Some say there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.
In a brazen display of Internet chutzpah, the talk-show circuit ‘doctor’ posted this unbelievably stupid question hoping, probably, for some unbelievably stupid answers.
Dear Dr. Phil: is it OK to ask the Internet if rape is OK?
The tweet was almost immediately deleted, probably because some nice intern at the Dr. Phil offices politely raised her hand and told whoever is in charge of the show’s Twitter to kindly shove this ‘innocent’ question where the sun don’t shine. Luckily, someone took a screencap of the tweet to preserve in infamy.
Responses ranged from the outraged to the absurd:
Aren’t you married? RT @DrPhil: If a girl is drunk, is it OK to have sex with her? Reply yes or no to @drphil #teensaccused
— rob delaney (@robdelaney) August 20, 2013
Go home @DrPhil, you’re drunk.
— Alex Fitzpatrick (@AlexJamesFitz) August 20, 2013
Is @drphil a moron or an asshole? So hard to decide.
— MarinkaNYC (@MarinkaNYC) August 21, 2013
Is it okay to punch Dr. Phil hard in the junk if he asks whether raping someone is okay? #DrPhilQuestions
— Jeff Fecke (@jkfecke) August 20, 2013
This is a great tweet and it was a good idea to post it. RT @DrPhil If a girl is drunk, is it OK to have sex with her? Reply yes or no
— Ari Scott (@ariscott) August 20, 2013
A spokesperson for the show told BuzzFeed that the tweet “was not intended to be taken lightly.”
“This tweet was intended to evoke discussion leading into a very serious show topic,” said the spokesperson. “It’s based upon a recent news story, hence the #teensaccused label.”
Intentions be damned, this is one doodle that can’t be undid.
One could theorize that the good doctor only wanted to straighten out the blurred lines that continue to perpetuate rape culture, even in the wake of the all these assaults that seem have answered the tweeted question.
But to that, I reply a simple no. Rape culture doesn’t need the tacit support of a question like the above, which raises the inconceivable possibility or acceptability of having sex with a drunk girl. Which we all know transcends party foul in favor of the more accurate label: trauma.
So Dr. Phil, in case you need advice tweeting for your next show, I advise this question: is it OK to out yourself as both an asshole and an idiot, and still have a shot in hell at popularity on mainstream TV?
It’s not 140 characters, but I think it gets the point across.
Thanks to BuzzFeed
Photos via Twitter
