Saga Continues: Gamer Dad Tells of His Call From Dr. Phil
Saga Continues: Gamer Dad Tells of His Call From Dr. Phil
August 17, 2007
GamePolitics has expended a fair amount of ink this week speculating what popular TV shrink Dr. Phil McGraw might or might not do regarding video games in an upcoming episode.To recap, we first learned that Dr. Phil planned to probe the game violence issue. This set many readers off, thanks to Dr. Phil's ill-informed comments about game violence in relation to the Virginia Tech massacre earlier this year.
Next, Jack Thompson weighed in, claiming that he'd been approached by Dr. Phil's producer as a "game violence specialist." However, Thompson said, the focus of the show had been re-directed from game violence to MMO addiction. GP notes that a solicitation on the Dr. Phil website seeks parents of teens addicted to Second Life.
In the latest glimpse into how mainstream TV puts together a show on video game issues, we heard from Andrew Bub, the highly-regarded Gamer Dad. Andrew reports that he was also approached by Dr. Phil's people:
A few months ago - mid-June I think - I got a phone call from someone claiming to be a Dr. Phil staffer (not producer) and they asked me if I'd like to be on the show to talk about video games.
They asked about my stance and as I described what GamerDad is all about - moderation, games are no worse than any other media, informed parenting equals good parenting - they seemed to lose interest (my perception).
They asked about the VA [Tech] shooting and I said Dr. Phil's comments were "absurd." They said they'd get back to me and, well, [Monday's GP story] was the first I heard of it again.
Topics for next week's Dr. Phil shows haven't been posted yet, so we'll have to wait a bit longer to see whether games get a fair shake or whether it's another mainstream media bashing.
Comments
corporate responcibility...I could dig a company choosing only to market games for minors with very "G" content. but then again, thats their choice, isn't it?
...are you trying to say that you aren't smart enough to keep your kids away from violent media, that you need some help? Well, there are several systems that can help you out until all the bad things in the world dissappear. You could start by choosing age appropiate games for your children using the ESRB ratings system. They're clearly marked on the box. Another way is to take some time out of your day (maybe some time usually spent making comments on gamepolitics) and sit down with your kids, find out what they're watching on tv, what games theyre playing, just taking an interest in what their doing so that you can try to make sure that they aren't exposed to any media you do not theink they are old enough to witness.
These are simple steps you can take until all the bad things go away in the world. It may take a while for that to happen, so you must try to work with what you can. Hope this helped ^_^
If you have any questions Mr. Thompson, feel free to email me at juniperwak@gmail.com (spam and heckling will not be answered, but instead sent to GP.)
Cheers!
(strange, this started out as sarcasm, but then it seemed like i really believed I may be helping him. :)
...
Thank Goodness. :)
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Yep, Dr. Phil's faker than wrestling.
Im pretty sure that the majority of Second Lifers are NOT teens.
This is nothing new.
The irony of all this, is that, while Phil and Jack both have a good intention, there methods are flawed, failed, and pointless.
Phil is a shrill tv hack, jack is a shrill imbecile lawyer.
End of story
phil maybe, but jack has proven time and time again by ignoring facts, harassing and insulting numerous peoples within the industry and the legal system, making racist comments and having a general bigoted viewpoint of the entire gaming subculture, that his crusade is more about self promotion and hatemongering than it is about the kids.
I would consider such things actions. His intentions, least as he's claimed in the past, but thats a seperate matters.
AS far as I see, the man had good intentions, and they were buried under his own hate and anger.
thanx for covering this
I think what they want is to cause a nice, dramatic scene on the set, that means calling in wild, confrontational extremists who are guaranteed to go boom once the discussion starts. Since Gamerdad is calm and intelligent, he clearly doesn't fit the bill.
Now Jack? He'd of been perfect, all nice and foamy. But since they switched to MMO addiction the show's no longer in his field. So now they have no use for him.
Dr Phil as I understand it, I'm English we don't have Phil over here, wants to give out advice and doesn't want an argument or people who don't completely agree with him on the show because it undermines his authority.
It's basically an excuses for him to tell people to play less Computer Games.
Now, I can prove that I've also been invited to be on WIFE SWAP twice (because they were looking to make a controversial videogame episode) and that GamerDad has been on the local news as an expert in Philadelphia, on radio nationwide and in Canada, and all over the newspapers. Any producers reading this should know that I'm available.
I'd love to argue in favor on my moderate positions re: videogames in any forum and against any expert they'd care to through at me. Thanks for all the nice comments!
Wife Swap? Wow, everyone wants to get in the video game controversy. I wonder how they wer planning on pulling that one off.
I just really wish that "Dr." Phil will get this show over with. We all know the outcome. It is very apparent from the quality of guests they have accepted. They wanted Jack, but not Gamer Dad. So we can see where this is going.
Oh easy! It'd go like this:
GamerWife goes and spends time with anti-gaming family.
Anti-gaming wife goes and spends time with GamerDad's family.
-- not a bad idea, given how that show works.
I turned them down.
Mostly because I love my family. Partially because... you know how they edit these things. But also because my lovely wife - who I ironically call "GamerMom" - is not much of a gamer herself! She, y'know, supports me and all but the most she plays is Brain Age every now and then. She's invaluable to my work though because she's a live-in "how will non-gamer look at this issue" barometer.
I think the most important question is would Jack Thompson be the other head of the other family.
Judging by gamerDad's response, I would say that JT's wife would not be the Anti-game wife the show would be looking for. I don't see her in open support of her husband's efforts.
Until, that is, Lex-Man suggested that John Bruce's family be the one you switch with. Now THAT would be hilarious!
But you're right, these shows look for the most sensationalistic edit they can make.
I think it was one of the very few episodes I watched where they switched a pair of families where one was in favor of the Gulf War and the other was against it. It included one of my most favorite comedy bits. The one where someone says "We're over there fighting for your Freedoms... so just SHUT UP talking bad about your government!". Oh yeah, bright people there.
Nightwng2000
NW2K software
Oh, and I plan to have this guy arrested when I get around to it.
----- Original Message -----
From:
To: [deleted]
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 10:15 AM
Subject: (no subject)
[The below quotation is part of my signature block on my e-mails]:
"The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him." G.K. Chesterton
What's behind you Jack? A dick in your ass? It's crazy senile bigots like you that abuse the first amendment! Thank god your generation is almost extinct.
Gamer Dad's comments to Dr. Phil's people about this were absurd, idiotic, and, uh, fallacious.
Jack Thompson
And you ignore ALL the other news outlets who reported otherwise.
And using the New York Times and Washington Post articles hardly qualifies as any proof that Cho supposedly "trained" on video games for hours on end, as you and other clowns like ex.Lt. Col. Grossman have been suggesting. The Post article referred to Cho playing video games in HIGH SCHOOL. Remember when Chris Mathews slapped you on national television when he said Cho was a fourth year student at Virginia Tech, and no one saw him play video games during his four years at VTech? Also, the New York Times article made absolutely no mention of what video games he supposedly played in high school, yet you claim they referred to his "massive violent" video game use. They just casually mentioned video games in one sentence (and that sentence also included Cho playing basketball).
And how ironic that you, Thompson, a so called "conservative Christian", are falsely citing the Washington Post and New York Times, two newspapers that are largely considered liberal, to promote your propaganda.
FACTS:
Cho had no violent games in his room, he wrote and read, he hadnt played games in over 4 years smashig all of your theories out of the water.
then you said. 'they dont typically drop these things when they go to college' we apart from being based on your own flawed opinion thats alsolute BS. I had to drop CS when I went to university, due to workloads, just another bit of evidence that shows youre talking out of your ass.
And dont try preaching your 'typical gamer' stuff here, we're all gamers, we know better than you ever will the people who play games.
I don't think that is grounds to have someone arrested. As a lawyer I thought you would know that. But I guess you are not a very good one.
Additionally, GamerDad has the common sense enough to read more than just the stuff that echoes his own agenda. You on the other hand read only that which supports your agenda and ignore all else regardless of how out numbered your supporting sources are.
Ummm, because the Washington Post retracted that statement because it was FALSE!!!!
"Gamer Dad’s comments to Dr. Phil’s people about this were absurd, idiotic, and, uh, fallacious"
Nah, I'd say you're better at statements like those.
Seriously, lol Internets and all that, the fact it's an AOL Email address in the first place should have set warning bells ringing, no offence to you legitimate users of AOL, but I've dealt with a high percentage of AOL users, in particular, who seem to get some sort of pleasure out of screaming incoherently over Email.
Other people have addressed your other points, and frankly, I'm tired of typing the same things over and over, but don't take abusive Emails so personally, you're in the Public Square, Doug Lowenstein got streams of abuse from yourself because 'he was in the Public Square', well, you're there too, why are you surprised when the same thing happens?
There are PLENTY of studies that refute your claims. You just pretend they don't exist. As far as you're concerned, the only studies that are right are the ones that agree with your agenda, or in your case, the ones that are related to your agenda but with the facts twisted to make it look like it supports your agenda.
The only reason you are doing this is because you have nowhere else to go. You're trying to be that German Psychologist who tries to link comic books with youth violence and various other immoral things. The only difference between you and him is that HE actually succeeded and sounded genuine enough to be professional. Of course, by the 1970s, 20 years after he managed to get comic books censored, he regretted everything he did and when he died, no one remembered him except comic book fans who despised what he did to American Comic books.
Seriously, you should stop. The only people who will remember you other than your family are the people you made enemies with ie. the gamers. No one in government will ever know about your existence.
JT: The first amendment called, it wants its free speech back.
GamerDad: as one gamerdad to another, I truly believe there is an army of us out there... the problem with moderates as Jon Stewart points out: "Moderates have shit to do". I wish there was a way to reach out and mobilize us effectively.
-mw
Other than him, one other professor and, if the class is set up to be taught on Second Life, I guess the students in his class ... they are the only ones that I know who play the game.
It doesn't seem all that addictive ... and isn't it the game that had to shut down it's casinos because you could turn the game's money into real money? So if your kids going on about how much money they make in the game .... wouldn't they be able to cash out and be sitting on lots of money? I mean, I understand it costs money to begin with but if they're making more money than they are putting into the game ... wouldn't it be considered a profitable pasttime?
Sorry to inform you but you can't have the guy arrested for THAT, it's not a threat, and since it's a private converstaion piece between you two (well it was) libel and slander can't qualify. Guess what that means, he's protected by the first amendment.
I don't play Second Life, but if there was one thing that would attract me, it's the ability to create and sell my own items there, more as a question of marketting experimentation. At the moment, things move from the real world to Second Life, mostly, Coca-Cola, Kirby etc, but it will reach a point when things start emerging in real life that were designed in Second Life, it may already have happened with T-Shirt designs etc. So it makes for interesting market research to see what sells and what doesn't.
I'd certainly say there are two kinds of people in Second Life, the 'players' and the 'workers', I couldn't 'play' second life, I've got a first one, but I could work there if I felt there was money to be made in what I sold.
Oh no, someone made a comment on my email sig....
You cant arrest someone for that. As a lawyer, you should know better.
Let us begin.
Why would Dr. Phil want Gamer Dad on when Gamer Dad has ignored the wide reportage in both the New York Times and the Washington Post about V-Tech massacrist Cho’s massive violent video game use?
Gamer Dad’s comments to Dr. Phil’s people about this were absurd, idiotic, and, uh, fallacious.
Jack Thompson
1. "Why would Dr. Phil want Gamer Dad on when Gamer Dad has ignored the wide reportage in both the New York Times and the Washington Post about V-Tech massacrist Cho’s massive violent video game use? "
There are two parts to this question, so I will give two answers.
As to why they wanted Gamer Dad, I can only guess its because Dr. Phil thought he would dance to his flute.
As to ignoring the wide reportage in both the New York Times and Washington Post about his video game us? That, Jack, is because they took the information from your interview on Television where you said he played Counter Strike. You see, Americans are, for the most part, pretty stupid. They are willing to accept whatever they see and hear on TV as truth, handed down from God on high. Obviously, your statement, which was corrected and retracted in both Newspapers, was wrong.
Therein, your original argument was, in of itself, fallacious. You based your argument on nothing, and then when the idiots at the NYT and WP picked it up and parroted it, you used it as though it was fact, when it was instead your Supposition.
You were using what you said as a factual argument to back up more bullshit you spewed, when your original argument was a lie.
Think I'm wrong Jack? ask his roommates.
The answer to why GamerDad put video games into their true, proper context in regards to the VT shootings as opposed to singling them out as the primary cause of the shootings:
Unlike you and Dr. Phil, GamerDad isn't a massacre chasing, agenda seeking, demon-pretender-to-the-throne-of-Heaven worshiping, tin-pot-dictator wannabe, bigoted, lying, deceiving, dishonorable, unethical, corrupt piece of guttertrash.
You, John Bruce, blame video games for Cody Posey murdering his father and step family, while ignoring the overall FACTS and TRUTH of the case where Cody was, at the very least, returned to the custody of his reportedly abusive father after the death of his mother, where Cody was repeatedly verbally, mentally, and physically abused as well as nearly sexually abused. But that doesn't matter one iota to you.
You, John Bruce, blamed the events that revolved around Jacob Robida on video games, while wholly ignoring the Nazi propaganda in his room and the reported relationship he had, or at least BELIEVED he had with the woman he killed before killing himself. That, too, didn't matter one iota to you.
You, John Bruce, blamed the events that led to the Columbine massacre on pop culture in general, with a slightly heavier lean against video games. Yet ignored the complex overall FACTS of the case, including abuse in schools, mental illness of at least one of the killers, and many other factors which were described in journals and video recordings by Eric and Dylan. The only thing that matters to you is "pop culture made them do it".
Or the instances of suicides where you try to place sole blame on video games and video game addictions, while all the while ignoring the overall lives of these individuals, the good AND the bad, implying that the only thing that would have affected them was video games in general.
And how about the VT shooting? Shall we go into the FULL spectrum of issues that you completely ignored? Even leaving behind speculations about what Cho was feeling or thinking at any given moment of his life, you ignore the clear problems he had socially, long before any reference to video games entered his life. Social problems within the family that could have very well extended beyond into relationships outside the family. And apparent unresolved mental illness issues recognized by numerous individuals. Or how about the reported apparent abuse through religion where it was suggested that they attempt to "exorcise" some demon from him. Whether one believes in such things or not is irrelevant because in combination with his apparent mental condition, he would have viewed it far different than what any of us would have. In FACT and TRUTH, the only person who ever knew what went on in the life and mind of Cho was... Cho himself. And he's dead. But all that matters to you is "he played video games and killed people because of it".
And so many more I could mention that you've brought up. From your suit to demand that YOU be the one to decide if Bully were appropriate for other people's children, to your suggestion that police should seize video games from retailer's shelves in several states (thereby PROVING you have lied about not wanting any game totally banned), to many other criminal acts where you've tried to influence investigators and witnesses to solely blame video games for the criminal acts.
Just because GamerDad and others don't use your tactics and abuse other individuals', families', and communities' tragedies to push a personal, religious, and/or political agenda on others doesn't mean he's not good at what he does. In fact, it makes him a far more honorable, ethical, intelligent person than you or Dr. Phil ever will be.
Nightwng2000
NW2K software
But on a serious note, its disappointing to see Dr Phil brushed off GamerDad's opinions and thoughts just because they weren't the knee-jerk reactionary they were hoping for. I agree, parents should monitor and pay attention to what their children are doing. Good parenting is important, and to hear that Dr. Phil's people think thats bad is really... really... sad.
I'm glad I didn't have a high opinion of Dr. Phil to begin with.
Wow, you are a huge dumb ass. I mean, we all knew that to begin with, but you can't have that person arrested. He didn't threaten your life or anything of that nature. You're pathetic as both a human being and a lawyer. Who did you bribe to let you pass law school?
As for Cho being a dedicated/avid gamer, well, it was a lie which had to be retracted by the Washington Post when they were found to be false statements. Why do you keep clinging to the notion that Cho was a gamer when every other report and even the people who knew him said he didn't play video games? You're a lunatic who can't accept reality.
What the hell are you doing anyway? What do you even stand for any more? You don't act like you care about anyone, so I don't see how you can claim to be protecting anyone by going after video games. All I see you doing is lining your pockets with money for being controversial tragedy chaser.
You're pathetic.
Then when there on the show gleefully screw the whole thing up by showing just how biased the other members are!
If enough of us do it then there may never be a show at all!
Mr. Thompson, I think you could stop beating that horse now. He's appears to be quite dead. :)
As far as that e-mail you received goes, can you please clarify exactly what the author could be arrested for? I'm not quite clear as to what offense had been commited.
Smooth Jack. You just keep spinning that story. Truth be damned.
I responded wtih, "Make my day, asshole." I'm still waiting to be served. Where are those papers Jack, huh?
This latest dust-up is built on even shakier ground. You can't have someone arrested just for insulting you, Jack. If you really believe that, than it proves you really are an intolerant bigot.
O course, you couldn't resist taking another swipe at Dennis, could you? Or at GamerDad. Two people who have garnered more respect than you ever could.
And to think, for a while you were acting almost civil. :P
Google "blog software" or "content management software" and you should find some good solutions. Hell, I'm one step away from actually setting one up for you...
Get Fire Fox. It has built in spell checker for text areas. Comes in very handy for this site. :)
Also, I have found that Jack Thompson's threat carry no weight unless you happen to be Take Two or some other well established perveyor of obscenity to children.
I represent a moderate view on gaming. I don't believe they cause violence and I certainly don't believe they're worse than other forms of art or media people consume. What I do believe is that they're here to stay - that kids love them and always will - and that parents NEED more information so that they can make better choices. That's not the sort of message that usually gets airplay because my goal isn't to SCARE parents - it's to HELP them.
I'd be very interested in talking to Dr. Phil about this. Please visit http://www.gamerdad.com and use the contact form on the left. Or call me at the number your staffer used back in June. Thank you.
PS: Thanks to all the GamePolitics readers giving me such a spirited defense here. And to Mr. Thompson, if that's really you... excellent use of your thesaurus there at the end of your post. I stand by my comments. Mr. Cho was failed by the psychiatric community but most of all, he failed himself. Blaming entertainment only diverts attention from the real issues. I'm sorry you can't see that because if you could - you'd be a lot more helpful.
Good luck trying to get him arrested for asking a question, albeit a purile one. There is no threat in that email and only vague insult. If he can be arrested for that, I think we all have grounds to have you arrested multiple times for your conduct on here.
Keep us posted if you are successful in your attempts as it would be useful to know we can have you arrested the next time you call one of us a nazi.
Hi there!
Come and ask me in person at the Penny Arcade Expo next week (check http://www.pennyarcadeexpo.com and note the recent update). I'm doing my "Gaming with Children" lecture at 3pm, Conference Room B. I'll also be on a panel with Hal Halpin on Saturday. A panel about Games and Politics.
I think he's on the level, and obviously a lot better of than you if you need to take time out of your day to try and insult him.
Come clean; you're either Jack Thompson, Dr Phil or one of the retards in his viewer audience, or just a plain jackass.
Because if he has the freedom to say it, I have the freedom to counter. Nor would it matter anyhow, even if we were to ignore him, he'd keep coming. He doesn't want responses, not exactly. He doesn't care about our opinions and thinks of us less that dirt, so the feeling is mutual, and I'll express it just as freely as he does. The key difference that sets us level apart is I don't go around making lies and such, unlike himself. So if I want to spit on him, I'll do so as I wish, but without the tricks he employs.
And if they're so annoying, then just skip them.
Get used to it. Most of us who grew up with gaming in the era of the Commodore 64 are mid-20s and over. And those who are my age now and above were into gaming back in the day before it was socially accepted.
GamerDad is a parent who takes pride in raising his kids properly and being knowledgable of their hobbies, and also seeks to inform others who don't find gaming either as interesting or as accessible as films/books/tv/music. Cut him some slack.
Sounds like sour grapes to me... sorry your dad can't game or you won't give him the chance, that must suck... maybe you just need a hug?
welp, off to play Guitar Hero II with my 14yo son
seeya :P
I completly disagree of course, can he even be on a case involving take 2?
You, sir, do not show any Christian values.
I really question your Christianity. It is really sad to see your claims of being Christian yet see you sin at every post you make.
Was it just me or did I just see jack thompson complain that these games don't have christian values. I could've sworn i saw the post a second ago. I must be seeing things (I knew i shouldn't have stayed up till 1:00 AM last night)
it was there. GP probably deleted it.
it looked like an obvious fake from some poster just using his name. My guess is Dennis spotted it, checked the IP and deleted it. It was purely good moderating.
Intact? I though he couldn't post here period.
Though I have occasionally noticed posts under his name. Are they all fakes or did he actually find away around his IP ban?
Kharne - he started posting from a new IP a few weeks back while I was in the midst of my 4-part response to his ludicrous attack on me... I decided to let it ride for now. If it becomes a problem, we'll just block the new IP.
Video games do not create violent people. I was raised on video games, and horror movies. I have never inflicted physical harm on anyone. I am a peaceful person.
I'm glad you've been letting him post. Sure, he's a troll, but the vast majority of us argue so vehemently for free speech that it would be hypocritical to deny our favourite opponent that right.
This quote, often misattributed to Voltaire, pretty much summarizes my views on the matter: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
Mr. Thompson: If you don't want your email to be known to the general public (which is understandable considering your hatred for gamers), you should at least have the decency not to distribute another person's email, lest he be flamed similarly.
Of course, I guess you don't really care about that so long as he gets arrested for flaming you and generally being rude? Man, we should all be in prison because we can't all be perfect 24/7. Except for you, Mr. Thompson. After all, "let he without sin cast the first stone," and you have already cast a torrent of boulders at gamers as a whole.
I guess I should be holding my wrists out for the cuffs now...
It went far beyond that, so forgive me if I get a little frustrated by comments such as, "it would be hypocritical to deny our favourite opponent that right."
I've never objected to anyone's viewpoint and I refused to ban him despite numerous calls from readers to do so for a long, long time.
However it got to a point where potential legal issues were being raised against GP and GP readers as a near-daily occurrence. That we will not have.
So, we'll see how this goes.
He's actually behaving himself this time around. The last time he was posting regularly on GP, he was *really* abusive and was constantly threatening everyone with lawsuits. I'm kind of surprised, to be honest.
I applaud your four part response and general mature attitude towards jack, but time and time again the man refuses to listen to any factually based arguement instead relying on his own convictions and little else, he never responds and comes here only spout his own innane drivel and insult you and your credibility. Ive been reading a lot of his quotes today and he does seem to have an unhealthy obsession with you and this site.
I'd say you ban him, if he seeks to claim his first ammendement rights to free speech, he can do it on his own site, what he is doing here is nothing but harassment and you have every right to refuse him. His arguements against such bans are like me demanding a collumn on a major news website. You can say what you want, but on the internet where you say it is a privelidge.