Slog - Comments on The Real Donnie Davies

Comment by Rupert

Rupert — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:21:31 -0800

Someone should exorcize Mister Savage of his obsession.

Yo, it's seriously getting OUT of CONTROL.

Comment by Dan Savage

Dan Savage — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:25:18 -0800

Sorry, Rupert, but I cleared it with the editor. He said I could keep right on obsessing.

Comment by Dee in SF

Dee in SF — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:30:39 -0800

That reminds me of the bullshit pastor "Brother Matt" who used to come to my university campus (Southern OR) twice a year to yell at the students that we're heathens, sodomites, going to hell, etc. I hear that Matt goes up and down I-5 all year and he goes up to Washington too.
This Donnie guy is just strange.
Dan, When is this video supposed to have been taken? (and what's with the beard)

Comment by josef

josef — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:34:14 -0800

That video clip was taken at Central Washington University. 90 minutes from Seattle, in Ellensburg.

I think Davies is spoofing the ex-gays. But here's something a satirist should think about: does my satire hit its intended target? What's the collatoral damage?

Because Davies' work - even though I know he's a spoof, and even though I know he's aimed at the asshole ex-gay movement - still hurts a little and it's really scary. Because the satire is so dead on, because I know that a lot of people think that god hates fags. Being reminded of that by Davies, who lacks the, er, well, compassion, I guess, of a Colbert, wasn't funny. Even while it was funny.

Know what I mean? And I think that's why Dan and others (like me) have been kind of obsessive.

Comment by josef

josef — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:42:03 -0800

No, cancel that. It's not compassion that Davies lacks - though he doesn't seem to have much. It's precision. He's not precicely targeting his satire. It comes off so broadly that it offends many of the people I think Davies is trying to speak for.

When Colbert attacks a fundie, often by agreeing with his target's statements on gays and the poor, gays and poor people never question what side Colbert is on. We know he's our guy. With Davies, we're not so sure.

Comment by Dee in SF

Dee in SF — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:45:08 -0800

josef, yeah I know what you mean, why do you think I keep refreshing the SLOG today for updates about this Donnie character. He freaks me out, and I just don't know if he's spoofing or not. This whole thing just smacks of the crap I grew up with being the dyke atheist in Puyallup.
Just trying to keep my friends close and my enemies closer.
Do you know what year was this video taken?

Comment by Silvertail

Silvertail — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:45:10 -0800

I thought you were the editor?

Comment by josef

josef — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:49:39 -0800

I don't know when it was taken. It was posted to YouTube on 10/19/2006.

This one isn't a satire, of course, but it's easier for me to shrug off than Davies' number.

Comment by Boomer

Boomer — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:50:21 -0800

I am now officially glossing over these posts. Josh's abstinence education rifes are better written and less annoying.

Comment by Dee in SF

Dee in SF — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:00:35 -0800

Thanks for scouring the web and posting your findings. It makes it easy for me to be lazy and yet still up to date!

Comment by Brie

Brie — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:04:44 -0800

Okay, Boomer. Keep us updated, k?

Comment by dzienkowski

dzienkowski — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:07:08 -0800

That dude looks about 60. Isn't Donnie 27?

Comment by Joey the Girl

Joey the Girl — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:27:20 -0800

I don't think Dan is the only one obsessing! Anyway, yeah, that guy looks way too old to be Donnie Davies. Maybe it's a fake beard?

We used to have a guy like this on our campus at Oklahoma State...he would stand in the middle of the quad, shouting about sodomites and feminists going to hell...but also Baptists. Which actually, is pretty funny--the Baptists weren't used to being grouped with homosexuals and feminists!

Comment by Matt from Denver

Matt from Denver — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:27:52 -0800

Maybe the reason it's hard to tell if it's satire is because it's real. Just because it's so exaggerated doesn't mean it isn't sincere.

Comment by bugeats

bugeats — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 12:48:22 -0800

On the contrary, it's ok to be gay.