Fired for a joke
 

Okay, this pisses me off. Melanie Martinez, host of "The Good Night Show", a PBS show for kids, was fired this week because of this video.

It's a freaking 30 second joke about sex. It's not obscene or vulgar. It's slightly off-color. It does not encourage dangerous, or risky behavior. She does not get nude, nothing. She mentions masturbation. That's it. And all this was well before she was ever hired.

Argh, this pisses me off.

If you go to www.technicalvirgin.com, it links you to an online petition. I tried to sign it, but it wasn't responding.

That seems a bit odd to be fired for conduct which occurred prior to hiring.

We've gotta protect the children...by bringing as much attention to the "offending" video as we possibly can :rolleyes:

I disagree with you GD.

If she's supposed to be working on a kids tv show, then she shouldn't be making videos about sex toys and masturbation regardless of how detailed the video may or may not be.

If the video was made & released prior to being hired for the tv show, then I would say it's a bit unfair since the studio should have done a background check on her. However if it was made & released after, then she got what she deserved.

You don't go to work on Sesame Street so you can film Condom Revolution commercials on the side.
Know what I mean ?

The HUGE difference between your example and this situation is that she made this before she got the kiddie job. She's an actress, it's what actresses do. Alec Baldwin was in the Thomas the Train movie - but in State and Main he had sex with adolescent girls. There are a million other examples of actors doing adult work and doing work with kids.

The other reason your example doesn't match up is that she wasn't actually selling anything. The video is a joke.

I said just a moment ago:

I know it seems unfair but some parents would flip if the nice lady on tv is also that chick in the dildo video on google. I agree that it seems a bit unfair since she made it prior to being hired by the network but I can understand why they got rid of her.

The petition link is working.

Yes, but after that you gave the example that I was discussing.

I don't see how this could show up in a background check. Even if they asked her if she had ever participated in conduct unbecoming to the host of a childrens show, I don't find it unreasonable that this wouldn't even come to her mind.

I'm not familiar with any of the shows or people involved. But on the surface it sounds a bit like not letting kids read Dr. Seuss because he wrote The Seven Lady Godivas.

But if Xuxa can have a children's television show I don't see how this video would disqualify.

Just checkin' ;)

Gak!

The petition is NOT working again. :(

Edit: nevermind. It's working again. Just loads slowly

It does seem silly - since her audience is 2-4 year olds I can't imagine that they'd find the video doing a google search. But others have been fired for similiar things so it's not a surprise. When it came out publically what choice did they have - the parents were I'm sure having a hissy. Not that I agree but I've met some of "those" parents and they go bonkers over everything.

Look at what happened to poor Pee Wee Herman. The man never came back from his little trip to the porn movies. Because she is associated with children's tv there is probably some clause saying she can't do anything considered "vulgar" hence the firing. I can understand why PBS fired her since they feel that she has a certain reputation to uphold.

You can get fired for so many things thesed days! Its just ridiculous

Yes, and Pee-Wee's show was not really even a kiddie show. It was so completely subversive, and was funny for being in the kiddie show format and being on at the kiddie show hour (when all of us in the real target audience would see it on the down-side of our all-night acid trips).

I remember these videos. They played them on the Howard Stern show a couple of years ago. It was a great parody on the kids who were taking the "abstinence pledge". So silly of PBS. Shame on them.

Here's the video I remember.

As a parent, I am deeply saddened that I no longer have the super-hot children's TV host as an excuse to watch PBS. Melanie had the gift - an amazing ability to look straight into the camera while coaxing her young viewers (Sproutlets) to try new things...

There were times where even I said, yes. Yes, Melanie. Let's make a craft.

Unfair though it may be, I think she has a bright future in adult entertainment.

Now all that's left is the very unhot (to me, anyway) Kevin, the birthday guy.

And Big Bird, who asks far too many questions.

Um, the video mousepod linked to is a little less "harmless" than the postings in this thread led me to believe. It may be an obvious parody, but ... and I don't agree with the firing for a pre-hiring fault at all ... you might be able to understand not wanting your kiddie-sitting actress to be seen elsewhere touting the benefits of anal sex.


I think the station was put in a bad spot ... entirely their fault for not doing enough research ... but a bad spot nonetheless. Damned if they do and same if they don't.

Baloney. True, the second one (which I had not seen) is a bit more risque, but it remains a joke about sex. CP's Alec Baldwin comparrison is a perfect example. From State and Main to his copeous Saturday Night Live appearances (Schwetty Balls? Canteen Boy?), he seems to be the definition of "bad for the children", and yet there he is in Thomas the Train.

PBS acted out of fear that some parents might complain. That makes me ill. Just as Fox getting fined by the FCC due to complaints from 3 people in a country of 700 million makes me ill. Making jokes about sex, even slightly crude jokes about sex, in a completely non-child-audience context, should NOT render one "unsafe for children". Bleh.

I think there is a double-standard for women. No kidding. That sucks. Like so much stuff.

GD, you silly man. How could you forget that we are supposed to be preparing the path for our children, not our children for the bath?

We must protect the children from all things evil. Sooner or later someone will complain about Alec doing Tomas the Train.

Won't someone think of the children?!?!

Does anybody remember Xuxa? She is about the biggest thing in children's entertainment in Latin America (and primarily Brazil) and she did Playboy and wore what are essentially stripper outfits during her children's show.

Despite this she was still given a U.S. version of the show (that failed in the ratings not because of any scandal over her dress and former nudity). It is amusing that PBS would be the prudes, especially when at the critics presentations last week they said they are going to be less fearful of the FCC and fight harder for free expression.

How is safe sex evil? Is sex evil and someone forgot to tell me?

But good girls don't have sex. And if they do, they certainly don't enjoy it. It is a burden that one should only undertake after marriage, when one can be rewarded by numerous opportunities to create obnoxiously hued gelatinous dishes for when the man of the house brings the boss home for surprise dinners. The polite girl always pretends she has no idea what sex is.

Alec Baldwin is letting off a little manly steam, and the PBS host is a slut. Everyone knows that. :rolleyes:

Ah Prudence, I'm glad to see that you are a True Christian©! ;)

Ewwwww.

That's funny. I've never seen the show in question, but lots and lots of celebs do voices and cameos on PBS. Natalie Portman was a guest on Sesame Street around the time she was playing a stripper on Closer. I'm not going to show my preschooler Closer, but I'm not the least bit concerned that he'll see Natalie on Sesame and make the connection later in life. Oh the mental scaring! :rolleyes:

And Fred Rogers emceed burlesque shows while trying to get someone greenlight his original kiddie show.*




*No, that's not true. But would it matter if he did?

Alec Baldwin was already a huge star before State and Main, therefor, he has the star power to get away with such bullcrap. The bigger the celebrity, the more hypocricy they get away with. That's nothing new. Melanie Martinez is a nobody. If she was a famous actress like one of the Baldwins then the network would have kept her even if someone would have complained about her dildo video. Ratings mean more to a tv studio than a couple [potential] 'odd' complaints. It's not fair but it's not unexpected that this happened. As for being proactive, again, I think it's bullcrap but it's not unexpected. Need I remind us of the Teacups @ Disneyland ? This was a typical & very predictable move by corperate. Not really fair but totally expected. So why the outrage ?

I eviled myself last night ;)

Because A) outrage is the only way to get those expectations changed and B) this is coming from an entity that claims to be fighting for free expression. As someone in favor of free expression, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Am I reading you right, zapppop?

It would be appropriate that Alec Baldwin no longer be allowed to do Thomas the Train because of the adult material he has done since (even if it won't happen because of his established celebrity status).

I never said it was appropriate Alex.

The world is full of hypocricy. I know this so I'm not surprised by this. That's all I meant.

So, no you did not read me right [again].

But up above you said "however if it was made & released after, then she got what she deserved."

So if she would deserve firing for making these videos after she got the job why is it not appropriate for Alec Baldwin?

Like I said before, it's all about hypocricy.

The world's not fair.

If she didn't have the common sense to know that a video of her on the internet playing with a dildo (no matter how graphic it may or may not have been) that's available for millions of people to view (including children) could have gotten her in trouble since she was trying to get work on a tv show for children then maybe she deserved to lose the job.

If Alex Baldwin had done the same thing, I wouldn't think any different. Again, he's a top celebrity so he can get away with the hypocricy.

It's all hypocricy. I agree that it's not fair but I'm not surprised by the decision

Who said anyone was surprised? I don't have to be surprised to be angry.

Just lay back and think of England, my dear.

I think I'll paint the ceiling beige.

Xuxa!!! LOL! I remember watching an episode of the American version of her show, and I was in awe...

...over how HORRIBLE the show was!

Yeah...she wasn't your typical children's show host...