Fox News Obituary Trashes Kurt Vonnegut

More Fox News Bias at: www.youtube.com...
The Fox News obituary of Kurt Vonnegut airing the day after his death seemed particularly harsh to me, but I may be especially sensitive because I'm a big Vonnegut fan. I've uploaded some clips from the Fox News obituary for you to see and decide for yourself.
FYI, I tracked down the origin of the ancient Greek admonition "Not to speak evil of the dead" to Diogenes Laertius quoting Chilon (pictured at the beginning of this video) quoting Aesop at: www.classicpers...
The photo of Chilon itself comes from Nicolas at www.greecetaxi.gr and can be found at www.greecetaxi....
A longer version of the Fox News segment (without the introduction from Brut Hume) is currently available on KZbin at • Kurt Vonnegut made fun...
See also volokh.com/post...

[@999TheJoseph]

It's pretty disrespectful, but I do think that 1969-Kurt received an email with a link to this Fox News obituary from his friends in Tralfamadore. He laughed so hard that the delayed effects led to his death in 2007, which led to the obituary, which led to the email from the Tralfamadorians, which led to his laughter.....

[@dennisreynolds6196]

999TheJoseph HAAA LMFAO Slaughterhouse 5 reference

[@vincecallagher7636]

Outstanding

[@laurasenko952]

@@vincecallagher7636 Exactly.

[@jackmeeellleee4896]

it was certainly predestined.

[@DemonetisedZone]

Brilliant 😂

[@thecraptaculargroup]

To receive a scathing obituary from Fox News is to have succeeded in living a good life.

[@emmah1750]

Truly. To be so opposite of Fox News opinions in order for them to talk like that about you is something to be happier than sad about I believe.

[@cdorman11]

Thatcher: What would you like to have been? Kane: Everything you hate.

[@susanvannorden6845]

Fox is not news, it is a propaganda outlet

[@darrelneidiffer6777]

Yes, yes indeed.

[@manwithnoplan5496]

Any news channel really

[@johnnyrambo5083]

Fox News is a disgusting excuse for a news station. They just don't like him cause his writing is considered "counterculture" as he's known for his satire and dark humor. He was in reality a lovely and fascinating man. He was a brilliant writer and was a POW in WWII. He strapped it on for his country, how could anyone possibly be so ignorant and disrespecful? Absolutely despicable.

[@jonc8074]

+Johnny Rambo They never once mentioned his military service, fighting in the battle of the bulge or being a POW. Usually 'the troops' are sacred to Fox News' brand of jingoism, and military service is always mentioned in obituaries. Probably he'd be proud to be hated by these anti-human propagandists.

[@swarzeoz2550]

I thought the same thing, Jon Chin. His writings about the bombing of Dresden were devastatingly moving. I guess they don't like people to talk of the horror of wars, just the glory. Impossibly stupid disrespectful obit.

[@franktabata5530]

Johnny Rambo Fox News people prefer that their hero’s not be captured. Yeah despicable cretins.

[@gothicgirlfriend7375]

🌸💜

[@zphillipps]

"Thanks to TV and for the convenience of TV, you can only be one of two kinds of human beings, either a liberal or a conservative" -- Kurt Vonnegut, "Cold Turkey"

[@phuturephunk]

I remember this. Trashing Vonnegut was so low. I mean really, he's one of the greatest American writers. One of the best we've ever produced. Show some respect.

[@Darrylizer1]

Wow, how incredibly mean spirited and biased an obituary. Funny, I've never considered Kurt Vonnegut a leftist and I've read most of his books, he always struck me as a modern Marc Twain satirizing the human condition and skewering sacred cows.

[@SkimoStories]

Science and logic are the enemies of the political right and fox news

[@cjp1599]

Kurt definitely considered himself left leaning....

[@Darrylizer1]

@@cjp1599 If anything Kurt was an old school liberal and detested authoritarianism of any kind, and was no fan of hypocrisy and hubris.

[@thallassocracy]

Vonnegut was about thinking for yourself: it is natural that Fox News would have trouble with this concept.

[@attackfighter]

Vonnegut was about the utter futility of life, how there's no objective basis for values or moral beliefs, but that you should love people anyway (just because).

[@JustGRIPPO]

@@attackfighter Existentialism meets spiritualism. Kafka meets Buddha.

[@orchidtender]

Well, Vonnegut's works are as topical now (if not more so) as they were when written. He will be read and discussed for decades to come. Who will be discussing Murdoch's, O'Reilley's, Coulter's, and Hannity's contributions to society 50 years from now? Nobody.

[@tomdelayhole]

You don't think "author" Bill O'Lielly will be remembered for his ghost written books?

[@RobBaartwijk]

I would consider it an honour to be trashed by Fix News. And I bet Mr Vonnegut would have approved.

[@lifestandstillhere]

"Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt."

[@alaskarayburn]

It's been said that you can take the measure of a man by who his enemies are. In that sense I would take it as quite a compliment to have the semi rabid flag wavers of Fox news give me such a send-off. Do not go quietly into this good night.

[@brucetaylor5917]

Do not go quietly into that good night, but rage, rage against the dying of the light. Dylan Thomas.

[@lladnekendall]

"So I'll say it for them" this blew my mind. How awful. Vonnegut was a great great man, may he rest in peace.

[@BaileyLondon27]

Slaughterhouse Five was an amazing novel.

[@thaddeusawotunde1078]

On a more vindicating note, James Rosen , the "reporter" behind this obituary got fired in 2017 for sexual harassment. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

[@shyygaming]

I never knew about that and it's really upsetting. I don't care who it is, but you should be respectful of them after they've passed away. Vonnegut was an amazing writer. Breakfast of Champions was one of the first books that I ever truly enjoyed to read.

[@republicofsandles]

That was some serious arrogance. I love how right wing publications are so compassionate and forgiving *sarcasm*.

[@johnschwartz1641]

"At the end of 2017, Rosen left Fox News after multiple accusations of sexual harassment from coworkers. He worked at Sinclair Broadcast Group through December 31, 2021 and then joined Newsmax as its chief White House correspondent." - Wikipedia

[@JasonKatsanis]

They should have been more honest and just said: "We here at Fox News have always hated Kurt Vonnegut. We're glad he's gone and hope everyone forgets about him." Troglodytes.

[@JasonKatsanis]

My apologies: calling FN troglodytes is an insult to troglodytes.

[@mr.admiralaweshum3213]

Sadly, Fox news will have the greater impact. He was a truly gifted writer, whose work always felt more like a conversation with a wise man then then the bargain bin sci-fi they try to make him out as

[@Bj-yf3im]

"Failed at suicide" is such a disgusting line, I can't believe they saw no problems with keeping it in the broadcast

[@pelonehedd7631]

I really enjoyed listening to Vonegut and Heller together talking about their experiences. I am a Conservative . I like Fox News . I may not have approved of every spin Vonnegut put on things buy I enjoyed the Humor even if it may have touched on being at My expense. I liked Slaughterhouse Five. And always wondered about how factual it was relating to his own real life family. At the time ( back in the 1970’s ) I knew the War experiences were true and just figured He was exaggerating or using artistic License regarding any indiscretion’s against family member’s privacy.

[@ogpandamonium]

This is truly horrific

[@tonysantos6345]

If Fox trashed so hard, his books are a MUST

[@TomithyTTomilson]

I couldn't agree with you more. Kurt Vonnegut is an understated absolute cultural icon for America, or at least from my point of view he is. I'm Irish and unfortunately in Ireland (actually........not just Ireland) people perceive America and its citizens in the light that FOX news casts. I don't and it's thanks to the likes of Vonnegut for setting me straight.

[@jsyren1]

Just this Monday at my grandaughters high school graduation the class Validictodianquoted and spoke about KV, he,s impacted this century too! As far as the statement regarding novelists creating new works after 50, most of his work in the last 20 years has been Non-Fiction, I loved "Man Without a Country" His comments about "War for OIl' are most appropriate.

[@boxopoems]

This made me really sad. I love his books. He has always been a favorite of mine. I do feel the commentary is insensitive and disrespectful, especially so close to Kurt Vonnegut's passing. I'll always treasure Kurt's Vonnegut's legacy. His ironic sense of humor, his compassion, and yes, his "quirkiness" make him an enduring hero to me, and surely to his family and friends. He remains alive in the hearts of all who cherish him; he inspires through his creative expression of humanity.

[@richardparker8264]

The man had great humor, knew when and how to use it, truly rare human.

[@DanielleA2023]

vonnegut is and will be remembered throughout history. who'll remember any fox news 'reporter' in 20 years time??

[@ednatrumbull]

There is no great "conservative" art or literature. The truest art form of comedy which requires cutting to the bone of truth is impossible for conservative ideology. Rock throwing is not as funny as surgical precision. A feather in Vonnegut's cap to have Fox's weak effort. One only has to see their hagiography of Roger Ailes. Zero mention of the sex scandal ousted him.

[@dandeleona4760]

OMG. WTH was that? Who wrote that copy?

[@badad0166]

Just his drawing of an asshole in "Champions" opened my mind to soaring literary possibilities. He helped me realize reading and writing did not mean just textbooks.

[@Thump938]

God, that was obscene. Vonnegut was, as you said, a literary giant. His works are powerful and influential; I've never forgotten the birds chirping away after a battle in Slaughterhouse Five. Nothing to say about war but "poo-tee-weet." A simple phrase that highlights the amazing wastefulness and incomprehensible events inherent in war, and said with such simplicity and power. Attacking a corpse is not news; attacking the corpse of a great writer to fulfill a political agenda is sick.

[@xAliceOfTheChainsx]

I think whoever who wrote the script for this sad news,was a person without respect for a great writer,a writer who reflected perfectly the insane society where we live,where people are driven to depression and madness and forced to continue this absurd lifestyles,he knew how to manage this complicated issues even with humour. Fox did not know yo see beyond the lines,didn't understand a genius in humankind. As he said "We are here to help each other get through this thing, whatever it is". Good and dear Vonnegut,rest in peace,we will keep your books as a precious treasures,do not worry,you won't be forgotten

[@Kirkzzy]

@TerryWilsonCom As an Australian, I am sorry for being from the country that raised this man.

[@justinmichaeltarot]

One of the great American writers of the 20th century

[@benyakrick]

Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favorite writers of all. And I'm not even American, but a Russian. He possessed and unmatched gift of humorous observation and of describing doomsday scenarios in a way that made one laugh. His writings remind me of ironic Jewish humor of Babel, Singer, Malamud, and Jackie Mason. At the same time, even his funniest writings contained an enormous amount of philosophical insight which, apparently, was simply too delicate for Fox News to grasp. Screw FOX. RIP Kurt.

[@darkelf456]

Vonnegut suffered irreversible brain injuries following a fall at his home and died in Manhattan on April 11, 2007. Fox News trashed him the next day. So it goes.

[@AmateurDeadbeat]

I've loved of Kurt Vonnegut ever since my dad introduced me to him, he was a great author with brilliantly humour.

[@inbetweentics]

i'm convinced that not one major news network is capable of reporting true journalism to the public without inserting their own opinions. it doesn't matter if someone agrees or disagrees with someone, they should stick to facts instead of trying to make names for themselves.

[@Rosbif48]

That final note left me speechless. I wouldn't have thought even FOX would go so far as to so gleefully attempt to discredit him in relation to his children! It really grinds my gears that the reporter felt he had the right to speak for them.

[@beckerabstracts]

Kurt questioned government. That is not only a right but a duty as a citizen. I am a conservative lifelong admirer of Kurt because he witnessed the events he talked about. I think he always struggled with surviving the war when so many around him didnt. I absolutely was repulsed by this so called obituary and learned to question the media as well as government.

[@HeydonBuchanan]

Kurt was an original thinker and humorist, a national treasure. He was also an American soldier who put his life on the line for the U.S. (as opposed to Fox News commentators who take the path of Nazi propagandist Goebbels and avoid military service). After the Iraq war began in 2003, Kurt spoke at the U. of Ohio (Columbus). He said, "The difference between Hitler and Bush is that Hitler was democratically-elected." (ref. to 2000 election fraud). There's no substitute for honesty. RIP Kurt.

[@elderofzion]

i can only imagine the enhusiastic obituary they are planing for noam chomsky. kurt vonnegut was a great man. his death saddened many people but he left such a legacy behind him , no one can take that away

[@stumpand]

"Vonnegut said, 'I hope they don't say this about me...' so we'll say that about him. In an obituary.

[@theincrediblecharlie]

Well I didn't start reading Vonnegut until the 21st century. I quickly became a huge fan and started buying his novels and short story collections. Being a bit of a bookworm, I'm sometimes asked for book recommendations; my first recommendation is always Vonnegut. I fully intend on turning my Vonnegut collection over to my children some day; so in my sheltered Ohio existence, Kurt Vonnegut has had an exponentially larger influence in this still young century than Fox News.

[@craigdylan3953]

Our modern day Mark Twain, witty, serious, and germane even now. You can't touch him. For the literati, for the 'common man', and of course, way above the fecal matter of Fox and their dumbed down friends. I loved this guys books, his toughness, and he actually fought in WW2 unlike virtually everyone at Fox, and of the course the president who had a heel spur and thought American soldiers were 'suckers'... Kurt Vonnegut was no sucker; and boy could he write. 'So it goes..."

[@Poonithara]

It's no surprise. Fox's great hero Diaper Don said this of Senator John McCain: “He’s not a war hero,” said Trump. “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”

[@TheSkizz89]

It is a shame that both sides attack eachother mercilessly. Focusing on what makes eachother different, cognitively speaking, from another, rather than realizing what they leave behind. A Greek Proverb Says: "A Nation grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in."

[@MrSwedenik]

the machines did everything so expertly they were finally given the job of finding out what the highest purpose of the creatures could be. The machines reported...that the creatures couldn’t really be said to have any purpose at all. The creatures thereupon began slaying each other, because they hated purposeless things above all else...

[@sacredmetaphics]

On Kurt Vonnegut last appearance on the John Daily Show, John asked Kurt, what should we do and he replied something of the sort " behave by the words of Jesus". (paraphrased) . I will always remember Kurt's suggestion.

[@mongolmcphee7791]

Even as a Brit I would say that being slagged off by FOX is a badge of honour.

[@bag101]

As a great admirer of Kurt Vonnegut from Scotland I was entertaining this piece of tripe as a kind of ironic homage up until that disgusting 'failed at suicide' line. Absolutely despicable behaviour.

[@TJ413]

I'm currently reading Cat's Cradle right now, and I must say, it is very well written. I am just disgusted at how aggressively Fox News is bashing him in this obituary.

[@paratrooper6]

He said not as bias. That doesn't mean no bias at all. So sit down and enjoy the show.

[@MikeandKathleen]

That's it. I'm starting a MoveOn petition to demand that Fox News should pull a "Larry Summers" and withdraw from show biz owing to acrimonious liberal opposition, and I might as well add the Tea Party Caucus for good measure. R.I.P. Kurt Vonnegut

[@hotelmario510]

Already read "Slaughterhouse-Five", currently reading "Breakfast of Champions" - this is so disrespectful. My God.

[@BertKnabe]

Fox News may have more direct impact on the 21st century than Vonnegut - but direct impact isn't always the greatest. Remember the butterfly effect. That was not an obituary, it was a hatchet piece, and the ending was beyond horrendous.

[@franklater2908]

Blaming Faux News for disrespect, bad taste, and bad journalism is like blaming a garbage can for stinking.

[@johnnyventure]

Who ever wrote that hateful piece is just evil hearted. Kurt Vonnegut was one of the most thought provoking writers of our times. To trash a man by picking all the tragic moments of his life like that is a sick use of journalism. They spoke of him like they would about Saddam Hussien or someone hated.

[@lizardgizzard]

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to always tell the difference." Ah, Fox News is on. Click.

[@AxelCross]

Here we are 11 years later and Fox is being boycott by its own demographic and I just read Bluebeard for the first time last year and it was one of the best works of fiction I've ever read sooooo to answer your question: Fox will be forgotten long before Kurt.

[@grandeTO9]

IF Vonnegut were around, he would not have cared what Fox News said about him, and he most certainly wouldn't have aspired to have his life's work earn him the label of "Great American writer" from a television source like Fox News. In fact, Vonnegut would probably laugh at the fact that someone somewhere is offended on his behalf.

[@nathanbridle]

In most of the so called civilized world Vonnegut would have been off of centre, but in America he was on the opposite side of the political scale to the establishment. Like his long time friend Gore Vidal Vonnegut was a humanist, which immediatly made him an enemy of the right wing establishment, he was also a liberal which means he was yet again going against the 'crypto Nazi' esq republican machine. In the end however he came out on top, they tried to denigrate him and failed.

[@breeeegs]

It pains me to say this, but from the way things are going I think Fox News may have a greater influence on the 21st century, and I certainly don't mean that as a compliment. The obituary was fucking disgusting.

[@fwb41]

Well...I only ever read his book Slaughterhouse Five, and Armageddon in Retrospect, which was a collection of his writings on War and Peace.... I suppose his experiencing the bombing of Dresden in WW2, followed by his mother's suicide, then his own failed suicide, was probably much more impactful on Him and his Children than anything that Fox News would have to say about his life and career...

[@xander7ful]

I remember that. They totally trashed him for a couple of days and said nothing intelligent or insightful about his writing, which should have been the focus. Very mean-spirited.

[@TheEnviousdominous]

Fox had video of Anna Nicole Smith wearing clown make-up and proposed that the context of it was that she was insane and on drugs and not that she was simply having fun with her children, they aired this with their bent perspective on it the day after she died.

[@rebargnome]

Kurt would have wanted it this way, I am sure he despised Fox News and all they stand for and wouldn't have wanted or expected them to sing his praises. As far as I am concerned he is in the top ten of the greatest writers of the 20th century.

[@goddy5890]

If you can protest at soldier's funeral, trashing obituary is fine as well

[@coffeepusher1]

I don't know what would be worse, being trashed by fox news or being praised by them.

[@Triforceofcourage112]

It bothers me to no end that they said he "failed at suicide". I mean, it's an obituary the day after his death...Could they not show the slightest bit of tact and say something more akin to "he attempted suicide"?

[@sidDkid87]

Sadly - extremely - more sheeple in the U.S. watch and / or listen to faux news than read these days. Which kind of sums up what's wrong with this country. Kurt Vonnegut is one of, if not, my favorite writer. Slaughterhouse Five being my favorite book. Appalling would be a gross understatement to describe faux's 'coverage' of Kurt's passing. "So It Goes"

[@chuggs147]

Despite whatever anybody thinks of an author, you don't section out specific time on your widely famous television show to attack the deceased. Vonnegut left a quote to beg that his children didn't think he was unhappy, and Fox news had the fucking nerve to "say it for them". That is so disrespectful and just disgusting.

[@PuzzleBox83]

@itachiitachi1946 You haven't heard the term Ancient Egypt before? We use it a lot. You tend to only hear the term used about country who do have actual ancient histories.

[@Coramelimane]

No they were even saying he wasn't important even in the 20th, since they kept calling him irrelevant or other words that mean people don't care that he existed.

[@7scorpio7]

You know, I never think that Fox News can piss me off more than they do on any given day. But this video takes the cake. Kurt Vonnegut irrelevant? No one within the Fox organization seems to have ever read any of his books, probably because they considered him an elitist leftist author. Slaughterhouse Five was published in 1969, so how they can say he was irrelevant by the 70s is ridiculous. That remark about his failed suicide attempt was repugnant, and Fox owes an apology to his children.

[@multiclivejones]

How does something like that happen? Can someone explain to me (I'm in the UK) how come people still watch channels/programmes like that?

[@In20xx]

Wow Fox News, I didn't think you could do it but you set a new low for yourself. Congrats.

[@Mad_Props]

I think he would have found it funny. A self-professed writer who hated writing, Vonnegut often mused upon the possibility that his work, if not currently irrelevant, would become commercially if not culturally obsolete. So it Goes.

[@MoreNimrod]

Okay Fox, seriously. Either you're respectful or you shut up, but you don't trash someone who just died.

[@andyissemicool]

@kurd55: I'm so glad you have succinctly summarized the nuanced political views of more than 100 million people in one or two sentences.

[@HARRYR3]

Noble 'tis, to be loathed by the loathsome than to be loved by them.

[@houndofchulainn76]

Especially considering how they jumped down Hitch's throat over what he said about Falwell.

[@DrunkenGameress]

I guess I'm old-fashioned. Even if I despised someone, I wouldn't speak of them in a derisive manner right after they died.

[@bobsays3392]

I’m a huge Vonnegut fan. Fox News apparently got Trump elected. Most people have never heard of Kurt Vonnegut Jr. or if they did they don’t remember him. Almost every time someone asks me who my favorite author is and I say Kurt Vonnegut Jr. they have no idea who I am talking about.

[@tglover05]

Bad form by Fox New trashing a great writer like Vonnegut. Even if they didn't agree with his ideology or politics to disrespect him in death is classless.

[@moonshakedesign7633]

Absolute fair do's to address Fox News' unfair, somewhat dismissive obituary of Vonnegut, but I would like to open up some discussion about how some of Vonnegut's thinking - namely his short story 'Harrison Bergeron', actually ended up chiming with a lot of "so-called" conservative thinking, in that it quite accurately predicated how a lot of the non-nonsensical ideas of affirmative action, ergo - DEI thinking, took such a firm hold within academic institutions in the second fifth of the 21st century....

[@forgottenname07]

@darrensilverman73 Would you mind posting a citation for that? I haven't heard anything about polls regarding specific voting groups and "less-read" qualifications, and this sounds like an interesting, though legally and socially questionable premise. Although literacy rates for registered voters seems like a more plausible study, it would not carry the same weight in an argument. Please reply when you get the chance, I am interested in taking a look at these studies.

[@Lieu3C4]

"I will hide thee in a mask of sorrow; they that see thee shalt fear thou, art fallen; but I, who am I in thee, lift thee: up!" - Paraphrased of Liber CCXX.

[@MorayEel]

That was so disrespectful. A shameful piece and it's hard to believe it was actually aired.

[@BETAmosquito]

ouch, i could feel every word as a physical dagger

[@MegaChangle]

You are wrong about the incorrectness of Urdarbrunn's usage of authority. Urdarbrunn was correct in his or her usage.

[@singeradams266]

Im addicted to these videos

[@Can_I_Live_]

@CyanoticFuture You're wrong. Vonnegut did NOT regard terrorists of any kind to be noble. Where the hell do you get that kind of awful information?

[@maneatingcheeze]

First Q: If Fox is going to get their panties in a bunch when Hitchens slammed Falwell then they shouldn't do the same to Vonnegut as if it was alright. Second Q: Sadly Fox has already had a greater impact on society than Vonnegut. However, with the direction America's demographics are going I doubt Fox has much longer with this kind of political power.

[@NeoVictorianX]

Vonnegut's work does suffer from nihilism... but it's nothing compared to the nihilism embodied in the nonstop stupidity exhibition which is Fox News. Bill O'Reilly would make a great character for a Vonnegut novel. How about Slapstick? I see him as an uncle who tortures Wilbur and Eliza as kids by forcibly applying coffee enemas for prolonged periods. In fact, I can't see O'Reilly's face without imagining him doing stuff like that. O'Reilly was born to be a character in a Vonnegut novel.

[@geokaplan59]

See if you can grasp this. I am responding to this one, particular perverse obituary from Fox. I didn't set out to make any kind of grand overarching denunciation of American journalism. I have in other media been bluntly critical of contemporary journalism, in print and on air (particularly MSNBC). Nunya, you're right: I do grasp this business far better than you. I recognize shoddy journalism and call it such. It offends me when people in my business do their work poorly. Fox blew this.

[@Dutch1954]

To the question posed at the end of the video - Kurt Vonnegut. Still.

[@wovfm]

Well they did avoid Kurt's one note samba of lying about Dresden's importance his whole career.

[@catch40507]

I wonder why, of all things, Fox News forgot that Vonnegut was a decorated military veteran who was a POW in WWII. I mean, don't they love our soldiers?????