Triple Threat - Kanye West, Serena Williams, and Joe Wilson's uncivilized, loutish outbursts.

We often say that sports and entertainment superstars make poor role models for kids. And if kids looked up to politicians, we'd say the same about them as well. Recent disreputable behavior by Kanye West, Serena Williams, and Congressman Joe Wilson bear that out.
The outbursts of West, Williams, and Wilson are the kind of behavior that would earn a kid a one-way ticket to the principal's office, or at least a denial of recess. But excluding law enforcement, there are few principals' offices in the grown-up world. Much offensive celebrity behavior goes unchecked; sometimes it even goes rewarded (Insert your favorite legendary rock band here).

That's what makes these three particular incidents such unique and teachable moments. Because of what happened next.
When Kanye West rudely interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech to throw his support to Beyonce Knowles, Beyonce overshadowed his offense by graciously giving Swift a chance to speak during her own acceptance speech.
Beyonce's demonstration of spontaneous generosity and class -- at least in this instance -- is something kids need to see, and I hope they did. I suppose we can thank Kanye for serving up the opportunity (as well as for inventing the blog-o-pology)
When hardly-serene Serena Williams blew a gasket during her U.S. Open semi-final match against Kim Clijsters, her immature and obscene outburst (something about the creative placement of a tennis ball in part of linesman's anatomy) was smacked by the crowd, the Women's Tennis Association, and even John McEnroe. No statement yet from Oscar the Grouch. Again, there's little to be learned from shameful behavior, but much to be learned from calling it out.
When Rep. Joe Wilson thought he was at a Carolina Panthers game instead of a joint session of Congress, and shouted "You Lie!" at President Obama, he was called out from both sides of the political spectrum. His own party forced an apology from him, falling just shy of pulling him by the ear. There's no better opportunity for bipartisanship than when it comes time to champion simple civility. I don't know if kids saw Wilson's offensive moment, but what happened next should get equal time during family dinner table discussion. After all, every kid understands the consequences of speaking out of turn.
The grown-up world, as opposed to the kids-in-school world, is short on principals, but long on principle. Let's hope -- and see to it wherever possible -- that kids are well-exposed to civil, laudable reactions to uncivilized, loutish behavior.

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• Triple
• Threat
• Kanye
• West
• Serena
• Williams
• Rep.
• Joe
• Wilson
• Taylor
• Swift
• Beyonce
• uncivilized
• loutish
• outburst
• disreputable
• behavior
• U.S.
• Open
• semi-final
• match
• Kim
• Clijsters
• Oscar
• Grouch
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• McEnroe
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• You Lie!
• President
• Obama

[LovinKittyKatt]

America - where democracy means that every idiot can say whatever is on his mind

[tennis89insomniac]

of course serena you're always right b/c u think ur the center of universe

[AlexDelPiero07]

America, where too much freedom means you have retards and cunts like Kanye West and Serena Williams are superstars....

[stambeto007]

send her fat ass back to africa

[invent1337]

Monkey Behavior

[datboiko15]

racket abuse wtf???? if i hit my racket on the floor il go to jail lmao

[backatchalol]

lol thats what i thought

[manofsteal0024]

Not a goood week for black people

[cobyson05]

wait a minute, how can anyone hear her over the crowd?

[albertaforalbertans]

Serena Williams, you and I both. You can say waht Serena lost her temple, but with an asshole like Kanye West you can not blame her.