1998: Make Some Noise!

[Michael's Servant]

With Dan St. Germain – Breaking up while in love; handjobs at massage parlors; listener feedback on Dave Chappelle; World Cup: America vs. Ghana; Macklemore sells $50 shirts; Tesla; ABC News producer Don/Dawn/Don/Dawn Ennis; cell phones affect sperm count; Mariah Carey gets goofy; Starbucks offers its employees 2 years of free college

Guest:
Dan St. Germain




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[Lanfear]

ohhhhhhh trying to claim that the US is better than another country by mentioning healthcare, that is adorable

[TeddyPicker]

I wasn't particularly impressed with the treatment of the Dawn/Don story. And I was especially surprised to hear that Chemda didn't push back on Keith's impression and interpretation of the story.
Although the details of the story are true and there is humour in it, Keith's "I'm a lady now I'm a man" impression just reinforces a lot of really negative stereotypes about transgender people, which in previous shows Keith, Chemda, Lauren and Danny have tried to dispel.
A singular story like this sends out the message that being transgender is a humorous mix up and really men should stick to being men and vice versa with women. Being transgender can be confusing and seemingly difficult to figure out, but not for those reasons.

I kind of expected better during Pride month, but I know that the good the show has done about trans* issues (Lauren and multiple eps of What's My Name) outweigh the harm of this single story.

[Keith]

He came to work as Don. Then as Dawn. Then as Don again. Then as Dawn again. In that time he said he had amnesia and his wife made him think he was one of those Dawns by dressing him up and changing his ID.

It's a little silly to pretend he/she/he/she is a poor transgender that I'm picking on. Don/Dawn/Don/Dawn is a silly goofball that's making the workplace very odd.

[NilFC]

Signs, brought to you by the Five Man Electrical Band from, you guessed it, Canada.

(Ottawa, to be specific.)

Five Man Electrical Band - Signs (1971) - YouTube

[Keith]

Tesla made the song so much better that the Five Man Electrical Band has to pay Tesla anytime they cover it.

[Thumbnail]

As much as EVERYONE I KNOW loves soccer what Keith said is totally true. Soccer is the sport of poor people - one ball, one field, 22 kids, done! Then it evolved an now it's also a billion dollar sport on a professional level but it's the cheapest thing ever.
Also, on the 22nd we'll have USA-Portugal. We got murdered by Germany (historically dick-ish country) but let's see if we can kick (ah!) you guys out of the competition and give Keith and Dan some peace!!!

[TeddyPicker]

Originally Posted by Keith

He came to work as Don. Then as Dawn. Then as Don again. Then as Dawn again. In that time he said he had amnesia and his wife made him think he was one of those Dawns by dressing him up and changing his ID.

It's a little silly to pretend he/she/he/she is a poor transgender that I'm picking on. Don/Dawn/Don/Dawn is a silly goofball that's making the workplace very odd.

I wonder if they came into work, having transitioned suddenly, and were subjected to a lot of office gossip and bullying.
The amnesia story struck me as a desperate attempt to back peddle from someone who was deeply embarrassed about the way people saw them.

I don't think this is just a nutter who's trying to disrupt the workplace. I think it's someone who's experiencing gender dysphoria and the reaction they got when trying to express themselves was too overwhelming.

[Keith]

You're saying that Don made up the amnesia story and made up that his wife tricked him into thinking he was a different kind of person (which of course he did). I don't care what confusion he was going through, that makes him an asshole.

He has 3 children, but still the only excuse he can come up with was to put blame on the wife?

And then not take the blame back when he flip-flopped again?

Fuck him. She's a shithead. (I said 'she.' See how progressive I am?)


When I made jokes about Casey Kasem, I wasn't picking on all DJs. I was picking on Casey. When I make jokes about Don/Dawn, I'm not picking on all transgenders. I'm picking on this freak.

[J. Canines]

Originally Posted by TeddyPicker

I kind of expected better during Pride month, but I know that the good the show has done about trans* issues (Lauren and multiple eps of What's My Name) outweigh the harm of this single story.

If only there were room, in the thirty days that constitute Pride Month, for humor.

It would be interesting to hear Lauren's take on this story. Personally, I see no semblance between him and some guy, (who all his co-workers known is identifying male) suddenly walking into the office - dressed as a woman.

It's interesting you bring up gender dysphoria. That is a new word to many people on this forum. Could be applicable to this story. Might not be. Whether this person is experiencing it or not; to ignore the absolute fact that a person walked into the work place as a man, the entire time; then suddenly, (with no mention of his intention nor a courteous heads up) came in dressed as a woman - is cause for attention.

All genders should be treated equally. Absolutely. However, treating equally means that just like everyone else; we talk openly. We joke openly. We discuss. Being politically correct does no good. It is a velvet rope that cuts and separates the very people it is trying to protect. It removes them.

Wagging the PC finger-O-shame does no good. Now. Discussing this gender dysphoria and how it may apply - that might.