'MONSTERS!': Planned Parenthood jokes trigger right-wing meltdown over Fox series 'The Mick'
Conservative culture critics are in a dither over the new Fox network sitcom The Mick because of an offhand mention of Planned Parenthood and the nonprofit's mission to provide healthcare to 3 million Americans.
In a column at Breitbart.com, Susan Berry lamented that an "abortion chain" like Planned Parenthood could be mentioned in such blithe terms.
"The abortion chain has faced multiple scandals since investigative journalists produced videos that allege the group and its partners in biomedical procurement have been harvesting and selling the body parts of babies aborted in clinics for a profit," wrote Berry.
All of these allegations against the healthcare nonprofit have been repeatedly disproven, but conservatives continue to cling to the lie that Planned Parenthood is selling aborted fetuses by the pound to unscrupulous medical researchers on the black market.
At Newsbusters, contributor Lindsay Kornick fumed, "(W)hat is the point of adding Planned Parenthood, other than virtue signaling and providing them free advertising? This episode was awkward enough as it is without referencing the largest abortion provider in the country. Even the characters are squeamish on the subject and don't want to outright say the A-word, but the truth is that abortion is big business for Planned Parenthood."
"Fox viewers will be subjected to the show at its regular time slot Tuesdays at 8:30pm eastern," Kornick sniped.
In fact, Planned Parenthood is a nonprofit and abortions only account for 3 percent of the services it provides to American families each year.
"The overwhelming majority of Planned Parenthood's services involve screening for and treating sexually transmitted diseases and infections, as well as providing contraception," said National Public Radio.
The scene in The Mick is hardly worth noting. Planned Parenthood came up briefly in a discussion between title character Mackenzie “Mick” Murphy (Kaitlin Olson) and her niece Sabrina.
"Maybe you don't know this, but Planned Parenthood provides healthcare to over 3 million women in this country," Sabrina said.
"Oh, honey, I know all about Planned Parenthood," Mick said. "I had one of those punch cards that gets you a free sub after 10 visits."
"Gross," Sabrina replied.
Mick tried to impress upon her niece that, yes, activism is important, but tonight, she needs to stay home.
"Chain yourself to a redwood, set yourself on fire," Mick said. "Just not tonight, okay?"
This was more than delicate conservative sensibilities could bear, apparently.
Commenters on Berry's post were outraged.
"It is actually a pretty factual interpretation of the Planned Parenthood supporter - a clueless, liberal brainwashed, immature 15 yr old," wrote one.
Another wailed that "there's absolutely NOTHING funny about murdering millions upon millions of unborn babies!!"
"Glad I missed it," sniffed another. "Hollywood propaganda."
Right-wing Twitter lost no time in announcing its determination to not pay for a show that they weren't paying for anyway.
Watch a clip from The Mick, embedded below: