Do not adjust your set, you really did read that Cooper Lawrence, the psychologist who appeared in Fox's unfair and unfounded slander against Mass Effect, has admitted that she "misspoke" about the game and has actually done the right thing in retracting her comments. Having now actually done what she should have done and watched the sex scenes in question, Lawrence has realized that the game was not the foul and degrading porno she told everyone it was:
I recognize that I misspoke. I really regret saying that, and now that I’ve seen the game and seen the sex scenes it’s kind of a joke.
Before the show I had asked somebody about what they had heard, and they had said it’s like pornography. But it’s not like pornography. I’ve seen episodes of Lost that are more sexually explicit.
This is actually incredibly pleasing news, to see someone who has enough of a spine to admit something like that, especially when it comes to videogames. While it does little to justify her going on air and defending a viewpoint she had no right claiming to hold, and doesn't make up for the disrespect she showed Geoff Keighley and the games industry, it is at least a respectable move and a sign that not everyone on "the other side of the fence" has to remain ignorant and offensive in the face of the truth.
I would like to think that Ms. Lawrence remembers this the next time Fox News hands her an axe and tells her to get hacking, but I'm not so sure. Another thing that isn't quite clear is just how much this is linked to the online backlash Lawrence received for her comments, but I have to think that may have at least spurred her to look into the game some more rather than just cash the check from Fox and forget about it (and some people said it wouldn't achieve anything). Either way, what Lawrence did was a mistake that no professional should have made, but admitting the fault has raised my estimation of her quite a bit. Now let's hope Fox has the stones to admit its errors. We're all waiting for some of this "fair and balanced" integrity.
[Thanks, Sharpless]
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Wow, surprised she owned up to it. Now will there be an on-air retraction on Fox News? I'm not holding my breath.
Estimated temperature in hell today -23F.
Wow, I take back everything I thought about her. That's something you never see from Fox news.
I wonder which wannebe psychologist Fox will ask for comments next time.
This is proof, btw, that gamers unleashing their vitriol isn't always going to lead to bad things. I can't help but think that the moral high road would never have led to this.
Score one for the use of our voices!
Well now we can all put down our pitchforks for now. The community appreciates this.
Nay, I shall not lay down my pitch fork, I rather enrage myself over other trivial matters! Who's with me. Pilllaaagggeee
Now she's clear with the gaming community that only leaves the slanderous Fox News to account for their comments on the game...gather ye pitch forks...its time to take on Rupert Murdoch
FOX News wishes Cooper Lawrence all the best in her future endeavors
Actually willing to look at the game. Realising she was wrong and publicly owning up to it. Good on her.
She'll be playing COD4 online next.
I'm amazed she didn't throw in a "But the violence is still ruining the youth of today." Which is not surprising, I'd say that this would be just to get the book spamming to stop/slow down.
Fact of the matter is, this apology isn't going to be heard by all that many people, Fox needs to do a retraction ASAP. Although, from what I've read about Fox, that's not going to happen.
Well, she's always been OK to me. Anyone considered "fappable material" in my mind is fine in my book.
Yeah, I know I need help. Shut the fuck up.
No Way, Still not good enough. It only slightly makes up for her ridiculous incompetence. If she really wants to fix it she should go on air (on Fox) and publicly apologize to all at Bioware, Geoff Keighley and the whole general public for being so uninformed, so rude and so goddamned unprofessional. And she will be receiving an email saying something to that effect.
Again, here is her email address:
cooper@cooperlawrenceshow.com
And her Myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/thecooperlawrenceshow
Cheers to Orionsaint again for providing these
Wow, I was just thinking about this today. I said "Brain, I wonder if after all the crap over at Amazon if she comes out on damage control, ACTUALLY WATCHES the video and then points the finger at Fox for bullshitting her", and it came to be!
Good on her. Fuck Fox.
Now what the hell am I supposed to do with this torch and pitchfork? Seriously this is only a start, Fox needs to come out and retract the entire damn segment.
I'm with stewy. I don't care if she apologizes or not, but they need to publicly retract those statements on-air. Beyond that, bravo to her for sucking it up and admitting she was wrong. If she hadn't been a fucktard in the first place, she wouldn't have had the opportunity to be so dead wrong, but that's beside the point.
If Fox doesn't report her retraction, then this means next to nothing.
And Fox won't. Because Fox is not wrong. The world is. For not understanding the real truth and not the factual truth.
And there was much rejoicing. I'm sure that the e-pummeling she received influenced the apology.
Proof: Fox's panels are uninformed and aren't qualified to debate topics.
Oh wow this is incredible news. How excellent!
I just want this moment to say,
IN YOUR FACE Grimlock, you bloody joke of a person
Now, to get her back on FOX to make them accept they were wrong.
It nice when people actually admit their mistakes
I won't fall for their "oops I'm apologizing" tricks. Fuck them and NEVAR FORGET!
=D Omg! We just need Jack Thompson to cry and beg for forgiveness and the world will be perfect.
Awesome.
I still hate the bitch though, get your damn facts straight before you go off on an "I'm right, you're wrong" rant.
OMG!!! THE SKY IS FALLING!!! Well Cooper, while I still think you're Ignorant and have a long way to go to becoming a respectable human being. You've gained a tad bit of respect from me in doing this, kudos. I wish more ignorant people would own up like this. We could all start to come together and live in a world of peace and harmony.
Let's be honest though. The real reason she did this was because when she saw the 1000's of 1 Star reviews of her book at Amazon.com. She realized her book wouldn't sell.
Just a bit of related information - according to the FCC the buttocks is now a sexual organ.
Granted thats probably the reason, she could have easily made a bigger scene and fight for the reviews on amazon to be taken away or went on FOX again to bash the gaming community for being so immature and naive. Instead she took the time to check the game out like she should have and made an apoligy.
I give her credit.
Win, now lets hear something on behalf of the Fox reporters
I just hope that she means it, and isn't just trying to stop gamers from pooping on her career.
I especially appreciate the fact that she said Lost had more sexual scenes, which is an important thing for people to realize. I'm just amazed that she could be so cocky on-air when she was basing her opinions on such shakey information.
yesss.. let's open a bottle of good wine.. Victory!!
Wow. That was unexpected and a good thing. Regardless of how forgiving one is, this surely was better than other alternative outcomes. I too give her credit.
It's great when people get what the truly deserve.
I wasn't expecting such a good response, but I knew something good would come out of the Amazon satire. This makes me happy. I have more respect for Cooper now, looks like she actually grew some balls and went for the ethical path I described earlier.
Well I'm glad she apologized you can't really ask for more than that
Well....
Damn.
I stand corrected. And relieved. Cigars all around, then.
Tragic Hero said it well. I think the gaming community really got her attention not only with the Amazon reviews but also with the numerous emails I'm sure she received. It's nice to know that like he said instead of raising an even holier stink she took the time to really look at what she was talking about and could admit that she was wrong. It takes guts to admit you're wrong sometimes and even though she was dumb to do it in the first place at least she could go back and fix her mistakes as best as possible. Fox on the other hand...yeah I don't see that happening anytime soon.
@ Grimlock
Part of me thinks you'd rather not be taken seriously.
That's right. Feel the mighty fist of gamers, you babbling twat.
As mentioned, she justs wants the negative book reviews on Amazon to stop.
Regulus: Don't bother responding to Grimlock. He's SuMizzle/Action Bastard, someone who has already been banned before for his flamebait and personal attacks. He actually has no belief/interest in what he says, he's just obsessed with both myself and with getting attention.
Do Not Feed the Troll.
Just sit back and enjoy the story about this rare instance of an on-air attention whore retreating.
Action Bastard got banned? Why does that sort of stuff happen when I'm dead from the Internets!
well she had better own up to it. You see how her view completely changed AFTER seeing the damn thing.
so now that she's confessed about not seeing a damn thing related to ME until then, when will fox do the same?
Well, that explains that.
I gotta say, though, I do hope that this sort of retaliatory gamer aggression doesn't become the norm. I'd hate to find out that rest of the world is only leaving us alone because they're afraid we'll break their Internets, rather than thinking "hey, this might be a legitimate pastime after all!"
w04h....
Heh, despite my coservative standings on most things, even I can't stand Fox News sometimes.
It's nice to see someone with the proverbial cajones to step up and admit their mistake. As they say, when you're in a hole, the first thing you should do is stop digging.
Despite her lies, at least she has stood up and apologised for it. Most people in media would never do that and I respect her for that. I doubt FOX news will apologise until they get enough of a response, so keep spamming them (good work so far 4chan!)!
Sweet lord, HELL HATH FROZEN OVER
Well good for her, although she'll need to do a lot more to get any professional respect back. Now if only Fox news would also air an apology.
As an aside though: “But it’s not like pornography. I’ve seen episodes of ‘Lost’ that are more sexually explicit.”
Clearly I need to start watching Lost again. I don't remember anything like that in the first two seasons.
damn. that's good news. maybe she's learned that if she doesn't want to be destroyed on the internet the last group to screw with is gamers.
She's not sorry she said that. She's just sorry she got caught.
Check out Sessler's response http://youtube.com/watch?v=VBTh1xy5XAI
Thank you, dear God. Now I can die in piece. After I lived in awesomeness in a world, where what's right has a freaking chance.
This made my day.
Doesn't change the fact that she went on TV to speak shit about something she doesn't know about -- only makes it obvious that she wasn't worried about the veracity of the second-hand opinion she got.
But that she decided to admit it is good news I guess.
Here's to hope other "specialists" will take note and not talk shit out of their asses about games in the future.
FTW! When gamers unite there's nothing we can't overcome! Hey, a pig just flew into my window too.
@The Last Noypi: That's a pretty good response.
Its good to see that some people admit their mistakes, there are a ton of people that don't admit when they are wrong no matter what the circumstances. Now that she retracted the statements, lets hope that she LEARNS something from this. Namely do some fucking research before you go on a NEWS network and do a report on something.
Wow, good on ya, Cooper.
Doesn't change the fact that she spoke badly about a subject she knew nothing about, and rudely laughed at poor Geoff Keigly, but oh well. At least she realized the err of her actions.
Oh, and fuck Fox News and their "informing" of their guests. Like pornography, indeed...
Holy shit, Sessler's response is dead-on. I wonder what he'll say in response to her retraction.
Jim, if you click the link-to-the-link-to-the-link, you will see in the original NY times article that this was the result of the ratings she got on Amazon.
"This is actually incredibly pleasing news, to see someone who has enough of a spine to admit something like that, especially when it comes to videogames. While it does little to justify her going on air and defending a viewpoint she had no right claiming to hold, and doesn't make up for the disrespect she showed Geoff Keighley and the games industry, it is at least a respectable move and a sign that not everyone on "the other side of the fence" has to remain ignorant and offensive in the face of the truth."
man, whatever. "spine"? she got a nyt interview about it, amazon removed the negative reviews,and it'd be a stretch to think this lady cares about video games. these cable news circle jerks just use photogenic mouthpieces to fake-discuss something in round tables. it's like those ex police officers and shitty doctors who make extra cash as 'expert witnesses' only you don't need near the qualifications to go on fox and just bash shit that fox research stimulates the most negative reactions in its viewers. and the claim that 'gamers showed her' is far-fetched. think of the publicity this z level self help author got from this. and all she had to do was say sorry about something she wasn't actually, sincerely morally invested in anyhow.
the amazon reviews were brilliant and humorous though. they had a good zippery satire. but, yeah.
Will America see her admit this on air widespread? No it will not, that is why this needs to be covered by faux.
I don't know if it's enough, sure she apologized, but pretty much just to us complainers. The least she should do is apologize on her show.
at least she fessed up. now she can go back to posing all sassy on her book covers, as that seems to be the only thing shes good at.
Although it pretty much fell on deaf ears, it's nice to see she apologized. All those comments on her book were so sweet.
While this is great news for gamers. I wish that NYT could have been mailed to all the millions gullible parents that watch Faux but never read NYT.
It would seem the damage is done on both ends now as i'm sure some sexophob parents won't be buying games for their children (properly age rated or not) and Cooper's book is selling like a bronzed