I know a lot of us get looks and comments when we smoke in public. The "Ooooh...what'cha got in there" from the occasional teenager. The disapproving, judging looks from passersby. Heck, some of us have even had the cops called on us by neighbors, or been harassed by police, ending with them confiscating our pipes to be tested. It bothers me. But it's one of the stereotypes that comes with pipe smoking, and I accept it.
But it really bothers me that media outlets perpetuate the stereotype. If any of you saw Jimmy Kimmel last night you'll know what I'm talking about. Now, you can argue that Jimmy is not "media." But that's beside the point. Check this video (it should be cued to the right mark, if not, go to 1:31 mark).
http://youtu.be/6vr2xua-XMM
A little background...Jimmy sometimes stops random people on the sidewalk, asks them a question, and the audience judges yes or no based on their look. This question was "have you ever smoked pot?" posed to some older citizens. The man at 1:31 mark is holding a nice looking meerschaum pipe. When the question asks, all of the audience gives a resounding YES! But, you can't really say it's because of the pipe (though I suspect it is). But then the man admits that he has, in the 60's, and Jimmy concludes with "well he IS carrying a pipe by the way."
What?! How does carrying a pipe NOW have anything to do with him smoking a pipe 50 years ago? Jimmy is insinuating that because he's carrying a pipe, then he MUST be a pot smoker.
I get it. It comes with the territory. I expect this from the average citizen, but it just bothers me that uninformed people like this just perpetuate this stereotype.
But it really bothers me that media outlets perpetuate the stereotype. If any of you saw Jimmy Kimmel last night you'll know what I'm talking about. Now, you can argue that Jimmy is not "media." But that's beside the point. Check this video (it should be cued to the right mark, if not, go to 1:31 mark).
http://youtu.be/6vr2xua-XMM
A little background...Jimmy sometimes stops random people on the sidewalk, asks them a question, and the audience judges yes or no based on their look. This question was "have you ever smoked pot?" posed to some older citizens. The man at 1:31 mark is holding a nice looking meerschaum pipe. When the question asks, all of the audience gives a resounding YES! But, you can't really say it's because of the pipe (though I suspect it is). But then the man admits that he has, in the 60's, and Jimmy concludes with "well he IS carrying a pipe by the way."
What?! How does carrying a pipe NOW have anything to do with him smoking a pipe 50 years ago? Jimmy is insinuating that because he's carrying a pipe, then he MUST be a pot smoker.
I get it. It comes with the territory. I expect this from the average citizen, but it just bothers me that uninformed people like this just perpetuate this stereotype.
