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Silence Has Backfired Against Life Without Shame
by Hank Shaw
Originally published as "Shameful TV Program?" in the November 29, 1996
Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY)
A recent protest by Women Against A Violent Environment
(WAVE) against the cable TV show Life Without Shame has
stirred up a controversy of its own. According to WHEC-TV
Channel 10’s coverage on Nov. 2, “the protest may have
backfired” because the show’s creators claim that it has
generated additional support for the show.
Certainly, there are a large number of sensible people in the
community who feel that protests only help this dreadful show, and
that the best tactic is to completely ignore it, hoping that it will
dry up and blow away.
Unfortunately, silence as a community response to Life Without
Shame hasn’t worked. In the past year, the show has expanded to other
cities and added programming to its so-called “Porn Network” on
Time-Warner by proudly sponsoring free X-rated movies available to
anyone of any age with cable access and the ability to punch 76 on a
remote control.
Far worse, from my point of view, is this: Under the cloak of
community silence, the Life Without Shame crew has managed to create a
viable, porn-based advertising medium that has attracted a number of
respectable businesses like ROC Communications, Champion Auto Sales,
Tony’s Bootlegger Restaurant, and Bay & Goodman Pizza--all of which
were sponsors of the most recent edition of Life Without Shame. (Bay &
Goodman announced that it will stop advertising on the show, but was
still on the air as of Nov. 2.)
To truly appreciate the unsettling significance of this
development, you have to take a close look at the editorial content of
Life Without Shame--content that has been handled with kid gloves in
the local media.
The Nov. 1 Democrat & Chronicle, for example, said only that topics
on the show “usually involve topless women” and include “interviews
with adult film stars, female impersonators and Olympic games for
homeless alcoholics.” That tame description only applies to the most
benign aspects of Life Without Shame.
The fact is, this is not a fun-loving, “boys will be boys” show
with a little harmless nudity as Tom Loce would like you to believe.
No, Life Without Shame is much more threatening to the mental health
of the community, because the show popularizes and legitimizes sexual
harassment, treats women as disposable “sex toys”, and--hard to
believe in this day and age--even expresses violently anti-woman
sentiments like these:
“She’s going to put her shirt on, because she doesn’t want Ed to
rip her f@%#^ing tits right off her body.”
“Watching her makes me want to go home and rape my Barbie doll.”
“What do you call a man who sleeps with teenage girls? Could it
be people who watch our show perhaps? It’s a crime. Don’t do
it...unless you can get away with it!”
I have these “lowlights” on tape, including one in which Mr. Loce
threatens the sexual assault of the ex-wife of a local celebrity. I
can’t quite bring myself to quote the remarkably violent words he
used, but they wouldn’t be allowed in a family newspaper, anyway.
In an age when a woman is battered every 18 seconds...a child is
molested every two minutes...a woman is raped every six minutes...and
four women a day are killed by their boyfriends or husbands, it’s
astounding that respectable businesses like ROC Communications would
support intolerable attitudes like these with their advertising
dollars.
Can you imagine the firestorm of protest that would occur in our
community if Life Without Shame projected damaging, racist stereotypes
of African-Americans week after week instead of violently sexist
stereotypes of women? (I know, I know. I can already hear Mr. Loce’s
response: “The African-Americans willingly participate in our show.
It’s just a fun show.”)
Women are fair game in our community, however, because the show’s
creators continue to expand their anti-woman programming, businesses
continue to support the programming with advertising, and Time Warner
continues to cash the Life Without Shame leased-access checks, which
apparently bring in about $300 per show.
That, of course, leaves us with the challenging question of what to
do. Silence hasn’t worked. Protests seem to back-fire. And unless the
show operates in a First Amendment loophole that can be closed (which
does not appear to be the case), we seem to be stuck with a porno
cable TV station supported by topless bars from here to Utica that
views rape, child molestation, domestic violence, and unbridled sexual
harassment as nothing more than a joke.
What, then, should we do? I, for one, offer a simple suggestion
that even Tom Loce will endorse. I urge every responsible adult in the
Greater Rochester community to watch Life Without Shame and think hard
about the show’s content. Because this is the only way you’ll find out
for yourself whether the show is truly harmless fun as Mr. Loce says
it is or a promoter of unconscionable attitudes toward women, which is
my point of view.
What happens next? If you think it’s a harmless show, watch it,
support it with your advertising and proudly wear your Life Without
Shame T-shirt. That’s your right.
On the other hand, if you agree with me that Life Without Shame
creates attitudes among men that are harmful to daughters, mothers,
sisters, aunts, grandmothers and women friends everywhere, don’t just
give the show the silent treatment. Make it a point to tell the Life
Without Shame advertisers what you think of the show. And if they
choose to continue running their ads on this anti-woman, porn-based
advertising medium, boycott them. That’s your right.
Then we can get on with the more important work of educating
impressionable young men in this community that women aren’t sex toys:
they’re human beings.
The preceding has been an expression of my First Amendment rights.
P.S. to the Life Without Shame boys: If you find the content of
this piece offensive, all you have to do is turn the page.
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