Steve Lyons Doesn't Fear Dean Wormer
Why do I say that? Because he's apparently been on double secret probation for a while.
In fairness to Lyons, I can relate to some of his difficulties. As a writer, I know first hand the challenge of walking the line between funny observations and hurt feelings. With very few exceptions, humor of any kind places somebody at the butt end of a joke. That's just the structure of your standard zinger. In the meantime, we've evolved into an ultra-sensitive society with the ability to find offense in even the smallest of "digs" (I mean, we're warning broadcasters not to poke fun at last names anymore?). Thus, Lyons, who's clearly been hired as "the wacky voice in the booth," has to find that balance between "witty" and "safe" while working in the moment off the top of his head. Not easy. I've had to tell many, many, many a reader on this and the Lakers Blog, "Dude, I was just kidding, and you know I was just kidding, so there's no need to take offense." And that's with the luxury of being able to edit myself before posting. I can't imagine how many times I would have piss someone off without a filter.
On the flip side, while I believe Lyons' explanation of "wallet-gate," he's been in this boat before, so he's gotta recognize when rough water could be approaching. For example, references of any kind to heritage? Even innocuous ones? In 11 out of 10 cases, best left untouched. And he of all people would know that after the incident involving Shawn Green (where, for what it's worth, I do think he crossed a line, even though I imagine his intentions weren't malicious by any stretch). You can only claim obliviousness so many times before it's apparent you're just not looking in the first place.
Again, I do feel for Lyons, because I don't think he was ever out to hurt anyone, but it's up to him to negotiate that fine line. Or quit broadcasting and go into stand up comedy, since he's a legitimately funny guy and audiences nursing 2 drink minimum rum and Cokes at nine bucks a pop will find Lyons' words the least offensive aspect of the evening.
AK
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Offense over a 'dig' at the names of Mientkiewicz and Pierzynski? Now they're really digging.
I don't fault FOX for firing the guy, but they could have gone about it in a much better way.
Posted by: Makoto Ueno | October 19, 2006 at 10:22 AM
OK, I'll bite.
MY TAKE ON THE STEVE LYONS THING:
I’m sure Steve Lyons was joking but his joke just might show what type of perspective he has. The whole wallet thing is based on a Hispanic stereotype. Those type of stereotypes are what all these people who demonstrate over the boarder issue use to justify their points. His comment about "hablaing Espanol" is kind of like impling that we should only speak English in America. Again, a political issue.
It could be said that Steve Lyons was only playing off of what exists in his inner beliefs. Was it a matter of the consious or subconsious mind? It doesn’t matter because it exists in his being.
It could also be said that Steve Lyons was just joking, which is harmless, in and of itself, but are these the type of jokes Steve Lyons uses with his friends? Bird of a feather?
Or could it be said that Steve Lyons was questioning Lou’s moral values? Is this what Steve Lyons was really trying to say? Hey, if you find a wallet, are you telling me you’re going to keep it and not return it to the owner if the wallet has I.D. in it? That’s a moral issue. Instead of saying that, he makes a joke to make his point. He took a joke by Lou and inserted his moral/political point of view with a counter “joke.” Oh how the wit always backfires when it’s attached to an agenda.
Anyway, whether it was a joke or not. Intentional or not. It doesn’t matter because he touched on some very sensitive political issues relevant in today’s society. That is his sin/folly. Mixing the great American pastime with political stereotype perceptions just isn’t going to get it done. Maybe in the era of “the Babe,” but not today.
Conclusion: Comment on the game, and if you want to make fun of someone, do it on your own time. Or on your own venue, and not on national televised game brought to America by a Major television network.
Dang, why did Lou have to use the finding a wallet anology. I stopped finding/stealing wallets a long time ago. LOL! Now that is a joke! Which doesn’t mean I’m finding/stealing wallets.
Mike
P.S. Is America overly sensative or just finely tuned into what is right and what is wrong? It’s evolution, baby.
Posted by: Michael Teniente | October 19, 2006 at 11:49 AM
What one person finds offensive, another will find hilarious. It's always been that way. But I believe that Lyons - as a broadcast announcer - should be a little more careful how he chooses what he makes fun of. True, his job is difficult, but that internal censor needs to be on at all times in his line of work.
On the other end, I tend to make jokes about my own heritage (Chinese) and have even made Caucasian coworkers uncomfortable - when I described a work-day as being a "Chinese firedrill".
Sometimes it doesn't matter who says what, it's gonna offend someone.
Posted by: Su-Kim | October 19, 2006 at 01:02 PM
Mike T.,
I understand your sensitivity to the Lyons' remarks but I have to disagree with you on the "habla-ing espanol" part of your argument along with Lyons' intentions/agenda.
Having grown up in Southern California, the use of Spanish has been accepted as something integral to our culture. With the prevelance of Spanish, there becomes an overlap with English, created from alternating between languages. This is the evolution of "spanglish" and can sometimes reach a point where in Mexican Spanish, words that are bastardized versions of the English language have come to be accepted as part of the language (i.e. computadora, yarda, etc.).
I'm sure that since Lyons had spent some years in Southern California he has become accustomed to "spanglish" and was just sharing it with the world. Inappropriate for Television? Definitely an arguable point. Pointed with agenda? I'd say no.
Posted by: bmurph | October 19, 2006 at 01:03 PM
Has Lou made any comments about this issue? I haven't seen or heard any!
Posted by: Bigblue48 | October 19, 2006 at 04:36 PM
BigBlue48,
Actually, Lou has said that he thinks the whole thing's been overblown, that he's known Lyons for a long time and that he shouldn't have been fired. For what that's worth.
AK
Posted by: Andrew Kamenetzky | October 19, 2006 at 04:47 PM
So much for Paul LaDuca and the Mets.
Posted by: Michael Teniente | October 19, 2006 at 08:49 PM
Steve is not a racist. How can anyone think he was questioning Lou's morals? His comment was "spain-lish" and it is typical of all non spanish speakers who enjoy trying to.
You can equate this to the artist who painted a flower and every one looks at it with different ideas about what the artist is trying to say, studying it, disecting it, and pouring over it, trying to find the "meaning of it".
If you ask the artist what was the thought process behind it, he says "um, a flower?"
Posted by: T.Duffy | October 20, 2006 at 08:00 AM
I don't know what is better....that the Mets lost their series (sorry, NY. Really no subway series now) or that the guy they spent gazzilions of dollars on pulled a J.D. Drew and just looked at a 3rd strike.
And did you catch Beltran's comments after the game? Something like, "Gee, I would have liked to have hit it, but sometimes you just have to walk away with memories." Nothing like going down fighting, refusing to quit, being a gamer or another of the other 1000's of other cliches to which we're subjected.
Posted by: Dodgerdog | October 20, 2006 at 11:50 AM
That was one hell of a curve.
F-LoDuca!
Posted by: Jim | October 20, 2006 at 07:28 PM
Yeah Jim, GREAT pitch!!!!!!!!!! 12 to 6 as MCarver calls it.
Posted by: Bigblue48 | October 21, 2006 at 04:08 PM
LYONS IS ONE FUNNY DUDE AND I ALWAYS ENJOYED HIS COMMENTARY. I DON'T THINK HE MEANT TO STEP OVER THE
LINE AND I DON'T THINK HE DID. COMPANIES LIKE FOX HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AND DID WHAT THEY THOUGHT THEY
HAD TO DO BUT ITS REALLY JUST A SHAME.
WHAT'S NEXT?? THEY GO AFTER AK AND BK ??????????
OR MAYBE YOU'RE NEXT???????
Posted by: STARGAZIN | October 25, 2006 at 08:50 PM
Say what you will. Fox fired him because they're watching out for things like that. Where there's smoke there's fire, so to speak.
mike
Posted by: Michael Teniente | October 26, 2006 at 02:50 PM