Today's debate between Fox commentator Bill O"Reilly, left, and actress Jennifer Aniston mirrors one that took place 17 years earlier.
NEW YORK (CBS) A political conservative lashes out at a blonde actress over screen choices her character makes and the actress' off-screen comments endorsing those parenting choices.
Sound familiar?
If you say that what's happening between Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly and actress Jennifer Aniston, who plays an artificially inseminated mom in her latest movie, you are showing your youth.
It was late spring of 1992 in the middle of a presidential election campaign when then Vice President Dan Quayle ignited a firestorm by attacking a CBS comedy show and its star Candice Bergen for depicting a single woman who got pregnant and chose to raise the child as a single mom.
"Murphy Brown," the show about a fictional TV newswoman played by Bergen, earned 11 Emmys in its almost 10-year run which ended in 1998. An audience of 38 million tuned in to see the birth of that baby.
Ten years later, Quayle said in an interview with CNN that he was not attacking single motherhood but what he saw as the growing absence of fathers in American society.
That's pretty much what O' Reilly is saying in his very public feud with Aniston over her movie "The Switch."
He accuses Aniston of "throwing a message out to 12-year-olds and 13-year-olds that hey, you don't need a guy, you don't need a dad,"
He argues, "Dads bring a psychology to children that is, in this society, under-emphasized. I think that men get hosed all day long in the parental arena... "
What do you think ? Has so little changed in parenting values over the last 17 years? Take our poll and explain your choice in the comments area below.
Tags: "The Switch" , Bill O'Reilly , artificial insemination , Jennifer Aniston , Dan Quayl.e , Candice Bergen , role of fathers , "Murphy Brown" , single moms Topics: Infants Email this Article to a Friend Twitter window.addEvent('domready', CURS.Social.fb.init);More From Eye on Parenting
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Both parents are big impressions on children, whether good or bad. And it goes both ways. Reply to this comment by P0ST1ING_AWAY August 14, 2010 10:14 AM EDT This is an epic battle between someone who is pretty and someone who is PRETTY DUMB. Reply to this comment by hillcoguy August 14, 2010 6:12 PM EDT Why do YOU always think these articles are all about YOU!Granted, Anniston is very pretty but including yourself in this equation.....now REALLY! by JKoko1 August 14, 2010 2:39 AM EDT For those of us who were blessed to know the joy of two parents in a single household that was filled with love - there is no comparison. All I know is that when I laid my head on my pillow at night, I felt loved, cared for and secure. Looking back as an adult, I am amazed at the sacrifices my parents must have made for our entire family and what our aunts & uncles did also. And it just wasn't my family... my friends grew up in solid two-parent homes... that's just the way it was and I thank my lucky stars for the community in which many people from all walks of life and faith maintained strong values and principles that were an example to the youth (although we surely didn't realize it at the time!).This is not meant to take away from anyone else who, by fate or choice, has a different experience during their childhood. And it should not be implied that other family makeups are of lesser value or are not just as enriching.Life is a multi-faceted, nuturing process and to not allow a child to know the joy of both a mother & father is troublesome. Any yet, with the rise of dysfunctional issues as evidenced by our current culture, its understandable why a man or a woman might not want to have the significant other in their life or the life of their child. There are men who are thoroughly content and happy not having a woman in the household; and as suggested by Ms. Aniston, many women also feel visa versa. One note: its only because of relatively recent changes in social attitude, family law and medical science that a one can even opt for a choice. Maybe I'm just too old-fashioned, but I still believe the the 'gold standard' should be a desire to choose a loving relationship where, by the grace of our Creator, a man and woman can bring forth and nuture new life into the world. Reply to this comment by guest173 August 14, 2010 6:39 PM EDT just don't forget in many parts of the world polygamy is practiced heavily, and it is not always a man marrying tons of women, some cultures allow the woman to have many husbands, marrying them off as children. so just because something is old doesn't always make it the best thing obviously. of course the ideal is there but that doesn't always work out, and don't be blind about what is going on in other parts of the world, we aren't all from england by will_1022 August 13, 2010 10:54 PM EDT 99 times out of 100 single mothers arent single moms by choice. Theres more times than not the father leaves and then gets angry thinking the mother and her new boyfriend are living up on the whopping $300 a month he pays in child support (usually dosnt pay till the state forces him to.) Reply to this comment by antoniof123 August 13, 2010 10:07 PM EDT Does anyone really care what Bill O'Riley thinks or says except for the right wing nuts who follow his show?Its like Dr. Laura she is another right wing nut and only those people really care about what she says.I think they realize that they are fading and want their time in the sun. Reply to this comment by dinnc2 August 14, 2010 11:33 AM EDT Brilliant reply! Great strategy too. Belittle anyone that you do not understand or agree with. Surely that will make them go away! Hail the name callers!Why not explain why you disagree and allow someone to try to understand the reason that you feel as you do? It is called communication. I have a right to my belief, and you to yours. We can agree to disagree, but at the same time respect one another. But, would that take too much time and effort? by hillcoguy August 14, 2010 6:28 PM EDT antoniof123...Does anyone really care what Bill O'Riley thinks or says except for the right wing nuts who follow his show?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Obviously YOU do, you replied. But don't belittle yourself with ad homonem attacks on your own persona! ;o) by formrusmcsgt August 13, 2010 10:05 PM EDT by rykatspop August 13, 2010 8:07 PM EDT A child without either POSITIVE role model of mom or dad IS living with a deficit that shows up many years later...---Try to tell that to all the ditz's who erroneously believe they can be mother AND FATHER to a child.They can about as much as a man can be father AND MOTHER.... Reply to this comment by formrusmcsgt August 13, 2010 10:01 PM EDT "Dads bring a psychology to children that is, in this society, under-emphasized. I think that men get hosed all day long in the parental arena... "---I can't believe that Bill and I can agree on something. First time ever.The trend is to dish dad's as "unnecessary", according to many women.The same women who throw up their hands when that baby reaches it's teen-age years claiming he/she is "uncontrollable" and begging the state to take him/her.Stupid. Reply to this comment by TurnAmericaAround August 13, 2010 9:41 PM EDT Look, those are moronic arguments. I know you're smart enough to know that what he was referring to is a family in which you have two, well adjusted, intelligent loving parents who are committed to their children. If either of them are dysfunctional, mother or father, then yes, there is probably some unhealthy things going on in the household. I know a lot of kids who'd probably be better off without their mothers as well. So your generalization there is also without merit. Reply to this comment by TurnAmericaAround August 13, 2010 9:37 PM EDT I'm sorry you had a worthless man, there are undoubtedly many out there. By the same token, I've seen tons of women out there who are like an albatross around their husbands neck....lazy, nasty, incompetent, emotionally unstable, huge money spenders, who have basically run their family into the ground. And I've seen numerous men who have worked two jobs, coached their kids sports, spent their money and their time on their families, who put the family first above their wants and desires. It goes both ways. So, please don't send your kids the wrong message about what it means to be a man because you made a poor choice in marrying a dirt bag. Reply to this comment by Phxfire August 13, 2010 8:31 PM EDT O'Reilly, you are a putz. Hundreds of violent video games and movies don't affect children and young people, but one, non-violent comedy is the media issue you have decided to attack? Unbelievable. Reply to this comment by hillcoguy August 13, 2010 9:09 PM EDT Hope that makes you feel like a real big boy! ;o) 1 2 3 next See all 44 Comments Add a comment Comment Subscribe to this comment thread by email SUBMIT Click here to add another comment. The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks is prohibited. By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement. var submitComment = new Jlogger({ ontid: '504744', siteId: '162', ptId: '8301', tag: 'submitComment', element: 'subComment', event: 'click' }); var loadCommentsList = new Jlogger({ ontid: '504744', siteId: '162', ptId: '8301', tag: 'loadCommentsList', element: window, event: 'load', fireOnce: true }); Comment reply Submit Cancel The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks is prohibited. By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement. 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