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

[Dace]

OMG you mean the F word network lies? Never - they are so balanced even though they live in a fantasy hate fueled world of lies and delusion where they can no longer tell the difference between their torture fantasies and their hero war criminal bush. Keep taking those medications the doctors give you it will help a lot.

[OSA23]

people need to tune in:

to accuse '24' of being part of the problem of torture...­? ABSURD. the problem has always been an american perception that allowed a so-called 'president' to run rough-shard over civil liberties, and now the american perception wants to wait for barrack obama to magically make the current economic collapse go away without any pain nor suffering.

stop assuming that a show has influence over policies that goes back to.....the hit placed on john f. kennedy, malcolm x, robert f. kennedy, and martin luther king jr. these policies have used fear and confusion to eliminate so-called 'threats' to the 'american way'.... what movie or television series caused vietnam to happen..? should the bible be removed and censored because of the inquisition and the salem witchhunt.­.? can we move from this useless persecution of some 'controversial' show and can we assume personal responsibility over our abilities to truly SEIZE THE TRUTH..?

[Gib]

Anyone with half a brain knows that a TV show is not reality, but that doesn't mean attitudes are not influenced by what is supposedly just entertainment. When you take into account the depth of ignorance in the population at large about what is going on in the wider world, you can start to see that there is not a clear dividing line between entertainment and propaganda. Sutherland may be a good actor, and may have a healthy social conscience, but he doesn't determine the overall thrust of the programme. In effect he is just a useful tool for people who undoubtedly have aims that he wouldn't support. This is how the system works.

[Tommygun264]

While Mr. Sutherland's statement is admirable, if not long overdue, it would help if the writers of 24 could come up with something to shake up the standard "Jack Bauer Tortures the Terrorist and Saves the Day" formula, such as at least a couple of episodes closer to reality showing that torture doesn't always help and in fact can delay the good guys in their fight against the terrorists instead of some of the outrageously outlandish plot twists they contrive to maintain the tension for an entire twenty-four episodes. 24 jumped the shark a long time ago as far as I am concerned because of all the tired, contrived delaying tactics employed by the writers. Imagine if the inevitable bitter-sweet, but overall happy ending were temporarily thwarted by Jack Bauer being lead astray because his tried and true torture techniques had yielded a false confession? It might actually make the show entertaining again, plus it would have the added value of making O'Reilly and Hannity's heads explode.

[Furby]

And why not throw into the mix that Kiefer is Canadian, that ought to screw them up completely.

[jwcmass]

He's not only Canadian, he's the grandson of Tommy Douglas, the first Socialist to govern a province in North America, and the father of Universal Health Care in Canada.

[GetoffMylawn]

Not real, I find that hard to believe. --sarc
The first husband goes out on the town alone with one secret service agent who just happens to be a double agent for an African dictator..­. who just happens to have an apartment and girl friend in DC metro area, who then kidnaps him.
This season is the absolute least realistic tv show since FoxNews's evening news with Brit Hume.

[jmw2006]

Just a darn good TV show. Better than all the other crap...Ido­l comes to mind....no talent at all and all of you watch

[Trittydi]

Just turn the stupid thing off. We did - 15 years ago now.
*

[Tommygun264]

Guess again - I've never watched a single episode of Idol or any other so-called "reality show". Okay, I started to watch the first episode of the first season of Survivor, but once I discovered that they only voted the losers off the island each week instead of sacrificing and eating them, I lost interest.

[KYZipster]

Compared to the BBC's version of 24, 'Spooks' (or MI5), 24 comes off as rightwing propaganda. Spooks does a great job of presenting ethical dilemmas in confronting terrorism in a very balanced and thought provoking way. The Unit, another American TV program, doesn't even try to hide the fact that it's rightwing propaganda, it clearly bashes a liberal point of view in a pathetic and cowardly way.

These are dangerous programs, presenting scenarios where no one would object to torture when in the real world torture accomplishes nothing and does great damage to our reputation and system of justice. Sutherland clearly is not considering his participation in the big picture here. It doesn't matter if Sutherland dismisses his program as fiction, many people are greatly influenced by it. I would never believe in censorship but a person in Sutherland's position could take some responsibility and push for a different direction for the program.

[Fluffnstuff]

you are making the same misake as some other posters

by your logic, we should not only condemn nearly every show ever made, but even the classics such as romeo and juliet or hamlet

those characters had some serious flaws and did some ridiculous things that you wouldn't necessarily agree with or do yourself..­.but you watch/read and enjoy the story anyway.

[jwcmass]

I think you are the one missing the point. This program was listed as a favorite by many leaders of teh former Administration (Cheney being one of them), people who tried to justify the use of terror, using hypothetical scenarios similar to the ones in teh program (the ticking timebomb).

So the public sees programs like this and thinks that torture is not only justifiable, but produces results--completely contrary to what the truth is. (check what the polls say about the use of torture).

What the poster did NOT suggest was government censure, but the writers and creators of teh show taking more responsibility to PROPERLY educate the public, instead of creating false impressions --which is different thing than censorship.

Why not a show that shows how REAL intel works (obviusly without giving away any secrets)

The people who do this kind of work know that torture does NOT provide reliable intelligence

[Trittydi]

I'm sorry - you CAN'T compare Shakespeare with American television.
*

[KYZipster]

We just saw an end to an administration that unapologetically advocated torture in our name with the support of the majority of voters, had the economy not gone south we might have seen a continuation of these policies.

I am condemning the program and condemning Sutherland for turning a blind eye to his participation in glorifying torture, making it seem necessary for our survival. Yes, it's fiction, but it's also a form of propaganda and considering our dumbed down culture it's much more influential than an opinion piece in a newspaper or on a website. My condemnation is nothing but an opinion, I also condemn many sitcoms for being mind numbingly stupid, so what? Dr Phil? Don't get me started.

I stated quite clearly that I don't believe in censorship, this does not mean that I have to be quiet when I see something that's very flawed.

[ivyj]

Bravo. Excellent post.

[wantthetruth]

you are right...it so very dangerous. Let's ban it all. No more Harry Potter either cuz witchcra f t is dangerous. No more d angerous gansta rap cuz it damages our reputation. No more co untry music cuz they sing about pickup trucks and those trucks are bad for the environment.

[firelord5000]

British show sucks, only thing you need to watch is LOST.

[zola77]

KY, i LOVE "SPOOKS" TOO!!!

I highly recommend it to anyone out there who wants to see a more thoughtful, dare I say, cerebral, version of "24".

[RexOzone]

What is a reality is that "24" and a myriad of "fiction" like it (from Saw to Ironman to Slumdog, etc.) has been not only purposely been foisted on the blindered but unblinking public as a means of innuring us all to the unjust agony and cruelty of torture but then used as justification for a ticking bomb philosophy which attempts to justify it. And it has been at least in part financed by our own tax dollars like some military recruitment film. Wake up, "Jack," you are working for mega industry as a self righteous purveyor of pain. Oh, and Debo was a fictional black president before Dennis.

[Fluffnstuff]

So you don't approve of any tv show or movie ever created, right?

Or are you a hypocrite?

[cowman]

So you're saying 24 is a giant conspiracy with the government?

[tubette]

i love 24, but i gotta say i think people like glenn beck and o'reilly do think it's real......­.

[Dunworkin]

With a brain as short and empty as Beck and O'Rielly they still believe the moon is made of green cheese.

[CarlyS119]

The strange FACT is 24 isn't responsible for what idiot's believe, whatever you feel you gotta' say.

[Furby]

Pretty sad when a Canadian actor has to go on record as not being Republican and then has to explain that the TV show in which he was hired to play a part is fiction not reality. Scraping the bottom of the brains barrel it would appear.

[Palmz]

I am a fan of the show. I like it for the suspense and the rush.

There is a reason why Star Trek was so successful­.....that'­s not reality either. So why was it so succssful?

Have you guys watched the show? Try it.

[cowman]

Both shows sparked debate.

[jcandrsn]

Sadly, this has to be explained to some. I have heard O'Reilly, Rush, and a local conservative radio host all use 24 as some sort of a justification for torture policy. It's... a... TV.... Show... not credible evidence that torture is effective.

[Hawkeye17]

Nice rationalization for taking money to promote torture.

[Fluffnstuff]

if 24 promotes torture then you must believe any show or movie promotes whatever they put in it

that basically condemns everything that's ever been made

even children's shows wouldn't be exempt since they usually have a character doing something naughty

[jwcmass]

Before you dismiss theimpact this show has had on the American psyche (and I'm not saying people SHOULD take it seriously--just that they HAVE --and many still DO) watch "Taxi to the Dark Side" which I wish were as fictional as 24.

It's a documentary about American use of torture, and there is mention of the porgram 24, and how it has shaped Americans' views about torture.

[viewfromuphere]

well the answer is simple then....do­n't watch it....ad revenue falls and 24 goes off the air...

it's a bit like people complaining at the supermarket about all the stupid headlines as the rifle through every magazine commenting on Angelina's weight loss even while they are complainin­g...

[Fluffnstuff]

I would sincerely hope that our government agencies wouldn't attempt to justify torture based on a movie or tv show.

In any case, with a show like 24 the audience is almost always "in the know". We already know the guy being tortured is a bad person and will do bad things. The bad person usually deserves having a knife wound on the knee.

The problem is we can't apply that to the real world for obvious reasons.

[Meesterclean]

Should never had glorified torture or make it seems like it works in any way. Even the Israelis don't do it.