"Teh Sexism": Reality...or Myth?

This seems a bit strange, but it appears that at least two of my male commenters have recieved an invitation to comment on TV about the question of whether men should be present for the birth of their children. I don't like to get all "feminist" on y'all, but doesn't seem just a wee bit odd that such an invitation would not be extended to the person who actually wrote the post in question? Keep in mind that these two invitees have done nothing else relevant than comment in the comments thread to my post. Some TV person followed the link to my post from Slate and decided to contact only the men who commented on the thread. If any other of my male commenters has been contacted, I am very curious to hear from you. If any of my female commenters has been contacted, then I am laughing out loud, and saying things like, "wow, I was totally wrong about teh sexism." Please let me know.

Comments

[apostropher]

Perhaps due to all them unladylike dirty words you use.

[Clancy]

Please tell me dsquared was one of them, at least.

(Actually, a dsquared/Doctor Slack face-off on teevee? I might have to watch that.)

[reuben]

Perhaps they thought you would be stuck at home knitting a chicken?

[LizardBreath]

That's hysterical. Female commenter here, not contacted by TV news.

[alkali]

I don't like to get all "feminist" on y'all, but doesn't seem just a wee

If women spent their time appearing on TV chat shows, who would make dinner?

[LizardBreath]

And wouldn't men be put off having sex with them?

[PZ Myers]

I've been contacted by e-mail, but no phone follow-up yet. I'm not sure it isn't a hoax.

Maybe they haven't replied because one of my comments in my email response was, "Shouldn't you also ask my wife?"

[Jim Treacher]

I got an e-mail about my PayPal account being suspended. Does that have anything to do with it?

[Matt Weiner]

It could be non-pseudonymous commenters in the States. But it probably is sexism.

If the D-Squared and Belle show were broadcasting in my area, I would buy a TV so I could watch it.

[kathleen]

Don't worry Belle - I am sure the TV show already has one woman lined up for their piece.

[Timothy Burke]

Kathleen's probably right, but it's probably the wives of the men in question who are the women lined up. More as information becomes available.

[belle waring]

all I have to say is, if Dr. Slack gets to be on TV instead of me and dsquared, well, we all lose.

[Ralph Luker]

Actually, I heard that some of the male commentators here were contacted about appearing on the show, but that some of us were contacted by women who wanted to have sex with us. Personally, I referred them to P. Z.

[paul]

I think I can assure the more-telegenic-than-I P Z Myers that the contact I had was legit, as far as I can tell. They were ready to fly me across the country next Tuesday for a Wednesday broadcast (TiVO alert).

Or it could have been part of an elaborate Nigerian 419/phishing scam where I wake up in an ice-filled bathtub with a cryptic message scrawled on the mirror . . .

[paul]

I think they only invited men so they could embarass them (or make them posture) without having anyone who actually endures the experience cloud the issue with facts.

In this corner, men who think every man should be in the delivery room with a catcher's mitt, and in the other, men who liked it better when women had confinements and were out of sight/out of mind for the whole business.

[Carlos]

Aw hell. There goes my chance to break into TV. And I can throw a mean chair, too.

[reuben]

Perhaps they have the technology to do a time-shifting version of the Jerry Springer "gotcha" thing, where the guy says he could never stand to see his partner's vagina like that, and they say, "Well guess who's here in the studio, Billy? It's your wife - and in the twenty minutes since you last saw her, we've secretly made her nine months pregnant! In fact, she's giving birth this very second - cue the VaginaCam!"

[Jeremy Osner]

Woo-hoo, childbirth porn! The money shot! (I am assuming that in childbirth pornography, the "money shot" is the infant's head crowning -- it better pay pretty damn well too I'd think.)

[Matt Weiner]

some of us were contacted by women who wanted to have sex with us.

They were ready to fly me across the country next Tuesday for a Wednesday broadcast (TiVO alert).

At the Mineshaft!

(If you don't get that, don't ask.)

[dsquared]

I have been contacted to appear on television, but it was by the producers of "Booze Britain II: Binge Nation"[1] so I suspect it was unrelated.

[1] A real show. best thing on tv ever

[Timothy Burke]

What's Booze Britain II? Floyd's newest cooking show?

[dsquared]

it's a program about people getting drunk in crap provincial towns. It's a genius format. Half the show follows a gang of lads or lasses as they head out to the local high-spots to get tanked up, following them along the inevitable path through merry-boisterous-fighting-crying-shagging-puking-taxi. The other camera crew follows round the paramedics and police who have to pick up after them.

[John Emerson]

Tristram Shandy deals with the question.

I didn't participate in the original discussion, but I was mystified by the make "yuk" reaction. Admittedly, childbirth and childraising were really the only fun part of my marriage.

[dsquared]

I have actually changed my mind on that issue and now believe that the men who stay out of the delivery room are the real heroes. I mean, to look your missus in the eye and say "frankly darling, the sight of your vagina disgusts me so much I may never have sex again". I'm too frightened even to tell the dear girl that her arse looks a bit big in tight jeans.

[Standpipe Bridgeplate]

Matt, I'm afraid that lump in your comment is metastatic catchphrasis. You have six months to blog.

[MQ]

"Booze Britain 2: Binge Nation
Weekdays @ 10pm & 12.30am

The hugely popular documentary show exploring the alcohol-fuelled antics of young Brits from across the nation, returns to Bravo for a second exclusive series this month.

In this brand new series, we'll follow a paramedic who is called to a road traffic accident where a drunk driver has crashed into the side of a house. In Liverpool, we'll meet three ex-lapdancers who like to begin the night by downing a cocktail of vodka and mind-blowing shots before showing off their skills on the dance floor.

We'll spend the night in A&E as the alcohol - fuelled casualties start to arrive. While in Sheffield, the police have their work cut- fuelled casualties start to arrive. While in Sheffield, the police have their work cut out when a group of girls and a pair of guys come to blows. Plus the show's drunken contributors will be showing off a range of shocking and highly dangerous party tricks, including snorting shots and eating glass.

It's scary stuff, but scarier still is how familiar it all is. These are real British towns and real British people: four friends, neighbours, workmates and sometimes ourselves!"

Next week: a drunken father wanders into the delivery room and wreaks HAVOC! Then refuses to have sex with his wife!

[dsquared]

In Liverpool, we'll meet three ex-lapdancers who like to begin the night by downing a cocktail of vodka and mind-blowing shots before showing off their skills on the dance floor.

That was the one on tonight. It was like the third day at the Somme.

[Doctor Slack]

Quoth Belle: if Dr. Slack gets to be on TV instead of me and dsquared, well, we all lose.

You can rest easy. The Powers That Be have tragically snubbed me as well.

It is more than a little weird -- and yes, probably sexism-motivated -- that they didn't contact you. Silver lining, though, is that maybe you and dsquared can break into TV talking about some of the more quality things you've each written. I'd tune in to see that.

No, the real tragedy here is that they didn't get in touch with Carlos. Think of all that charm and witty repartee going to waste!

[Timothy Burke]

Does anybody know if the segment actually aired? (I was contacted but expressed too many qualifiers and questions, evidently...)

[BP]

Booze Britain is fantastic. I know I shouldn't watch, yet somehow I can't change the channel.