January 17, 2008 -
What a week gamers shared with conservative talk show host and author Kevin McCullough (left).On Monday GamePolitics reported that McCullough had wrong-headedly trashed Mass Effect, treating the popular and well-regarded 360 title with the kind of disgust usually reserved for snuff films.
On Wednesday we were outraged by McCullough's Thompson-esque bashing of "gamer nerds."
But now McCullough has backed off a good bit, even issuing an apology of sorts:
Based on the multitude of response by gamers who share my concern for decency in the entertainment of our children, it is obvious that I had been misinformed on at least two points of substance in my original column.
For this I DO apologize to the gaming universe!
...I still do concur with my original position that the objectionable content in Mass Effect is still offensive, and should be kept out of the hands of those under age.
GP: Well... To be honest, Kevin, your original position wasn't that Mass Effect was merely "offensive," but rather that it constituted digital sodomy and "virtual orgasmic rape." But we're glad you're willing to learn from other viewpoints (unlike some critics we know). McCullough continues:
Mass Effect fans have demonstrated that the three minute cuts on YouTube are only arrived at after hours of play. So in their argument the "percentage" of objectionable content is heavily outweighed by the overwhelming amount of content leading up to it. Point well made...
GP: While we respect and appreciate McCullough's about-face, the real take-away from this episode is the persuasive power of gamers when they unite against a common threat.
McCullough spent most of this week's radio program discussing the Mass Effect affair with some very level-headed gamers. It's worth a listen...
Comments
This is weaseling out in a classic sense.
I think it's more due to the massive umbrage "Gamer-Nerds" get when they see misinformation being thrust at a "protect-the-children" public who actually have the power to change laws. That and we LIVE off of arguing. (see how I'm arguing with you?)
Sorry, this guy just annoys me so much.
/end rant
Sorry, Fox News set a precedent. You can lie through your teeth if you pretend you're "just reporting the news"...
I will accept his apology... in the spirit in which it was offered...
That said, I listened to his radio show as well. He sounds less crazy when there's someone there to go, "wait a minute, sir!" What does this all mean, well, like GP said, we won. Someone said something hateful and obtuse about us, and we struck back. Gratz guys!
well, THAT lawer is laying lo2w because of the impending results of his debarment trial. so technically, were bored, but were stil angry. and bioware can still sue, so they should.
Anyways, it is nice to see this guy at least fessing up to being a clueless idiot, although why he has to say he was wrong on "at least two points" just seems weird. It just rubs me the wrong way, the way it sounds. But anyways, guess we'll take our victories where we can.
The whole thing still doesn't sit well with me nor several others that I know and have discussed this with. He continued to spew mis-information... and then got pissy and decided to start name-calling. Then he backs off his previous comments by apologizing for some of the mis-information (and edited his original articles) but leaves the name-calling thing out in the open.
Guess this will become our next name... right behind pixelante.
That said at least its a start, and I'm willing to take this small victory, since he is showing some movement unlike brick-wall-thompson
But he also learned a lesson. The next time he wants to bash a game, he had better be informed.
So my suggestion to everyone is to take the apology at face value and leave this guy to his obscurity.
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower
In his "apology", he lied about what he even said in the first place. Are you just forgetting he said that gamers are likely to rape in real life, are perverts, desire beastiality, live in basements, and are nerds? Not a single mention of that in his 'apology'.
He flat out lied about the game. In his apology, he continued to lie about the game, about what he said, and made no mention of the slandering he did of gamers themselves. Now we should just leave him to continue pretending he is a journalist?
No, sorry, not for me.
Until he comes out and says he lied (or at least was wrong) about the content of the game, and about gamers, I intend to be his #1 fan, making sure every one of his postings reminds him that he has yet to apologize for his fake journalism and slander. From where I sit, that's about all I can do is be a constant reminder that the person is a liar.
Not only is this about games, and gamers, but journalism as well. Why do you think there are so many stupid people out there? Because of people like this guy dumbing everyone down. Why is it so common? Because people who know better let them get away with it.
You are a blogger and do a damn fine job at making informed posts. You are also a gamer. Why not take a stand for your passions instead of just saying 'meh.'.
Maybe it's because its an election year and printed lies are everywhere, but I can't stand it anymore. We shouldn't be letting stupidity off the hook so easily.
He shall appear in: 5...4...3...
I agree. The industry standard is to publish a retraction and correction in the same place as and with the same prominence of the incorrect reporting. No one can tell from Mr. McCullough's "apology" what were the factual inaccuracies in his article. That's dirt-poor journalism.
Amen to that :).
Of course, if he'd just said, "I find this game offensive for the inclusion of a 60 second sex scene" instead of lashing out at in the manner he did, I seriously doubt any of this would have happened.
His own irresponsibility caused this.
We're in for quite a ride.
Fangamer
What a load of BS. If that arsehole really cared about all the things he said he'd be going after all the big movie production companies. Oh, no! Wait! They're too big for him and his small mind! So, like all doucebags who couldn't get a date for the dance, he thinks up some retarded idea to and blame video games.
I hole-heartly agree with what Steve is going to do. Keep commenting on that lying bastards 'news' about how he doesn't know how to do anything right.
The cunt.
still though, who knows, a bunch of uninformed people grouped under a sensationalist? you never know mr Obvious Jack Imitator
EZK: You of ALL people should know he most likely has not learned his lesson and that he still probably will be right there pushing.
----
Papa Midnight
You have a better chance not getting your bar revoked than taking down the industry. By the way, how is your ethics trial going?
@the article
Well, at least McCollough is backing off of us. His apology, if you want to call it that, is not sufficient enough.
If you do that, you will basically end up helping him. Do you honestly think he cares if the people who watch/listen/respond to him do so in a positive or a negative manner? As long as people give him the attention (negative or positive), he'll take it. The best choice for someone like that is to ignore that person, rather than bringing him to the limelight.
So he is still an asshat.
I vote for bringing him into the limelight for all to clearly see him for what he truly is.
Very well said.
I don't neccessarily take great offense to his bigoted insults as they felt like a two year old could have constructed some better rocks to fling, but I DO take offense to his call for the censorship of an entire medium based on HERESAY and blatant LIES in a single example from that medium.
Until he covers all his bases and REALLY appologizes for his blatant display of bigoted ignorance/malice, McCollough is still a massive d-bag in my book.
Reason: Sarcasm.
Column has been pulled! Whether he did it, a suit did it, or townhall management did it, I don't know. But the original column is gone.
PWN4G3!
If in Russia, people kill each over Lineage 2, imagine what would happen to this sore loser in America...
That's why people are angry at you. You wrote a column based on hearsay; you overheard someone in Starbucks talking about the sex scene in Mass Effect and created an *entire game* in your head in order to rant about it in your column.
Suppose a photo lab guy took in a roll of your film and discovered a photograph of someone who wasn't your wife, enjoying a drink at a party. Just a friend of the family or something. He then writes and publishes a tirade about the sex games you play with your mistress. Would you accept "sorry, I was misinformed"?
Hooah!!
@GP:
That's a story worth following up on.
Its like McCullough is battling with the morality you get with being human and his ultra concentrated, cultivated outright evil. His knee jerk reaction is to be an asshole and the overwhelming response of logic gave his human heart a small spark, which has in vain tried to fire up.
That is hillarious. Another point for our side.
I hope he learned his lesson.
On a side note, I looked at Ann Coulter's latest colum called "The Elephant in the Room" It is all about how Republicans should vote for Romney, solely because he is being attackedthe hardest by the Democrats. She makes no comments on his policies or anything other than he is being hit the hardest by the Democrats.
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower
But in his radio show he still propogated the stereotype of gamers as anti-social losers by saying that the reason he doesn't play games is that he has a life --- which seems to consist mainly of saying that sex is teh eval!!! On his radio show he said that an adult bookstore was going to open near a school and he wanted to videotape the people that went into it and put the tape online. Nice...
He also kept focusing on gay and alien sex. I mean I've heard of people against gay sex but now there's something wrong with alien sex???? OK...
He just pulled an "It's not my fault! I got bad advice! It was my two friends!"
In short, he's still lying and not taking responsibility for his own actions. These two elements make any apology from him worthless. He's not sorry about what he did, he's sorry he got caught and he's trying to diffuse the situation without admitting culpability.
Does that sound like a sincere apology to you?