saying or what exactly was her argument. Now I’m kinda sad that I know she exists.That was just a hot mess.
— Christina Guzman (@emmatt0499) August 7, 2018
Amen! @RealCandaceO has earned her cray cray award today. Time to cut off her mike immediately, civilly of course.
— Nina Espina (@espinaDuran) August 7, 2018
I felt I was watching Fox or CNN. I stopped watching CNN because I couldn't take this anymore. I'll give @AriMelber credit that maybe he didn't see this coming, and sincerely hope it was an anomaly. It wasn't news, it wasn't exploration of a subject I generally see from @MSNBC
— Bari Hochwald (@The_GTP) August 8, 2018
Ari you really disappointed me.
— The Sade of Poetry (@biafradenmark) August 7, 2018
Lost some respect for Ari with this one. Candace Owens is a known persona with a reputation for being unhinged with DJT rhetoric…so disrespectful.
— AbigailA (@AbigailA1972) August 7, 2018
#truth. And @AriMelber you should have turned her mic off. Disrespect from 1 guest should not be permitted.
— Patty Sheeran (@PattySheeran) August 7, 2018
Cut her microphone off or I will stop watching
— Blue Speck in Red State (@cdphilli1958) August 7, 2018
Exactly, nothing wrong with legit back & forth discussion but this was giving a platform to a propagandist! Fall back @TheBeatWithAri !!
— Holly #HouseDemsAreBack⚖️?????? (@lilpol83) August 7, 2018
False equivalency has led to the mess we're in now. The extreme right makes up about 15 percent of the US population, but monopolizes the public discourse.
— Thomas Aerie (@AerieThe) August 7, 2018
Agree. I’m in favor of having opposing viewpoints, but this segment was unwatchable. Please do not give Candace Owens a platform again.
— Gerri DePaolo (@gerri983) August 7, 2018
Protect your audience from liars! Brilliant!
— Skiing Gator (@Skiing_Gator) August 7, 2018
Amen, Matthew. Saw another example last week on @NewsHour re: the new fuel standards from @EPA. Why have the "other side" when we know auto emissions exacerbate air quality? Frustrating.
— ACME Family Founder (@ACMELeader) August 7, 2018
We know … why have two sides on when you know only one side is right?
We’ll bet Melber learned his lesson from all this — run all guests past Matthew Dowd first for approval.
* * *
Update:
Here’s the clip from MSNBC; judge for yourself, since the network allowed it to air.
.@RealCandaceO and @MichaelEDyson debate Trump vs. Obama: pic.twitter.com/vrURtnYZok
— TheBeat w/Ari Melber (@TheBeatWithAri) August 7, 2018
Related:
Move OVER Dan Rather! CNN's Brian Stelter admits he's fake news, he allowed David Hogg to lie about guns https://t.co/qOQuhBheDc
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) March 27, 2018
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