Monday, June 08, 2009

statement

The Rob Arnie and Dawn show posted a pretty impressive statement yesterda.  Here it is:

UPDATED JUNE 7TH, 2009, 11:50AM

TO OUR LOYAL ROB, ARNIE AND DAWN FOLLOWERS,

WE HAVE FAILED YOU. AS A SHOW, AS PEOPLE, AS BROADCASTERS, WE HAVE SIMPLY FAILED ON ALMOST EVERY LEVEL.

WE PRESENTED OUR OPINIONS ON A VERY SENSITIVE SUBJECT IN A HATEFUL, CHILDISH AND CRUDE FASHION; AND THEN, GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETRACT THOSE REMARKS, WE DEFENDED THEM.

SINCE THEN, YOU, OUR LOYAL LISTENERS, HAVE MADE IT CLEAR TO US THAT WE WENT TOO FAR. THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING. NONE OF YOU SAID THAT WE COULDN’T HAVE OPINIONS, YET SO MANY OF YOU SAID THAT THE WAY WE GAVE THEM CROSSED THE LINE. FURTHER, YOU SAID THAT OUR ATTEMPT TO MASK OUR COMMENTS AS “JOKES THAT WOULD BE UNDERSTOOD BY OUR AUDIENCE,” WAS UNACCEPTABLE. I WOULD SAY NOW THAT IT WAS WORSE THAN THAT, IT WAS COWARDLY. YOU HAVE MADE THAT CLEAR.

WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO VARIOUS GROUPS AND ASKED FOR A CHANCE TO MAKE THIS RIGHT; TO RESPOND, WITH THEIR PARTICIPATION, TO THE EDUCATION THAT OUR AUDIENCE HAS PROVIDED US. THAT OPPORTUNITY HAS BEEN GRACIOUSLY GRANTED THIS THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 11TH. AT 7:30 A.M.

THE WORD APOLOGY APPEARS NO WHERE IN THIS LETTER FOR A REASON. WE ALREADY HID FROM DOING THE RIGHT THING ONCE AND WE’RE NOT GOING TO MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN. APOLOGIZING IN A WRITTEN, POSTED STATEMENT IS A FORM OF COWARDICE. WE WILL SAY WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID THIS THURSDAY.

ON A FINAL, PERSONAL NOTE, AS THE LEADER AND OWNER OF THE SHOW, I HAVE MADE THE DECISION THAT WE NEED TO REFRAIN FROM BROADCASTING NEW EPISODES UNTIL WE CAN ADDRESS THIS ON THURSDAY .  WE WILL RETURN TO THE AIR AT 7:30 A.M. JUNE 11TH.

ROB WILLIAMS
ROB, ARNIE AND DAWN

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow that is actually pretty impressive.

-Natalie.

Anonymous said...

I still standby that nothing says pyscho more like writing in all caps. Well, pyscho or Kanye West.

-skpr

Caroline said...

I don't think it's that impressive or sincere. Their advertising money was eventually pulled and they were left no other choice.

beckler said...

Yeah, it's hard to take them seriously, and I know they are trying to save their jobs. I guess I just thought it was more well written than I would expect.

Anonymous said...

I think Natalie means that it's impressive how effectively the phone calls worked. I agree that guys like this don't wake up one morning and go, "Eureka, I'm total dogshit!" and decide to change their minds about the world. Yeah, total insincere panic move, but it's great to see them pissing themselves.

-- Patrone

archbishop said...

They attracted national attention for this.

I think they still believe they're correct but know that they might possibly lose their jobs. If they stall for enough time, people will forget about it. Paesano's is packed despite the owner pouring water on the homeless guy on a night that it dropped below freezing.

Anonymous said...

Patrones right, thats what I meant.
I also like that their supporters have to watch them try and make amends.

beckler said...

Yeah, I'd actually be interested to listen to the show.