This was not planned.
December 16, 2014 8:44 AM   Subscribe

What's the best way to make sure that your politically divided children behave around the Christmas dinner table? Call in while they are appearing on C-Span.
posted by roomthreeseventeen (36 comments total) 20 users marked this as a favorite
 
I haven't even seen the clip and I already love everything about this. This is like the time that my extended family got all caught up in a debate about the Middle East after Thanksgiving dinner one year and my cousin finally stood up and announced, "that's it! Starting now, we are no longer allowed to talk about anything else except for hair and makeup!"
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:47 AM on December 16, 2014 [10 favorites]


That sounds like my southern mom's voice, kinda. Which makes it even more endearing to me.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:50 AM on December 16, 2014 [1 favorite]


"Oh God, its Mom!"

Spoiler alert: Their mom is a registered Democrat in North Carolina that has split the ticket in half in the past and is currently a one issue voter: Healthcare. She has an autistic grandson, and wants expansion of coverage and care.
posted by Nanukthedog at 8:53 AM on December 16, 2014 [19 favorites]


What slow news day.

It's C-SPAN. The S stands for "slow."

We need more pundits' moms calling in to give them shit.
posted by Etrigan at 8:58 AM on December 16, 2014 [39 favorites]


What a slow news day

I made my carnage quota early today, I felt that thirty-eight seconds was well spent
posted by cometwendy at 9:02 AM on December 16, 2014 [5 favorites]


They fight crime!
posted by Naberius at 9:02 AM on December 16, 2014 [5 favorites]


Trying to play that video popped an ad that not only hijacked my browser, but opened iTunes and tried to force me to buy "Sucker" by "Charli XCX," which to all appearances is a sonic experience less pleasant than sitting between two bickering pundit brothers at the Christmas table.
posted by Shepherd at 9:03 AM on December 16, 2014 [7 favorites]


I wish I could watch the entire exchange.
posted by blurker at 9:04 AM on December 16, 2014 [2 favorites]


this is fantastic!
posted by nadawi at 9:08 AM on December 16, 2014


Here is the entire clip on C-Span.
posted by cosmac at 9:08 AM on December 16, 2014 [5 favorites]


Here is the full exchange on Youtube.
posted by sparklemotion at 9:09 AM on December 16, 2014 [3 favorites]


I wish I could watch the entire exchange.

Here's the whole segment direct from C-SPAN.
posted by zombieflanders at 9:09 AM on December 16, 2014


Jinx!
posted by zombieflanders at 9:09 AM on December 16, 2014 [1 favorite]


I saw the clip but didn't watch the documentary. Is it ever revealed if Joy's autistic grandson is the son of either Brad or Dallas?
posted by mullacc at 9:25 AM on December 16, 2014


"I don't know many families that are fighting on Thanksgiving." I don't know whether or not to tell her the truth - would it break her heart, or make her feel like she's not so alone in this situation?


Spoiler alert...

Oh wow, you weren't joking.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:25 AM on December 16, 2014 [1 favorite]


Expanding on the fact that many families have such divides, I almost responded to a dumb comment on Facebook, but I realized it wouldn't help anything for me to criticize the logic and understanding of the healthcare system and the issues facing immigration reform to correct a friend's self-identifying redneck brother who commented that you could get your healthcare by going to Mexico then sneaking back over the border to use an emergency room as primary care.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:29 AM on December 16, 2014 [2 favorites]


She really took them to task: "...I was relieved when you went to your aunt's house..." All right, Grandma Woodhouse!!
posted by wenestvedt at 9:33 AM on December 16, 2014


Good for her. They should bring her along when they do press, she's great.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:52 AM on December 16, 2014


As a seriously disabled person, I have a way of bringing family political arguments to a screeching halt. When the rhetoric around Obamacare and personal responsibility becomes heated, I start asking which one of them is going to volunteer to provide me with 24 hour care for the rest of my life. Suddenly there's dead silence. I heartily recommend trying it at your next family gathering!
posted by Soliloquy at 10:47 AM on December 16, 2014 [62 favorites]


Am I a terrible person to think that this was likely planned by the guests to get "viral" attention? The host says it's "unplanned" because the mother called on a "normal line," but that doesn't really mean the two sons and mom didn't talk about it in advance. Presumably she told the caller screener who she was, which meant that it was very likely she would be put on the air. The two guys don't really seem all that surprised.
posted by Mid at 10:59 AM on December 16, 2014


i know old ladies just like this and their sons would not be surprised at this happening if they were bickering on tv where a call in number was provided.
posted by nadawi at 11:08 AM on December 16, 2014 [7 favorites]


Last Christmas my wife's uncle and I seemed to reach a ceasefire wherein we realized we were evenly matched in terms of our disdain for each others' political beliefs, so further discussion was pointless. I hope it holds this year.
posted by The Card Cheat at 11:26 AM on December 16, 2014 [1 favorite]


My father was the master of these family issues. He usually just baited and baited the right wingers to get more and more feverent in their conservative rhetoric until they were essentially openly espousing fascism and then he'd call them on it. End of conversation.

They fell into his trap every single family get together without fail. Eventually, and I mean after many decades of this, one of them caught on and had the revelation that things like altruism and justice were not actually human failings but rather the teachings of his Christian faith. He's now a pretty strong liberal.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 11:45 AM on December 16, 2014 [22 favorites]


Anyone else have nightmares like this? You're at work, doing your job, and suddenly your mom is there, piping in with her opinions, telling you how to do your job...
posted by el io at 12:00 PM on December 16, 2014 [2 favorites]


If I was on CSPAN, my parents would definitely call and try to embarrass me like this. I would not look or be surprised at all.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:01 PM on December 16, 2014 [4 favorites]


My father was the master of these family issues. He usually just baited and baited the right wingers to get more and more feverent in their conservative rhetoric until they were essentially openly espousing fascism and then he'd call them on it.

Pater Callipygos - whom I've earlier said actually enjoys debating weighty topics - is also way more liberal than most of my aunts and uncles (as is Mom) - my parents are both pretty center-leaning-left, while the rest of my aunts and uncles are in spectrum all along the right. I think there are even a couple of Tea Partiers in there. And recently, Dad's starting to pull out what I call his conversational judo move more and more - he'll let the other person talk themselves out, then he'll just sort of glance around the room at the rest of us, shrug and say, "well, okay....." and drop it.

See, Dad likes a good argument - but only when he knows that people are both bringing both good talking points and a willingness to listen to the table. If he gives up on you like this, it's a sign that he knows you're just dug in and it's not worth it. You also aren't able to claim that you convinced him - the most that you can claim is that he didn't want to fight you. Which...yeah.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:07 PM on December 16, 2014 [3 favorites]


I think there should be more of this.

"Excuse me, Mr. Pundit, do you talk to your mother with that mouth? Let's go to line 3 and find out...."
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:16 PM on December 16, 2014 [17 favorites]


"Presumably she told the caller screener who she was, which meant that it was very likely she would be put on the air. The two guys don't really seem all that surprised"

C-SPAN doesn't have call screeners, leading to... well, usually some crazy racism going on the air.
posted by atomicstone at 12:56 PM on December 16, 2014 [2 favorites]


Thanks all, for the extended version. I like this woman. I wonder if she would mind another visitor over the holidays.
posted by blurker at 2:03 PM on December 16, 2014 [1 favorite]


Of COURSE the conservative brother is the one named "Dallas."
posted by retronic at 2:12 PM on December 16, 2014 [2 favorites]


I wonder if she would mind another visitor over the holidays.

If you promise not to talk politics, she might let you replace her sons....
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:14 PM on December 16, 2014 [2 favorites]


It's like Heat Miser and Snow Miser getting their heads knocked together by Mother Nature...
posted by AbnerRavenwood at 3:38 PM on December 16, 2014 [8 favorites]


Sounded pre-planned to me.... How could they not react to "'Joy' from down south," when her call was put through? Could this be a big publicity stunt?
posted by swlabr at 8:10 PM on December 16, 2014


Oh god. It's mom.

Pure gold.
posted by Sophie1 at 8:47 PM on December 16, 2014


If CSPAN had ever demonstrated any kind of talent for publicity stunts, a hell of a lot more people would be watching it.
posted by El Mariachi at 1:34 AM on December 17, 2014 [3 favorites]


Trying to play that video popped an ad that not only hijacked my browser, but opened iTunes and tried to force me to buy "Sucker" by "Charli XCX," which to all appearances is a sonic experience less pleasant than sitting between two bickering pundit brothers at the Christmas table.

I don't want to go all single-issue on you and perhaps we'll never be able to reach across the aisle and come to an understanding on this but you are wrooong.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 2:27 AM on December 17, 2014 [1 favorite]


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