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American Morning
'I Did Your Mother': Co-host of College Cable TV Show, Student Discuss Controversy
Aired May 06, 2002 - 08:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: From the sound of things, you might think Howard Stern had packed up and moved to Connecticut. A new cable show at the University of Connecticut has sparked a flurry of complaints, including sexual harassment complaints.
The show is called "I Did Your Mother."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who banged the most -- this is a porno star -- which porno star banged the most guys in one day and how many did he do?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She knew.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: Well, obviously you can imagine that a lot of women and gays think this material is offensive, and they contend the show reflects a pervasive lack of tolerance on campus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just, you know, shock humor. We say things that, you know, no one, not many other people would say, but it's all in a joking manner, you know? Nothing's meant literally. We make fun of each other just as much as anyone else, you know? So I just, it's not really any hurtful intent.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm all for freedom of speech. We're all for freedom of speech. That's not what we're talking about here. That's not our issue. Our issue is when the things you say border on harassing people in the community.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: So, is the show simply pushing the boundaries of bad taste or is there something worse in the air?
Joining us now in Hartford to discuss the cable controversy, Joe Kingsley, a co-host of "I Did Your Mother," and Rebecca Nesbitt, a University of Connecticut student who opposes the show.
Good morning to both of you.
REBECCA NESBITT, UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT STUDENT: Hi. Good morning.
JOE KINGSLEY, CO-HOST, "I DID YOUR MOTHER": Good morning.
ZAHN: Good morning.
So, Rebecca, what's the biggest complaint you have about the show?
NESBITT: Because it's indicative of a larger climate at U. Conn that the administration needs to address. We have a very homophobic, racist, ableist, sexist climate that needs to be addressed and this show is actually a reflection of that climate.
ZAHN: Is anybody watching the show, Rebecca?
NESBITT: I think that people are and I think that that's our concern, are those that watch the show and how they've involved in the climate that we live in on U. Conn.
ZAHN: Why don't we listen to another clip of the show so people can get a better understanding of its content. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Clearly, we've got a few fags out in the Rainbow Center.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, well, I mean they breed 'em weird over there. I don't know. But any ways, back to this great weekend...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, a fan is a fan, Pete.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I guess...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just because he had his genitals inverted gives me no reason to judge.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you looking at?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. Has he got a phone call for us?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. Hello.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, what's up?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How you doing? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, what was up with that dude with the Rainbow Center thing going on? I didn't get that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, you know, we don't discriminate against gays.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, yes. We can't discriminate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, you know.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just cause he's a soap tosser gives us no right to talk.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, you've got to watch out in the shower with that guy that just called up. I don't know...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's kind of scary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: Joe, what's the point of this show?
KINSGLEY: I guess you can't really say it has a point other than to entertain and I think it does that, anyway, for the people who do watch us. And, again, the people who do watch do understand that it is a joke and I truly believe that. We do have no hurtful intent with anything we have been saying and I think our audience understands that and the people who are protesting, I'm not sure if they do realize that. That's the environment that we have.
ZAHN: Joe, you say you're not trying to hurt anybody, but Rebecca, you would argue that this is completely disrespectful of women, right?
NESBITT: I would argue that not only is it respectful -- not only is it disrespectful, excuse me, but it also is on the border of hate speech, hate speech defined as spoken or written words that threaten, harass or intimidate. I think that the university needs to look at whether it is considered hate speech and create standards at U.C. TV that reflect the ideals and values of the university.
ZAHN: Joe, have, you no doubt have heard these complaints. Has anybody come from the university and tell you you need to change the content of this show in any way?
KINSGLEY: No. As far as I've been told, we have not broken any student conduct codes as of yet. So there is really no reason for us to change anything like that. As far as hate speech, I kind of disagree with that. I mean we basically use satire as a form to make fun of everything, include ourselves. And I've said on the air quite a few times how even though I might make jokes, in real life I don't mean disrespect to anyone and would never disrespect anyone, and I urge others to do the same thing. But I think that kind of falls on deaf ears with a lot of people.
ZAHN: So, Rebecca, do you think that's a complete cop-out that he's hiding behind the humor he says exists here?
NESBITT: Absolutely. I think that sexism is very real in the media, especially as know as women. And I think that hiding behind a wall of free speech doesn't really get you anywhere. It's the impact that we need to focus on and realize that students are affected, especially amongst a community at a university which is a lot smaller than the "real world."
ZAHN: Well, you recognize, Joe, you're not promoting tolerance of any kind here, right?
KINSGLEY: Well, I guess, yes. But again...
ZAHN: Are you proud of that?
KINSGLEY: I'm not proud of anything. But I mean we're not exactly breaking any new ground here, in all reality. The ideas aren't exactly the most original things in the world. It's nothing that we haven't seen on national TV from hundreds of other programs before. So I mean if it'd indicative of the larger environment, I can see where she's coming from. But I mean attacking our show in general is not maybe the best way to go about creating a better environment at U. Conn. or in America as a whole.
ZAHN: Well, I guess Rebecca would argue it's a start. Isn't that exactly what you said, Rebecca, because you view this as just a part of a wider problem at the university?
NESBITT: Yes. And who's really going to set the standards for the world other than a university? We are held at higher standards being students at a university and we, too, should hold that university's higher standards, not harboring homophobia, not harboring sexism, racism and ableism.
ZAHN: Joe, who pays for this show?
KINSGLEY: Every student -- well, I know where you're coming from here. You're going to say every student does pay for the show because every student does pay for U.C. TV. But the shows are a very small portion of what actually U.C. TV does. And, again, as long as we're not breaking the student conduct code, U.C. TV will support anyone's creative liberties who wants to do a show, and we've tried to make this perfectly clear. So anyone who would like to do a show or anything like that is perfectly able to.
ZAHN: But, Joe, what do you say to the folks out there, they don't care how much, whether it's one dime of their tuition money that goes to this or whether it's $10,000, this is simply an inappropriate use of their money?
KINSGLEY: Well, again, I mean I can understand where they're coming from with things like that. But there's more to U.C. TV. They help other students out. And, again, there's other programs, there's other facilities at U. Conn. that I guess probably some, if you really wanted to, could argue against. And so I mean to attack U.C. TV, I mean, it's going to bring out attacks on other organizations, too, if this happens.
ZAHN: And, Rebecca, you no doubt know what Joe and his supporters have been saying...
NESBITT: Absolutely.
ZAHN: ... why don't you guys just turn the show off and not watch it? That's the best way to boycott it.
NESBITT: I think that they're so desensitized to the difficulties that historically oppressed and marginalized people suffer that they don't even realize how hurtful their words are.
ZAHN: Where do you think the debate is going to go from here, Rebecca? Do you think the show will ever come off the air?
NESBITT: I think that it will and I think that in my next year as a student and the rest of the remaining year I will make sure that U.C. TV creates standards that reflect the values of the university. We have a president's policy on harassment, a student conduct code and a diversity report that states the values of the university and the direction we want to go. And creating standards for U.C. TV that keep things like this from harboring a climate of homophobia, racism and sexism and evilism are a step, a small step, but a step.
ZAHN: All right, we're going to have to leave it there this morning.
Rebecca Nesbitt and Joe Kingsley, thank you both for your time.
NESBITT: Thank you.
ZAHN: We'll be follow this with a great deal of interest.
KINSGLEY: Thank you.
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