CNN's Beck 'could care less' about games, bloggers are 'losers'
by Xav de Matos 
{ May 8th 2008 at 11:15AM }
Glenn Beck, host of CNN's The Glenn Beck Program, has added his name to the list of concerned citizens against the violence and sexual content found in Grand Theft Auto IV. In a recent interview with Dr. Cheryl Olson, co-author of Grand Theft Childhood, Beck lashed out with indifference toward gaming and then proceeded to 'dis' bloggers.
"I will tell you that all these video gamers ... they're bloggers, as well as video gamers - they're writing all kinds of stuff about me [that] I'm the enemy now of video gamers. I could care less about video games. Video game bloggers? They're losers ..."
For someone who could care less about gaming he sure does have his share of opinions on the subject. Watch as Beck wastes Dr. Olson's time by ranting about his personal life as an internet joke when he realizes the good doctor wouldn't be able to add to his sound-byte reel of uninformed gaming hatred.
Our favorite part? Beck cashing in on the Grand Theft Auto IV hatred for ratings and advertising dollars and then proceed to accuse the 'game industry' of giving GTAIV an M-Rating purely for monetary reasons. Say it with us now. Irony.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Nintendo is Fail @ May 8th 2008 11:23AM
He's wrong about video games but I do agree that bloggers are losers
Xav de Matos @ May 8th 2008 11:34AM
Agreed. Thanks for reading the site.
Bmurph @ May 8th 2008 11:38AM
Xav, I love that you always have a response for these people on here! Keep it up!
Xav de Matos @ May 8th 2008 11:47AM
@Bmurph: Well come on, who's a bigger loser? Me for writing here or the people who read everything here and then comment with garbage?
LOL, this is my job!
Nintendo is Fail @ May 8th 2008 11:54AM
No, I think the latter is. How sad that Glenn Beck could care less about you, but you still feel the need to write about him here. Irony.
Xav de Matos @ May 8th 2008 11:59AM
LOL.
Really, that's what you're coming back at me with?
Well, looks like Nintendo isn't the only thing that = FAIL. Your comments are too.
Dusitn Everhart @ May 8th 2008 11:24AM
Wow just wow. This is never going to end is it?
Russ Tundra @ May 8th 2008 8:15PM
Just what we need. Another Douchebag flooding the older gerneration. 50-100 that our youth is going down hill because thier stupid parents cannot read that the Game is Rated M for Mature. I think that they are just pissed off because GTA IV makes fun of them (Liberals) in the game on WKTT Radio. Maybe Lazlo can gett him to be in GTA V....
CameronA. @ May 8th 2008 11:28AM
Is this guy a joke?
he reminds me of a talking lemon. And Bloggers are losers?
He's the middle aged man who really looks like he can't stop smirking. He smiles while saying the more serious stuff.
Stop smirking you bastard. Makes me want to punch his face in.
E.J. @ May 8th 2008 3:34PM
If you watch the video, he actually gets owned by that author of "Grand Theft Childhood". She almost defends games and points to parents to actually pay attention.
Every time he brings up a point to blame video games, she responds with a very good counter-argument and he quickly dismisses what she talks about.
She'll never be a guest on his show again, haha.
IcedOmega13 @ May 8th 2008 10:20PM
screw it, I wanna be a loser if it means having a sweet ass video game editorial job. im sure it pays decent
Mark @ May 8th 2008 11:31AM
"Could care less"
Man, do people ever notice that what they're saying means nothing? If I care about something the most in the world I "could care less" about it. People want to say "couldn't care less" meaning that they care so little it's impossible to care less. Seriously, listen to people talk and you'll rarely hear someone say the one that makes sense.
David @ May 8th 2008 12:10PM
I totally agree and have noticed that Americans always say "could care less" when it should be "couldn't care less". It's quite annoying but not as annoying as people who use "then" when they should of used "than".
blank964 @ May 8th 2008 12:20PM
Thank you someone caught that he said I could care less, the correct term is "I couldn't care less". They us (journalists) this in our basic grammar class, I guess Mr. Beck missed that class. But on topic, is GTA 4 any worse than the Godfather, Scarface, or The Departed? No. I don't see people up in arms about gangster movies that are considered classics (just the general public).
kevdogg @ May 8th 2008 1:44PM
I totally agree with this as well, and I was thinking about it the entire time I read the article, but I definitely got a kick out of David's reply. You should have used "should have" and not "should of" in your sentence. Irony. ;)
diamondxp @ May 8th 2008 11:37AM
Hey Beck Niko Says "Fah Queue" "Your Balls are funny"
andyg8180 @ May 8th 2008 11:33AM
beck likes dudes...
see, i can say stupid shit too... Everybody look at beck and laugh... HAHAHA!! Oh wait, he called me a loser :-(
ericdrum @ May 8th 2008 10:10PM
If it wasn't for bloggers, I could ignore these people. Unfortunately gamers have this weird inferiority complex and seem to care what the rest of society thinks. I don't care what Jack Thompson or Hilary Clinton or Glenn Beck thinks about me or my video game enjoyment. I don't watch mainstream news so I don't hear many of this stuff, but the game blogs love to eat it up. I don't get it.
BizReporter @ May 8th 2008 5:35PM
What's not to get, sir? These posts are traffic drivers. Look how many comments posts about anti-gaming media receives?
jkdoug @ May 9th 2008 9:44AM
I can certainly identify with your feelings of "I play my games and have fun, despite the political arguments over them," but the fact is that if we don't do something about it, these politicians and naysayers could kill many of the games we love. We'll all be reduced to playing "Cooking Mama" on our Wii (if you can ever find a system in the !@#^& store!).
Please don't take away my GTA IV fun! I like taking my girl on dates to the strip club before going back to her place and getting lucky. Not going to happen in real life, so I may as well enjoy it in the game. Heh.
Bmurph @ May 8th 2008 11:36AM
I can't stand this guy, and not just because of this issue. He is so far off on so many issues. Thank God these far right wing nut jobs ratings are starting to tank. Maybe the American population are finally starting to think for themselves - maybe.
wako @ May 8th 2008 11:46AM
LOL... Glenn Beck is actually a Democrat....
Bmurph @ May 8th 2008 12:00PM
@wako: Have you seen any of this guy's show? He is far from liberal.
Merehorseplay @ May 8th 2008 11:36AM
Remember this is a conservative commenter thats backing a gun banning, tax raising, will fine you if you don't have health care( her solution to get everybody health care adopted from car insurance way "not kidding"), Hillary Clinton. Who is the real loser? Game bloggers? If you ever watch him he is so wrong on so many thing so this doesn't surprise me that he would say this.
Kamal @ May 8th 2008 11:38AM
What a loser!!!!! His guest does not even agree with him. HAHAHAHA!
Tony @ May 8th 2008 11:45AM
All of these big media guys say this stuff about political blogs, so don't feel too bad. You're not alone.
They're clearly threatened by the idea that anyone out there can have a voice and affect anything due to the Internet. The grassroots applications of this, particularly for political-themed reporters, are scary and something they choose to not understand.
More people blog than report on the news. You'd think that would have some impact on their talking points. If you're insulting bloggers in general (or even just gamers), you're insulting a huge, huge portion of this country (and the world). I don't know how they can't put that together.
Tony @ May 8th 2008 11:45AM
Also, I hate the phrase "could care less". You'd think people in major positions whose only job is to speak on TV could at least get the phrase right.
Digitalspirit @ May 8th 2008 12:12PM
Exactly, I think this is an American thing, as I've seen it said on numerous websites, but only ever by Americans. "Could care less" doesn't make sense in this context. It should be "couldn't care less".
ZEBRA NINER @ May 8th 2008 11:49AM
Oh! Snap!!! IT'S ON!!! He just called bloggers losers!!!
Simul8 @ May 9th 2008 12:04AM
Hey guys, Steven here. Why not let Glenn Beck know how we really feel about this on HIS website poll.
"Are people who 'blog' about video games losers?" I dare you to let Glenn know what you think: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/9760/
;)~
kultyper @ May 8th 2008 11:57AM
why doesnt anyone blame the parents for their childrens behavior?....always seems to be TV or video games' fault!
HEY!!!! @ May 8th 2008 1:42PM
because it's the american way to find someone else to blame.
psychohog @ May 8th 2008 11:55AM
Isn't all that mature content in GTA4 also in many R-rated movies? Oh yeah, it is! Why don't they complain about the thousands of r-rated movies with nudity, cop killing, language, etc. Just another dumbass on TV with an opinion.
joey @ May 8th 2008 11:56AM
When did journalism become name calling?
Did he shape his right hand in letter L and put on his forehead too. I somehow imagine he did.
Mrblonde @ May 8th 2008 11:59AM
If he could care less then he wouldn't even have brought it up.
ryanp @ May 8th 2008 11:59AM
Grand Theft Auto IV is amazing, I love it, and I think it's a pretty safe bet that it will win most GOTY awards.
I don't think what Glenn Beck is saying is nearly as problematic as the Mass Effect = Porn issue from a few months back. And for what it's worth, he's really just trying to make a point that yes - admit it - there are a lot more avenues for kids to have access to things they didn't have access to 10, 15, or 20+ years ago. He's really indicting the parents more so than anything else. The "M is for Money" and "bloggers are losers" is just him poking the bear to get a reaction, sure. But the point of his rant is still pretty valid. I'm in my 30s, but I certainly wouldn't have been playing anything like GTA on my Commodore 64 or Atari in the early 80s. It just wouldn't have been allowed. Nowadays -and this I'm honestly curious about- how many kids (under 18) are out there that can't play the GTA games because there parents won't let them. And how often does that rule hold water and stick? My bet is a lot less often than in did just a few years back. Glenn Beck is a 'culture is changing' guy. That's his thing. And granted, while the "bloggers are losers" thing is fishing for trouble, his points about GTA IV aren't invalid. If anything, I'd be more critical of the woman who says something to the effect of, "Most kids don't know you can get a hooker - they just like to drive around and deliver pizzas." Seriously? That's INFINITELY more close-minded than anything Beck said.
Bucfann @ May 8th 2008 12:31PM
I agree with RyanP.
Its just funny to me how quick X3F blogger are so quick to defend and bash ANYTHING remotely negative said about the video game industry. Even when its true.
Xav de Matos @ May 8th 2008 12:38PM
Personally I don't care what he thinks of us. Technically we're all bloggers on gaming, from the people who write the articles to the people who comment.
My issue with this segment of Beck's show is his lack of knowledge.
Yes, Grand Theft Auto IV is popular but the gaming industry doesn't need it to sell to survive. This is a billion dollar industry, with or without the franchise and Beck claiming the industry needs it to sell is funny.
Then as Dr. Olson pitches valid arguments and research he rolls his eyes to the point where they need to cut off his video feed and then goes into a long 1-2 minute rant cutting into the woman's own time.
Journalistic integrity means you pitch the whole story, not only the story that makes your day brighter. I put this story up because I didn't like it, but we can't pretend people aren't hating on our favorite pastime.
ZeroCorpse @ May 8th 2008 2:23PM
You lived a sheltered life, dude. I was into my friend's dad's Penthouse magazines when I was 14 years old. I saw my first full-fledged porno when I was 16 years old (New Wave Hookers, and yes, Ms. Lords was in it at the time, before people realized she was the same age that I was while I was watching her.) I was on BBS services that were pretty nasty when I was 15 years old, and back in the 80s, all my classmates had seen "Faces of Death" before I did! (Actually, I watched about 2 minutes and decided it wasn't for me.) Most of my friends saw Porky's and Fast Times At Ridgemont High before their 15th birthday.
Our generation also had fewer safety procedures and child-proofing to protect us from the world. We had dangerous toys and playground equipment. We had toy guns that looked just like real guns. We had lead-based paint on our toys. We had lawn darts that were known to penetrate the skulls of stupid children. We had toy ovens that molded semi-toxic petroleum-based plastics into cheap toy monsters, cars, and bugs.
If anything, today's kids are MORE sheltered. What they get is not as raw and real as what we got. They might see the tits and sex and bloodshed a little earlier, but what they get is a watered-down, fake version of sex, violence, and nudity. They get digital boobies and blood. They get plastic surgery-enhanced girls and shaved boys.
The stuff I watched when I was a teen was filled with hairy, natural, gritty, dirty sex. It was filled with unapologetic, hardcore bloodshed. It was filled with unfiltered political messages and a complete lack of political correctness.
We didn't have FOX News scaring our parents into not letting us watch "Logan's Run" or "Conan The Barbarian."
I don't think kids should play GTA IV... But I don't think it's the end of civilization if they happen to see it, or if they are deemed mature enough to handle it by those who know them best.
Joebobobobo @ May 8th 2008 12:04PM
@ ericdrum:
You really should care about what people like him are saying, because at the end of the day, whatever they say, wether it be truth or lies, is taken as the truth by people who religiously watch television shows like this. The sad fact of the matter is that I'm sure his voice reaches more people than this blog does.
And by not knowing what the opposition is saying, you're making yourself look like a retard, like him. Seriously, anyone who knows anything about video games or blogs was probably thinking, "Wow, this man has no idea what he is talking about, and he is making a complete fool out of himself". Do you know who doesn't think that he made a fool out of himself? The other people who have never heard of the book Grand Theft Childhood or any of the studies that say that there isn't any reason to mark video games as satanic.
Captain Obvious @ May 8th 2008 12:08PM
I don't know. After that Mass Effect debacle, this clip actually doesn't seem that offensive to me. At least the guest seemed informed and intelligent. So that's a step up, right?
Anyway, it's CNN, so no one is watching. The conservatives are all watching Fox News because we like it, and the liberals are all watching Fox News to find something to get their panties in a bunch.
Low- @ May 8th 2008 12:10PM
I guess hes one of the last ones that doesn't realize that gaming is the future, not movies or TV gaming.
Just look at the numbers they do not lie.
Xbox 360 Equals= Fail shitty console @ May 8th 2008 12:16PM
Ugh. This guy is an idiot.
L3roySp4nkins @ May 8th 2008 12:27PM
I feel sorry for that guy, who cant enjoy video games like us. poor Beck, your a dumbass
HazyCloud @ May 8th 2008 12:34PM
I lost all respect for this guy when I saw him interviewing himself on one of his episodes. Could you not get anyone on the show? Beck, you f'n suck. Nancy Grace FTW!
CharleyTony @ May 8th 2008 12:44PM
the expert says that this game is almost like a giant sandbox and that you can do what you want with it.. thats an awesome description,,, it almost gives me an idea for a name for this type of game... LOL
this Mr. Beck is talking about a videogame and in the clip actually says that bloggers (about games) are losers and he doesnt even care about video gamers.
how could this guy have a valid opinion about a game then. guess his kid are pretty bored at home ...
this guy is clearly asked to dish out "cutting-edge" commentaries about things he knows nothing about..
where is the clip about a parent that plays this game but doesnt let it lying around for his kids to play...
when you listen to podcasts, most of the hosts are adult that like GTA and have kids and can balance it out ...
The mainstream media is full of BS and is only goo for the weather and telling you what type of terrorist color code is in effect ! ( and they dont get the weather right that often ! )
ryanp @ May 8th 2008 12:45PM
And also, Glenn Beck is the first person to say he ISN'T a journalist. However his show is packaged is one thing - and if people want to assume he's a reporter, that's fine - but he isn't and says so time and time again.
Dom @ May 8th 2008 12:53PM
So...Im a loser? :(
LMAO! Its funny that "he knows" that the videogame bloggers are talking about him. How? Apparently somebody has been visiting the same sites he disses. What a jerkoff!
thisguyrighthere @ May 8th 2008 12:58PM
I like Beck. I've listened to his radio show for years. Every once in a while he talks about something and I'm left thinking "since when do have you cared about this?" and this video game bit is one of those moments.
I don't watch his show on TV so maybe he does a lot more pointless type pop-culture crap on TV than on radio.
Anyway, why so many so sensitive about it? Like making fun of people isn't fun? There certainly is humor in the pasty pale limp-wristed dateless wonder thick glasses wearing 30 year old living at home stereotype that comes along with the title "gamer" and "blogger." At least I think it's pretty funny. Get over it.
Jethro @ May 8th 2008 1:11PM
It is just like anything, guys. He has the right to his opinion like everyone else. You feeling he is a moron for not thinking like you is no worse than him feeling you are a moron for not thinking like him. This is a reciprocating relationship.
He is right in the fact that the game is extremely violent. I play a lot of "violent" games (GRAW2, R6V2, etc.), but I think there is something to be said about games that are based upon violence against innocent civilians. The basis of this game is violence and crime. There isn't really a "moral to the story" and I think that is what so many peoples' gripes are. Is there anything wrong with them producing such a game....I don't think so. I think that the problem is WHO is allowed to play the game. Just like small children shouldn't be allowed to watch certain movies, they shouldn't be allowed to play certain games either.
While Mr. Beck's argument may be the worst case scenario and blown out of proportion, to think it invalid is careless and near-sighted.
Plus, if you watch the entire video, he specifically says that he isn't saying that this particular game is to blame for the downfall of society. He makes it a point to say that it is this trend across the entire entertainment industry that is alarming. GTAIV just happened to be the most recent installment to this trend in his perception.
You have to be open minded and even-keeled guys, or you end up being no better than those you despise.