So I was on Miami's CBS affiliate this morning talking about what's happenin' in the world...and the blogosphere, and one of the topics we hit on was the recent controversy over TV chef Rachel Ray and the Dunkin' Donuts ad featuring her that was yanked off the air. We also talked about the Associated Press considering a crackdown on bloggers using AP content without paying for it or crediting the AP. I said I thought the AP should make a distinction between people blogging as a hobby and people blogging as journalists. Not that journalists are better bloggers (just the opposite, I'd argue 'cause we have restraints). But if the AP can't distinguish between the two sides they can't treat the hobbyist as though he's attempting to profit off their work.
But that's another post. Click the link and watch the video if you want, but for now let's talk Rachel Ray's donut fashion.
If you're not familiar with the story, Ray was in an ad wearing this ↓ scarf.
Shortly after the ad began airing though, a blogger wrote that Ray's scarf was too much like something he ↓ would wear.
Political blogger Michelle Malkin followed up on the original blog, and described Ray's scarf as "jihad chic."
Here's the problem though: I don't believe bin Laden and friends are that into frilly fabrics and designer patterns, 'cause while Ray's scarf was lined with fringes, it's made of silk and the pattern on it doesn't translate to Death to America or anything like that. The pattern is paisley - you know, that kidney bean and amoeba-shaped crap we all used to wear too much of (especially on our neckties...and scarves) in the 1980s and early '90s.
My pops used to say from the pulpit all the time that there is a fine line between faith and foolishness. Taking religion out of the equation, there's also a fine line between patriotic vigilance and paranoia.
This hubbub over a donut and coffee shill's scarf is paranoia, my friends.
Anyway, if we don't want to advertise and publicize images of things terrorists and terrorist sympathizers "MIGHT" wear, then we should probably kill all those GAP ads, 'cause from what I've seen, this ↓ guy wears tons of khaki.
