Civil War on the Jeff Dunham show

[Jhammond]

I know that this was an earlier discussion, but I finally saw the Jeff Dunham show with “sweet daddy d” at the civil war reenactment. I must say for as much as I enjoy his stand up work on comedy central, I was very offended as a reenactor to watch that. I mean the skit started off a little funny but the whole drive by shooting and black body guards was too much, I had to turn it off. Am I alone on this I know I can’t be? I feel as though the general public that sees that now will think that that’s all we do is mock history and act like simpletons on the weekend.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

"I feel as though the general public that sees that now will think that that’s all we do is mock history and act like simpletons on the weekend."

Welcome to an appreciation of the on-going relationship between the media and reenacting, and how they chose to depict reenacting and reenactors.

Popular media has a consistent record with such stellar depictions as from:

The Ellen Show
South Park
The Simpsons
The Unfinished Civil War
George Carlan

To name a few (notice what common element... comedy.)

Two not quite as bad, perhaps, was an old Matlock episode where a reenactor commits a murder by using a live round (incorrectly talking about the lack of rifling marks on a Minie) and one of the CSI genre episodes where the murderer (or murdered) was an OCD reenactor.

And the most recent, IIRC, a Starbucks' coffee commercial?

CHS

[Jhammond]

correct me now if I'm wrong but i do believe I heard that Matt Groening one of the Simson's creators is a reenactor.

[sbl]

Let me add, the extra scene from Borat.

A problem is that reenactors willingly participate. On the other hand see Pen & Teller's show B#ll Sh!t, the episode on the Second Ammendment, (on Youtube perhaps). Reenactors were treated with respect.

[Pete K]

Amazing how people will overlook the results and the insult to their valuesfor that fifteen minutes of fame. "Lookie there, I'm on the TV!"

[sbl]

The movie "Network" (1976) was prophetic.

Arthur Jensen: [calmly] Am I getting through to you, Mr. Beale? You get up on your little twenty-one inch screen and howl about America and democracy. There is no America. There is no democracy. There is only IBM, and ITT, and AT&T, and DuPont, Dow, Union Carbide, and Exxon. Those *are* the nations of the world today. What do you think the Russians talk about in their councils of state, Karl Marx? They get out their linear programming charts, statistical decision theories, minimax solutions, and compute the price-cost probabilities of their transactions and investments, just like we do. We no longer live in a world of nations and ideologies, Mr. Beale. The world is a college of corporations, inexorably determined by the immutable bylaws of business. The world is a business, Mr. Beale. It has been since man crawled out of the slime. And our children will live, Mr. Beale, to see that . . . perfect world . . . in which there's no war or famine, oppression or brutality. One vast and ecumenical holding company, for whom all men will work to serve a common profit, in which all men will hold a share of stock. All necessities provided, all anxieties tranquilized, all boredom amused. And I have chosen you, Mr. Beale, to preach this evangel.

Howard Beale: Why me?

Arthur Jensen: Because you're on television, dummy. Sixty million people watch you every night of the week, Monday through Friday.

[Pete K]

Everybody Loves Raymond's re-enacting episode wasn't too bad. Raymond, and his strong New York accent, winds up playing a Reb and that was the core of the joke. How the Dad and brothers related through reenacting was almost realistic (and that the 60 something aged dad/grandpa was still out there on the field wasn't too far from the mark either!).

[sbl]

Raymond's father had a good line in another episode. When Doris Roberts said something about how his reenactor friends relieved themselves in the wood, the Peter Boyle replied: "You should see what the Southern guys do!"

Malcolm in the Middle had a reenactor grandfather. Christopher Lloyd.

[plankmaker]

The reason why these shows make fun of reenactors? We make it waaaaayyyy too easy.

Mark Campbell
Piney Flats, TN

[SgtTodd]

Don't forget House. A while back when Cuddy was looking for a sperm-donor, House tramples one applicant with; "and he reenacts the Civil War on weekends..."

[Miss Dixie]

To me, its a shame how many people can't or dont think for themselves and accept "Hollywood pretend" for real life.













Diane Gipson McKinstry

[sbl]

Don't forget House. A while back when Cuddy was looking for a sperm-donor, House tramples one applicant with; "and he reenacts the Civil War on weekends..."

That would be Prime material then.

[TobiasJones]

NCIS did an episode a few seasons ago as well as The District (long gone from prime time) with the similar plot of a reenactors killing another reenactor during a battle scenario. I love me some CBS drama's...

Evan O'Dell

[Poor Private]

I guess you all forgot that old saying-- can't take a joke?? Com on guys and gals it't frigging tv. Let's get real. I watched and yep it was horrible to us but it was a comedy sketch for the average person just like ones that portray doctors, lawyers, and other professionals as bumblimg idiots. Did any of you complainers take the time to email the network or call them to complain- I bet not. Complaining here is to each other doesn't do any good. If you don't like it get off your butt and call the network or email them. Me it wasn't/isn't worth the effort.

[Jhammond]

you know even though I started this whole thing I must admit you make a good point. BUT would you not rather see networks portray us as we are most of the time, public educators, and not fools in wools?

[sbl]

With all due respect......

http://www.purebrededitions.com/images/whenPigsFly.jpg

[Micah Trent]

When Pigs Fly or the Swine Flu?:rolleyes:

[Micah Trent]

I watched it and got somewhat of a laugh out of it. Don't take this the wrong way, but all I can say is suck it up if ya don't like it. It's not the first time the hobby has been made fun of and it won't be last. I am not going to let someone's view get me all bent out of shape, especailly that. As stated above, if you don't like it...let Comedy Central know. Heck, Dunham has a facebook following, send him a personal message there.:roll:

[sbl]

Dunham is talented but his puppets give me the creeps.

[Quickstep]

When Pigs Fly or the Swine Flu?:rolleyes:

That's gotta be pigs flying, cause Swine flu cases look like this:

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae101/cjb106/swineflu.jpg

[sbl]

Calling Doctor Moreau! Calling Doctor Moreau!

[Micah Trent]

LOL...Nice Claude...Nice!!!:p

[TobiasJones]

I have no personal beef against Dunham or others. As far as I'm concerned I have picked a rather odd hobby. It is something that is only respected by those involved or those who visit us at the various historical locations where we present our love of this history. Outside of these encounters, I just look like an oddball to others when (or if) I talk about it. I live with the oddity and have no problem doing so. I will still show up to events wearing clothing that went out of style 140 years ago...

Evan O'Dell

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

We see ourselves in the mirror as we want to be seen, not necessarily as we really are. By and large, I have to step back and seperate myself when I see funny or less-than-flattering portrayals on television and realize that they aren't too far off

[Rob Weaver]

Well, at least we can make fun of bowlers. (Or perhaps we shouldn't: Their hobby consists of wearing strange clothes, standing at a line to do something for a few minutes and then sitting down to drink again. That sounds a lot like reenacting. Perhaps there's an unexploited recruiting field.)

[Pete K]

My wife is a scapbooking queen. "If we added up the amount spent on accessories and time spent in the hobby, and on the intenet forums, and going to events,watching tv shows about the hobby, comparing her stuff to others in the hobby",... wait a minute, sounds like what I do too...hmmmm?
It's all relative

[sbl]

Funny that if someone tries to insult me, he points out "playing army" or "playing with toy soldiers." Reminds me of the grammer school yard insult that I "liked girls."

I'll survive. Both hobbies have big "support groups."

[Rob Weaver]

No - the best comment on hobbies belonged to my grandmother. I played with toy soldiers all my childhood, and started wargming after getting a copy of Peter Grant's "The War Game" for Christmas in 1973. (I still have it, warped cover and all.) Anyway, the house sooned overflowed with tiny plastic and lead (back then real Pb) figures. Then when I was 16, I got a girlfriend. (See, there' hope even for the terminally geeky.) My grandmother opined "Well, we'll always remember this as the year Rob stopped playing with little men and started playing with big girls."
My grandmother also made my first reenacting clothes. Back then linen was $6 a yard. I still have the rifle shirt she made.

[sbl]

Around the late 70s my father started bragging that I was making money selling my toy soldiers. (only enough to support a single guy but at least NOT living at home)

Poor man...he had to reach for something.

The dating pool was small among soldier collectors, war gamers, AND reenactors. Anyone know how it is now?

[Poor Private]

Thats one reason why my son is basically out of the hobby now. There ain't that many elegible young ladies between the ages of 22-28 in the hobby. Most ladies that age are married not single, they grew up in the hobby and usually marry within in it. Not many ladies come and join the hobby out of the blue, how many single ladies show up as spectators and join as singles?
Could this be the hidden secret why there isn't many men the ages of 23-28 within the ranks?

[Rob Weaver]

Yeah, face it: reenacting has never been a hobby to attract chicks. We've actually told young men who've joined us that reenacting isn't the hottest ticket to romance.
(On the other hand, I remember Rev War events during the Bicentennial which would put Bacchanalia to shame. All cats are grey in the dark, they say.)
But you know, where there's a will there's a way. I remember listening to some poor Confederate tryin' to hit on my daughter at Summer of 62. He wasn't making any progress and got scared off when one of our unit remarked "Dude, that's her dad right there." LOL.

[uozumi]

As a girl who joined the hobby, "out of the blue," I just want to point out that for a year, no male reenactor even talked to me. I had to ask guys to dance at balls (pretty embarrassing although no one refused to dance when asked,) and I sat with the big group of single girls all day. Rev war guys (although they are like 100 years old) still at least talk to us! Single girls exist in the hobby, go up and introduce yourself.
(No, I'm not single anymore, you should see how fast we get picked up once the word gets around. Just Kidding.) :D

Steph Farra

[sbl]

It's a younger and a more co-ed bunch overseas from my observations of the European reenactment sites, especially in Eastern Europe for some reason.

In this country the women seem to go to the Ren-Faire events.