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"Booty Bill" Suggestive Cheerleaders on Studio B

Reported by Donna - May 4, 2005

With having one of the worst days in two months in Iraq as far as car bombs and people killed, Shepard Smith from Studio B insisted on speaking about the so-called "Booty Bill" (regarding suggestive cheerleading) three times today on his hour long show.

The first time he addressed the issue he had pictures of provocative cheerleaders, both in dress and body language, playing on a video as he spoke.

The following is paraphrased, but pretty much verbatim what was said today by Shepard Smith and Judge Andrew Napolitano.

Shepard Smith (SS): The Texas State House has approved the so-called "Booty Bill". The bill restricts, [quote] "overly suggestive cheerleading."[end quote] It's sponsor says the performances are a distraction for students resulting in pregnancies, drop outs and the spread of sexually transmitted 'diseases'. (His emphasis)

Switch to video of Al Edwards (D), Texas State Representative who said: It has nothing to do with a football game, has nothing to do with a community function. We cannot continue to exploit our young girls as we are.

SS: Good Lord. (Pan to video of young, mid to late teens, cheerleader whose bra is sticking out of her top that has slashes through it and another girl with her hand through part of the other girl's slashed top, pulling it down, one looking innocent, one looking seductively at the camera)

SS: Critics of the bill say it's unnecessary since Texas bans lewd acts in public places anyway and some (gotcha!) are questioning the governments priorities here (girl with bra top bending over for extreme cleavage shot. Oh, and don't forget the ripped leather gloves that go up to her elbow).

SS: It still needs the State Senate approval and then the okay from the governor (4 girls on all fours for the cameras - plenty of cleavage shots).

SS: Can you believe that Janice? (the weatherperson) I'm...it rarely happens, I'm speechless. Unbelievable. Dumbfounded, Janice. Go Texas, go Texas.

That was the end of part one of the Booty Bill. Part 2 happened after he had spoke with Judge Andrew Napolitano about the Real ID Act. Smith really wanted to speak about this bill again.

SS: Now I want to talk about Texas, which is just weird. Suggestive cheerleading, a bill banning such a thing, has been voted on by the State House because they gotta protect the children. (Andrew Napolitano sighs heavily)(In the background we now have wholesome cheerleaders, dresswise and movement wise) Because, apparently people are getting sexually transmitted diseases through cheerleading! (His exuberance) That's what it says.

AN: That is basically what it says and I hope the governor vetoes this bill because the Supreme Court has held for time and memorial (Smith was grumbling over the last four words) that even children have the right to express themselves. It's hard to believe that by watching them, you're going to commit a sexual act.

SS: They are telling people what they can and can't do with their clothed bodies. (Now they have little girl cheerleaders on video)

AN: Correct

SS: And then they're telling them, they're not giving them a definition for what suggestive is. It's in the eye of the beholder, the Texas State Representative from whom you heard earlier and who was on John Gibson's program yesterday. And, who John Gibson wished luck with his endeavors -- I almost fell off my chair.

AN: Jimmy and I disagree and you and I disagree with him on this issue.

SS: Wish you luck, John Gibson.

AN: The government should not be telling people how to express themselves and what to look at and what not to look at.

SS: (Very animated) We need a big mirror, judge. It just seems like telling them how to cheer in Texas. There are rules about what you can do in public places. You need to have clothes on. You need to not show parts of your body that need to be covered up. We already have these rules. They're following these rules.

AN: What will they regulate next in Texas?

SS: I don't know, maybe the color of your shoes. Maybe what your roof has to be made out of (my homeowners association has rules about this). Maybe the color of the person you can marry. Maybe we'll go back to that, too.

AN: Government has to recognize it has limits. And morality comes from within not enforced from without.

SS: (laughing) Well, if you know anybody cheerleading, warn them about this whole sexually transmitted disease thing -- it's dangerous.

End of part 2. Just before he closed out his show, Smith couldn't resist a third time on the Booty Bill. He said he was going to read an e-mail letter he received.

SS: You now this Texas thing - alright, I'm fired up about it. (Starts reading the e-mail) I can see that you're aroused, says Dave Smith, by the idea of prancing cheerleaders thrusting in your direction, but as the parent of a senor in high school, I think you miss the sexual element and some schools fail to enforce. Dave Smith goes on........

SS: Dave, maybe it's just me, that's my opinion, but I think what children do on a cheerleader squad, ought to be left up to their parents and themselves. And that the government ought to stay out of that sort of thing. But, that's just me. I don't think the government ought to be telling children how they can act out there. Aside from -- be decent. The laws are already in place, now you've got to come in and put your morality on cheerleaders? Sorry, I think that's a bad idea, but, that's just me.

Comment: I'm so glad that Smith covered this important news story three times in his hour broadcast. I don't even have an opinion, either way, he exhausted me. The only thing I can say is 'me thinks he doth protest too much.'

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