18:06 PST 1/3/2021
by
Kimberly Nordyke
Roderick drew attention on Twitter after sharing a story about how his 9-year-old daughter learned to use a can opener – which led others to accuse him of ‘child abuse’ and then dig up what they call racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic tweets.
Ken Jennings is defending his podcast co-host John Roderick following a controversy in which the latter is called ‘Bean Dad’. This led some social media users to accuse Roderick of ‘child abuse’ and then tore up old tweets they accused of being racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic.
Jennings and Roderick host the podcast Omnibus, which is described as “an encyclopedic reference work of strange-but-true stories that compiles them as a time capsule for future generations.”
Over the weekend, Roderick shared a long story on Twitter about his 9-year-old daughter using a can opener.
The core was that she was hungry and so he told her to make some baked beans. He was amazed when he learned that she did not know how to open the can and decided it was an opportunity for a ‘Teaching Moment’. After six hours, which includes “tears” and his daughter “collapses[ing] in a frustrated hope “- his words – she realized it.
What caught a lot of attention on Twitter was the fact that he told her they would not eat until she figured out how to use the can opener. “Honey, neither of us will have another bite to eat today before we go into this can of beans,” he tweeted about what he had told her. Many have criticized his parenting style for refusing to feed or help her, and according to some it is ‘child abuse’.
Initially, Roderick defended himself. He changes his Twitter bio to “Bean Dad since 2021” and reacted with a series of tweets.
“Somehow my story about my daughter learned how to work out how to use a can opener and overcome her frustration, on a twitter version where I am accused of child abuse. It’s amazing. My child is good with everyone, “he said. wrote.
In another tweet, he adds; ‘The best part of being treated by these parenting trolls is that they are constantly thinking about how it deprives my child of SIX HOURS abuse. This is six hours of duration between meals. Lunch lunch, dinner at six. They literally say CHILD ABUSE. ‘
Jennings – the author and Danger! champion selected to serve as internal host of the match following the death of longtime host Alex Trebek, who died in November after a battle with pancreatic cancer – on Sunday defend Roderick amid criticism of his parenting style.
“If it reassures anyone, I personally know that John (a) is a loving and attentive father who (b) tells story-by-effect stories about his own irritability on ten podcasts a week. This site is so stupid,” he wrote, referring to Twitter.
However, the controversy did not end there. Those who were upset about his initial thread started digging into his previous tweets.
He tries to deliver a ‘witty’ message about not feeding his child, until she finds out how to use a can opener, and investigates it in his timeline and now he has deleted his account and the punch is to enable its toxicity.
– ManiacalV (ColinT) (@ManiacalV) January 3, 2021
These tweets, taken in screenshots and on the Wayback Machine website, included Roderick’s defense of the use of racist and homophobic insults. Many also included anti-Semitic sentiments, and several referred to Hitler. Roderick has deleted his account since the controversy broke out.
Asked about Roderick’s “foreign anti-Semitic shit” on Twitter, Jennings replied that Roderick was “always the pro-Israel” on their podcast and then added: “There is no ash where any anti-Semitic screenshot represents a real opinion that I did not have. never heard of him. ‘
The Hollywood Reporter issued Jennings for further comment.
Roderick also hosts the podcasts Roderick on the Line, Road Work and Friendly fire.
In addition, he is the lead singer and guitarist for the indie rock group The Long Winters.
Omnibus is an independent podcast.