Seems like an odd question, but I suppose that would depend on the context in which it was asked.

Yeah, I'd love to know the context. But there are plenty of people who don't know the difference between fiction and real.

it's a valid question to ask what the context is... except this is 20/20.. and it's john stossel asking the question.. i've seen him ask 5 year olds how it felt to witness both their parents burn right in front of their eyes! Honest! (okay, not honest, but close enough)

Downvote for complete lack of context.

I can't believe you'd downvote for lack of context. What type of context are you looking for that would make this question integral to any rational discussion?

Wait a minute. Dr. Pepper isn't a real doctor? Why did he need a pap smear? AND WHY WAS HE SO DELICIOUS?

>> ^UsesProzac:
Wait a minute. Dr. Pepper isn't a real doctor? Why did he need a pap smear? AND WHY WAS HE SO DELICIOUS?


Wtf? Someone actually LIKES Dr. Pepper?

John Stossel is a Douche.

I keep on dipping into this well to see if I can get Grimm to laugh a little... thus far, epic fail.

Rhetorical questions bother me because most people abuse them. These days most people seem to think they deserve a response. I usually don't give one, which leads to a lot of awkward pauses when I get into arguments.

John Stossel is to journalism as Kenny G is to jazz.

As I recall, the context is in a program about a cafe in the Southwest called "Heart Attack Cafe", or some such, in which the waitresses dress up like nurses. They serve "quadruple bypasses" and the like. A nurses organization took them to court, I believe, about disparaging nurses, when they dress up in the cafe but aren't really nurses. So Stossel is interviewing the spokeswoman for the nurses organization, asking her if she really believes that people confuse the waitresses with real nurses; like they might confuse Dr. Pepper with real doctors, and if the real doctors should be upset about it. FYI.

When he questioned big business practices, John Stossel was framed as a crusader, beloved by the media.

Then he started asking the SAME common sense questions about government and the media itself and they turned on him.

Who really welcomes dissent?

Not Lefty.

>> ^JonaHansen:
As I recall, the context is in a program about a cafe in the Southwest called "Heart Attack Cafe", or some such, in which the waitresses dress up like nurses. They serve "quadruple bypasses" and the like. A nurses organization took them to court, I believe, about disparaging nurses, when they dress up in the cafe but aren't really nurses. So Stossel is interviewing the spokeswoman for the nurses organization, asking her if she really believes that people confuse the waitresses with real nurses; like they might confuse Dr. Pepper with real doctors, and if the real doctors should be upset about it. FYI.


So he's a douche for giving free publicity to the skanky-uniform-waitress restaurant. That settles it!

Context restored! Here's a full article on the subject:

http://townhall.com/columnists/JohnStossel/2006/12/27/is_nothin_too_trivial_for_the_busybodies

And in that context, I believe the question is valid. Are sexy nurses making women avoid the nursing profession? Dumb, dumb, dumb. There are also sexy teachers, sexy secretaries, sexy baby-sitters, etc. It's not the professions that are sexualized, it's the women. And fat chance of stopping that.

QuantumMushroom...

I have been on the John Stossel is a Douche wagon since his e. coli muckraking.

I got yer context right here.

Seeing the whole story, I'm inclined to call this question borderline genius. He's doing a fairly decent job of mocking the ridiculous claims of the nurses association.

I'm protext.

Depends on context.

You'd think people could tell the difference between fiction and what's real, but religion is so widespread.