Incoming rant… you’ve been warned.

One of the things that grabs my goat (do people still say that?) is when someone officious tells everyone that some form of entertainment is bad for your children and it should be removed. They’ll tell parents that “such and such ought to be ashamed of themselves, showing their bare shoulders on a late night television program when kids may be watching!”.

Really. And this week, the Parents Television Council has accused Fox’s TV show “Glee” of doing the most sinful thing of all time: having a racy photo shoot with actors and actresses all over the age of 23. How dare those young whippersnappers show off any form of cleavage! Thy family ought be shamed by yon person and thy behavior.

Really people, it’s not that hard. If you don’t want children to see something bad, you simply tell them “No”. Practice it with me. “No”. One more. “No”. See? Was that so hard? Your child is threatening to throw a tantrum because they’re not getting their way? Gee, who’s the adult here and who is the child? Whose ass is going to be grounded and who will probably be up til ten tonight watching the news? Who, if said tantrum will continue, will lose all privileges and toys while the other will smirk and listen to the impending wail of doom? And after a while, who will be listening (and obeying) who?

Parents need to be parents, which means being involved in what your children are doing. Having some assbackwards, officious individual or group telling me this television show is bad for my children (if I had any) will only make me wonder if I really want to piss someone off and let my child watch said program.

Believe it or not, most parents aren’t morons. I added “most” because, well, I used to be a teacher at a public school. ‘Nuff said. Parents know if something might not be appropriate for their children. Jenna Jameson’s Finest Four? Probably something I’m not going to let children watch. Bambi versus Godzilla? I saw it when I was ten. It was 30 seconds of Bambi then 5 of Godzilla. Not much of a contest, and as a child I learned a valuable lesson: mutant Japanese monsters always kill cute Disney mammals.

I’ll admit it. I like “Glee“. It’s frickin’ hilarious. I ignore the “drama” they try to have throughout the show and listen for the great one-liners and gags which are scattered about like a playroom after a group of five year olds went through it. Plus, their singing is pretty entertaining (hey, I’m turning into a theater connoisseur) and I listen for the Broadway hits I recognize. Oh, and they like Journey. A lot.

So please, PTC and all you other agencies out there who are only “thinking of the children” when they tell people what to do, where to go, what to eat, how to sh*t, etc… stop.

All I’m going to end up doing is exactly the opposite of what you say.