At this hour, TBS host Samantha Bee still has a job. Her show Full Frontal has not been cancelled. The major media aren’t running story after story attacking her. The activist groups aren’t demanding her network fire her. If Hollywood didn’t have double standards, it’d have no standard at all. 

Last night, Bee called the president’s daughter Ivanka a “c***.” On television. On purpose.

Bee Wasn’t Happy

Bee wasn’t happy about Ivanka Trump tweeting an adorable shot with her son amid (exaggerated) reports the government lost track of 1,500 illegal immigrant children. “That’s a beautiful photo of you and your child. But let me just say, one mother to another, do something about your dad’s immigration policies, you feckless c***t. He listens to you.”

Roseanne Barr’s career imploded after one racist tweet she quickly apologized for. Yet, here we have a case not of an off-hand bit of smark. Bee’s line was scripted, read off a teleprompter, recorded, edited, promoted, and broadcast. In other words, the show Full Frontal, backed by its network, made the conscious, calculated, deliberate decision to call the daughter of the president the most vile slur that can be used against a woman.

Samantha Bee still has a job. Her producer is happy to see the phrase “feckless c**t” trending. Yes, Bee still has a job because she did the job TBS pays her to do.

The White House Responds, as Does TBS

The White House responded to the attack:

The language used by Samantha Bee last night is vile and vicious. The collective silence by the left and its media allies is appalling. Her disgusting comments and show are not fit for broadcast, and executives at Time Warner and TBS must demonstrate that such explicit profanity about female members of this administration will not be condoned on its network.

Apparently, the explicit attack will be condoned. Here is TBS’s response.

Samantha Bee has taken the right action in apologizing for the vile and inappropriate language she used about Ivanka Trump last night. These words should not have aired. It was our mistake too, and we regret it.

And?  And? That’s it?! No punishment? No promise to ensure no such hateful attack occurs again? No pressure on Bee to reflect on the dastardliness of her nightly poison? No self-reflection on what it means as a network to air such consistent contempt for a huge segment of the nation? No recognition that not punishing such abuse against a powerful White House adviser makes a mockery of Hollywood’s “Me Too” movement? 

Nope. Just a quick, sterile “oops.”

Bee’s Apology

And what of Bee’s apology? Or at least the one issued in her name.  

I would like to sincerely apologize to Ivanka Trump and to my viewers for using an expletive on my show to describe her last night. It was inappropriate and inexcusable. I crossed a line, and I deeply regret it.

Could you craft a more canned apology? It’s a Mad Lib apology (so to speak). Just change the name and it would be any of a thousand apologies. Compare it to Roseanne’s remorseful remarks.

Are you a betting person? My money is Bee recants. The question is the exact date. What date will she blow off her apology with another vicious swipe at Ivanka or Melania or Barron? (Leave your choice in the comment section below.)

Contrary to what Bee suggests in her “apology,” it wasn’t just an “expletive.” It is one that is specifically degrading and humiliating. And I will repeat — because it bears repeating — its use was planned and approved. This was a team effort.

The Options

Meaning what? Option One: They didn’t think it was crossing a line. Referring to those associated with Trump in such profane, ugly, hateful terms is so completely commonplace in their world, they didn’t give it a second thought. (Of course, they may talk like that about anyone they dislike. But with anything related to Trump it’s hate on steroids.)

Option Two: They knew they were crossing a line, but didn’t care. They know as long as they hit a target connected to Trump, the Hollywood pack will have their back. (Here’s an example.) In fact, tonight Samantha Bee is being honored by the Television Academy for “advancing social change.” 

The major media will protect them too. The Democrats will approve. They won’t pay a price for crossing that line. History has given them good reason for such confidence. 

Heck, such nastiness — Hollywood calls it “being edgy” — could land her in network prime time.  I hear ABC has an opening at 8 p.m. Tuesdays.