That stain remains

Many years ago, on another blog, under different political circumstances, I called Brian Kilmeade a cum stain on the starched white collar of society. I must now admit I was wrong; he is, in fact, a shit stain.

The difference is profound.

  • A cum stain embarrasses everybody, both the observer and the wearer. The observer, because we’re absolutely sure that’s not how you meant to present yourself in public; the wearer, because everyone can imagine the situation you had to be in, and yes, we’re giggling. Further, the cum stain is only noticed on the starched white collar under close scrutiny. It’s almost the same color as the collar. The observer has to look closely, do a double-take, and then say, “Dude, is that a cum stain?”
  • A shit stain, on the other hand, embarrasses only the wearer, because we already knew you were full of it. There’s no mystery, no giggle, no “how did that happen?” Just disgust. The shirt is ruined, the smell lingers, and no amount of spin cycle is going to wash it out.

    Why Bring Him Up Now?

    From The Washington Post:

    During a Fox & Friends segment, co-host Lawrence Jones was talking about publicly funded help for homeless people with mental illness, and said:
    “A lot of them don’t want to take the programs … or you decide that you’re going to be locked up in jail.”

    Kilmeade then added:
    “Or, involuntary lethal injection — or something. Just kill them.”

    Kilmeade later apologized live on Fox & Friends Weekend.

    “We were discussing the murder of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte … how to stop these kinds of attacks by homeless, mentally ill assailants, including institutionalizing or jailing such people so they cannot attack again.”

    “Now during that discussion, I wrongly said they should get lethal injections. I apologize for that extremely callous remark.”

    “I am obviously aware that not all mentally ill, homeless people act as the perpetrator did in North Carolina and that so many homeless people deserve our empathy and compassion.”

    The Nopology

    So, that’s not really an apology. It’s a carefully parsed redoubling of his thoughts, allowing both him and his network to sidestep his call for mass murder.

    What Remains Unaddressed

    • No recognition of how his remarks feed into the dehumanization of homeless people or the stigma of mental illness.
    • No reflection on how such comments can influence public policy, policing, or behavior toward vulnerable populations.
    • No acknowledgement of the fear, trauma, or danger those remarks impose on people already in crisis.
    • No consequences for him beyond a five-minute mea culpa.
    • No indication that Fox News will change internally to prevent a repeat.
    • No clarity on whether “just kill ’em” was a joke, hyperbole, or a literal suggestion — only that the wording, not the sentiment, was regrettable.

    The Stain Remains

    So in short: fuck you, Brian Kilmeade, and the network you rode in on.

    The shirt is ruined, the apology is understated, and Fox News is still in the spin cycle — but the stain isn’t going anywhere.

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