What did Ted Bundy have in his Xbox? I love you, Jim.

God damn, that was a really hard podcast to listen to. I think both of you guys are bad at debating and are extremely stubborn. Some of the points both of you guys were making were enough to make me cringe at its short sightedness. Kudos for doing it though, I was curious enough to listen.

I'm amazed that he mentions WWE so many times and doesn't seem to be bothered by the fact that they themselves are a form of violent entertainment with sexual aspects that aims it's product to kids.

Jim...I applaud the way you handled that. Even listening got me rather riled when he would just keep going off on one about points that didnt matter - Just STFU for a minute Jack! I dont know how you kept your cool without smashing your face through your monitor, but however you managed it, Bravo.

Hm. I am thinking that since Jack doesn't seem to understand the very concept of Silence. Or the concept of "I am done talking" "I should talk now"..

I am thinking that since that is the situation. Perhaps you should have told Jack midway through the topic "Since I keep getting interrupted, and apparently interrupting you. We should just start saying "Over" when we are done speaking for that moment."

.. Jack had to have been the rudest bastard ever spoken to courteously. He was interrupting you at every turn, yet when you say anything - even after he's finished a sentence, he starts whining like a child. I felt embarassed for him.

Nice try Jim. Jack Thompson is really long winded and will ignore your points and bring up his own.

Wow, I truly never thought that Jack was an ignorant guy, but after this I feel that he is truly ignorant and not just an attention whore. He talks plenty about common sense but I think that his definition of common only stretches to him and his peers. Maybe if he reached out to more people and had an intelligent conversation (lol, no) with not only people on his side he would see that common is not a proper description of what he sees is right. Or maybe he just doesn't read the body of the studies, just the results. "Well, a professor on my side says the results are a 100% affirmative, so maybe I should just skim the text and not question how the tests are performed... and not search for multiple variables that contribute nor simple say that such things as excite... This fake quote has gone on long enough, you get the point.

Also, he is a rude babbling cunt and I am surprised a jury could even be patient enough to hear him out. Actually, maybe they weren't and zoned out half-way through the hearing.

Good job, Jim, that was insanely hilarious and informative.

Circular logic works because Circular logic works because circular logic works because circular logic works because

Just FYI Pornography is defined as
"obscene writings, drawings, photographs, or the like, esp. those having little or no artistic merit." or something "SEXUALLY EXPLICIT."

god, I really dislike this man. He really does just talk and talk and talk. This wasn't a debate. This was Jack Thompson talking for 5 minutes, Jim Sterling trying to make a point and then Jack Thompson making a smart remark and re-explaining what he just said in the past 5 minutes.

I'm sorry it ended up like this Jim :[

this guy pisses me off when he doesnt shut the fuck up i just wanna yell shut the fuck up for a second

I bet Ted Bundy would have liked Fusion Frenzy.

I wish I could say I liked the interview. I think Jack is a retarded blow-hard, but I do agree with his comments that Rockstar should be doing their part to withhold stock of GTA from retailers who don't check ID with sales of GTAIV (yes, including the all powerful Walmart). It's pretty clear IMO that Rockstar is marketing this game not just toward adults, but also teens. I think most of us who have reached the age of majority can enjoy the sadistic humor, black comedy, and over-the-top violence for what it is: grown-up entertainment. But if Rockstar is really creating a product meant to be enjoyed by adults only, why aren't they doing a better job at aiding retailers in policing the sale of their product to underage kids who don't meet the requirements for purchase? I don't think Rockstar deserves the blame solely, but I think if they, along with retailers and parents were doing their part at keeping this from being sold directly to minors, things would be great. I don't understand how any adult gamer could have an objection to that. Now, if parents want to buy this game for their kids, and they are sure they're mature enough to handle it, that's fine. Just like I should be able to take my kid into an R-rated film while supervised if I had kids and were so inclined. That way, the choice is in the hands of the parent, the responsibility is in the hands of the parent, and the media would have a harder time blaming the industry for violent video games being an unchecked malevolent force on the youth of America and the world at large.

Unfortunately, making snarky comments over Jack's reasonably well-spoken diatribes (wrong as they might be on some points) might make for entertaining podcasts for Destructoid's target audience, it doesn't do much to advance the idea that game-enthusiasts are a mature demographic appreciating a legitimate art-form. It just makes us seem like a group of petulant, whiny children who can't do anything but immaturely snicker when somebody doesn't know what a 'Wii Fit' is, and a bunch of folks who reflexively and blindly defend against any negative criticism of an industry that we love. I think both of you guys were putting up some pretty weak straw men, and both of you did your part to not advance the conversation in the least. Not that it's all your fault, Jim. Jack is a crazy MF...

also ZOMG they're selling the game to 17 year olds.....except on the box...M is for 17+ ass..

Am I the only one who thinks Thompson was on the money in this interview? I think Take Two should warn Wal-Mart or any other large retailer that if they sell Mature games to kids they'll lose their business.

It's called integrity.

So what if they're big companies with lot's of money involved, kids are playing stuff they shouldn't play.

I actually respect Thompson a lot more after actually hearing this back and forth. I think both parties got pretty heated, a lot of interrupting, but that was expected. He's not trying to end video games, he's trying to keep them out of the hands of minors....if we didn't have 'annoying' dudes like him making sure things don't get too out of hand I think games would be a lot more gratuitous with sex and drugs than they are now.


I'm married, and someday soon I'll be a father. I'd be pleased to know that it'd be just as difficult for my kid to get into a strip club as it is for him to do it in a game he shouldn't be playing. And I'd be comforted knowing that my kid won't see advertisements for strip clubs during the commercial breaks, or games that let you go into strip clubs.

I think most peoples' problems with the dude aren't what he does or the court cases he takes on, but his personal ideas about games and media...which are opinions and everyone's entitled to one....right?

Why don't we like this guy again?

So really what I got from Jack tonight is that GTA 4 is a murder simulator because Cain and Able teamed up against the Attorney General to get back at the prostitutes and extinguish innocent lives, all in the name of blurring the line between who is Tom and who is Jerry.

I mean, I might have heard it wrong, after all I don't speak the language that they do at Crazy Ass-hat University as well as Jack seems to.

I don't understand why some of my fellow d-toiders are thinking that Thompson made a good case.

Jack Thompson's arguments don't hold up to statistical evidence. Violent crime rates in the US have drastically decreased since the 1950s.

When this is data is taken into account Thompson's assumption that video games somehow increase violent tendencies is shown to be erroneous.

This would have been a great counter-point for Jim to bring-up.

I have one problem with everyone who speaks to Jack Thompson about GTA. Why does no one mention that the majority of civilian and police killing is completely optional and that the players are in no way forced to kill anyone outside of missions. Aside from the dirty cops in GTA:SA, I don't recall ever being forced to kill any police.

Also, why doesn't anyone tell it like it is when he says that the game rewards you for killing police? When you kill police it actually makes the game far more difficult for you and the longer you live while reeking having the larger the law enforcement squads you will be chased by and eventually even SWAT teams and the Army. That doesn't really sound rewarding to me.

Anyway, we can't take anything this idiot says serious especially when he's calling things pornographic that aren't. I mean going by the logic he uses a woman in a bathing suit would be considered pornographic. How can you call "gangster" rap pornographic? Verbally offensive or obscene, maybe. But pornographic is by definition only pertaining to imagery such as pictures, video, and drawling. Also, pornographic is pretty much defined as sexual intercourse of some kind, but where there is no nudity and actual intercourse of any kind, how can it be pornography?

Every second Jack Thompson was cutting Jim off and after five minute long rants when Jim decided to say something he acted like he was being cut off at every word. Honestly, Jim you should have been more aggressive with him. Why didn't you mention the book Grand Theft Childhood? I mean that's a huge study that goes against his claims and was back by the US government with over one million dollars funding it for over a period of five years I believe.

Also, it was sickening how he completely dismissed the fact that the majority of video game players, violent video game players, have done nothing wrong. I mean he actually had the nerve to say it was probably a higher percentage who've done nothing wrong, but then say it doesn't matter basically saying the mistake of a few should be pushed onto gamers as a whole.

Also, yes, we've heard of Cain and Abel, Jack. But, guess what, not everyone believe in that shit. Not everyone is a fanatical bible thumper, in fact not everyone had a religion. That's absolutely no proof that Cain and Abel, the same ones form the bible, had ever even existed as far as I know.

All of his arguments are nonsense twisting fact. What was his excuse when he was confronted about the FBI's records that had shown that youth violence had been on a drastic downward spiral since the popularity of video games began rising back around the release of the original DOOM? He claimed that the FBI or the schools just weren't reporting it. What a bunch of shit. Also, I liked how he brought up the shit about Postal being advertised to children, which isn't even a main stream video game, and has never once been advertised on television to my knowledge.

Also, I like how he complains about GTA being advertised on WWE programing while WWE's programming is pretty risque a lot of the time itself. Not to mention that during many of WWE's shows alcoholic drinks/beverages are advertise as well between breaks, yet no complaints about that? Odd. I mean, they don't have a problem with that, but they do have a problem with video games being advertised at 8PM-10PM/9PM-11PM? When should video games like GTA be advertised? Midnight on the Spice channel? Get some fucking sense idiot!

keep up that track record of yours jack :)

loves listening to himself talk, huh....

he should be a rabbi.

god forbid.

Someone needs to do real studies showing how without videogames, we'd all be killing each other more. Although, I guess that wouldn't stop him, since the only people who know anything are the people who Jack Thompson references.

1) GTA4 should not be sold to minors. Agreed! Vendors should be punished for doing so. Here, where I think Jack Thompson can actually make a difference, sounds just fine to me. I hope he wins and Wal-Mart gets the crap sued out of them (fuck Wal-Mart anyway).

2) Take2 should not market to minors. Well...while I agree in principle, trying to enforce this is going down the slippery slope of free speech violatin. Education is a far more robust solution, me thinks.

3) Games make kids violent. It seems that the verdict is still out on this. Ultimately, I don't think games are a significant factor. A kid on edge is a kid on edge, and anything can tip them over. A bad sandwich or a bad day at school could probably send such a kid over the edge just as much as GTA4 could.

And that's that. End of story.

Glad most of you enjoyed it.

As I said, it was difficult. I'm not really happy with how it turned out, because unlike Jack, I was just as concerned with making a listenable, entertaining show as I was in making my point. Jack doesn't care if nobody can enjoy the show, and unfortunately I had to worry about that a lot.

Ultimately, I kept him on the phone longer than anybody else has, and the only way to do that was assume a more passive role. Because that's not totally entertaining however, I busted out some one-liners after I realized he was just gonna go on and on.

I certainly underestimated him though, and I don't mind admitting as such. He's a defense attorney, and for once, I can see why. He also makes some good points. As I said at the beginning, we're kind of pulling in the same direction. The trouble is, he has to be an obnoxious asshole about it and claim that GTA is a simulator that kids train on. That said, he is clever, and was in a situation where he knew he could talk and talk and leave at any time, while I had to show to try and make.

I feel that, considering I was talking to a man who argues for a living, that I've never had a big verbal debate like this before, and that I was working within some big limitations, I held my own and put in a good show. That's all I could ask for, really.

I'm at work atm, I'll listen to it soon. Fucking A, I can't believe he turned up!

I don't think I can read or hear anything else about this guy. It's just too frustrating.

His ignorance is astounding - I'm surprised he hasn't died by natural selection yet.

Hands down - Video Game Companies are NOT responsible for under-age distribution. Just because murderer's played video game doesn't mean that's what made them kill - let alone TRAINED them.

I wonder how many of them played frisbee, or watched fox news.


So sad...

So frustrated...

He's beyond "saving", and even if I would hope "the best" for him - there's really no hope.