Stu and Pat tore into Katie Couric’s recent claim that bigotry against Muslims was one of the biggest stories of 2010 and that a TV sitcom, ala The Cosby Show, was the solution.
“The bigotry against Muslims has been one of the most disturbing stories to surface this year. Where did that surface? Are we talking about the Ground Zero mosque?” Pat said, questioning whether or not opposition to the Islamic Center at Ground Zero equated to hatred of Muslims.
Stu added that most of the major news stories on the subject were really just fringe lunatics who were endlessly covered by reporters. Stu explained:
“And let's not forget, the one guy, the pastor who was going to supposedly burn the Koran and didn't is related to and has worked with the Westboro Baptist church. The people who are protesting military funerals. This is not a mainstream Christian church by any means. Yet, of course, we're told a Christian church is burning Korans.”
Stu continued by pointing out that while there were fringe lunatics dominating the news cycle, there have always been small but vocal people hating people who are in different. He said:
"To say that there was no one, you know, related to the Ground Zero mosque story who just hated Muslims and didn't want any mosques built anywhere? Of course there were some. There were a few and that's nasty and those people were anti-Muslim before the mosque, they're anti-Muslim before 2010. There are those people who exist. In the fact, they exist in every group against every group. That's a -- again I don't -- what was it? I don't write natural law? I just live by it? That is part of it. There are idiots in every group hating every other group."
Couric’s solution? A Cosby style sitcom. Pat explained, “She goes on to say, we need a -- we need a Muslim version of The Cosby Show. We need a Cosby show to do for Muslims what The Cosby Show did for African-Americans. “
Both hosts were extremely insulted by this comment, as it not only implied that people were stupid and needed to have a TV show to make people not hate people they already hate, but that the only reason people don’t hate African-Americans is because of The Cosby Show.
Pat joked, “We need a nightly sitcom or a weekly sitcom to help us understand that not all Muslims are bad.”
Stu added, “And also the reason we respect African-Americans is not because of The Cosby Show. The guy had colorful sweaters. We liked him. It was a good show. We got it. But we like African-Americans because we like people.”