24's Kiefer Sutherland Insists On Distinction Between Television And Reality

Kiefer Sutherland, star of terrorporn fantasia 24, was recently interviewed by the London Guardian, and asked to account for the show's depictions of torture in terms of the effects they've had on national security policy. To his credit, Sutherland gamely attempts to assert that there's some sort of distinction to be made between fiction and reality:

"First off, I'm just going to tell you outright, the problem is not 24. To try and correlate from what's happening on a television show to what the military is doing in the real world, I think that's ridiculous." Does he mean he doesn't believe the reports of 24's influence? "Well I haven't read all those reports. But if that's actually happening, then the problem that you have in the US military is massive. If your ethics in the military, in your training, is going to be counterminded by a one-hour weekly television show we've got a really big problem." His growl grows heavy with contempt. "If you can't tell the difference between reality and what's happening on a made-up TV show, and you're correlating that back to how to do your job in the real world, that's a big, big problem."

Yes. This is an epochal breakthrough in elementary existentialism. Or maybe not, considering how much Sutherland has invested in the "reality" of his character:

"Jack Bauer," he asserts, "is to me an apolitical character." Really? "Well, can you tell me if Jack Bauer is a Democrat or a Republican?" I would say he's clearly a Republican. "Absolutely not!" Sutherland flashes back triumphantly. "Not a chance." Why not? "Because I'm not a Republican, and I created the character."

Ultimately, the whole exchange leaves Sutherland's interlocutor mightily confused ("...I wonder if I'd half forgotten myself that Sutherland isn't a Pentagon official, or a politician, but an actor."), neatly presaging the psychotic break that Sutherland's assertions are sure to inspire in the torture fans of the wingnutosphere. So, on balance, upside.

Comments

[4Q-N4Q2]

Only mal-adjusted, simpleton, bed-wetters, living in their mommy's basement, could ever mistake a far-fetched television drama for "reality".

God forbid .... these nincompoopsVOTE!

Gawd! We're DOOMED!!!!

[kevinw]

The Repubs are only tracking the portions they want to . Keifer's character of Jack Bauer continually owns up and takes the responsibility and punishment for his actions. If he believes he needs to put someones eye out to get information, he does it. After the five minute time bomb is deactivated, Jack goes off with the Chinese, goes before a Senate subcommittee. He knows he has to man up and take responsibility for his actions. He also counsels other men of action in the show that they must man up as well. The Bush Administration and their Repub supporters wanted to play Jack Bauer man of action and set up real life rendition camps and places of torture. Then they hid from the light of day. They hid behind new interpretations of executive privilege.

They don't realize that they would be one of the groups Jack would proably have to act against.

[CFAmick]

I've written before on this site, that except for the torture, Jack Bauer is the opposite of what Republicans stand for.

[jnik]

You mean we should stop waiting for a man in a cape to save us?

[nomobull]

tell fox and the gop

[Lefty83]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. :)

[AmandaBC]

Conservatives have no idea what "reality" means. It's whatever they want it to be.

[DoctorWhoDat]

You mean that when Bill O'Reilly uses 24 as a Talking Point he could be, (gulp), lying?

[SouthernYankeeBelle]

Shh, Shh, the republicans tell don't get the picture. Its the same way the hijacked John Wayne as a war hero in all the war movies. Marion (John's real name) was never in the service but you can't get some of these people to understand. Also Ronnie Reagan never was in a war either. I think he was in the recreation field. He was no real war hero.

[DoctorWhoDat]

John Wayne wasn't a Marine? It just can't be true. I saw him get shot on Iwo Jima. We couldn't have beaten Japan without him.

[Skyhawk]

Thank you Keifer! Sorry rethugs "Red Dawn" like "24" is not a documentary.

[sandpiper1]

He's Canadian..­.of couse he's not a Republican­..those fools should have figured it out. His grandfather, the late Tommy Douglas, the father of Canada's universal health care system would turn over in his grave if his grandson were a Republican or a neo con . This man is a Canadian Hero to us Canadians. Good for you Kiefer!!!!

[Doctor Nick]

Actually, 24 is a good example of what the government should do (at least this season). Lay out the official policy - no torture. This sets the bar extremely high for individual agents like Bauer (or agent Walker this season) who want to break the law. The agent in question would have to believe that they had an excellent chance of success and that the stakes are sufficiently high to justify breaking the law, at great risk to their future freedom and career. They would have to be sufficiently selfless to suffer the consequences if their "hunch" turned out to be wrong. It would be then up to a jury to determine their sentence length. Someone like Jack Bauer is willing to pay for the consequences of his actions - hence his most recent demand to Tony that he stand trial. Jack believes that when he explains his case, a jury of his peers will find that his reprehensible ex ante actions are justified ex post by his amazing results, and they will acquit him or give him a relatively minor penalty. Setting the bar this high - making no torture the official policy and only considering commutation if ex post the action was justified - is one of the best arguments for banning torture explicitly, and it does nothing to prevent the effectiveness of field agents in a ticking time bomb scenario (provided the agents are acting for the greater good and have sufficient confidence in their source).

[mynameismimi]

You have stated my position on this subject, and my rationale, almost to a word. To me, this is the only logical and ethical way to proceed. Thank you.

[jcollell]

Well, it seemed that the Bush Administration thought of 24 as more than just mere fiction.

http://www.youspar.com/

[lafrance]

Sutherland is wasting his breath. The ignorant repubs think it's a documentary.

[Mabo]

Uh...it was the CURRENT administration that complained to the producers that the TV SHOW was making Americans believe that torture works. So, it is the ignorant libs that think a tv show actually makes people believe it is reality.

[Trittydi]

Of course it's not reality and it's good of him to say so publicly.
*

[NWRICK]

It is kinda sad that it needed saying.

[NWRICK]

Suthland needs to go on the Billo the clown show.
When a tv personality (not journalist) uses clips of "24" to make a case for violating international law, someone needs to step up with the meds.
K.O. calls him on it, but Billo won't listen to him. Obvious reasons.
The only one Billo will listen to is Jack, so I guess my first sentence is off. The person that needs to go on the clown hour is JACK BAUER!

[PSM42]

Tell that to the military mo. ro. ns who ki. ll. ed Iraqi and Afghan goat-herders using something they saw on this apology for an intelligent television program.

We heard that you told the shows number one fan where to go when he wanted to meet you. Che. ney. Congratulations.

Weaning yourself off the money-teat­-without-m­oral-stand­ards that this show represents would be a good second act. If a tad late for those of the 27,000 mu. sli. ms 'disappeared' by the US- http://www.democracynow.org/2008/5/19/clive_stafford_smith who were tor. tur. ed to de. ath.

[fuelrod]

Too bad, It would be a better world if their were Jack Baurers

[Trittydi]

I think you mean "...if THERE were ..."
*

[jwcmass]

Ah Yes,

AS Hawkeye Pierce (of M*A*S*H fame) said to Col Flagg (the paranoid military inel officer, who kept injuring himself) "If there were more people like you, there'd be less people like you"

[SeanOcali]

I've had arguments over torture with friends who are right-wing, and 24 without question has reinforced their backward views on the matter. That said, it should be noted that 24 featured the country's first black president (a Democrat) and he was an exceptionally positive character who was honest and a strong leader. Contrast that to later seasons where a Republican president is a coward and turned out to be a corrupt criminal in league with terrorists. Following that season, the first black president's brother become the new president. He too was a positive character. And now we have the first woman president, a Republican, who so far has shown herself to be a complete psychopath.