And The Trashing Continues

I wrote this up mildly buzzed, tired, and at 2AM so bare with me...

You guys remember that whole little incident a couple of years back when Randy from WBLI made a comment about a Mastic resident insinuating that she lived in a trailer park? There was a big uproar and he apologized. I think the apology was forced and had more to do with his possible termination (he was indefinitely suspended) than the fact that he truly, really felt sorry.

Well, apparently some cliches still hold true and history really does repeat itself via the whole ABC/Cablevision lovers quarrel. You see, someone at Newsday by the name of Verne Gay - let's save the jokes for another time - who fancies himself a comedian wrote up this comment once ABC pulled the plug and the channel was no longer viewable for Cablevision subscribers (emphasis mine):

"What are Oscars fans to do? You can head over to the house of a friend who is hooked up to a Cablevision competitor. Or go to Uncle Bob and Aunt Sue's in Mastic Beach, who might have a converter box and antenna. Otherwise, options are limited."

HAHAHAHHA! Oh how knee-slapping funny that was!

Get it?

I reckon we here in this poor little town are just too darn poor to live like them city folk and get us some of that fancy schmancy satellite stuff or cable teeeveeee. No sir, we all have to hitch our antennas on our trailers and connect them to converters. And if a nasty little critter does something to our antenna we'll just shoot it and then take it over to Uncle Bobs and Aunt Sue so she can rustle up some of that special 'coon stew. Of course we'll have to stop at the Piggly Wiggly before that and get us some of that elitist salt and pepper.

This "writer", of a failing newspaper, here to the left with his Howdy Doody fake smile seems to think we're too poor to afford Cablevision, or Dish Network, or DirectTV, or Fios (which is still not available in Brookhaven and I can't wait until it is ... not that I would be able to afford it of course). You know, we make our own jokes about some people in the area, but we understand that this place has more good to offer than bad. Our HS has one of the best music programs around. Our football team is the envy of the majority of Suffolk, if not the entire island. We have some of the most beautiful water views around. A wildlife preserve. Very talented individuals in the fields of music, theater, art, photography et al. We're not perfect, of course, no area is. But this guy Verne - a Beverly Hills Hillbilly name if I've ever heard one (fine I couldn't resist) - knows nothing about the area save for what he reads in the paper he works for. Did I mention the failure of this paper?

I'm frankly - and sure many of you are as well - getting tired of the trashing. I think we should send this Verne Gay guy an email and let him know how we feel.

(thanks to James Tylee from Cyber-fm for the link)

UPDATE:
Holly Gonzalez received a response to her email (no word on others):

Thanks for your note, but please be assured - I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION WHATSOEVER to impugn the good people of Mastic Beach. It's a wonderful town in a beautiful part of LI.

Here's a little-known fact about your friendly Newsday TV critic - I have an antenna on top of my house and it still works and I have used it on numerous occasions (although you still need the converter to get it to work now.) I have no bias against antennas, never have and never will, and think all houses should still have 'em - just in case non-nonsensical disputes like this break out again. I certainly don't see antennas or traditional modes of receiving a tv signal as outdated or a designation of one's socio-economic status. I do see them as a sign of good, rock-solid common sense. God bless the Aunt Sues and Uncle Bobs of this world.

Thanks again for the note. Mastic Beach rocks.

Verne

I find that response rather weak. Nowhere in that email does he reason why he singled out and disparaged Mastic Beach. Frankly, I don't know anyone around here that still has an antenna and converter.

Rob Puleo on FB made the following comment:

LMAO @ his response to Holly.... classic "I'm not a racist, I have plenty of black friends" type of defense. What a clown.