Salon’s Sophia McClennen thought it would be a good idea to question The Babylon Bee’s commitment to free speech, asking why the satirical publication didn’t “defend Alec Baldwin when they learned #Trump wanted the DOG to go after him?”:
Why didn't the @TheBabylonBee defend Alec Baldwin when they learned #Trump wanted the DOJ to go after him? BC conservatives just play the victim over satire: It's only "free speech" when they're making jokes https://t.co/HcbXXlifaH
— Sophia McClennen (@mcclennen65) July 5, 2021
Big mistake.
Bee CEO Seth Dillon responded, telling her “we were too busy doing the same thing as SNL — making fun of Trump”:
We were too busy doing the same thing as SNL—making fun of Trump. https://t.co/Z3rgzMKypx
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
McClennen then asked for some examples which would, if true, really mess up the argument she was trying to make in her article:
Share with me some of your favorite examples. https://t.co/sG7vli8SIE
— Sophia McClennen (@mcclennen65) July 5, 2021
Dillon tweeted the receipts at her, as the kids say:
This @Salon writer thinks Trump's sensitivity to being mocked means conservatives can't take a joke. And she's charged me with hypocrisy for not being outraged that Trump called for limiting satire that targets him. But we've mocked him plenty ourselves. She asked for examples: https://t.co/t7ByLqj6Gp
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
Recommended
Thread ==>
Let's start with our most popular Trump article ever. It went viral because it riffed on Trump's ego and credulous leftists believed it was real:
Trump: 'I Have Done More For Christianity Than Jesus'https://t.co/hC2umprcYF
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
This one's just brutal:
Trump Criticizes Jesus For Rejecting 'Tremendous Deal' With Satanhttps://t.co/UtFUiW0qVV
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
Psychopathic Megalomaniac Somehow Garnering Evangelical Votehttps://t.co/NRoxSyYnBQ
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
Trump Locks Himself In Oval Office, Swallows Keyhttps://t.co/U8NZvNyfmd
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
Sometimes we tapped into the Left's nastiest narratives about him for laughs:
Trump Proves He's Not A Racist By Showing His Rejection Letter From The KKKhttps://t.co/X3xBU03Wtl
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
Trump Enraged As Immigrant Child Asks Him For More Gruelhttps://t.co/nypM2Wpb6C
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
Trump Secures Unlimited Chips And Salsa In Mexican Trade Dealhttps://t.co/1yfdDtrHc7
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
Trump Spends Afternoon Shouting From White House Balcony During Twitter Outagehttps://t.co/kOIfjeXNNi
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
Evangelical Leaders Ask Trump Which One Of Them Will Betray Him During Impeachment Proceedingshttps://t.co/JXnNwb2FEG
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
Trump Claims To 'Know Nothing' About KKK Hat He Was Wearing During CNN Interviewhttps://t.co/cwfwcDCOMN
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
Trump Assures Nation He Will Leave Office Peacefully At End Of His Eighth Termhttps://t.co/I5GvLWUX76
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
'Trump Was Merely Sharing The Gospel With That Porn Star,' Explains Jim Bakkerhttps://t.co/kWRnE65iDR
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
He could go on and on and on, but the point was made:
I've got more, @mcclennen65, but I'm not sure how much time you have. But I think the point is made. Limiting satire that mocks Trump would mean limiting us. Of course we object to that. Satirists on both sides should be free to skewer whomever they please. Free speech for all.
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
But, alas, she doubled-down:
That’s a good one. Thanks for sharing. But making fun of Trump doesn’t mean that the right isn’t hypocritical on free speech. Also curious if Trump ever got annoyed by one of your pieces. Any backlash from him? https://t.co/fTmk7HW1HC
— Sophia McClennen (@mcclennen65) July 5, 2021
Dillon’s response:
Trump's dislike for jokes at his expense doesn't mean the right is hypocritical on free speech. All it means is that Trump is sensitive. If you'd reached out to me and asked me if I think left-wing satirists should be silenced, what do you think I'd tell you? https://t.co/opRyabgvox
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
Yep. Narrative busted:
But you didn't, so you had to make assumptions. Which makes sense, I guess. Better to not reach out to conservatives who might make statements that bust your narrative.
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 5, 2021
***
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