Gawker
Former Jezebel intern and attempted Paris Hilton free-er David Seaman was on Fox's Morning Show With Mike and Juliet today to talk about Salvia, the hot new (legal!) drug that's taking America's colleges by storm. "They told me I'd be on to talk about why I'm in favor of keeping certain drugs legal," Seaman said in an email to friends and colleagues, "and why many college students agree that some decriminalization for soft drugs makes sense." He had a little argument worked out and everything! But he was on The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet so they actually just sat him next to some mook who posts clips of kids having bad trips on YouTube and interviewed a doctor who says all the drugs will cause deadly car crashes. Then they introduced a girl whose brother killed himself on the Salvia! Seaman's entertaining email describing his ordeal is after the jump. A brief clip is attached.
Former Jezebel intern and Hey media colleagues/friends/everyone,
Went into a taping yesterday for Fox's "The Morning Show w/ Mike and Juliet" and it turned out to be a complete clusterfuck. It aired this morning. They told me I'd be on to talk about why I'm in favor of keeping certain drugs legal (salvia), and why many college students agree that some decriminalization for soft drugs makes sense. My main argument revolved around the fact that it's safer to tax and regulate non-habit forming herbs than to impose mandatory sentences, put yet another product on the black market, etc. People in college are going to seek out these things either way.
I get there and the producer goes over what I'm going to say, tells me I should play up the "college kid" angle and talk less about the "political" aspect. She tried to group me with a kid who posts videos of himself smoking salvia on YouTube, even though I repeatedly told the pre-interview producer I had never posted such a video and thought those who did were "YouTube whores".
Walk onto the set and am immediately villainized, the host keeps referring to me as a "user" and finally I say to him: stop calling me a user. I had experimented with a legal drug twice; does that make one a "user"? Also, the oh so scary lead-in package literally shows a crack pipe and I ask the hosts what a crack pipe has to do with anything. Talk about a bias. Then they bring in a girl whose best friend committed suicide while using salvia and sit her next to me. Trashy and manipulative on the part of the producers. I felt sorry for her.
Just because someone smiles at you while they're fucking you over, it doesn't mean they're not fucking you over. This was a really depressing experience. The audience, some of them were wearing crosses and almost all of them were shaking their heads at me from the minute I sat down — so I said they seemed somewhat "condescending" and was immediately booed. Another guest on the show later compared the experience to "being in a hung jury down south" — so true. I felt like the people in the audience were straight out of that American Gothic painting.
I used to think the Democratic Party was ridiculous to avoid Fox/Fox News programming. Now I know what they're talking about. There really is an inflexible agenda. Luckily, viewers around the country are already starting some online outcry.
http://forum.grasscity.com/pandora-s-box/219160-morning-show-s-segment-salvia.html
link soliciting experiences:
http://jobs.newyorkacting.com/2008/03/18/tv-morning-using-the-product-salvia.aspx
And the full clips of his appearance: Part one and two.
Comments
What elevator pass -buying freshman is paying for saliva?
if he didn't see this coming I have serious doubts as to whether or not he is a serious druggie. come on. this has been going on forever! guess some people just need to see it up front and personal style but really... DUH.
Don't college students have access to acid or shrooms anymore?
Salvia is a staple of High Times ads, middle school kids, etc. Guaranteed to make you throw up!
New? Puhleeeze!
I'm all for drug use---soft or hard, responsible or irresponsible---but not if you're doing it to be like, one, man, with something, like, bigger.
Someone killed themselves from Salvia? (Darwin spins in grave).
In other news, scientists announced today that they have mapped out the genetic map of spit - so Salvia and saliva, all in the same news cycle.
He is dumb.
This just makes my blood boil. These buffoons think ALCOHOL isn't as dangerous as salvia? Piss off!
@hypocriteoath: He was on Fox.... he should go play basketball for the Washington Generals, I hear they need a point guard.
salvia feels good.
I once saw a hippie with blood running out of her nose from doing too much Nitrous Oxide. Now THAT'S brotherly love!
@Hamilton Nolan: guaranteed throw up? really? try it first, then accept 2nd hand knowledge.
This has been going on forever and you can't always see it coming. You're invited on to chat about one thing and they don't tell you that your worst enemy will be on with you. It's not just Fox either. You're sitting there and have no option but to play or walk off the set. The latter has been done.
TV producers invite people to be guests on shows and them make them look like assholes - gee, that never happens!
@Nic Fit: Not nearly enough.
A "cosmic connection"? Who's the real douche here...?
@acridsheep: yup, you got it! yay for you! they already have a point guard and his name is michael jordan.
who drives while doing salvia? That person kind of deserves to die! I feel bad for this guy but i agree, how did he not see that coming.
@hypocriteoath: Maybe your salvia connection was better.
Come on, after a decade at least of this shit, how does someone who works in the media not have the media savvy to know that Fox News will set your ass up. Stop falling for it idiots!
again, the world's best legal high: life*
*i.e. getting hammered and watching mortal kombat: annihilation while trying not to burn down your kitchen.
If he interned at Jezebel, he probably had to do a lot more than Salvia.
(KIDDING! Don't hurt me! I love my ovaries!)
@mitchel_stevens: Transformers works equally well.
@KimGordonsPanties: Ah, you're 25 and you're just starting to make a name for yourself and some chatty, ebullient producer offers you immense national exposure, it's hard not to take a shot at it. After you get fucked a few times you learn.
Catnip is also in the same Order and Family as Salvia - so why can't I get high of Kosmic Kitty Katnip?
@Hamilton Nolan: Sounds like peyote, kinda.
Drug use is a sign of weakness and corrupt personality. Only people with deep insecurities seek out drugs. People that are content with themselves have no need.
@Hamilton Nolan: I just have higher DAT counts than most. no big deal, I'm awesome.
I'm starting to get the feeling that Fox News is neither fair OR balanced. No?
Uhh, kids; drugs are bad, mmmmm-kay...
@Mike_Jahn: You got it Michael. Usually if you are going on one of these fake interview shows (I have been pressed to the ample bosom of several AM Toledo hosts) you have a somebody who booked you or a publicist of some sort. Poor young was unarmed. Should have played the trump card: dead air. They hate that and will jump off the producer's hobbyhorse to move things along.
@4_Chan!!!!!11!one:
amen
@4_Chan!!!!!11!one: not only that but if you're clean you get to be all sorts of condescending... which is evidently also awesome!
Yeah. Let's go on Fox News and brag about our drug use. Makes sense.
Don't bogart the Drano, dude.
Oh, Salvia! Wait until Fox hears about ruthless morning glory seed traffickers or the sinister angel's trumpet racket.
on a more serious note: he's not going to be brought back as the new Gawker Character now that P6 took the others, right?
@belltolls: I was fucked over a couple of times way back when and walked off a set once. David Seaman will figure out which producer can be trusted and which can't. And anyway, there's no dishonor in being fucked by Fox. It's almost a badge of honor.
@bjonston: Mmmmmmkay mr. Mackay, Mmmmmkay.
Hey, Fox News! Try smoking "essence" of castor beans. That stuff will get you hiiiiiiyii. Oh, and be sure to film yourselves while you do it.
my anti-drug is a false sense of superiority.
@Ron_Obvious: then put it on youtube.
Oh my God, I stuck my arm in the mouth of this big shark and to my surprise, it bit it off!!
@BaconCat: word.
I considered starting a rumor that Ipecac Syrup would get you high. But, I just knew some dumbass college student would vomit themselves to death....
"Hey, if you throw it up it just means you need to take more!"
I haven't seen Mike and Juliet's show in quite a while ... Are they still thee most awkward and abrasive duo anywhere on television?
@Eac_o_System: For the moment, anyway!
That drug is the pussy peyote.
At least he wasn't brought on to defend Jenkum!
He really thought he could have a reasonable discussion of pros and cons of legalizing this drug on FOX news? This kid comes off looking silly. and young (read: naive). Guess that brings us back to whatever he must have been smoking to agree to do this show in the first place.