DOCUMENT: Celebrity, Stupid

Palin Success Triggered FCC Complaints

Voting, hug angered “Dancing with the Stars" viewers

Bristol Palin

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Bristol Palin FCC Letters

DECEMBER 6--In the days after Bristol Palin was voted into the finals of “Dancing with the Stars,” viewers from across the country wrote to the Federal Communications Commission accusing the ABC show of everything from running a “payola type program” to “encouraging and promoting teen pregnancy.”

Many of the complainants, whose letters were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, were upset that, as one Oregonian put it, “the top scores were voted off yet Sarah Palin’s daughter remained on.”

One viewer from Pittsburgh alleged that the show’s voting system had been “fixed by extreme supporters of the Tea Party and Radical Right-Wing. I find that it has become a political platform for Sarah Palin to improve her image and ooze her political slime.” The aggrieved correspondent continued, “Bristol is not a star, what did she do, she had sex and got pregnant. Lets reward her…I made several call to ABC’s complaint line and I hope that their phone lines melt. It has become a political movement, with Tea Party websites instructing on how to vote for Bristol. Ridiculousness!”

Another source of grievances was a hug delivered to the 20-year-old Palin by one of the show’s judges, Carrie Ann Inaba.

Noting that “no other dancer was called over for a hug,” one viewer claimed that the clinch was a “signal for the GOP/Tea Party supporters of Sarah Palin to ‘stuff’ the vote for Bristol Palin, who on both dates had to be dragged over the dance floor.” The writer added, “My 96 year old Mother-in-Law can dance better than Ms. Palin...I want my Government to protect me the viewer from deceptive practices.”

A Cerritos, California resident reported that the “physical contact” made by Inaba “sets the contestant up for thinking the judge will favor them. She was impartial to one and partial to the others.”

Other viewers sought an FCC probe of the show’s voting, since “people are bragging how they ‘gamed the system'.” Two other viewers (one from Indianapolis, the other a Brooklynite) were upset that Palin beat out the R&B singer Brandy for the last spot in the program’s three-person final.

Palin, whose baffling success led one man to blast his own TV set, ultimately finished third behind actors Jennifer Grey and Kyle Massey in the November 23 “Dancing with the Stars” finale. It is unclear whether the FCC received complaints about the outcome of that vote. (7 pages)

Comments (218)

my only problem with that was...i wish it was a younger nipple. she's old! lol
The complaint by liberals ties in with several issues regarding potential damage to our health: 1. Repeated usage of cell phones can cause brain damage; 2. Bombardment of the earth by cosmic particles can cause brain damage; 3. The proliferation of ambient radio frequencies, microwaves etc can cause brain damage. Rest easy, liberals, you have natural immunity. Liberals' theme song is "If I only had a brain" from The Wizard of Oz
Great stuff Lew -- Keep it up... :-)
You know according to the Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health young adults who subjectively identify themselves as "very liberal" have an average IQ of 106 during adolescence while those who identify themselves as "very conservative" have an average IQ of 95 during adolescence. Take that, Tin Man. Conservatives are always singing: "If I only had a heart."
Liberals love to make up "statistics" out of whole cloth.
LIAR!!! That study MEASURED SEXUAL ACTIVITY FOR TEENS AND THEY FOUND THAT LIBERAL TEENS HAD MORE PARTNERS AND MORE SEXUAL.LY TRANSMITTED DISEASE!!! THERE WAS ZERO MEASURE OF IQ (If you knew ANYTHING about studies, you would know that IQ is RARELY considered; there is no point in going into why since you are such a LIAR!)
IQ demonstrably has no bearing on common sense, which I will take any day, as do most Americans. And the problem is, as evidenced by the perpetual liberal whining, the "very liberal" never gets beyond the stage of adolescence. BTW I expected the heart repartee- Who gives more to charities? Conservatives or liberals? Not from our public money confiscated by liberals to promote such acts as baby killing but out of their own pocket?
DP
First, Dems and Reps have been stealing elections for years... Let's not forget Florida. Second, just because you don't like either Palin, that does not make you a Liberal. There are likely more Reps that don't like Sarah than there are Dems. She lost the Reps the Senate... As a Liberal, I am fine with that. Third, I would not have minded had it seemed that Bristol had gotten to the finals fairly, i.e. she deserved the scores she got and she got the audience votes. Neither happened here. I think I should write to the FCC. But seriously, do you remember how upset folks were about the nipple slip... That can't be more serious than this? Finally, if you look at the stats, the good residents of the Red states are getting knocked up out of wed lock at a higher rate than those of the Blue states. So it ain't just the Liberals that are loving, the Conservatives are doing a lot of sinnin' themselves.
LEFTISTS WORSHIP ABORTION!!!!! Leftists get knocked up MORE but they also have abortions at the drop of a hat. Rightists give birth because they are anti-abortion. GET A GRIP AND TELL THE TRUTH!!!!
Florida....Florida ??? Still ??? You're so, like, 10 years ago (and psst Bush is not the POTUS anymore). More Reps don't like the Palins...what is your favorite flavor of Kool-Aid ??? SHE lost the Senate ??? I didn't know SHE was running. On the other hand, about 2/3's of the candidates that she endorsed won...Not too shabby. Red vs. blue state unwed pregnancies ? Link ? Or are we supposed to take your word for it ?...LOL. It's also cute that in your response to Jack Kennedy you attribute a Tina Fey line from SNL to Sarah....regurgitate and obfuscate. You're a real piece of work ! Batting Avg. .000 BTW, sugar, I think that you should write to the FCC too. Why just share your derangement with us, here. Shout it from the roof tops and share your PDS with everyone ! I have to wonder if the FCC folks who take these complaints yell out to their co-workers "OMG you gotta see this one. If you think that last one was crazy, you GOTTA see this one".
Really? You mean to tell me that people actually took the time to contact the FCC on this? This is actually a headline? Libs are actually loosing sleep over this? You folks are so simple minded. I heard nothing from you folks when Lawrence Taylor was on the show. Self proclaimed womanizer and drug user by the way. In and out of trouble with the law way before he made the show. Where were you folks then with your FCC complaints??? Did that not mean DWTS was promoting womanizing and drug use in your world??? Did you all forget that the show format invites callers to vote. Because of this, it doesn't matter what the talent level is of a performer now does it?
Why do you think Libs are the ones complaining about Bristol's pregnancy? Why couldn't it be a Conservative who actually cares about these things? and likes dancing?
after crap like this and the liberal's America hatred, my dad (WW2 vet) no longer wonders how this country voted hussein into the wh
Oh because Palin, "I can see Russia from my house, and I think Saddam was responsible 9/11", was so much better. http://whattheFarkhasobamadonesofar.com/
LIAR!!! You can't even tell the difference between Saturday Night Life skits with REALITY!!!! You really must get a grip (and learn to tell the difference between Tina Fey and Governor Palin)! You are REALLY easy to fool; that would be the main reason why you are a Leftist!
Are you really that uninformed? Tina Fey said "I can see Russia from my house" on SNL. Sarah Palin NEVER said that or anything like that. She said that Alaska and Russia are close neighbors and they ARE... I believe that Sarah Palin is quite a bit more intelligent and articulate that you are.
Who freakin cares??? It is a TV show, you mindless people apparently have nothing better to do. Here is something you should try. Try reading all the ways that your current government is screwing you and put as much effort into that as you do worring about a stupid show.
Scary thing about this is that those complaining idiots may actually be eligible to vote.
Just as it is socially overdone to play the racist card, so too is it socially overdone to play the Perez Hilton (faux pas, in-your-face, hissy fit) card.
WANT YOUR VOICE TO BE HEARD AT THE FCC? The email address is: [email protected] Copy and paste the address into your email then let them know what you think.
maybe we can get the fcc to investigate mlb all star voting while they're at it. possible homeys vote for they're homeys?
"Dancing with the Stars," that is the name of the show right? I was wondering because people are very upset that this was a popularity contest based off of name recognition. Aren't the dancers supposed to show improvement week after week? Bristol Palin showed progress every week. I find it funny that liberals are taking this show so seriously that they would file a complaint with the FCC or shotgun their TV. I find it disgusting that those same liberals would badger and threaten her life. Why? Because she is Sarah Palin's daughter. If you want to thank anyone you silly liberals you have no one else to thank for her success than President Obama's liberal attack media who catapulted a quiet teenager standing next to the VP nom into a household name. The same liberal media who continues to attack Palin and her family at all turns who keep the name Palin alive in their feeble attempts to squash her. So if Bristol Palin had the support of the Tea Party, then take a bow liberals, because of all of your hard work she placed 3rd in Dancing with Stars.
Why do you assume that it was a liberal that made the complaint, or is upset about the outcome? There were plenty of Liberal Bristol supporters and Conservatives that were upset.
Did you READ the article?
Success will forever irritate Liberals. "IT,S JUST NOT FAIR!" Need some Government Cheese with that Whine?
What is amazing is that the Liberals (Statists) get up set about so called voter fraud on a meaningless entertainment show, but care less when a Democrat uses voter fraud to steal an election. The Libs do nothing when a county has 110% of the population voting, King County Washington state, or miraculously find hundred of ballots, Minnesota Al Franken, that gives the election to the Liberal. They want everyone to vote, illegals & prisoners, except the military stationed over seas. WHAT HYPOCRITES.
I SAY RIGHT ON. Hey, folks, it's YOUR right to demand the FCC investigate this. these television stations hold public licenses. i say if you think bristol palin and sarah palin conspired with the tea party to hijack your favorite TV show, do get busy! you know, if you just think bristol palin is fat and ugly, you have the RIGHT to tell the FCC and complain. get to it. whatever your little heart desires. bury them under a blanket of YOU.
Electrowoman has had a short circuit in her brain-wave generator...
The only thing hijacked in this country is the government, by you filthy liberals. That one Republican exists, or a lone honest news station, makes you hysterical. God is right: Liberals will scream forever in hell, without the possibility of rescue. It lasts forever because it's impossible to hate enough what a liberal is.
LOL! This is a great post. Perhaps if we bury them, they will have less time for censorship. Never thought of that.
Rightists want to change the hearts and minds of Leftists through dialogue. LEFTISTS WANT TO KILL RIGHTISTS: that is their only ability since they are ALWAYS WRONG ON ISSUES!!!! Leftists scream tolerance yet they are intolerant. Leftists scream diversity yet they HATE anyone different from them. If it were not for Double Standards, the Left would have no standards at all.
Everyone, please, just do me one favor: Don't let the libtards find out that WWE is fake... .
lol, now the FCC is going to have a server and phone line melt down.
whoever said that liberalism is a disease sure got it right ........ as America suffers cuz of the loons
People are complaining about Ms. Palin keeping her baby from an unplanned pregnancy yet give kudos to girlfriend beaters and rapists and druggies and murderers who are athletes and performers?!?! They criticize Ms. Palin for the same thing they celebrate in black high schools across the country--teen pregnancies!! Liberals give money and free education and childcare and more money to high school girls who get pregnant and allow them to be prom queens.....idiots, all of them. Liberals are so one-sided in their little brains it really is beyond comprehension how they manage through the day.
I am just perplexed at what actually makes Bristal Palin a star. I have no opinion about the girl, I am just wondering what criteria they are using to classify someone as a star, (I mean they use the term star pretty liberally with most of the people they have on the show anyway.), as far I know, being in the news does not make someone a star. I mean, "The Situation" is not really a star, but at least he has a TV show that he gets paid a salary.
YOU know who she is, dontcha?
These days a star is anyone who's name is well known, ie. famous. I think the show has a right to define star however they want.
Easy. She had the nation's most publicized pregnancy in 2008, and in 2009 she became the Teen Abstinence Ambassador for Candie's Foundation (even if you aren't familiar with it, a lot of people are). She subsequently was featured in all the major mags (Time, Newsweek, etc.) and made the rounds on major news networks. Are you saying her appearance on the show was the first time you had ever heard of her? I'm not judging, just curious.
She also played herself on the TV Drama "Secret Life of an American Teenager" and has name recognition in most households in the United States. I'm willing to wager that they had more viewers with her on the show than in previous seasons. TV producers aren't idiots.
Bristol wasn't a star, back then, when the show selected her. But she is now. And her claim to fame is twofold, one having a mother who has ingnited a fire across the country, and second, revealing the rabid poison in viewers who are too wacked to understand their own liberal fever when it comes to letting the system work against them.
well said!
Actually she had a guest appearance on "Secret Life of an American Teenager" prior to the show, but after the election. So she has a credit to her name. Now she can add DwtS and "Sarah Palin's Alaska". Lets not forget that she became famous for being the pregnant, having the child, and supporting abstinence because of the difficulties she has faced. Paris Hilton became famous for a sex tape. Both have last name recognition.
Thank you, I didn't even know that. I'm not a follower of DWTS. My wife watches it religously, so I am a collateral viewer. But I am a fan of Sarah, and am damn proud that all her hard work has paid off and raised the ire of the libs. Now daughter is doing the same. thanks
We got rid of all television connections over two years ago. Things like the brouhaha about whatever the heck show this is/was reminds me why. Have you people no lives of your own? No brains is a done and settled matter.
Complained to the FCC about the outcome of a "reality" show?!? It's supposed to be entertainment, not life and death or, for that matter, reality. Come on, people, get a life. And get a grip.
I love how anything successful the Palin's do, the libs get apoplectic! Get used to it. Americans are seeing the return to the God-fearing country values that got us to this point, where hard work is to be praised and government dependency is a failure of the soul. Demonstrated most by the Palins! Go Sarah! Go Bristol!
If hard work were important to the Palins, Sarah would have finished her term as Governor, or actually written her written her own book. Her son would already be a good fisherman, and Tod would not worry about giving him his fishing lines. Bristol would have sweated when she was learning to dance, and she might have actually danced during DWTS. "The Empress has no clothes", but there are a lot of hard working, good Americans who see someone who appears to be like them, and they buy into the illusion. I would love to see someone who actually was all the things Palin pretends to be running for office. But those people are usually too busy and too private to want to.
You have obviously led a perfect life, have a perfect family and have never experienced any adversity in life. It must be nice to be you. Too bad that it makes you smug, self-righteous and judgemental. You have been extremely judgemental about things that happen to ALL hard working families. Because you have no knowledge of this, I wonder just how "hardworking" YOU are. You sound like a biassed liberal, which would explain your lack of knowledge about hardworking families.