| 9/2/98
Prager began his show by noting how several years ago KABC management
forbade him from using big words like "thesis."
Then he tackled Santa Monica's opposition to getting a Hooters
restaurant. An opponent said he didn't want "frustrated fraternity
boys and dirty old men ogling women."
Prager thought this a putdown of old men. What's wrong with old
men wanting sex? What's wrong with looking at women?
From the 9/2/98 LA Times:
By John Glionia:
… This was an establishment whose very name rankles most
feminists, a chain that has been the target of lawsuits nationwide
alleging discrimination and abuse, a chain condemned for its insistence
on scantily clad, shapely young waitresses, a chain about to enter
the up-to-now happy family of Santa Monica business owners.
The chain is Hooters, that international company with 234 restaurants
in 41 states and a dozen countries--but so far none closer to Los
Angeles than Newport Beach.
The reason for the local absence--and for potential fireworks
as Hooters makes plans to open restaurants over the next two years
not just in Santa Monica, but also in Long Beach, Burbank, Pasadena,
Westwood, the South Bay and the San Fernando Valley--can be seen
in the discussion that followed.
"Let me ask a simple question," Mayor Robert Holbrook finally
said. "What exactly does 'Hooters' mean?"
One Hooters franchisee, Larry Klinghoffer, took a deep breath
and explained that it could refer to any number of things: to Hootie
the Owl, the company mascot, or, as he delicately put it, to part
of a woman's body.
"It means," he said, "whatever it means to you."
Moments later, council members winced in embarrassment when a
local activist came to the microphone and blurted out: "I'll tell
you what Hooters means" and went on to use a vulgarity.
… Santa Monica city officials--enjoying more commercial prosperity--feel
the same way. They complain that Hooters is a place that objectifies
women. Employing a staff of often-buxom waitresses dressed in tiny
shorts and skimpy tank tops, the restaurant attracts a clientele
these critics have struggled to avoid at the family-oriented Third
Street Promenade, they say.
Citing Hooters' own research, which shows that the restaurant
appeals to men between the ages of 25 and 54, Councilman Paul Rosenstein
put it even more bluntly.
"We do not need gangs of frustrated fraternity boys and dirty
old men coming downtown to drink and ogle at women," he said, admitting,
like others on the council, that he had never been to a Hooters.
…Last year Hooters settled a federal class-action lawsuit
filed by several Chicago men denied jobs as waiters at the chain.
As part of the settlement--in which Hooters agreed to pay $3.8 million--the
restaurants were allowed to continue hiring only women to wait tables.
Hooters also endured a four-year investigation by the federal Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission, which led to no charges.
Mike McNeil, vice president of marketing for the Atlanta-based
Hooters of America Inc., insisted that the chain's marketing concept
is not controversial. "Abortion is controversial," he said.
Yet he acknowledged that any debate about the company's name helps
business.
"If people decide we stand for part of a woman's body, we don't
run from that," McNeil said. "Female anatomy or a bird--for us,
it's just good marketing."
Klinghoffer said the restaurant will hire waitresses with all
shapes and backgrounds. "We're looking for high energy levels. Like
the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders or a surfer girl," he said. "Do they
have to be attractive? Yes, that's part of the concept. Not the
size of their body parts."
The Santa Monica Commission on the Status of Women has also criticized
the Hooters venture. But one city official, speaking on condition
of anonymity, said the real sticking point is less a feminist issue
than the sheer tackiness of the restaurant's name.
"We fancy ourselves as the capital of liberality, but the name
'Hooters' is too politically incorrect--even for us," the official
said. "Of all the things to get mad about. We can't even keep the
legitimate adult businesses out of the city. But mess with [the
Third Street Promenade], the crowning jewel in this bustling little
burg, then you've got a problem."
* * *
Giving a Hoot
Some samples of the protest that Hooters restaurants and their
scantily clad waitresses have garnered in recent years:
1994
Maple Shade, N.J.: Members of the National Organization for Women
carry signs, competing with Hula Hoop-spinning waitresses. Hooters
is "more insidious" than a strip club, one protester complains.
"At least a strip joint is honest about what it is."
1995
Newport Beach: First Hooters in Orange County opens. Chain says
it will open five more in the county in two years--none of which
has materialized yet. Two months later one waitress tells a restaurant
critic with a wink, "No one really comes here for food."
St. Louis: Judge orders city to issue a permit to Hooters. City
had banned the restaurant after residents bombarded City Hall with
calls and letters of protest.
Schaumburg, Ill.: After a bitter debate with a feminist group,
Hooters wins approval to open near a mall. One critic grouses, "Everything
about the place is a deception."
Guilderland, N.Y.: Shouting match breaks out between waitresses
singing "You Are My Sunshine" and NOW protesters in front of recently
opened Hooters. Says one waitress, "They don't have to look in here
or eat here if they don't like it."
1996
Roanoke, Va.: Plan to open a Hooters on a street with a bawdy
history draws protests from a citizens group that has battled to
rid the road of massage parlors.
1998
Boston: A line of 50 shivering men waits hours outside a new Hooters
that was scheduled to open its doors for lunch but kept customers
waiting until evening because of a longer-than-expected fire inspection
process.
Nottingham, England: New Hooters comes under fire from women's
groups and equal opportunity campaigners for employing only women
to wait tables.
Prager points out that the clothing worn by Hooters waitresses
is no more risque than that worn by many on the Santa Monica Beach
and the Third Street Promenade. Prager says ogling in privacy (restaurant
or strip joint) is fine. Public behavior, such as what people wear
publicly, is a big deal.
Prager remembered how a female physician phoned to complain about
a dying man looking down her blouse. Prager was proud that the man
wanted to look down her blouse. She was offended. How dare he?
Prager says that conservatives, even religious ones, tend to be
more open than liberals. One "proof": A conservative Christian radio
station has had him on many times while no LA leftist station would,
until some woman at KPFK heard Prager say that, then had him on
the air for an hour…
When Prager said that the Christians thought he was going to hell,
P's five year old son Aaron looked at him. P has taught Aaron to
not swear. P said on the radio, "Aaron, it was an appropriate use
of the word in this context… I will explain it to you later."
How many talk show hosts could bring their children with them
to broadcast? Not many.
Prager suspected that there are many people (Liberals) who will
defend the President's fling with Monica and condemn Hooters.
Prager thought the phrase "dirty old man" a class put down. Rich
cultured upper class elderly gentlemen with young women was fine,
but lower class men of age with sexual feelings is supposedly disgusting.
P. thinks the phrase should be stricken from the vocabulary of honest,
well-meaning folks.
When a caller told Prager that he frequently used his ideas in
his speeches, Prager asked: "Do you cite me?"
Citing sources is an excellent value but Prager takes it too far.
Constantly citing your sources is awkward and slows down a speech.
Also, I hear Prager often cite sources for things that they are
not the sources for. (I've heard Prager attribute things to Dr.
Steve Marmer and Will Herberg that these two did not originate.)
Prager and company should be primarily concerned with getting
their values and ideas out there. If they are cited, that's great.
Prager devoted his third hour to President Clinton and his lack
of credibility due to lying.
Caller and P: Many baby boomers identify with Clinton, and his
indiscretions.
From today's WSJ, a book review about a new work on British philosopher
Isaiah Berlin: "In another well-known essay, "The Hedgehog and the
Fox" (1953), Berlin took the distinction once made by the Greek
poet Archilochus -- "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog
knows one thing" -- and applied it to writers and thinkers generally.
Most thinkers are in the grip of a fixed idea to which they cling
desperately, and which they are convinced explains the whole of
our experience. These hedgehogs believe that all truths -- scientific,
moral, political, religious -- are compatible, and indeed ultimately
one. In politics, these are the most dangerous of men. Foxes, on
the other hand, see the complications of living in a world of many
truths and are less quick to judge. They do not deny the notion
of truth; they simply see that we cannot always reconcile all things
that are truly good and thus must make compromises among them. The
term "tragedy" has worn thin through overuse, but this is indeed
a deeply tragic view of human experience, and of politics in particular."
IMHO, Prager is at his best while he is a fox, and at his most
boring when he becomes a hedgehog.
From Prager's Official Web
Site:
Friday, September 11, 1998
Dennis began the show calling for the president's resignation.
Dennis reviewed the President's apology he gave during a prayer
breakfast in Washington, DC. President Clinton asked for forgiveness.
Dennis
said that the president still doesn’t understand what he
has done.
That it is not the affair, it is his lying to the American people,
that he is not a credible President and that he cannot bomb terrorist
bases without people calling them "Monica Missiles." The President
of the United States, the protector of freedom around the world,
must be able to govern. Dennis said that he cannot ask for forgiveness
from him in regard to the affair, "he didn’t cheat on me."
If he wants to ask for forgiveness for lying - fine, then show contrition
by resigning - do what’s best for the country and we will forgive.
But words don’t do it anymore because his words are not believable.
Dennis said that he has done a lot of soul searching into his oft
held belief that when it comes to the office of President, it is
more important what his policies are than his character. That he
much rather have a man who has extra marital affairs and be willing
to bomb Iraq than have a
President who is faithful to his wife and not be willing to confront
evil regimes. Dennis said that he is now leaning toward the idea
that a person of values, of a high moral caliber, of decent character
would most likely be the leader whose policies coincide with his
values. In other words, a morally decent leader would carry out
morally decent
policies. Dennis said that he still needs time to think this through
and as in most instances the answer probably lies somewhere in the
middle.
Thursday, September 10, 1998
Dennis announced that this is not a happy day for the United States
of America. Very soon 456 pages containing intimate sexual behavior
about the president of the United States is about to be released
to the general public. How are the media going to report this? It
is obvious that salacious details of his relationship with Monica
Lewinsky will
come out. The polls have shifted. Most Americans are saying that
if the President lied under oath he should probably leave office.
Dennis emphasized that the issue is about lying, not extramarital
affairs.
Dennis said the President is not aware what damage he has caused
his presidency. His apologies were never apologies. He can no longer
effectively govern because of the loss of his credibility. Dennis
is not happy about any of this. He doesn’t want Al Gore as
president but you cant’ be president of the United States without
credibility. Dennis
took a vow that he would not discuss on his program the salacious
sexual details that will come out in the report. He wants everyone
of every age to be able to listen to the program. It is not crucial
to the republic that these details be discussed in the electronic
media - it is crucial to the republic to know if the President of
the United States lied under oath.
Wednesday, September 9, 1998
Mark McGwire hit his 62nd home-run of the season setting a new
record. Dennis called last night a "Norman Rockwell" moment.
Dennis listed the following reasons why last night was so moving:
During the game every time Sosa came up to bat, the St. Louis
fans gave him a standing ovation and a lot were chanting "Sammy,
Sammy, Sammy…
Baseball stadiums all across the country stopped their games to
show the replay of the home run and in every stadium McGwire received
a standing ovation from the fans and applause from players on the
field.
Immediately following the home-run, he was congratulated by his
teammates, the Chicago players, and picked up his 10 year old son
high above his head and gave him a big kiss.
Sammy Sosa ran in from the field to give him a big hug. They both
embraced for quite awhile.
He then ran into the stands and hugged the Maris family. And held
them in his arms.
In an ESPN press conference following the game he thanked "the
man upstairs" and said that in the morning he touched Maris’
bat and felt that this was going to be the day and that Maris was
with him. Then, in the news conference he picked up Maris’
bat and his, and put one on each shoulder.
In the press conference on the field, he thanked his family, his
ex-wife and her husband for getting his son there on time to be
with him. He gave credit to his teammates and said he wouldn’t
have accomplished this without them. He also said how proud he was
that his bat will be next to Maris’ in the hall of fame and
gave tribute to the Maris children.
When the owners gave him a ’62 Cardinal red Corvette, he
put his son in the front seat for the loop around the stadium.
According to reports last night, McGwire liked St. Louis so much
that he took a cut in pay in order to continue with them this year
and gives one million dollars a year to abused children. (Apparently,
Sosa also gives a lot to charity)
The 22 year-old young man who retrieved the ball said that he
felt it could never belong to him, that McGwire should have it and
that McGwire already said that he wanted it to go to Cooperstown.
Dennis said McGwire in an American hero because a hero is a human
being whom we aspire to. The 60’s ushered in 35 years of cynicism
- "all politicians are liars, everyone is a sinner, etc." is not
true.
"Everyone is sinner" lumps Hitler and Mother Theresa together,
murder and jaywalking are now both simply called sins. With everything
being equal, there would be no heroes. Dennis said of course McGwire
didn't risk his life to save others but he is a hero because of
the way he is conducting himself. DP is convinced that the young
man wouldn’t have given the home-run ball back to just any
player. It is because a decent guy, McGwire. prompted it. Goodness
is contagious and evil is contagious. That is why it is important
to reward goodness. It happened to a nice city, nice player, nice
fans…everything worked out well. A caller told Dennis he wants
to send the young man 100 dollars and calls on owners and players
to match this. Dennis said sending the check is acknowledging how
beautiful the boy’s gesturer was. In the long run of life the
decent get treated better than the indecent and McGwire got the
ball back because he is decent. Dennis said that in America today
there is a palpable hunger for innocence, simplicity, and decency.
We are drenched with ugliness and cynicism. A woman called saying
how cynical she is because what McGwire did was not so good because
that is what he does for a living. Dennis said "no, what makes him
magnificent is the way he reacts to glory - with humility, love,
and kindness." He reminded her that he gives a million to charity.
Dennis said that we ache for good folks in the public eye.
Tuesday, September 8, 1998
Dennis began the show with a provocative question, not for the
sake of provocation, but rather for moral clarity. Dennis cited
a Psychiatrist, Dr. Stephen Marmer, for posing the following question:
Imagine Chelsea Clinton was an intern in the office of the President
of Stanford University and the identical situation as Monica Lewinsky
took place. Should the president of Stanford resign? Dennis is trying
to figure out how the people who think President Clinton shouldn't
resign think through the issue. Do you think the president of Stanford
would remain, should he remain, and how would "Mr. and Mrs. Clinton"
react? By hearing the responses Dennis believes he will better understand
their position on Clinton. Dennis mentioned his show he had a few
weeks ago when most women were saying it didn’t matter what
he did but rather the job he does and Dennis wonders how their husbands
interpret this other than the affair was not a big deal. The first
caller today, Colleen, said that she believes the president of Stanford
would not remain in office. The next caller, Ed, told Dennis that
there is no way the president and his wife could be consistent on
this and was glad Dennis switched the situation around.
Monday, September 7, 1998
Today is Labor Day - Dennis said he loves doing holiday shows.
Dennis discussed labor. He said that for the sake of your own
happiness, you need, if it is at all possible, to pick a career
that you enjoy and that brings you meaning. Meaning is critical.
That doesn't mean that you have to work with kids, or special needs
people, etc.
One can derive meaning from all sorts of careers, but meaning
is crucial for your overall level of happiness. Dennis wrote an
essay about this in his book, Happiness Is a Serious Problem.
Dennis' next topic was on a quote he read in today's New York
Times.
A Christian pastor was quoted as telling the grieving relatives
of the people killed in the Swiss Airline crash, that "life goes
on." Dennis said that this is not what you tell people at a time
like this. That this statement is meaningless, what does it mean
"life goes on"? How will it go on? Certainly not the same before
the crash. It doesn't go on for those killed. Whose life goes on?
That the earth keeps spinning? That the relatives also did not die
in the crash? Dennis was angry at this statement because he thinks
it doesn't validate the full force of the grief that the loved ones
of the killed are experiencing right now. Dennis said it is better
for all of us to tell anyone who is grieving over the loss of a
loved one that their loss is tremendous, that they may never be
the same again, and if there is anything we can do to help them
during this time of shock, grief, and mourning, that they should
call on us and we are here for them. This then validates their feelings
of intense sadness, anger, and loss. To do otherwise, Dennis said,
is cruel.
Friday, September 4, 1998
The show began with Dennis clarifying a remark actor Jason Alexander
made about Dennis earlier today on the KABC morning show. Mr. Alexander
said that he didn’t understand why Dennis for years had said
that adultery is no reason for breaking up a marriage, that it is
not a big deal, it should not cause tension and yet when the President
commits it all of the sudden he is the devil and shouldn’t
be in office. Dennis said that unfortunately he was misrepresented.
His position on adultery is that it is a terrible thing that clearly
is a sin that is prohibited in the ten commandments. Of course it
causes pain and tension. But, that in an otherwise good marriage,
especially when there are children, it should not be the sole reason
for ending the marriage. If it is, then it is because of a bruised
ego rather than a rational decision. Dennis also stated that his
reasoning for calling the President to resign has nothing to do
with his adultery. If he had jaywalked Dennis would have the same
position. It is because he lied to the country for 7 months about
it, he had his entire cabinet lie to
the country about it, and he simply is not trusted by the American
people. Dennis said that the press doesn't believe him and that
they are reluctant to even print his golf scores because they think
he lies about the numbers.
The rest of the show was a true Prager Classic. Dennis noted how
women often comment to him that when they walk by the KABC men’s
room they hear laughter and lots of talking but that women rarely
talk in their facility. Dennis said that he had heard this before
about restrooms in general, not just at KABC. So, Dennis opened
the phone lines to find out why this is. Dennis also asked why the
women’s room is always cleaner than the men’s room. The
calls instantly came pouring in. This was truly a fun show. In the
end Dennis learned that the men’s rooms are in fact cleaner
than the women’s rooms and the reason why men converse more
in the bathroom is because men don’t find relieving themselves
as gross as women do. Dennis said women naturally have more decorum
and so they don’t think it’s right to have the conversations
in the bathroom like men do. Men are more gross, according to Dennis.
A bathroom is no different than any other room.
Thursday, September 3, 1998
Dennis began this show discussing the Swiss Airliner that crashed
into the waters off Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia, killing all 200+
passengers on board. Dennis spoke to captain John Greaves, a pilot
captain who also practices aviation law. Captain Greaves told Dennis
that there have been 450 reports of smoke in cockpits on commercial
airliners and that they are almost always due to wiring. Dennis
said "thank God our daughter wasn't on that flight" but that he
felt funny saying that because someone else's daughter was on that
flight. He said but of course he’s not saying thank God someone
else was on that plane. DP doesn’t have intellectual respect
for those who say this proves there is no God when tragedies occur.
If your belief in God is that which protects you from airplane crashes
then you believe in a butler in heaven, not a heavenly father. God
allows fires in airplanes.
God is not a fireman. The idea that God should stop airplane fires
is silly. It's emotional, not realistic. If God could stop fires
we could get rid of all maintenance crews. What if a pilot is drunk?
Is God suppose to make that man sober? Much of peoples' belief in
God is childish.
We have to grow up in all areas of our life: with spouses, friends,
etc.
We also have to grow up with God-speak. So why pray? Because requests
from God is an infinitesimal part of prayer. Dennis noted that the
word in Hebrew to Pray, L'hitpalel, means to examine oneself. Requesting
is not a sophisticated faith. To believe in God is to believe that
God knew all the people on the plane, not that God should be an
airline pilot. Dennis wants to know why, even though this loss is
horrible beyond words, are Divine questions asked about airplane
crashes when more than 200 people died yesterday in car crashes?
He said that our task is to build the safest airplanes. If God took
care of it, there would be no point to being human.
Dennis then discussed the issue of Safeway supermarket employees
protesting Safeway’s policy of having their employees smile
and greet people by looking them in the eyes. Some female employees
said that action makes them vulnerable to men who think they are
coming onto them. Dennis had on his show the union’s representative
who is defending the workers’ rights to choose whom they are
friendly to and he had on a representative of the supermarket chain
defending the policy. Throughout this intense show employees of
the chain were calling in complaining about the policy and of the
supermarket having "mystery shoppers" go into the stores and review
the employees’ level of friendliness. Throughout the show Dennis
heard both sides and in the end said that he sides with the supermarkets’
policies of greeting people with kindness.
Wednesday, September 2, 1998:
The restaurant chain, Hooters wants to open up in Santa Monica,
CA.
Councilman Rosenstein said that he doesn't want it because he
doesn't want "a gang of fraternity boys and dirty old men ogling"
at waitresses in Santa Monica. Dennis was offended by this. Since
when is looking at women make you dirty? What is the definition
of a dirty old man? And, why the reference to age? What does it
mean, dirty old man? Dennis said that Santa Monica is not exactly
Provo, Utah.
It's not known for its sexual modesty. Dennis said he went to
a Hooters in Florida and that after about two minutes he started
reading newspapers and he didn’t see anyone ogling or acting
gross. One woman called up to say that there is a Hooters in Colorado
Springs.
Dennis noted that it is a very conservative city and that The
Family Council is headquartered there. Dennis said that conservatives
are more open to differing views than liberals. He noted that a
conservative Christian radio show asked him to guest host a show.
He is a Jew, not someone who believes in Christ. When Dennis publicly
complained that no liberal program had ever asked him on the air,
someone from KPFK (one of the most liberal stations heard in L.A.)
had him on. Dennis said that there is even a commission on the status
of women in Santa Monica. He said that this is a bunch of hot air
and that this balloon needs to be punctured with the needles of
honesty.
Dennis wants to know why the commission has never said anything
about scantly clad women on Calvin Klein billboards.
Tuesday, September 1, 1198
Dennis devoted this show to the question of whether David Cash
Jr. should be thrown out of the University of California at Berkeley.
He is the man who witnessed Jeremy Strohmeyer struggle with Sherrice
Iverson at 4:00 AM in a Primm, Nevada bathroom. That same night
he allegedly heard Strohmeyer's confession of raping and murdering
the seven year old girl. He did nothing about it. He is the star
witness for the prosecution against Strohmeyer. Prior to the murder,
Cash was admitted to begin his education this fall at Berkeley.
Now, protesters (of students and non- students) led by Iverson’s
mother, are asking for his removal from the campus. The campus said
they have no legal grounds to remove him. Students have said they
will shun Cash. Dennis asked two provocative questions for his show.
1) Does Berkeley take more than test scores and grades into consideration
for prospective students? 2) If Cash and Strohmeyer were black,
would the students be as open with their opposition or would it
not be politically correct to protest the admission of a black student
under the same circumstances? A representative of Berkeley came
on and said that he was not at liberty to discuss this particular
case but that they do take character into consideration. Several
black people called Dennis with different reactions to his second
question.
Some said that of course they would still protest, others said
no way; that the political climate would not allow such opposition
from the most liberal campus in the country.
Monday August 31, 1998
Dennis began his show telling people he has an Israeli guest in
his home and that Dennis was so impressed at how much he knew about
the United States, including different songs. Dennis said he is
always impressed how much people outside of the United States know
about our country.
The first hour's topic was taken from an article in Sunday's Los
Angeles Times. The article was about schools banning peanut butter.
This in an effort to combat a steady increase in allergies to
peanuts.
This is happening across the country. Some schools are making
kids with peanuts or peanut butter sandwiches sit at separate tables.
The bottom line, the schools say, is the life of children over the
inconvenience of others. Dennis said that this is an example of
much of what is going wrong in America’s thinking. 5% of kids
have the allergy. There is no logic or moral duty if one out of
20 kids is allergic. The other 19 should be able to eat peanut butter
sandwiches.
Tiny minorities are dictating policies for huge majorities. A
caller told Dennis that Los Angeles schools are required to provide
alternative entrées if a doctor writes a note about a child’s
allergy. DP said this is wrong. His kids keep kosher; is the school
required to provide kosher meals? No. If kids have special needs,
it is up to the parents to ensure their kids’ needs are met.
Dennis’s second topic was on a New York Times front page
piece that gave evidence showing people who spend even a few hours
a week on the Internet (including emails and chat rooms) experienced
higher levels of depression. The article showed that Internet use
caused a direct reduction in the amount of time spent with friends
and family.
The Internet produces more cases of shallow relationships than
the fewer deep ones we need in order to feel secure and less depressed.
Dennis said that he uses the Internet a great deal and that his
show is better because of it. He asked his audience if they think
the NYT article is true? Dennis has never gone into a chat room.
He said he would much rather take that time to chat with friends
and family and that the problem with the Internet is that you don’t
know if the people are telling the truth about who they are(i.e.
gender, age, location, ideas, etc.). Dennis did say that he knows
couples that met over the Internet in chat rooms and then later
married. He opened up the phone lines to get the listeners' reactions.
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