The Bopst Show - Episode 18
August 18, 2008 - 09:41
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It took 17th installments, but finally ladies and gentlemen, this 18th edition of the Bopst Show is without a single moment of questionable verbal content. I guess I should say obviously questionable verbal content as the movie commercial for the 70’s flick, “Loving Cousins” brings up the taboo subject of incest so even though there is no profanity during these 60 plus minutes you are about to hear, there are moments that might cause the easily offended to be, well, easily offended. Be that as it may, this episode of the Bopst Show is as close to family friendly listening as it will ever be. As I used to say on the radio, “The Bopst Show: Family radio for families that do not suck.”
You’ll notice that I don’t do a whole lot of talking on this show. Not that I ever do a whole lot of talking (radio professionals are always encouraging me to talk as much as possible), but my voice only appears at the beginning and end of this podcast. The reason for this is simple. I didn’t have a whole lot of time (as I did last week) to construct the show as I had in-laws in town and they demanded most of the little free time that I have for extracurricular activities. I think that’s the main reason why the show this week is of a family friendly variety. It is a reflection of the PG-13 week I’ve had. Not that it was all sugar and spice and everything nice (I spent a good hour or so adding farts, burps and vomit sounds to the Hanna Montana song, “The Best of Both Worlds” to amuse my 10-year old cousin who surprising hates the teen idol spawned from the loins of Billy Ray Cyrus), but, for the most part, my proudly X-rated lifestyle took a backseat to secure the collective good. You’ll hear my father-in-law and his daughter Maggie doing a Bopst Show spot in the latter half of the show that I recorded after our Thursday night dinner together. That was good wholesome family fun.
What scared me shitless is that my step mother-in-law is a proud McCain supporter. Living in my little Richmond bubble, I rarely come into close contact with anyone who supports the McCain presidential bid or anyone who, despite the reams and reams of evidence to prove otherwise, still believes that George W. Bush is a good president. We purposely didn’t talk politics because we all knew it would be a bad idea, but when I awoke Sunday morning, I couldn’t help myself and put on my Obama t-shirt to force the issue ever so subtly. Priding herself on being a good guest, she refrained from commenting on my day’s chosen fashion display until we gathered to take family photos. When we were lining up for the photo, she instructed her daughter to stand in front of my shirt so as to not ruin an otherwise beautiful family portrait with questionable political content. I didn’t mind though. I made my point and she made hers in a way that didn’t sacrifice family harmony. We all smiled as Maggie blocked out my presidential candidate of choice.
I used to have hope for Obama winning the presidency, but after this visit, I am starting to have my doubts. I think the vast majority of American voters have more in common with my step mother-in-law than they do with me and even though nobody is mentioning the elephant in the room openly, I think many white Americans aren’t ready for a black president. Simply put, I think the idea of a black president makes whitey too uncomfortable. Clinton’s sinking ship expressed as much when they cited an Associated Press article “that found how Sen. Obama’s support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me.” What she really wanted to say was that no blue collar white people are ever going to elect a nigger to be president. Sadly, I think she may be right. Sure, people will say that Obama lacks experience and doesn’t have the necessary credentials to hold the highest office in the land (all valid concerns), but when it comes right down to it, its the color of his skin that will keep him from becoming Commander in Chief and not his perceived political shortcomings. I sure hope I am wrong, but I have a sneaky suspicion that I’m not. I’d be lying if I said that the color of his skin didn’t have any bearing on my support of Obama as I would like to see a black president in my lifetime, but what truly solidified my support for Obama was his speech in Philadelphia after the whole Rev. Wright ordeal. Instead of dodging the issue, Barrack addressed the topic of race head on with a consideration and reason that escapes politicians of this modern era. He spoke to the American people as adults. That type of candor and his ability to reach out across the political spectrum is exactly what this country needs. I hope that I am not alone as a McCain presidency is just too horrible to imagine. It would be another four years of Bush and that, my friends, scares me shitless.
Truth be told, I wish that Nader had a legitimate chance to be president, but he doesn’t. Don’t kid yourself, Nader doesn’t have a hope in hell and if he did, you can rest assured that he’d have a bullet in his head. It is a sad commentary on our culture that a true public servant such as Nader has no chance whatsoever in winning a presidential election, but I, like most Americans, don’t have the stomach for violent revolution. Regardless of who wins in the fall, nothing much is going to change as both parties are beholden solely to their corporate masters and not the American people. Also complicating matters is the epic mess the winner will inherit from the 8 treasonous years of Bush that will further hinder any chance for real meaningful change as well. Having said that, of the two men running for president, Barrack is clearly our best hope.
I just hope that we don’t get fooled again.
The Odd Couple doing ‘You’re so Vain” was really funny. Where do you find these clips?
If I told you, you wouldn’t have any reason to listen to my show. I’m kidding obviously. I found my copy of the tune (on 45 no less) at Amoeba Records in San Francisco a couple of years ago, but you can find an MP3 version of this tune and thousands of other great songs and shows at the blog of my favorite radio station of all time, WFMU out of New Jersey. Check the greatness out here: http://blog.wfmu.org/
i cant believe you said youre voting for obama cause hes black, youre a racist, ya might want to move beyond skin color, why dont you support gary coleman for president. Obuma’s speech about racism was a joke, that speech sucked, it was contrived media event propoganda designed to fool people who are too dull to see the truth. Obama’s a racist too, supports affirative action. You both hate racists but are racists, thats real good.
guess what, the corporate masters you keep putting down are the very people who provide everything you choose to consume. Remember, the reason corporations make money is because they are providing consumers with what they want. If they dont they go broke. Its economic democracy, consumers vote with their dollars, freedom, free market, free enterprise.
This is what I said:
I’d be lying if I said that the color of his skin didn’t have any bearing on my support of Obama as I would like to see a black president in my lifetime, but what truly solidified my support for Obama was his speech in Philadelphia after the whole Rev. Wright ordeal. Instead of dodging the issue, Barrack addressed the topic of race head on with a consideration and reason that escapes politicians of this modern era. He spoke to the American people as adults. That type of candor and his ability to reach out across the political spectrum is exactly what this country needs….
This is what you said:
i cant believe you said youre voting for obama cause hes black, youre a racist…
Do you work for Fox News or something? Nuanced thought seems to escape you…
Downloaded last weeks “Headphone Masterpiece” and listened to it many times since. Love that crazy ass eclectic programming. People have always call me strange or weird for the wacky ass shit I like to listen to…you know everything ! world music, found music, old ass country, techno, WHATEVER. What is normal anyway, why do these Colonial Heights fools look at me funny when I’m jammin’ some Baliwood sounds at the stoplight? Anyway, looks like I have found a like mind in Bopst….bring that shit on….I only wish you had a l o n g e r podcast, so I could stretch it out over the week… Keep it up, and remember - God will fuck you up!
Perhaps the only valid point in this self-aggrandizing, ill informed tirade is the recognition that you live in a bubble. I’m sure that the same people who admire your “proudly X-rated lifestyle” (whatever that entails) also find this screed to be courageous or insightful in some way. To most people outside your self-confessed bubble, it comes across as blindly partisan and infused with a cringe inducing attempt at some sort of safely ambiguous counter-culture attitude. You do well to avoid discussing politics but not because your views are shocking to “whitey” or anyone else but rather because they are shallow and communicated in the most abrasive manner imaginable.
Please. We all live in bubbles. I just have no problem admitting it.
And no, believe it or not, I am not partisan. I admire and share many cherished conservative beliefs such as fiscal responsibility and government out of your life, which the current regime seems to know nothing of. Stating my support of Obama doesn’t make me blindly partisan; it states that I have weighed all the options and after careful consideration have concluded that Obama is the better of our two viable options to be our next president. If the McCain of 2000 was running for president, I might change my mind, but the McCain of 2008 isn’t the McCain of 8 years ago. He’s George Bush.
I bring up the subject of, “whitey” not voting for Barack because it’s been expressed to me many times by people that are old and Caucasian. I have been told time and time again by members of this constituency that they don’t believe their peers can get past the color of Barack’s skin. As I said in my post, his lack of experience is a valid concern in considering his presidential bid, but, of the roughly 25-30 people I know of lighter skin pigmentation over 50 of different political affiliations, they have told me point blank that Obama being a mulatto is something a lot of people they know find to be his most unelectable trait. I would like to think that we live in a colorblind society, but let’s be honest with ourselves, we don’t. And yes, I make no apology for wanting to see a black president in my lifetime. To me, that would a stupendous achievement given the fact that 40 odd years ago black people couldn’t even vote. Am I voting for him because he is black? No. And I’ll say that again to drive that point home. I am not voting for him because he is black. The reason I am going to vote for him has nothing to do with the color of his skin. It has everything to do with the fact that I think he is the better of the two candidates, period. End of fuckin’ story.
Concerning my, “abrasive manner”. Sorry. That’s just the way I feel most comfortable expressing myself, motherfucker.
heres what you said-
“I’d be lying if I said that the color of his skin didn’t have any bearing on my support.” but then you posted that his skin color didnt matter. how many sides are you going to take on the issue?
If the color of someones skin influences your choices, thats called racism. And Obuma, Odumba, however ya say his name, thinks its a good idea to let the govt. make choices based on race too(affirmative action), giving the govt. the power to be racist is a terrible idea, thanks liberals. I mean get real, if someone said they were voting for McCain cause hes white, you would jump all over someone for saying that. Funny thing my friend said that because Obuma is 1/2 white and 1/2 black its impossible for him to be racist. I like when you say you want the govt. out of our lives, there may be hope for you, but Odumba is just gonna put more govt. in your life. Maybe McCain will choose Barrak as vice president.
As someone who is not in your bubble, i think your writings are well done, with a unique style. I like the storys of your college days.
Yo Chris, how do you put up with all that political bullshit? I think you like it. If somebody wanted to try and get all ridiculous super intellectual crapola political garbagerra with me Id have to ask them to meet me at the nearest Denny’s parking lot so we could get down to my level, caveman style! Im gonna go watch some South Park with my daughter. Cheers!
Just because you consider race in your decisions, it does not mean you are racist. It would be racist if you considered some races inferior or superior based merely on race. To be aware of the impact and issues regarding race in America as you come to the best decision, simply means you are not blind and you are carefully considering all aspects.
So many so-called liberal whites practice PC to the extreme while actually living a very segregated life. Especially in Richmond. Remember the thread on diversity on this site? Many commenters lamented the plight of the poor Mexican or black dishwasher that labored for a classy “white” restaurant. Yet when polled, it was clear that very few people actually patronized “non-white” establishments. Nor would they send their kids to a predominantly black school, or attend a traditional “black” festival. I am sure most of the posters weren’t even aware that they were actually part of the problem.
Wake up. It’s okay to discuss race. It’s not okay to demonize or stereotype people based on race.
here, here..
Here’s my favorite comment (so far, at least):
“I mean get real, if someone said they were voting for McCain cause hes white, you would jump all over someone for saying that…”
That’s funny. Real real funny considering that the only option for president has always been a white man until this upcoming election. How you can miss (or in this case dismiss) the historical significance of Obama’s candidacy causes me to have great belly eruptions. The analogy simply does not apply though it is a common one to make for those with diminished mental capabilities. As Elvis Costello once sang, “I used to be disgusted, but now I try to be amused”.
And reading that rebuttal, I am thoroughly amused.
And yes, I would like to see an African-American president in my lifetime. Given the fact that less than 50 years ago blacks couldn’t even vote to a black man having a real legitimate shot at the Oval Office in itself should make us all proud to be Americans (the same sense of civic pride applies to Clinton’s presidential bid as well). His candidacy proves that America is living up to the true nature of its creed that all men (and women) are created equal. And for the last time (I hope though I doubt it), the importance of a man (or woman’s) ability to govern will forever take precedence over any candidates gender or skin color when I enter the voting booth. It truly has no bearing on my choice for any elected office. All that matters is ability, period. I’m just glad that we as a nation are finally opening the corridors of power to what was exclusively the domain of old white men. Speaking as a balding, middle-aged Caucasian, I say three cheers to that…
And Dylan, Denny’s is a bad place to eat much less a place where you would want to have a political fist to cuffs with someone who thinks differently than you. It takes different strokes to rule the world. And besides (and especially in this case) when you’re right, you’re right. Hitting with logic, reason and the ability to convey one’s truth honestly with the written word is far more satisfying than repeatedly landing well placed body blows in a fast food parking lot. I like to hit where the bruises don’t show.
Ok, if you have indeed weighed the options carefully, then why not provide an inkling of that rather than acting as though anyone who opts for the other candidate is a blithering idiot? That also ties in with the manner in which you “feel comfortable expressing yourself.” Your tone is arrogant and abusive and yet you wonder why you don’t provoke more nuanced thought.
I will agree with you on two counts. It is wonderful that the country has progressed to the point where a black candidate is a serious prospect. Furthermore, I agree that it’s best not to fly into a rage just because someone doesn’t agree with you. Engaging in “fist to cuffs” or, indeed, fisticuffs, is not going to change anyone’s mind.
I do, however, feel that you would do your readers a greater service if you put more effort into actually discussing substantive matters the next time you address politics rather than making conclusory statements spliced with condescension. Since you clearly value diversity (and I assume that includes ideological diversity), maybe it would benefit the fellow members of your bubble to find out why it is you cherish fiscal conservatism and government non-intervention. Perhaps you could even go so far as to question how these ideals may give a reasonable person pause when voting for a liberal candidate, even one as gifted and charismatic as Mr. Obama.
In doing so, you would do far more to uphold the admirable ideals of logic, truth and honesty and that confess to hold dear.
and that = that you
Sorry Chris, Ive just heard way too much babylon for one lifetime. Im voting for Obama, no question. People who argue usually just like to hear themselves talk. If someone throws some fightin words out there Im still too much of a neanderthal to not have to get some gratification. And if you dont like Denny’s, why thats just Unamerican! HA! Just kidding, you know I love ya Chris…
Chris - Great show!!!!
Thanks Judy. See you this weekend…
Here is but one (and certainly not the only) tiny reason I think McCain isn’t my presidential candidate of choice. [url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12685.html]The man doesn’t even know how many houses he owns[/url].
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12685.html
In response to some of the comments, neither the Democratic or Republican parties favor less government intervention. The Republican Bush administration has presided over the largest government in world history, the majority of which were Republicans from 2000-2006. Both parties have a habit of murdering civilians with our tax dollars. The Democrats are just slightly less extreme in that department. They tend to use tax dollars more in favor of civilized government policies. Republicans tend to use tax dollars on military spending. If anyone thinks they have an option of voting for a fiscal conservative or a social liberal in this next election, they might want to look at the actual policy of the candidates rather than parroting what the pundits are saying.
And anybody who hates people who are political, and hates when anyone says anything political, and says “I’m not all that political” can fuck off and go back to the bubble that is way way thicker than people who have actual opinions. Whether you like it or not, everything you do is political. It’s so easy to sit here in this country and “not be political”. It’s not so easy when you scratch the surface, even a bit.
I’m gonna interject a little musical commentary back into this thread.
Great show.
Hadn’t thought about Hasil Adkins in at least 10 years.
His music was in rotation back in my old home town.
Ooo, Eee, Ahh, Ahh will be going through my head the rest of the day. : )
i think we can all agree race is an inflamatory subject, which is why civil war history is a sometimes bitter subject, which brings me back to the land that time forgot… RVA
o yeah Bop St. in regards to the personal attacks, isnt there some brown eye you can go a roving for…my argument was undeniably awesome and to make an analogy of your response- it was like a baby throwing a fit, which is a typical response i see often in liberals, its funny, when ya cant beat em with logic and reason, just go all emotional, kinda like a lady, Did an alien pop out of your stomach during your belly eruptions? i hope so…all in good fun, dont go all neanderthal
lmmy’s screed near the beginning of this thread sure sounds like pointless us-vs-them partisan ranting. You seemed to really speak honestly and instead lmmy pillories you as a “racist.” Just because you take Obama’s race into account doesn’t make you a racist, and for obvious reasons implied in the blog– there are still a lot of whites who don’t have a problem with a white governor or senator, who wouldn’t mind that a black family moved into their neighborhood, but a black PRESIDENT rubs them the wrong way for some reason. Essentially America has a lot of growing up to do, and a black president would help to alleviate that problem. Remember the “issue” of JFK’s catholicism? Note how that wasn’t an issue in the primaries for Guiliani?
Furthermore, I agree that Obama’s speech on racism was remarkably adult for a politician: he pulled no punches. Hell, he admitted that even his grandmother had racist tendencies, can you picture McCain ever admitting something like that? I don’t see how it was “contrived political event” when the Wright issue struck him out of the blue and he had to arrange that press conference quickly to put out the fire. Maybe “lmmy” should specify what exactly about Obama’s speech was contrived political propaganda, and when I say “specify” I mean quote the parts you thought were BS.
Ultimately I don’t care about Obama’s race, if he were 100% white and spoke as clearly and honestly as that Philadelphia speech, I would be voting for him anyway. The fact that he is black is therefore just an added bonus, something that might be a bitter pill for some Americans, but will help them in the long run. You want to compare it to Affirmative Action? Fine, but it’s not about advancing him personally, it’s about helping ignorant Americans get over their issues.
I can’t help but feeling that I know you…
im trying to get my mind around the enormity of the ignorance, so its ok to take race into account because its “historical” , so we never had a horse as president so that would be “historical”, liberals will test the limits of any logic just to show how its ok for them to be racists but nobody else..belly eruptions
@beaner- first you tell me what was so great about Odumba’s speech, ok
judge not by the color the the skin but by the content of the character
Martin Luther King
most elementary school students know this quote, guess you dont
judge not by the color of the skin but the content of the character
@beaner- what irritated me most about Obuma’s philly speech was when they compared it to martin luther King’s speech on the mall in wash dc where hundreds of thousands of people turned out to hear it. Compared with Obuma’s media event, where his skinny butt stood behind a skinny microphone in a tv studio and a bunch of morons proclaimed the speech “historic”, and you liked when he threw his grandma under the bus, whatever
thanks for the deep belly laughs…I can’t thank you enough…
I’m trying to wrap my mind around this ignorance: “so its ok to take race into account because its “historical” , so we never had a horse as president so that would be “historical”, liberals will test the limits of any logic”. Great argument, really. And then when you follow up with “Odumba”, it makes it even better. Stop listening to people like Sean Hannity.
Wow. . . lmmy thinks I “liked it when he threw his grandma under the bus”? Wow, way to spin it kiddo. I liked that he was brutally honest, about his grandmother, about Rev. Wright, about himself, about racism in America. I don’t see how that constitutes “throwing his grandma under the bus.”
So “lmmy” it appears you don’t have any problem with WHAT Obama said (as you didn’t quote a single thing he said), but rather the press reaction to what he said. Fair enough, but I don’t see how that should reflect on Obama (I’m sure you don’t like how the press reacts to Bush either). Judge the man by his words and actions, not by how the press treats him (it’s the same for Obama or Bush or McCain).
As for Obama’s Philly speech, here’s the transcript:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88478467
Tell us where the BS is.
As for Obama’s candidacy being “historical”– well listen, Obama is the DEM running against McCain, and I don’t particularly like McCain, so I’m voting for Obama. Is it really honest of me to vote for McCain simply because Obama is being touted as “historic” by some people?
Or maybe I shouldn’t vote for Obama because he’s “skinny.”
As I mentioned before, the fact that Obama is black isn’t why I will be voting for him, but I DO think that his blackness will help America overcome some of our issues regarding race. Do you disagree with that idea? If a black were running as the GOP nominee they would be saying how historical his candidacy was too, but would YOU vote for a black GOP nominee? Would DEMs who didn’t vote for a black GOP candidate then be racist?
good speeches last night. Can’t wait to hear what Hilary has to say…
Most of the people that I have met that think White America will never elect a black man are older than me (over 50 or baby-boomers) and I think they are wrong. This is a different generation and really don’t think race alone would prevent Obama’s election.
I was very energized when Michelle spoke last night. I realized how similiar our circumstances are; we are both the same age, we both have two children of approximately the same ages, and we both have experience juggling a career with motherhood.
I think the fears of the baby-boomers are wrong. I think we can elect a black american and no way would I throw my vote away on McCain.
problem is, people over 50 are more likely to vote than people under 50. And if the younger generation doesn’t turn out in record numbers for this election, McCain will be our next president…
If Obama doesn’t get my vote, it has everything to do with his vote to wiretap Americans and to send more troops over to Iraq.
McCain will not get my vote because he is George W.
Nader will get my vote unless Obama apologizes for his grand mistakes on wiretapping and Iraq and he promises to immediately reverse those decisions upon entering the White House.
I would vote Nader, but, as I said in before, he doesn’t have a hope in hell of winning. And if he did, he would be killed. A true public servant has no place in what passes as American politics today…
We should all write letters to Obama and demand that he reverses his decision on wiretapping and let him know that he doesn’t need to act like a republican to win this presidential election.
“A true public servant has no place in what passes as American politics today…”
Yeah, well, that’s kind of a symptom of the larger disease: money. In order to make a competitive run at any major public office you need lots and lots of money, and unless you’re fabulously wealthy you have to beg for it, usually from rich donors and corporations and PACs, and so you end up beholden unto all these interests that may not reflect your own beliefs. Even just being a member of a major political party causes you to bend in ways you don’t want (witness McCain changing many of his positions over the last two years, now he’s in bed with the same people he once detested).
I was thinking about the idea of “party strategists”– there shouldn’t BE strategists, a candidate should just say bluntly what he/she believes and have the public decide whether they agree with those positions or not and vote accordingly. Instead we have candidates hemming-and-hawing and obscuring their views in order to please as much of the electorate as possible. Is it any wonder that so little gets done in DC? Our system has essentially bred a race of spineless, lying, money-grubbing dirtbags?
I couldn’t agree any more…
“In order to make a competitive run at any major public office you need lots and lots of money, and unless you’re fabulously wealthy you have to beg for it, usually from rich donors and corporations and PACs, and so you end up beholden unto all these interests that may not reflect your own beliefs.”
How can we change this? Two words - campaign reform.
At any rate, we all need to take our vote and the impact of vote seriously. I, personally, feel it is my civic duty to do all I can to rid America of the regime. With slim margins, we need everyone to turn out for the vote and make a difference. Don’t waste your vote.
OBAMMY, how I love ya, how I love ya,
my sweet Obammy…
Al Jolson couldn’t have said it better himself…
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