I guess I should do a little research before I joke...
A reader tipped me off that the TIME piece caught the attention of Jay Leno’s writers, evidently. Was he making fun of how…wait for it…how NFP is green, but be warned that your pregnancy test will be blue! People making fun of natural methods of family planning…both shocking and original. NOTE TO JAY: NFP IS NOT THE RHYTHM METHOD! Well, three cheers for the mention. All press is good press, right Nicole?
Join me if you wish in emailing the producers if you like once you see the video. Let it load for a sec, and the punchline’s at the 10 minute mark.
I’d like to draft a little script–a satire of of his segment Jaywalking, where he interviews average people and ask them easy questions (“What color is the White House?” or “Who’s the President?”), and they feature the people who can’t manage to get it right. Well, this version would be called J-Walking (play on my first name), and I would interview average talk show hosts about their jokes about NFP, and they would get it totally wrong!
The funny thing is that he used a badly-written article to fuel his punchline, but the joke’s on him! The Rhythm Method isn’t NFP! Hello? We’ve got a lot a work to do, friends, but in the mean time, have a laugh at Jay, and let his producers know he’s the worse case of J-walking yet!
14 Responses to NFPworks gets a Leno mention
Leave a Reply
Connect with me!
I heard about this as well, and I just watched the clip. I think it is important that we email the producers to clarify that what he said was ignorant. But like you said, at least NFP is getting noticed at all!
Do you have contact info for the producers?
I saw Leno’s monologue last night. It seemed to me like he may have intentionally confused modern natural family planning and rhythm, but I’m guessing he was trying to get a laugh, not to inform.
Perhaps, Curt. Of course he wasn’t trying to inform, but the fact is that there’s truth in jokes, which is why they’re funny, and what he said was false.
The Rhythm method was the best available method of determining a woman’s fertile cycle at the time. Think of the advances in medicine since the 1950s and so with Natural Family Planning plus the sympto -thermal method which is the best available method of determining a woman’s fertile cycle at this time.
In the same vein, a friend says on Facebook:
“I saw it. It didn’t help the cause. He said with the Rhythm Method, you know NFP, as if that is the only NFP, and then made a joke about it….I don’t think all press is good press. Jokes like that do more harm because many people actually get their info from these guys. Take Jon Stewart. Some people watch him exclusively for their news fix.”
My husband told me about it last night, but hadn’t heard the whole comment. Very frustrated to hear exactly what was said…. If I hadn’t already made a blog post about how NFP is not the Rhythm Method I would do so now….
i just watched it and the joke didn’t get a good laugh. at least THAT’s a good sign!
Amen, Norah, the Rhythm Method was the best science could offer–SIXTY YEARS AGO. But checking back into this century and decade gives a lot more than the Rhythm Method could offer for many women, and that’s where Leno et al got it wrong.
Way to look on the bright side, Alison!
I still think all press is good press. Who takes Jay Leno seriously? Those who do are never gonna understand… but the point is, its out there. Correct it, talk about it, share it. God can take something like this getting onto the main stage of TV and get people thinking… As an instructor, while there are old “NFP jokes” out there, I still have non catholics coming to me asking for instructions bc they dont want chemicals in their bodies. By theology or by the fact people are crazy with going green – its being talked about.
Also, take Jays other topics of jokes that are false – not everything he gets a laugh suddenly becomes unpopular. While its not something we want jokes to be made out of, people are talking. Plus you have no control over what people will say… but God has a say in how its heard
I completely agree, Nicole — all press IS good press. As long as you take advantage of it. The most important thing is to follow it up with a way of getting your side out there. First stop is e-mailing Leno and producers (do we have any info on that?). But also, if there are any freelancers out there, it might be a good idea to write some articles that make it clear NFP is not the rhythm method and highlight its benefits and try to pitch those kinds of stories to news markets. Usually, that has to be put in a greater context, so it doesn’t look like strict PR, but as long as it spins NFP in a good light, that’s all you’re going for at this stage.
As frustrating as the joke was, and confirmed a lot of people’s prejudice against NFP and bad opinion of it, the NFP movement *is* growing, and it *is* green. Good point–one joke on a ten minute monologue is not going to change the face of the world (especially with the lower ratings it’s been getting).
And, Kat, excellent articulation of the the positive side of things. I’ll email you today with info/ links so that you can forward away!
For all others, JLS contact info is here:
http://www.thejaylenoshow.com/contact/
Also, it would be a good idea to hit up the JLS Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/jaylenoshow
On a PR Marketing point. Have you guys heard of http://www.realnewspr.com/free_publicity.htm
If not, read the book. Its great for PR. Concerning Kat’s comments, now might be the time to find those reporters who do report on health and NFP issues to get additional coverage… even off the TIME article… not even considering the Jay Leno comment. However, the Jay comments could be seen to a writer who cares as an opportunity to right the wrong image.
[...] NFP is NOT the damn Rhythm Method! [...]