Weasel of the Week: Tim Winter

Winter is the current frontman for the Parents Television Council, the media watchdog group that impulsively whines and complains to the press every time there's something offensive on or soon to be on television. The PTC would like the television industry to at least clean itself up, or, at worst, move back to simpler, happier times, like the 50's. Sorry, folks, it ain't happening, so deal with it.

Unfortunately, Winter and his minions don't know how to deal with the changes in the television industry in correlation to the changes in our society. Case in point is a forthcoming CBS sitcom that currently has the title, $#!* My Dad Says, starring TV legend William Shatner (ex-Boston Legal), which stems from a hot Twitter account created by a 20-something comedy writer about his father's ramblings. Of course, the first word in the title can easily be changed to something less offensive, like, for example, "Stuff", but Winter just can't sit idly by and let industry nature run its course in this case. Instead, he's already getting ink for his latest round of moralist whining, and, quite frankly, I'm getting sick of these pseudo-moralist know-it-alls sticking their collective nose where it isn't needed.

PTC founder L. Brent Bozell was at the forefront a decade ago with his pathetic crusade against the WWE (then-World Wrestling Federation) over their over-the-top, adult-themed angles because the company was and still does market their product to children. Bozell made his peace with WWE, and would probably welcome their current family-friendly programming, but Winter is picking up the baton and going after anything and everything he finds offensive, usually, as is the case here, without bothering to do any due diligence in terms of research. The series title will likely be changed before September, and critics will cry that it's to appease the PTC, but the truth is, it's a common sense move, and I think it's expected to happen over the next 4 months. Winter will then take some bows for his fragile ego by claiming a moral victory.

He's better off trying to talk some sense into Lenore Skenazy, but that would require surgically implanting common sense into him.