The controversy in this story is the manor in which Woody Harrelson answered an AMA session on Reddit. While AMA stands for "ask me anything", Woody Harrelson did not answer anything. Treating the thread as more of a talk show, Harrelson related every answer to his upcoming movie Rampart. Reddit users have a particular position on free speech and see Reddit as a platform to express one's personal views. Harrelson's seemingly "PR approved" responses were quickly called out by the users asking questions, turning a simple AMA into a feud between fans and Woody Harrelson.
It is hard for me to decide who I should feel more sympathetic for because I can see where both sides are coming from. I believe Woody Harrelson was not aware of what he was getting into, as explained by one of Reddit's AMA moderators. However, "ask me anything" does seem clear enough for him to understand what people will be asking. I greatly sympathize for the fans wanting to ask legitimate questions. Reddit's AMA section is an unprecedented opportunity to talk to celebrities and other interesting people. Since Woody Harrelson seems to be so open about his opinions, I can understand the disappointment of his fans when he answered with non-answers.
The character I sympathize the least with in this story is the person responsible for Woody Harrelson's responses. Whether this person is Woody Harrelson or some PR agent, they should have been aware of Reddit's environment. It would only take 15 minutes to figure out the procedure for AMAs. Plenty of other famous people have done them and received the same treatment.
Trump vs. Fox News
In the preceding days of the Republican debate of Jan. 28, 2016, Donald Trump demanded that mediator Megyn Kelly be removed from the debate. He claimed that Megyn Kelly would treat him unfairly, based off of previous arguments. Fox responded by asking Trump to imagine himself in a similar situation with Vladimir Putin. If he can not handle a debate with Megyn Kelly, how could he sit down with Putin?
When dealing with Fox and Donald Trump, it is hard to feel sympathy for either side. In this situation I would sympathize the most with Megyn Kelly because she is really just doing her job. With such an outlandish character as Donald Trump, it would be irresponsible for Megyn Kelly not to criticize him. As a reporter, Megyn Kelly should be encouraged to express these criticisms and not be silenced for them.
The least sympathetic character in this story is Donald Trump. Like a crybaby he demanded the removal of something he does not like. As a businessman, father, and presidential candidate, Trump should have a higher tolerance for these kinds of personal arguments. While he did endure some harsh exchanges between himself and Megyn Kelly, the blows came from both sides. If Trump was a polite, respectable candidate I would probably sympathize with him more. Unfortunately, we all know this is not the case.
Convention break: No lead, no cited image
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