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Wisecracks on TV Shows

On December 16, our Editor In Chief, Jim Hood, did a live shot on Fox News Channel. He was asked whether consumers have to give their phone numbers and Zip codes when cashiers ask for them at check-out.

Kenneth of Hesperia, CA, did not care for Hood's answer:
This is about a consumer affairs represnative (sic) of yours.

This person was on the Fox News cable chanel doing an interview with Sheppered (sic) Smith on his Studio B Show that aired at apx.12.45 p.m.P.S.T. ON Dec 16,2005. It had to do with retailers asking for your phone number. While I dont have the persons name his additued (sic) about the matter was it was no big deal and more of a so what. But what I dont feel was leagaly (sic) or morally correct he stated if you dont want to give them your phone number give them another persons phone number at which point he laughed.I do not find his advice to lie or give out another persons phone number funny or morally proper. As a parent I have many things I need to explane (sic) and correct with my teens then your represnative (sic) states something like that. People come to your site because of trust in the information that you have. I have to believe that much trust in your groupe (sic) can and will be lost when you have a spokesperson on tv telling people to lie and give out other peoples phone numbers. At the very least should state for the record he was wrong to make a statement like that. And you may want to re-think having him as a spokesperson.

Hood replies

Well, since the show aired at 3:15 Eastern/12:15 Pacific, it doesn't seem likely Kenneth's children would have been home to see it, unless they're preschoolers, in which case they probably don't deal with cashiers very much. If they're home-schooled, what are they doing watching TV?

I admit that I laughed after suggesting consumers give someone else's number. The pleasant young man conducting the show, a Mr. Smith I believe it was, laughed also. Normally when one says something that is patently absurd and then laughs, this is interpreted as a signal that he was -- as we say -- joking. I believe I went on to say that, of course, one is not obligated to give his phone number or Zip code to make a purchase and that consumers have the power to patronize only the establishments whose policies they find acceptable.

We would suggest that Kenneth teach his kids to learn to check their spelling if they want their missives to be taken seriously.

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