Kathy Lee Gifford made a comment on the Today show about the “nasty, bad pagans”. You can watch it here, look at about the 4:15 minute.
If she had said the “nasty, bad Christians”, the “nasty bad Muslims”, or the “nasty bad Jews”, she probably would have been fired. But, of course, it’s just fine to degrade the pagans, right?
Um, not so much.
If you feel like taking a stand on this, you can email the Today show here: today@nbc.com.
You can call the show at 212-644-4249, press 1 and ask to speak with Jim Bell, who is the Producer of the Today Show.
You can also sign an online petition.
It is time to step up and tell people that paganism is not meant to be mocked and degraded. We, as pagans, friends or relatives of pagans (or readers of pagan blogs!) will not stand for religious bigotry.
Here is the letter I sent to the today show:To Whom It May Concern,Today I saw a clip of film, showing Kathy Lee Gifford doing a wedding themed show. She refers, during a quiz in a restaurant, to the “nasty, bad pagans”. I am shocked and appalled that she made this comment and that it made it on the air. Paganism, primarily the Wiccan branch of paganism, is the fastest growing religion in the United States. There are approximately as many pagans in the US as there are working firemen, both volunteer and paid. Most pagan religions are earth based, honoring deity and nature, who’s primary goal in life is to cause harm to none.If Mrs. Gifford had made a comment about the “nasty, bad blacks”, the “nasty, bad Jews” or the “nasty, bad Christians” she would have made an apology already, if not have been fired. As a practicing pagan, I will not be watching the today show again until Mrs. Gifford apologizes for her, at worst bigoted comments (at best woefully ignorant).I await your reply to my letter.(signed, me)
I’m so pissed my teeth hurt..I’m emailing, calling and signed the petition..I never did like that skinny bitch..and now I REALLLY DON’T LIKE HER….
Hey MrsB,She issued a blanket apology, and it’s not good enough. Cut and paste or paraphrase today’s’ post for an update. NBC is going to sweep this under the carpet. If we continue to deluge them with calls and emails, we might get somewhere.I kind of think our blogs are very complementary, and I’m glad we’ve found one another:)