I know that going to a massive gathering of people of various degrees of education and engagement with world events, and then asking those people pointed questions to elicit answers that might make them seem foolish or stupid or racist or all of the above, and then editing the footage of those answers into a tonally uniform montage in which anyone who may have delivered a more reasonable or less embarrassing-sounding answer has been removed, leaving only the most egregious of the politically misinformed and unapologetically bigoted members of the group to represent the whole in a way that may or may not even be remotely accurate is like shooting fish in a barrel. But that doesn’t mean that sometimes you shouldn’t put a bunch of fish in a barrel and shoot them. THOSE FISH ARE FUCKING RACISTS! (Via TheDailyWhat.)

Comments (167)
  1. Interviewing Idiots 101: Let the Idiot(s) Speak

      • do you guys remember that one scene from Oliver Stone’s JFK when Tommy Lee Jones is in gold body paint and Joe Pesci is dressed up like a fop french dandy from the revolutionary times? they were getting all s&m on their gay boy toys including a gay prostitute kevin bacon. any way, that is what the tea bagger dress up parties always remind me of. The gay.

        • “The gay” what?

          They remind me of Monty Python sketches without any giggling. (“The male lorry enjoys occasionally putting on the female lorry’s clothing and face paint. This is not necessarily a sign of homosexuality, but of a desire to–well we’re not sure exactly, but there are a lot of jokes about cross-dressing Englishmen.)

  2. I got a minute and a half in before I got my daily fill of Entitled, Misinformed, and Slightly Insane Middle Aged White Folks.

  3. I can’t even bring myself to watch this.

  4. I’m glad Taylor Lautner could take time out of his busy filming schedule to provide us with these interviews.

  5. “I want things to go back to how they used to be, like when we had separate water fountains and the front of buses were full of like minded people.”

  6. Wasn’t Gathering Of The Juggalos last month?

  7. Proof that the Gathering of the Juggalos was only the second worst gathering this summer.

  8. When did Kraftwerk start interviewing Glenn Beck fans?

  9. We are a nation of semi-informed people. In the case of these dipshits totally uninformed.

  10. Obama is against progress!!!

    • I heard he’s a CONSERVATIVE!

      • I heard he likes the Chicago White Sox. and the White Sox play ball at US Cellular field. and US Cellular field is in the South Side of Chicago. and the South Side of Chicago is largely populated by black residents. therefore, Obama must not like white people. (That’s Your Logic!)

  11. I admit that I didn’t watch the whole video, so maybe this point is moot, but it seems that all of these people are middle-aged and older, and I think that that has a lot to do with the beliefs they have.

    I know it’s not an absolute young vs. old situation, as there are many exceptions on either side in terms of what they want/believe, but I feel like, in general, this seems to be a “changing of the guard” scenario where younger people who have been raised in a different overall cultural climate are beginning to have more influence in the country and are finding themselves at odds with older folks who so desperately want to hold on to the past.

    *This probably wasn’t very eloquent, but I hope you guys know what I’m getting at. At least I didn’t say “you know” as much as that one lady in the beginning!

    • Cf. opposition to gay marriage.

    • Unfortunately, as a sculptor of young minds, I can assure you that many teenagers also hold these beliefs. Hopefully it’s something that college will educate out of them, but for some of them I’m not sure. Sad but true. Cute little buggers though.

      • The majority of my peers in the town I grew up in believe this stuff too. I think alot of them just don’t care, so they believe what their parents tell, and if they really took the time to actually look into the issues, they would realize that they in no way identify as a conservative douche bag.

      • Just wait until they find out that one of their best friends is gay, or three of them… Nothing like having gays under your nose for years without knowing it to make you realize THEY’RE JUST LIKE US!

      • Sadly, last year I was teaching a chapter about social issues (I’m a Spanish teacher), and one of the vocab words was “homeless”. I asked the class for some ways to help the homeless (also part of the vocab), and one boy summarily informed me that they all need to go out and get jobs. Also, I’ve been subjected to more “Mexican/fence jumping/construction worker” jokes than I can count. My favorite is when the parents tell me they want the kids to learn Spanish so they can talk to the gardener. Cool! Cool stereotype. Because that’s the most useful application of a beautiful language.

        Bonus story: I asked the kids to name some Spanish painters, and one boy said, “Diego Rivera”. I said, no, he’s Mexican, and he said, “Same thing.” It’s days like that that make me want to drink gin out of a boot.

        • I really love all the hatred of Spanish-speakers in California where at least half of population is mono- or bilingual Spanish-speaking. You’ve lived with these people, gone to school with these people, worked with these people, but when you think you’re around only white people you are all free-and-easy with the racism. It’s shocking

          Then again I didn’t think “we” would pass Prop. 8, either, so clearly I am the naïve one.

        • ¿Podemos hablar en español para que la gente no sabe lo que estamos diciendo? Podemos beber ginebra en una bota juntos tambien!

          I am, of course, assuming only Baby Friday and I can speak Spanish*.

          Conclusions based on little facts! I fit in!

          *It was my minor, I lived in Spain for 5 months. I admit calling myself a speaker of Spanish is insulting to anyone who is more than moderately fluent.

    • So these were all the people that weren’t invited to Woodstock?

      I think your point is very valid. Of course there are exceptions, but I think the general statement holds true. Example: http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~cook/movabletype/archives/2009/06/future_trends_f_1.html

      Young people are definitely more progressive on average in their beliefs. If you know any, get the to vote in November! ‘Tis important!

  12. All I know is what my sister tells me. She lives in Arizona.

    • What was with the “pregnant women” hand actions? Did she think that the interviewer might not know what being pregnant is? Perhaps she just wanted to be internet animated gif fodder? Actually I’m not sure why I’m asking anyone here I should be contacting her sister. She lives in Arizona.

  13. I didn’t know Canada was such a hopeless place.

  14. I watched about four minutes of this and then said “I don’t feel like being angry this morning.” Does that make me irresponsible?

    • No, but you did miss out on the guy who spent a good deal of time explaining how Islam is different from other religions because it’s a “lifestyle.” Judicial, economic, religious, comprehensive. Because, y’know, Jews and Christians never get involved in the judicial or legislative process. Come to think of it, I’ve never heard anyone say that we need more Christian-minded judges or legislators. FEAR THE CALIPHATE!

    • you also missed the woman sharing her extremely accurate secondhand account of Arizona parking lots overrun with pregnant Mexicans just standing around, waiting to give birth.

      [insert picture of a large group of pregnant women here....just hesistant to scroll through google image results of "pregnant women" on my work computer.]

  15. Every time a Glenn Beck supporter speaks, an angel cries.

  16. I think that’s a little unfair, Gabe. It’s easy to write it off as obviously manipulative, backing people into a corner. The thing is, they’re not trying to manipulate people into giving dumb answers, they’re just asking normal and simple questions to people at a political rally in which knowledge of actual political facts and events are important, and whoops, surprise, they don’t know what they’re talking about.

    • To be fair, I think we can only assume that this fellow met at least a couple moderately intelligent folks who were able to give informed (yet probably racist) answers to the questions, but chose to put the stupider, funnier people into the montage. There is no reason to assume this isn’t the case.

      • That said, holy shit these people are dumb. And anger-inducing. And keeping the fold-up-camping chair industry alive.

        • And the jorts industry.

          • And screen printing. Of course, they would have done their part for permanent markers and posterboard, but signs weren’t allowed. I’ll tell you, if anyone knew in July that they were gonna ban signs they should’ve been shorting Sharpie stock and buying Hanes and whoever makes shitty-smelling latex fabric paint.

          • YAY JORTS!
            Sorry–one of my favorite jokes from v-gum is “shorts under my jorts”. I get all excited when I see/hear the word.

          • Not to mention the mobility scooter industry–though they don’t have to pay for those, thanks to Medicare Part B.

      • I agree. I mean, statistically there had to be some people that didn’t have garbage for brains, right?

        Unless being a Tea Partier and being reasonably informed really are mutually exclusive, which wouldn’t be very surprising.

        • The thoughtful, reasonable conservatives that I know think that these folks are nuts and an embarassment to everything they believe in.

          • I know, it’s why I kinda think that the little level of success these guys can achieve is a good thing. Enough to get a really wingy nutjob a nomination to turn off moderate Republicans and split the vote. Ta-da! That’s what happens when you don’t understand the political system, ya jerks!

          • How are you only a teenager?!?! (Reply to NC – Videogum wouldn’t let me do it.)

            But seriously. How? I was laying in my bed kissing Backstreet Boys posters when I was your age.

          • And yet those same thoughtful, reasonable conservatives will vote for candidates who are courting the votes of these nutty, embarrassing people and who will support nutty, embarrassing, dangerous policies if they are elected.

          • lululu I do that too! Except it’s Eddie Vedder, not the Backstreet Boys.

            I spend half my time thinking deep thoughts and the other half of my time posting song lyrics as passive-aggressive Facebook statuses.

          • Okay, NC–do I teach you? You have to tell me.

          • Baby Friday, do you work at a Jewish prep school in Northern Jersey?

            [Seriously. If a teacher at my school is a monster I will BLOW UP THE OCEAN and then die and then come back and never leave their classroom]

          • This is off topic, but once I was at a Lollapalooza in Minneapolis in the late 90′s , I think, and Eddie was performing solo. It was a pretty good set, but people in the crowd were shouting for him to play some favorite Pearl Jam tunes. He didn’t have a backup band at all, and so he said that he would play some Pearl Jam songs if he could get some musicians from the audience to back him up. Over the course of about 10 minutes of talking with the crowd he pulled a drummer, guitarist, and bass player out of the audience to play with him. The audience members got on stage and were outfitted with instruments, and they talked and riffed around for a few minutes to show him what they knew. Eddie was impressed enough, and they proceeded to just kill it for 3 or so songs. It was amazing and everyone just fucking loved it. At the end of the set he confessed that the musicians he pulled out of the audience were plants, but it didn’t really matter because it went over so well. Then Live came up next and sang “I alone,” and everyone barfed and went to get a refill on their beer. The End.

        • These threads get so confusing, but I’m trying to reply to NC to let you know that sadly I am a teacher at a prep school in Atlanta (not NJ), and therefore it might be hard to find my classroom and stay in it foreverz. But if you do manage to find it, stop on by!

  17. “This whole immigration thing… seeing how they are coming here illegally… it just really makes me appreciate how the Indians felt… *giant hacking cough*… well, I already knew how they felt, but now I just know it even more.”

    I am going to smallpox all their Snuggies, I swear to God.

    • Smallpox their grandchildren’s Snuggies–in the Venn Diagram of “Glenn Beck Rally attendees” and “people who believe Jenny McCarthy’s claims that the MMR vaccine causes autism” I imagine there’s significant overlap.

    • He… he wasn’t talking about littering? Because I think we ALL know how the Indians felt about THAT.

  18. Hope this helps cleanse everyone’s palate:
    Animal Bands

  19. Guys, I’m worried about America.

    On the other hand, these people seem like some kind of majority because they are the most outspoken at the moment, but they may well be outnumbered by the coalition of minorities and college educated people that helped to elect Obama in the first place. It’s just that we don’t tend to hear from reasonable people until their votes have been cast.

  20. Not sure if I’m welcome back at VG, but anyway… Shameless self-plug (!?!) by me, below. ClownCoffee was there!
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-shrake/the-teabaggers-are-here-t_b_698020.html

  21. Classic case of the gotcha media trying to bring down a group full of Joe the plumbers, obviously.

  22. That’s Your Country.

  23. “That’s just my opinion. I’m an American, and I’m allowed to have my opinion.”

    Yes, you are allowed to have an opinion just like everyone else, but that does not mean that your opinion is equally valid. You’re entitled to your own opinions, not your own facts.

    Jesus Christ on rubber fucking crutches.

    • “Judas Priest!” – Pete Campbell

    • When will these people start to understand the first amendment?? Freedom of Speech is NOT the same as freedom from criticism. Just because people disagree with what you say doesn’t mean that you are being oppressed. This is probably the scariest part of the whole Tea Party movement to me, the way they distort facts and history to portray themselves as revolutionary, when all they want is to go back to being the oppressive majority.

      J/K MORE LIKE TEA FARTY YOU GUYS

    • Yarrr, she’s so defensive! Like she fully suspects her opinion is dumb — but no one better say it is! Not to her face! And no laughing when she turns around, either! She knows what you’re up to, you smug so-and-so’s.

    • ?”Jesus Christ on rubber fucking crutches.”

      Al Swearengen? Is that you using Napoleon’s account?

  24. Almost as entertaining as the interviews were the bumper stickers spotted in the parking lot….

  25. I actually got bored within seven seconds of this video.

    • cool story bro

    • OH man, this is racking in some downvotes. It was an incomplete thought that accidentally got posted…you know…oops I guess? So me being bored has more to do with disliking Glenn Beck and most of what he does, and absolute nothing to do with disliking videogum (because I love videogum., I wouldn’t be here otherwise). Could’ve REALLY used a delete button….

  26. This guy has done the same stuff with Glenn Beck’s 9/12 rally, Sarah Palin’s book signing, and protests against gay marriage. I’m not trying to give him a plug here but… the others also prominently feature bizarrely misinformed racists, so its funny. if you’re into that sort of thing.

  27. I live in DC and had the misfortune to be out and about while these people were running around my city. Apparently someone told them that the yellow/green lines of the metro were unsafe to ride because black people ride them, so they completely clogged all the other lines. It was a nightmare. Seriously, if you don’t believe in public spending, then get the hell off of my public transportation.

  28. Two of my bosses supposedly traveled hundreds of miles to go to this, and I really want to see if I can find them in this video, but I don’t think I have the mental fortitude to watch this video closely for 13 minutes. It’s like a Where’s Waldo page but everyone is dressed like Waldo, your sanity slips away with every second that passes, and you’re not even sure Waldo even bothered to show up.

  29. Holy shit — how many boyfriends do you have???

  30. I love how they think it is appropriate that the rally was held on the day MLK gave the “I have a dream” speech because they “also have a dream.” One might almost be led to believe that the only thing they know about MLK’s speech is that it began with the line “I have a dream.”

  31. For the love of god did anyone make it to the 10:00 minute mark??? If you didn’t GO WATCH IT NOW. It is the most logical full of clarity and understanding statement you will ever hear in your life. Its like listening to God read The Secret on audio book. Yes that is EXACTLY what it is like.*

    *Opposite day

  32. Who knew there was a mosque in Spain called, “Park 51″? And remember the days when folks like this were more focused on ‘Real America’ and not ‘Elitist New York’? I miss those days…

    • To be totally fair, “Cordoba House” was the original name.

      If the wingnut had remembered what it was called, he would have next launched into a prepackaged spiel about how Muslims violently overthrew Cordoba, Spain and intended this name as an allusion to how they’ll do the same here. (When in fact, they wanted to call it that to reflect the building’s intended nature as a center of learning and understanding between religions, much as the city of Cordoba was.)

  33. “It’s embarrassing.”
    – Benjamin “some semblance of self-awareness” Franklin

  34. Whoops, there’s my dad.

  35. They all have pictures of a black person in their wallets, and that black person has a Hitler mustache.

  36. Pan Flutes FOREVER!

  37. The thing that gets me every time about these videos is that you can see the exact moment in their eyes when the interviewer breaks through their poorly constructed arguments and makes them think. But then, since the tea party is largely a giant mob with torches, they push right on back with some half-hearted “well, all I know is what other people have told me, and they saw this kind of stuff first hand.” It’s like “Get out of here with your brainzez, fag, and let me go back to my cheetos womb.”

  38. the reason why there isn’t progress is because there is lack of actual education. lets face it journalism today is a business, and it wont change especially partisan ones. if these people knew what they were talking about or if they would actually question and (maybe hopefully) research what they were fed instead of turning off their brains and soaking all that irrational talking points. but that wont happen for people listen to what will reinforce their own beliefs, and thats why fox news is so popular.

    those who are supposed to inform and educate viewers about important issues are not doing their job. journalism is failing.

  39. also next time anyone tells me i am completely wrong i’ll say:
    -if the shoe fits
    -i have a right to say it
    -derp

  40. I hate that argument. “They are just part of this fringe element of our group! They don’t represent the rest of us!”
    Well, clearly they do, at least a little. I mean, if there are any racists at my monthly book club or say, an amnesty intl. meeting then i’ve yet to hear from them. And they CERTAINLY have never brought a tin whistle.

  41. So many :( ‘s

  42. It’s pretty unfair to frame the picture to show the woman’s reclined body and bouncing little Skechers. But other than that I’m amazed how decent the interviews were. I’m guessing most of these people aren’t used to hearing their beliefs out of their own mouths. The Cordoba question was striking..if you have a thought in your mind that the mosque reflects historical Islamic terrorism but you can’t even think of the name that ‘proves’ this or articulate the issue in any way whatsoever, you haven’t spent much energy thinking about it at all..you just know someone told you to be mad at Muslims.

  43. I don’t think this guy is unfair at all. The people are saying things that are the cornerstones of the Glenn Beck mindset — no research, Obama’s a socialist, we need to “take back our country”, etc. If someone DIDN’T believe those things, they would have no reason to be there.

  44. Videogum is no fun during threads like this, its just too sad and mean. Thank you for the palate cleansing animal bands.

  45. Just imagine Yakety-Sax playing in the background during this video. That makes it tolerable.

  46. The gathering of the ugliest people in the country, probably.

  47. “I am a proud, red-blooded member of J.O.R.T.S. NOW!” –these people
    (Jettison Obama’s Reich of Terrorist Socialism NOW!)

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