Jackoff

No one can possibly be happier about the success of Grand Theft Auto IV than almost universally reviled Florida attorney Jack Thompson. It's a reciprocal relationship, of course. Jack Thompson owes his fame, or infamy, at any rate, to game companies who create games targeted to adults. In return, he uses his infamy to give those games far more publicity than they'd get otherwise. It's humorous, mostly. I only have two issues with him. First of all, he spreads misinformation about a media form I take particular interest in. Second, so many people in the pseudomedia take him seriously because he says what they want him to say, when a two-minute fact check would prove just how full of shit he is. Jack Thompson is a living exemplar of how the media prefers creating scandal to reporting facts. How else to explain a disgraced attorney, who has faced disbarment in two states for misconduct, being invited to act as an expert on morality and decency for America?

Here's a comparison of how Jack is treated by actual journalists versus sensationalist hacks, again courtesy of gamepolitics.com, which is a fantastic site.

First, with Neil Conan of NPR:

Thompson: Well, they go into a lawyer’s office and they kill him. I had my house vandalized, by the way, today by gamers. I get calls, death threats all the time by gamers… The real issue here is, though, that there is so much sex and so much graphic sex… I’m working with various law enforcement agencies,hopefully with the result that Take Two corporately and the chairman Strauss Zelnick will be indicted for that because this is way, way over the line…

Sessler: I hope you don’t mind if I step in there, Neil. Having played the game I have yet to discover the graphic sex Mr. Thompson is identifying…

Adam Sessler and Jack then argue a bit about the existence of the supposed graphic sex, before Conan cuts them off and ask Jack what he has actually seen. Immediately, Jack begins to backpedal.

Thompson: What I have seen is… uh... lap dances, simulated fellatio and cunnilingus, S&M between two women while a man watches, language from prostitutes to people in cars that I can’t use on an SCC-licensed station and then killing of the prostitutes…

Already, a big step down from "so much graphic sex," which is supposed to be the basis for Thompson's legal actions. Jack's lack of actual knowledge becomes quickly apparent, leading to a quick end to the interview.

Conan: John Thompson… Have you played the game?

Thompson: It just came out and I have a life…

Conan: And which law enforcement agencies are you working with?

Thompson: I’m not gonna tell you.

Conan: Alright, well, thanks very much for speaking with us.

Thompson: (chuckle) I’m done?

Conan: You’re done.

Neil Conan gives Jack Thompson a chance to speak, but upon realizing that Jack is completely full of shit, cuts him off and moves on. Well done. Feel free to compare that to the simulated fellatio Glenn Beck performs on Thompson.



Anecdotal evidence and vague assurances of experience? Good enough for Glenn!

Pathetic.