Oct 4, 2017 I completely agree with the over correcting of SJW stuff and the disproportionate amount of coverage it receives from these groups. I've talked about that before, and again, think it has a lot to do with these people experiencing too much of the world through their internet connection. That's something I think the writer got right. Anybody who gives Hyde or Saargon a platform clearly has some problems lol. Both are unfunny losers. I agree "comedy" doesn't instantly absolve people of their words, but I also think it serves a distinctly different purpose for the alt-right than for Fantano in this instance. As I talked about earlier, Angela Nagla has a really good book out tracing the political roots of the alt-right back a century to movements about freedom of expression and what not. Of course, it's despicable that people would use that freedom to cloak hatred in some guise of social acceptability, but that doesn't mean we should limit limit expression. It means we should have standards and conversations and malign deserving culprits. Is Fantano one? The writer bends over backwards to argue that he is, but as somebody who was actually familiar with that channel, it's no different from a lot of edgy humor that Adult Swim promotes. Making transgression and irony and the humor unique to the online era exclusive to the alt-right only pushes people right. That's a sure fire way to lose a culture war. The problem isn't the comedic mode which the alt-right spreads their cancer, but the insidious sincerity they conceal within it. Nobody with the agenda of this writer could mistake Fantano's edginess with that maliciousness. Just the example where he shoehorns lynching into a clear parody of emo rappers is disgusting. To return to the Hyde interview, that is the most spineless and complicit s--- I've ever heard. Truly despicable that Fantano would give him a platform. He's obviously uncomfortable throughout most of it. Hyde is a case of somebody who clearly uses his comedy to normalize terrible ideology. There are plenty of white comedians who could make some of his bits funny, but Hyde is a lazy, lazy propagandist. That being said, Fantano is no more guilty than any of the media class that covered Trump uncritically or interviews serious white supremacists without confronting their ideas. The idea that capitalism encourages media to put profit over any ethos is very real, and is being talked about in regards to Google and Facebook right now. In summary, I think this article is 10% honest and 90% angry. It does a great job of shooting itself in the foot to anybody with a cursory knowledge of Fantano and that channel. So much so that people are likely to disregard the justifiable points that it raises. @WPG
Oct 4, 2017 so there are a few other points where you and i disagree, but they're sort of tangential to the topic, i think. the crux of our relevant disagreement is here. yes. absolutely. i couldn't agree more. (which, incidentally, is why i disagree with your characterization of fantano criticisms as assailing the idea of irony itself: i think fantano is merely claiming that as an excuse.) anyway, where we diverge: i just think we disagree on this. i suspect fantano is looking for an excuse to voice these opinions, which is telling of his politics. the alternative is that this "satire"--which i would argue is not really satire, and is in fact earnest laughter at [insert]'s expense with a get-out-of-jail-free card--is something he chose to pursue in a scheduled, monetized way despite finding it despicable, which in some ways is even worse. (and which, if you believe like i do that the satire is not effective satire, has the same net effect on his audience, many of whom are children, right?) i think that what you're describing was a huge problem that contributed to trump's political rise and continues to hamper the press's ability to rigorously cover him. but i don't think they're comparable to fantano's situation; fantano is attempting to be transgressive (we can at least agree on that), whereas the (respectable) press is horrified of doing so. they're motivated by goals that are diametric opposites. i think you're vastly underestimating how smart ezra is and how thoroughly he embedded himself in the channel over the last few months. we would disagree on the 10/90 split, basically. here's an element we haven't talked about: the way fantano talks about black rappers in his criticism. can we agree that there's always been a....curious undertone there?
Oct 4, 2017 Can someone explain why this is more interesting than caring about my country germany that still doesnt have a goverment? I need to leave the internet for some time... America is so entertaining from the outside
Oct 4, 2017 Yeah I'm pretty sure Fantano isn't alt-right. His other Youtube channel was made to make fun of that "edgelord" crowd and those Youtubers. However, it's always levels to satire, and if you start doing the most it might be time for you to sit back and ask yourself if it's even worth making fun of those kind of people if it's just going to have you look like one of them.
Oct 4, 2017 The only way to really continue this line of discussion is to talk about the examples listed in the article which just sounds tedious. I think Louis CK's gay voice is as tasteless, unoriginal, and unfunny as Fantano did. You're conflating him giving those people platforms with his attempt at comedy. The former is what I was referring to, mainly because we continue to disagree on the latter being offensive in the first place. I've been following that channel for a year or two, and I don't have an opinion on Ezra apart from the ones drawn from reading that article. He's grasping at a lot of straws and more concerned with deriding his subject than anything. Omg, Fantano used a picture of shrek with "kek" on it. Omg Fantano showed a meme in the background that said the n word. I think he's got a limited grasp on the genre and pretty narrow taste. He'd be a REAL HIP HOP guy who only owns Midnight Marauders and Low End Theory on vinyl if music wasn't his career. If you're going to insist he's a closeted racist, he's doing a pretty job considering the platform and praise he constantly gives black artists.
Oct 4, 2017 I don't give a f--- about the alt-right s--- you guys are talking about but if you think Fantano has given somewhat racist undertones in his reviews, you need to explain what I'm not seeing. Isn't his fiance black as well lmao
Oct 5, 2017 did you mean to double-post this and also post it on my profile page? because that's..........weird
Oct 5, 2017 not as weird as typing out countless paragraphs about how a dude with a black girlfriend is a racist lmao
Oct 5, 2017 Tomi Lahren has a black boyfriend. Milo is into black guys. It's not the checkmate you think it is.
Oct 5, 2017 If a white person is in an intimate relationship with a black person they are not racist towards blacks, it is a checkmate. That's like someone who hates country music deciding to listen to country music frequently, it's not something that would happen. And from what I've watched Milo isn't racist, he just points out black crime statistics a lot, he doesn't say there's anything inherently wrong with black people.
