Debbie Schlussel: TV Critic, Moron

Right-wing blogger and hate-monger Debbie Schlussel has been a frequent source of inspiration here at Down With Righty. To sum up her career, Ms. Schlussel is a far right bigot with perhaps the most unfortunate Midwest accent in recent memory. (Check her out) She HATES Muslims, so much so that her blog is more religion than politics. Nearly every post is about some alleged Muslim "terrorist" or some "liberal" organizations' attempts to give Muslims special rights. In Debbie's warped mind, every Muslim with any money is funding al-Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah. This is a person for whom referring to Barack Obama by the popular "Barack Hussein Obama" has become too tiresome. She has since adopted the truncated "B Hussein O," being sure to preserve in full the name most useful for Republican hate-mongering.

To this point, Ms. Schlussel has only been detected on my radar for her extreme political views. This week, however, she tried her luck as a TV critic, but the results were the same. In the midst of the a presidential campaign, a collapsing economy, and heated debates over waterboarding and wiretapping, Ms. Schlussel took time to gloat over the potential cancellation of a TV show. The show, "Aliens in America" centers around a white, American family and their live-in Pakistani exchange student. Despite generally favorable reviews from the likes of Entertainment Weekly and Salon.com, the sitcom, like most television programs, faces an uncertain future.

After a Detroit News article warned of the show's possible demise, Schlussel was quick to affirm her suspicions: Americans will not tolerate a show with a positive Muslim character.

She went on to claim that the show was "anti-American" propaganda where "Americans are a lesser life form and Muslims are G-d's gift to humanity."

So much is wrong here that I hardly know where to begin....

First, her assessment of the show is hardly accurate. The show is in no way anti-American. Since 9/11, Americans have generally viewed Muslims with greater hostility. Despite a heightened awareness of the religion, Americans are still largely ignorant about Islam. Highlighting these facts in a television show does not constitute anti-American propaganda. In an almost comical twist, Schlussel, the anti-Muslim activist, attacks the show for - of all things - portraying Americans as anti-Muslim. These Hollywood types have some nerve!

Secondly, what was it that Mark Twain said about the rumors of his demise? Despite Schlussel's claims that the show is "a big flop," "tanking," "faltering,"and "on life support," things are not nearly that bad. In fact, the show has simply not yet been renewed for next season. Before the WGA strike, the show was gaining in the ratings and receiving positive reviews. The show's future is simply up in the air, as is the case with most television shows. This is an especially uncertain year for TV because the writer's strike shut down production on most shows and killed any momentum any new shows may have gained.

Aliens' Raja (Adhir Kalyan) and Justin (Dan Byrd)

Perhaps the most disgusting element of Schlussel's post is the sick joy she oozes while bashing a sitcom for it's positive Muslim element. It's one thing to revel in the misery of others, but doing so because of xenophobic racist hate is extremely disturbing. And in case Ms. Schlussel isn't aware, many, many TV programs face the threat of cancellation every season despite the fact that very few feature a Muslim protagonist. In fact, just last season, the following shows were all cancelled:

3 lbs
7th Heaven
All of Us
Andy Barker, P.I.
Angela's Eyes
Big Day
Close to Home
Creature Comforts
Crossing Jordan
Day Break
Deadwood
Drive
Falcon Beach
Grease: You're The One That I Want!
Happy Hour
Help Me Help You
Identity
In Case of Emergency
Justice
Kidnapped
Lovespring International
Raines
Reba
Rome
Runaway
Show Me the Money
Six Degrees
Smith
Standoff
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Thank God You're Here
The Black Donnellys
The Class
The George Lopez Show
The Great American Dream Vote
The King of Queens
The Knights of Prosperity
The Nine
The O.C.
The Real Wedding Crashers
The Rich List
The War at Home
The Wedding Bells
The Winner
Traveler
Twenty Good Years
Vanished
Veronica Mars
What About Brian

So what's the point? Simply put, a lot of shows get cancelled every year. "Aliens in America" is not only NOT cancelled, but is currently airing new episodes. Even if it were to be cancelled, it would be very unlikely to be due to Islamophobia, as Ms. Schlussel has suggested.

So let's see.... Debbie Schlussel is a conservative who enjoys attacking Muslims and Hollywood. She makes false, ill-informed statements and takes comfort in the misery of others. Sounds like your garden variety Righty. How very uninspired and unoriginal, Debbie. Perhaps it's time someone did us all a favor and cancelled you.