Kenneth Walker, Youth Cycling Advocate, Urban Kansas City Community of Cycling, posted a rejoinder on Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 4:12 PM about "the FX cable television advertisement for an episode of the show "Always Sunny In Philadelphia", (one of the stars in Danny DeVito) in which a moving van full of intoxicated "idiots" laugh and have a good time while one of them busts a cyclist in the back of the head with a beer bottle ... This ad has been playing for the last two weeks on FX and I promptly sent a letter to the station."

That got the one-sentence rejoinder "Totally outragous" from John Boyle, Advocacy Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, http://www.bicyclecoalition.org, who also posted this link to a poor-quality YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2pmrfDi_1Q. A link to a better version, apparently on a Russian web site (!) was subsequently provided. That can be viewed here and is also pasted below [please double-click on movie to play.]

At this point Andy Clarke jumped in with some cautions:

So what do you all think? Evidently the show specializes in depicting abhorrent characters and behavior that cross every imaginable line of decency; and none of the characters on the show have any redeeming virtues…these are not “lovable rogues” they are total jackasses. All the time.

So if we say anything, do we: draw attention to it; come across as a bunch of humorless stiffs; look like we miss the point? How might we respond and avoid those pitfalls?

Andy Clarke, President
League of American Bicyclists

That was followed by this restrained response from Josh Brown:

I would suggest that anyone who's going to write a letter or make a phone call regarding the FX show actually take the time to watch a full episode or two before responding. My wife and I love the show, and thought the incident with the cyclist was hilarious. We both commute by bike whenever we can.

Do I think that violence towards people or animals in real life is funny? Not at all.

The show is about 5 losers who can't be successful at anything they do. No one in their right mind would imitate their behavior and expect to come out ahead. I think the scene in question was actually a pro-cycling scene, in that they showed how idiotic such behavior really is.

How many of you reading this have been yelled at by a driver "YOU SHOULD BE RIDING ON THE SIDEWALK?" Do you not think that showing this comment being made by a van full of drunken idiots is making fun of the other people who make it rather than the lawful cyclist? If I posted a play-by-play of the antics of the 3 Stooges, it would come across as utterly horrific senseless violence. Does that mean it has no redeeming social value? No. It's funny. I'm happy to talk more at length about this, but I've made the points I wanted to make. I'm interested in people's feedback. Specifically those of you who have seen the entire episode, or who watch the show regularly.

josh.

CONCLUSION

There are those who see this clip advertising the show and are understandably incessed. There are others like Josh, who is evidently an avid viewer, who say this is just comedy featuring a bunch of losers: Take a deep breath! It seems that Andy is right to take a cautious approach but at the same time it may well offer "teachable opportunities."