After we published our informative article on YouTube host JonTron’s recent controversy on Twitter, we reached out to him for his take on this new era of outrage culture.
Outrage Database: We now live in this era of outrage. Comedians, politicians, TV personalities, whoever, often say things that generate controversy and then are urged to apologize and even more, be fired or forced to resign. Any idea where this came from?
JonTron: I really don’t know where it came from, but I feel like this kind of behavior has been around for ages, it just wasn’t as instant. Think tabloids/Fox News.
Outrage Database: Sure, Mark Twain was criticized for his work in his day, but today it seems more and more intense, would you agree?
JonTron: I would agree mainly because of immediateness of the internet.
Outrage Database: You have a history of saying things that would be considered controversial. Do you think people are really outraged?
JonTron: Haha, how far back are you talking? My entire career?
Outrage Database: Well, when you make a reference to Hitler, do you think anyone thinks you really support Hitler? Do they not understand it’s humor?
JonTron: I think most people would understand that is humor, if not I would have to question their understanding of the modern world. The whole point of being a comedian is bringing people places they didn’t expect to go, and might even be slightly uncomfortable going. That’s what comedy is, it helps us cope with difficult situations in our lives. Unfortunately not everyone seems to understand this.
Outrage Database: Are you surprised when some of your fans get outraged at what you say? Shouldn’t they already know who you are? Or they are not even fans in the first place? In other words, if you already follow JonTron, shouldn’t you know what you are getting?
JonTron: I would think so. To answer your question I am never surprised when they are outraged. From the moment I called that guy out I knew there was going to be a messy storm that followed it. I can guarantee you, without naming names, that every big YouTuber or Hollywood celeb that apologizes for saying a ‘bad word’ does NOT mean it 99 percent of the time. It’s all public relations nonsense. Unless something truly hateful is said in an definitively hateful context, like in the case of Michael Richards at the Laugh Factory, I would take their apologies with a grain of salt.
Outrage Database: Is apologizing an effective way to stop the outrage?
JonTron: It is an effective way to show that you stand for nothing but advertisement money and for your sponsorships.
Outrage Database: You are self-employed. Essentially, no one can go to your boss and demand that you be fired or forced to resign. You are your own boss. Do you feel ever pressure to self-censor what you say in any other ways?
JonTron: I actually do not feel the need to self-censor, because I feel like I am a morally just human being. I don’t say hateful things, in fact I condemn such statements so I have nothing to fear. It’s only when something is taken out of context this far that things get out of hand. I will say, there is always the pressure of reading what you write or thinking about what you say multiple times to make sure nothing can be construed as ‘offensive’.
Outrage Database: Has anyone in your professional or personal life distanced themselves from you because of controversial statements you’ve made or do they support you all the way?
JonTron: No way. They support me all the way. I love my friends and family. If I did something truly wrong, and I have in the past as everyone has at one point or another (not necessarily in the public eye) they will tell me.
And yes all of them think this is stupid bullshit.
Outrage Database: When someone says something you don’t like, how do you handle it? Do you have any advice for how to handle offensive jokes or remarks?
JonTron: I pretty much have one simple measure for when I think free speech has gone too far. If someone is going out of their way, in a big way, to make someone feel like they are a lesser human being, that’s when it makes a difference to step in and say something about it. The world is filled with words and one single word can have many different contexts. I find it to be common sense what is to be cared about and what is not.
Things like hateful racist slurs, said by the aggressor only to make someone feel worse about themselves, that’s where I draw the line. If we’re going to proclaim that you can’t say the word ‘retarded’ about an inanimate object, you may as well take away ‘moron’, ‘imbecile’, ‘idiot’, ‘looney’, ‘spaz’, etc as well. Because at one point all of these words were meant to describe the mentally challenged. Anyone who is learned on the subject knows that words go through periods of degradation and elevation, it is how language works. Words change over time.
We can’t police words, we must police the meaning and context behind those words. One could argue that when I called the guy ‘retarded’, I crossed that line. But I was simply trying to use sarcasm to show the difference in context. I thought that should be obvious to anyone onlooking.
As far as being offended? Quite frankly, I think one should be an adult and grow some thicker skin. So what you’re offended? That doesn’t mean anything to me, or anyone. It is subjective. I’m offended by your offense. What now?
Outrage Database: As someone whose videos get millions of views, do you find yourself needing a PR person as the JonTron brand grows?
Does it feel like a business to you, or do you feel you are you just a guy making videos that happened to catch on?
JonTron: I don’t want to need a PR person, because it would take the Jon out of JonTron. There are so many things wrong with this world, but look at what happened, I stumbled upon something awesome. A show where I can make people–by their own quoting–fall out of their chairs laughing, and I do this all without some producer looming over my shoulder. I’ve been gifted this opportunity by the universe and I intend to keep working in the manner that I have. I think the reason the show caught on is because it was raw. Do you really want JonTron to turn into some slimy sitcom? I sure don’t.
Also, it is a business but I try to run it with unflinching honesty.
Outrage Database: Do you think that if you turn it into a super serious business, you’ll lose a connection with your fans?
JonTron: I feel like I have dipped my toes in to what that feels like during some points in my career, and absolutely you lose a connection. Fans aren’t stupid, they know when you’re lying to them and no one likes being lied to.
Outrage Database: And finally, what would it take to make PlayStation Now better? (The whole argument that started this!)
JonTron: Haha!! I want to clear up that I really love Sony and I love the PS4. I shouldn’t have lashed out at them like that, but Playstation Now is a really really really stupid idea. They should just make the damn PS4 backwards compatible so I can play all my awesome games :3
Outrage Database: Would PlayStation Now be better received if it was a Netflix-style subscription service?
JonTron: No! I don’t like the idea of streaming games personally. It just makes no sense. Why did you buy a powerful piece of hardware then? The only time it has ever made sense is what Steam does with streaming.
Outrage Database: Thanks again for the interview.
JonTron: No problem you’re fat and I hate you.
Check out JonTron on YouTube.
What the fuck was the point of this interview? I was defending you before I read this nonsense, all this did was show how arrogant you can be. You just hate being told you’re wrong so much that it blinds you from acting like a decent person. Here’s an idea: instead of being all “I’m so indie as fuck cause I feel no obligation to publicly apologize, you lot are wrong check out my infallible logic” you can try apologizing to that one guy you offended and then insulted, after he politely asked you to stop. But no you have to be like “no you fucking retard, nobody can censor the Internet grow a pair I own this place I can say whatever the fuck I want, read this great Stephen Fry quote on why you being offended doesn’t mean shit, I’m keepin it real to the bitter end, righteous as fuck”
Instead of doing the decent thing and dropping it, you continue to fight it like it’s a point that you HAVE to be right about, pissing all over the place like a dog. You don’t think you care about PR which is obviously rubbish invented by Fox News but if you had even a crumb of understanding you would know that if even one person realizes that you’re a total crotch then it’s just a matter of time til everyone realizes.
Great interview. The weird thing is that I remember Jon’s comments when Spoony had his meltdown some years back. If I recall it correctly it was about Spoony making an inappropriate joke on Twitter and a whole shitstorm breaking out when he refused to apologize for it. I think it started with Jon trying to appeal to Spoony and telling him that he used to look up to him and it ended with both of them telling each other to fuck off!
I wonder if recent events have changed Jon’s opinion on Spoony and what went down back then!
I agree with Jon wholeheartedly about people getting too offended by simple words. I gotta say, I have Aspergers, if you don’t know what it is, it is a type of autism that is higher functioning on the spectrum. I’ve been called retard plenty. However, it was never used as a derogatory to describe my mental illness, instead it was simply a different word to use rather than ‘stupid’ or ‘idiot’. There is simply no point in getting offended by such words.
Just thought I’d say that
“As far as being offended? Quite frankly, I think one should be an adult and grow some thicker skin. So what you’re offended? That doesn’t mean anything to me, or anyone. It is subjective. I’m offended by your offense. What now?”
Perfect, kudos to JonTron for not backing down and giving these Tumblrinas what they want, they are not the PC police and they do not get to govern what other people can and cannot say.
This interveiw is good :) tenouttaten
Jontron is absolutely right. This forced apology stuff in the media is getting way out of hand. Opie and Anthony have been saying the same thing on their radio show for a while now, and one of them even lost their job just for making angry tweets.
This interview was absolutely necessary and this website is a great place for anti-attention whoring “I’m offended” activists who choose to ruin people’s reputation as a hobby. What Jon said didn’t even reach me until I read a recent tweet and a Youtube comment involving the issue. I’m a big fan of JonTronShow, and I’ve seen every episode. They’re all hilarious and are not meant to offend anyone sane. The PS4 service is obviously bad in Jon’s opinion, and he has a right to his own opinion. This has become an overblown mess. Asking if the “victim” was retarded was sarcastic because he honestly shouldn’t be offended unless he is retarded. Astounding outtro to this interview might I add, classic Jon.
Thanks.
I’m really grateful to JonTron for sitting down with me (on gmail), and giving me this interview. It was fun and a good experience.
“No problem you’re fat and I hate you.”
This interview was fucking unnecessary. It feels like a south park episode where they stretch the hell out of a current event.
^^^ Tell that to tumblr.