Seems I’m not the first to notice this terrorist promoting series. I am late to the game, as “Whale Wars” is on it’s second season. Neither of us are regular watchers of Animal Planet. Most of the cable we watch are food shows; a devious plot to prevent weight loss.
I understand that Steven Irwin’s widow apparently condones these folks naming their ship after her late husband, who was supportive of the cause:
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That’s conservation for you!
Why don’t you watch the travel and discovery channels? I find their shows like Mythbusters, Deadliest catch and Ice road truckers to be very entertaining. Deadliest catch my personal favorite.
You might already know about Bizzare foods with Andrew Zimmerman. I have to say it is my favorite food show. Plus where else can you discover that there is a cheese with maggots in it?
Hubby can’t decide who he wants to lose more–the whalers or the anti-whalers. I’m hoping the whales figure out how to lure the whalers to the anti-whalers; that way the whales win and the idiots spend all their resources fighting one another.
Shawn,
Ice Road Truckers is the History Channel, Discovery’s competition.
Whether I agree with whaling or not, I was shocked that DCI would air such a program that was blatantly condoning such criminal and unethical action. I couldn’t believe Discovery would do that. Alas, they did.
I worked for Discovery for four years and was proud to say that I did. I think a lot changed there after Judith McHale stepped down and the new guy took over. He took the company in a whole different direction and this show is one of the results. I think Discovery lost something when they choose to de-emphasize educational/documentary programming and getting out of the educational/retail segments. Rather than standing apart as an educational brand designed to win customer trust and loyalty, they’re just another label on the shelf at Toy’s R Us.
There’s a difference between reality TV and ratings TV and I think Whale Wars is the latter DCI equivalent of Jerry Springer. Something they should have never stooped to doing but since I do know a little about how they make their money, I’m not surprised. Saddened that John Hendricks vision has fallen as far as it has.
I was glad when I left. Personally, I’ve felt the quality of the History Channel programming with their science and documentary programs (Universe, Modern Marvels) to be much better. Like DCI though, they have their dogs and do spend time on some whacky pseudoscience crap (UFO Hunters, MonsterQuest, etc) but I think their core programming is better. BTW, A&E owns the History Channel to give you sense of where their center is.
I still like the Science and Military Channel and do watch Deadliest Catch. I’ve met the Mythbusters and they exactly like they are on the show in real life.
I haven’t watched Whale Wars but I should just to see if it is a co-production or an in-house. I suspect the former. If not and something really bad happens on that show (anti-whalers die or they cause major injury/harm to the whaler’s ship and/or crew), Discovery could be held responsible if they backed the show. I wonder how many of their lawyers cringe every time that show goes to air. And that’s a lot of lawyers given an entire floor of their Silver Spring HQ is devoted to legal.
I was actually telling Sebastian this weekend that I really wouldn’t mind the show if Discovery did more to distance itself from the illegal tactics. Right now they have a quick thing that says the views don’t represent that of the company, but they don’t clarify that what the Sea Shepherds do is piracy & terrorism. If they presented it as a bit of a documentary merely covering that these whackos are out there, but the network posted that many of the tactics are illegal and that the “bombs” they are throwing are real acid that is not harmless as opposed to “rotten butter” as the crew tries to claim, I would have much less of a problem with it. If they made those kind of efforts and aren’t paying the Sea Shepherds, then they’d likely be completely legally protected.
I would still have the beef with the old hippies who I think are simply dangerous. I read, I believe in a Nat Geo article, that they claim their ship as a yacht so that no one has to have any kind of a certification. And the author of the piece talked about how they did so little training that the cook got on board with nothing heavier than a lightweight flowing skirt and a pair of flip flops. Needless to say, she found out after they got down to Antarctica that she needed real shoes and thick clothing because it’s cold.
“I understand that Steven Irwin’s widow apparently condones these folks naming their ship after her late husband, who was supportive of the cause…”
Well, she married Steve Irwin, didn’t she? Says volumes IMO…
I don’t think it is accurate to call what they are doing terrorism. Maybe under the twisted definition our government uses where any violence used outside conventional military confrontation consitutes terrorism, but not under any type of more nuanced definition.
Illegal? Certainly, Deserving of prosecution? Absolutly, Justifying the use of lethal force in self defense? No doubt about it. I just think the use of the label terrorism dillutes the meaning of the term.
No idea if it constitutes actual piracy.
According to Merriam-Webster, the most relevant definition of terrorism is: the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion. Terror is then defined as: violent or destructive acts (as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands.
It’s not the same level as destruction as flying planes into buildings, but they are throwing acid that is not nearly as “harmless” as they claim onto the whaling boats and at the whalers. That’s using a violent and destructive act in order to intimidate a group to meet their demands. When you start mixing in the ramming of the boats and even using steel devices they built with the goal of cutting holes in the hulls of the whaling ships, that definitely crosses into violence & destruction to meet political demands. I would say it fits the bill pretty well.
Terror, Piracy? Who cares.
Violent loons using deadly force to control others.
Governments’ only valid reason to exist is to put down these loons.
I have not seen, nor do I intend to see, the show. While the anti-whalers may have started with good intentions, I suspect the nuts are running things. Heck, when I first encountered PETA (? or something very similar – circa 1962) it was doing things with which I sympathised but now I see no value there.
“According to Merriam-Webster, the most relevant definition of terrorism is: the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion”
But I think the application of the word has become overly broad. Yes, Al Capone and his ilk fit the definition – but should such be lumped with Baader-Meinhof Gang, or vice-versa? Oh, and AC is also a possible example of an organisation taken over by a violent fringe: the origin of the Mafia is of local citizens responding to government corruption…
What is wrong with you guys? Whaling is EVIL! When is the last time any of you guys had whale meat? I mean, sure I hate PETA, but even I know hunting the already low populations of whales is pretty stupid.
Even if whaling is evil, trying to kill other human beings is evil too. When you ram a ship on the high seas, in antarctic water, you’re trying to kill people. It’s criminally reckless behavior.
Discovery, History, LTC, even Animal Planet tend to have good (or, better) shows, but _Whale Farts_ is a big stinker. I haven’t watched the show, but since they use a black flag reminiscent of the typic “pirate” flag, I’m waiting for some one to open up on them, thinking they’re about to be boarded by pirates. Especially int he current naval climate ;).
Stopping poachers is now called “terrorism”? Wow. Do you know what the Africans do to poachers? They shoot them dead. You think that’s “terrorism” too, fool?
African poachers aren’t poaching in International Waters. You can’t compare the two so easily. Thankfully, there is no world government…yet.
I have watched Whale Wars, and I find it hilarious.
Living in a landlocked state, I am no sea farin swabby, but I could do a better job than they do. With my 20 foot V-Hull.
And when they try to launch their zodiac and if flips, dumping 4 in the icy water…priceless.
Most captains would slow down, but the jerk at the wheel is steaming at full speed. Just a matter of time before someone dies on either side, and the things will get messy.
I don’t want a world government, especially one controlled by YOU, Mr. Smith.
Actually wait redact above statement.