Magic9
Plant Enthusiast
(SKIP TO 21:50)
I never was a fan of Jimmy Kimmel, but this took guts and needed to be done. Thank you Jimmy Kimmel.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/28/jimmy-kimmel-whcd-pot_n_1462140.html
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Jimmy Kimmel Calls Obama Out at WHCD
- Thread starter Magic9
- Start date
(SKIP TO 21:50)
I never was a fan of Jimmy Kimmel, but this took guts and needed to be done. Thank you Jimmy Kimmel.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/28/jimmy-kimmel-whcd-pot_n_1462140.html
t-dub
Vapor Sloth
The question was carefully/cleverly phrased because if you didn't want to participate then you, by default, were to have tried cannabis since you wouldn't have raised your hand. I wonder what the response would have been if he would have said instead "Raise your hand if you have ever smoked pot." I bet no one would have raised their hand. In a way by wording it like that he kind of "tricked" the truth out of the situation 
momatik
Well-Known Member
This whole thing was so unsettling to me...
Watching Jimmy Kimmel and other rich celebrities laugh about drug policy and a drug war with the president. A war that has caused so much unnecessary damage especially to lower class, with roots in nothing but racism and as a means for political gain. A war which countless respected scholars and political figures have long since argued needs to be ended. Let's forget how much damage the drug war does here, and not even consider the damage it does abroad.
Why is this considered appropriate? That didn't take any guts. It would take guts to use celebrity status to actually get serious about these issues, not laugh about them over drinks.
Watching Jimmy Kimmel and other rich celebrities laugh about drug policy and a drug war with the president. A war that has caused so much unnecessary damage especially to lower class, with roots in nothing but racism and as a means for political gain. A war which countless respected scholars and political figures have long since argued needs to be ended. Let's forget how much damage the drug war does here, and not even consider the damage it does abroad.
Why is this considered appropriate? That didn't take any guts. It would take guts to use celebrity status to actually get serious about these issues, not laugh about them over drinks.
Vicki
Herbal Alchemist
Maybe that was the only way he could do it, or he would be hauled away in cuffs like the rest of us would be. Even though stars have money, I think they can still be treated just like any of us if they disagree with the gov't about illegal things, so he decided to put it in a comedic way, just to get it out there.
momatik
Well-Known Member
Maybe that was the only way he could do it, or he would be hauled away in cuffs like the rest of us would be. Even though stars have money, I think they can still be treated just like any of us if they disagree with the gov't about illegal things, so he decided to put it in a comedic way, just to get it out there.
I don't think it's a topic appropriate for that setting, period. It's something that shouldn't be taken lightly and be reduced to simply the rights of individuals to enjoy drugs in their own homes. But that's what Kimmel does when he tries to take a census of the room. Individual, personal use. It's not the only way he could do it, it's the only way a celebrity will ever be willing to support it.
There are many ways celebrities can actually use their status and influence to raise awareness and gather a real following for ending the drug war. They can get informed, and talk about the proper issues in an appropriate setting because as a celebrity they already have an audience. But we don't have celebrities that care more about these kinds of issues over their own career or their own personal use of drugs. So the only celebrities we have fighting on our behalf are potheads like Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson who will go as far as to say "Yeah, legalize weed, because, I like to get high!"
That's as far as our celebrities are ever going to take it, and no one is going to take a reform movement seriously when the assumed "leaders" can't talk about the issue appropriately.
lwien
Well-Known Member
Guys, this was a comedy show. It's all about comedy and nothing there should have been taken seriously.
The fact of the matter is that Kimmel brought it up to get some laughs. Personally, I see nothing wrong with that. Comedy makes fun of just about everything. Why should pot legalization be any different. Taking something serious and putting a funny spin on it is what comedy is all about.
I think it's a healthy thing for all of us to have the ability to laugh at ourselves and yes, even laugh at the issues that deserve our serious attention.
However, there are lines that shouldn't be crossed, but the MJ issue, IMHO, is not one of them, nor was it one of them in how Kimmel addressed it. From my point of view, the more this issue is brought out in the open, be it in comedy or in serious discussions..........the better.
The fact of the matter is that Kimmel brought it up to get some laughs. Personally, I see nothing wrong with that. Comedy makes fun of just about everything. Why should pot legalization be any different. Taking something serious and putting a funny spin on it is what comedy is all about.
I think it's a healthy thing for all of us to have the ability to laugh at ourselves and yes, even laugh at the issues that deserve our serious attention.
However, there are lines that shouldn't be crossed, but the MJ issue, IMHO, is not one of them, nor was it one of them in how Kimmel addressed it. From my point of view, the more this issue is brought out in the open, be it in comedy or in serious discussions..........the better.
turk
turk
...didn't see it..(never watched kimmel or any of the other late-night "talk shows".....if I'm up late,the last thing I want to do is listen to people babble on about themselves while sitting in a chair...)
...I believe it triviallizes the issue...and that's my problem with it....if it's not taken seriously, people perceive there's no real problem...
...I believe it triviallizes the issue...and that's my problem with it....if it's not taken seriously, people perceive there's no real problem...
lwien
Well-Known Member
Serious trivialization and comedic trivialization are two different things. I don't believe that comedic trivialization takes the seriousness out of any of these issues, but rather gives us a brief respite so that we can come back and deal with these serious issues in a more pragmatic way.
Vicki
Herbal Alchemist
And, if we don't try to laugh at some of this bullshit we have to endure, it could drive us crazy.
momatik
Well-Known Member
Or it distracts us. To laugh and make light of the drug war, you have to disregard all the real legitimate negative consequences of it. You have to stop thinking about all the people negatively effected by it. To put it bluntly, it provides a momentary relief from the reality of the situation; but too much of that is certainly not a good thing.
And we've had nothing but comedic exposure. So much so that it just trivialized the end goal. I don't think I need to provide examples; we're all familiar with pot in movies and music.
But even despite all that exposure, what did Obama say do way back when the #1 voted question was on marijuana legalization? He laughed. He smirked, cracked jokes about it and said "no we will not be considering legalization." Period. As if to say "I don't need justification because it's not even a legitimate question." It's a joke. It'll always be a joke unless people in these positions of influence start taking it seriously.
In a society fully aware of the systematic racial inequality that is established in this drug war, it would never be considered appropriate to laugh about the drug war as a whole publicly. Especially when that same society largely believes it has moved "beyond race" and has a gritty history with racial inequality already. That means that not enough people know about the true consequences of this war, possibly because we're too busy laughing about it to acknowledge the ugly reality.
lwien
Well-Known Member
See, to my way of thinking, making light of this subject takes the serious negativity away from the anti-marijuana crowd. It helps to make marijuana use more innocuous and acceptable and to my way of thinking, is a natural step towards general acceptance and eventual legalization.
Vicki
Herbal Alchemist
I'm sorry, but the addition of Mos Def to this conversation makes us look like stupid stoners. 
And, his excusing Obama's actions is nauseating!! 
Maher is right about alcohol!! (the two drinks a day bullshit) Poison is just fine, but not a benign plant. That man would be better off with 2 bowls!
I honestly hate seeing that clip of Obama laughing like legalization is a joke. Makes me as furious as Maher was. He's right, it's insulting.
And, his excusing Obama's actions is nauseating!! Maher is right about alcohol!! (the two drinks a day bullshit) Poison is just fine, but not a benign plant. That man would be better off with 2 bowls!
I honestly hate seeing that clip of Obama laughing like legalization is a joke. Makes me as furious as Maher was. He's right, it's insulting.
momatik
Well-Known Member
I understand that perspective. And you're right, support for marijuana legalization has been growing steadily and for the first time ever last year the general public is statistically in favor of it.
I hope that this general support is enough cause for real change, but I'm growing skeptical. If it is enough, we should see major change in the next few years, as general support is growing by about 3% annually.
Tea Party
Boro Connoisseur
t-dub
Vapor Sloth
What odds would you give it and why?
Tea Party
Boro Connoisseur
I bet you'll see mid to high 40% vote to legalize it. Mostly youth and free for liberals. The thing is there are a number of conservative people in WA.
We have a good economy here, people come here to raise families, they don't want their kids around drugs.
With that being said we have a hell of a meth problem around here.
We have a good economy here, people come here to raise families, they don't want their kids around drugs.
With that being said we have a hell of a meth problem around here.