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Weiner goes where no congressman has gone before
Larry T. writes:
I’m sure you’re aware that the final photo of Weiner has been leaked, and is all over the Internet. Breitbart is allegedly furious about the leakage.
Isn’t this the kind of story that one would label under “you can’t make this stuff up”?
Weiner, a guy who surely spent his entire life having to endure some little version of hell by hearing countless jokes about his name, gets taken down by a photo of his erect wiener!
Maybe this seems crude and low-brow to speak like this, but my god the ironies are unbelievable!
Reality never ceases to amaze!
LA replies:
We have discussed before the idea that people’s names matter—that a person’s name is often reflected, for better or worse, in his psyche, character, and destiny. What could be better proof of that idea than that a man named Weiner is the first politician in history who, to the transfixed fascination of a vast nation, has been caught sending a photograph of his erect penis?
At the very least, a name that carries an unpleasant or sexual double entendre is a burden for one to carry through life. Which is why I believe that if a person has a name with embarrassing associations, it may be reasonable for him to change his name. This is especially true in a country where most people are descended from immigrants from countries with languages different from that of this country, so that names that may have “worked” in a person’s ancestral language, do not work in our language. The same also applies to people whose parents have given them ridiculous “designer” names that do not fit our language and culture.
See “Names, destiny, and freedom,” and “What ‘designer-named’ babies portend for our society.”.
- end of initial entry -
JC in Houston writes:
Thought I’d be a bit pedantic here. Weiner’s last name would be pronounced in Yiddish (a dialect of German as I understand) Viner. With Boehner’s name, I deduce that he is of German Catholic ancestry. The e represents a character in the German language known as an umlaut. The pronunciation in German would be akin to Byuner. Maybe that’s why we have Michael Savage and not Weiner. It’ll be interesting to see if he resigns. The history has been that Republican’s involved in sexual scandals are pressured by the party to resign but with Dems anything is OK.
My own personal take is, despite what others say, this Huma is ugly as sin!
LA replies:
I don’t think it had occurred to me before this scandal that “Weiner” (pronounced “Viner” in German and “weener” in American English) meant penis. Sure, the German word “wiener” (pronounced “veener” in German and “weener” in English) means Viennese, and also a Viennese sausage, and in America means a hot dog, from which comes the association with penis. Further, we understand from Rep. Weiner’s own comments that the name “Weiner” (pronounced “weener”) has always carried the meaning of penis in his mind, and that he has lived with this. In effect, because of the American way of pronouncing “Weiner,” it is as though his name “Weiner” had been spelled “Wiener.” Thus the German name Weiner (which since “wein” means wine probably means wine grower or wine merchant) in America unfortunately turns into penis. Which would lead to the suggestion that people named Weiner should change the spelling to “Winer.” But that unfortunately sounds like “whiner,” as in the old Saturday Night Live skit. So a more creative solution is needed.
Laura G. writes:
I completely agree that names have consequences, and I have a long listing of amazing and terrifying instances in which that appears to be the case. Well, regarding the name of the Congressman. It is always pronounced by the press as if it were “weener,” as in a hot dog. However, it is a German name and Weiner SHOULD be pronounced and in Germany IS pronounced as “wine-er,” as in the drink. I wonder if Fate is punishing him and his family for failing to insist that the otherwise dignified and honorable family name be pronounced in a manner which is both correct and which would also avoid the salacious jokes he has undoubtedly endured all his life. His parent should have rescued him and demanded that the last name be pronounced in its native version.
LA replies:
But as I pointed out, that would leave them with the name pronounced “Winer,” which sounds like “whiner,” which is also a problem.
Paul K. writes:
Yesterday I was impressed with the way Andrew Breitbart had handled l’affaire Weiner. Today, not so much. He claims to be “mortified” that the X-rated photo was leaked, yet he is the one who showed it to the loathsome shock-jocks of the Opie and Anthony Show, who managed to capture the image and leak it. He says they “betrayed his trust.” Does he pretend to be that naive? If you have a secret that you intend to keep, you don’t share it with vermin like that. That Breitbart would appear on that show in the first place lowers him in my estimation.
The photo is disgusting, unnecessary and subjects Weiner to so much public humiliation that I almost find myself feeling sorry for him.
LA replies:
I don’t know anything about that program, but if it is as you describe, then Breitbart’s appearing on it, not to mention his showing the Weiner photo to the host, certainly damages his credibility.
Paul K. writes:
Based on Wikipedia, the Opie and Anthony Show—which I’ve never listened to—competes with the Howard Stern Show to scrape the bottom of the barrel. Here are some highlights from the Wikipedia article:
The duo was fired in 1998 from Boston’s WAAF for an April Fool’s Day prank in which they told listeners that Mayor Thomas Menino had been killed in a car accident.
In 2000, sixteen people associated with the show were arrested for a publicity stunt which involved driving a glass-sided bus containing naked women through Manhattan.
In 2001 the FCC fined the show for airing a song tiled “I’m Horny for Little Girls.”
Opie & Anthony sponsored an annual contest where the goal was to have sex in the most notable public places in New York City. In 2002, a couple had sex on-air in a vestibule at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. When a security guard ordered the couple to leave the church immediately, an argument ensued and the couple was arrested. The FCC leveled a fine of over $350,000.
On May 15, 2007, XM suspended Opie & Anthony for 30 days, in response to a broadcast featuring a homeless and deranged man who had wandered into thestudio. Opie and Anthony dubbed the man “Homeless Charlie” and among the topics he discussed was the possibility of raping Condoleezza Rice and Laura Bush.
Either Andrew Breitbart feels comfortable with this type of program or he is desperate for attention.
June 9
Larry T. writes:
You wrote: “Not too vulgar. I’ve posted this and replied.”
I realized it was borderline for your site and expected you to file it in the trash. It was mostly meant to share my amazement with you. I know you have excellent judgement.
However the unique ironies seem to have struck a chord with some of your readers and surely millions of others. Undoubtedly “Weinergate” is burrowing into the American folklore of infamy while we speak, whether we want it to or not.
You wrote: I don’t think it had occurred to me before this scandal that “Weiner” (pronounced “Viner” in German and “weener” in American English) meant penis.
I’m amazed at that! I grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles named San Gabriel, and back in the ’50s in that sub-culture seemingly all of the boys under aged ten or so went through a “weener” or “weenie” phase. More recently I’ve heard my young grandsons use those terms also.
Meanwhile the Breitbart saga continues:
Paul K. wrote:
Yesterday I was impressed with the way Andrew Breitbart had handled l’affaire Weiner. Today, not so much. He claims to be “mortified” that the X-rated photo was leaked, yet he is the one who showed it to the loathsome shock-jocks of the Opie and Anthony Show, who managed to capture the image and leak it. He says they “betrayed his trust.” Does he pretend to be that naive? … Either Andrew Breitbart feels comfortable with this type of program or he is desperate for attention.
I was having similar thoughts about Breitbart today. There’s no doubt but that he’s using the scandal for marketing his brand. The past few days he’s been all over various FNC programs, even including Red Eye last night. I find nothing wrong with that. He’s promoting his businesses and brandishing his viewpoint while the “iron is hot.” I call that smart!
As for his credibility about the leak, just as I was having my doubts, he did another excellent job defending himself on the Greta Van Susteren show Wednesday night. Go to 6:07 in the Greta interview, here.
Breitbart claims in the interview:
During the interview they asked me if they could see it (the lewd photo). I said “well make sure you don’t show it to anyone,” and Jim Norton said “there aren’t any cameras here.” And so I felt very comfortable that nothing bad would happen with it.” (He then held up his cellphone with the photo on it so they could view it.) “And the next thing I know I found out that they surreptitiously recorded it and tweeted it on the Internet. And they’ve subsequently said—admitted, that they did so without my permission. And its very troubling because for an employee of Sirius to say there are no cameras here, and then you find out that there are cameras here, and they’re going against their word and taping it, it’s deeply problematic.
The Hollywood Reporter reports that Breitbart is calling for an investigation.
What a sordid affair! Treachery on all sides!
And when one factors in the immense power in play here, Weiner’s power, this reminds me of something nearly Shakespearean.
LA replies:
But given how low-down the program is as shown by Paul K.’s Wikipedia material, Breitbart shouldn’t have been on that show in the first place, let alone trust their assurances that they had no cameras and would not take a photo of The Photo. He looks at best like an idiot. He was the person in possession of this photo which he had said with great emphasis and great fanfare he would not release, and then, like a total idiot (at best), or like a boy who can’t refrain from showing off his prize possession, he shows the photo to the hosts of this low-level radio program and they (shock, shock) surreptitiously tape it and release it to the world.
Posted by Lawrence Auster at June 08, 2011 07:40 PM | Send
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