Entertainment May 18, 2017
"Roger Ailes gravestone should just read: Here Lies."
Roger Ailes, former Chairman and CEO of Fox News, died on Thursday at 77.
And people on Twitter have a lot of feelings about it. Now, typically I’d say the go-to emotion for death would be… sadness, no?
But that maybe doesn’t apply so much to a controversial figure who had a pretty heavy hand in dividing the country and, oh yeah, sexually assaulting a number of women.
In addition to creating Fox News, Ailes was also responsible for fostering an environment that made sexual abuse (and let’s be real, racism) acceptable, covering up not only his own atrocities but also those of the network’s other big stars – like Bill O’Reilly – for YEARS.
So it’s kind of understandable if people aren’t exactly brought to tears by this news. Now some, mainly conservative Republicans, are arguing that he was a good man aside from the assaults, so he should be respected in death. Twitter, on the other hand, has been a bit more “Ding, dong. The witch is dead…”
But you know, hey, I didn’t know him. Maybe he was a good man… aside from his sexual assaults. But… still doesn’t erase those assaults now does it? Anyway, this isn’t about my opinion.
Let’s have a look at what Twitter had to say …
A bit of a harsh joke, but come on. You know you were thinking it. I mean, he had a lot of legal issues to deal with. Gretchen Carlson only just filed her sexual harassment suit against him this past summer.
One Twitter user couldn’t help hearkening back to the viper tongued Bette Davis, who famously used this quote against her nemesis, Joan Crawford. If the shoe fits?
Short and sweet.
He’s gone too late! (That’s not something you hear too often.)
OhNoSheTwitnt helpfully pointed out that the same people who are upset with those that were less than sad about Ailes’s death were pretty much praying for Hillary Clinton’s.
If you don’t have anything nice to say, yeah, well. You get it.
One Twitter user suggested another person be in our minds today. (Well, lots of other people.)
Turns out, this was actually a popular thought.
Some conservatives tried to scold people who were taking a bit of joy in Ailes’s passing. But as you can see, they weren’t quite fazed.
Look, I get their point. Maybe he’s done some good in his life. But if someone can so easily and flawlessly compare his situation to that of the murderous, horrifying clown in Stephen King’s “IT,” well then, he’s done something wrong. And y’all are just going to have to deal with that.
Bottom line: it’s pretty hard to argue this world isn’t going to be better off without Ailes than it was with it. So let’s not. Condolences to his family, but screw Fox News and anyone committing acts of sexual assault and racism or helping such crimes be covered up.
Let’s be better.
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