Ryan O’Hanlon reports from “The Darker Side of Green,” a Lexus-sponsored party/debate about global warming hosted by recycler extraordinaire… Tracy Morgan.
What’s the strangest thing Tracy Morgan ever recycled?
A woman.
“There was this one girl. She was so good in bed, I had to keep coming back.”
And then that was it.
On Tuesday night, Lexus hosted “The Darker Side of Green,” an event, supposedly, designed to raise awareness about global warming and other green issues. More importantly, though, it gave Lexus a chance to market its new hybrid vehicle.
The event took place at the Bowery Hotel in Manhattan. The night’s centerpiece was supposed to be a short debate between Eric Bates, executive editor of Rolling Stone, and Lord Christopher Monckton, the Viscount of Brenchley.
Actors, socialites, and Oprah’s interior designer attended, presumably hoping to see an interesting debate, but more likely for a chance to be seen on the green carpet (yes, there was a green carpet).
Morgan, the resident global warming expert and debate moderator, said he came because he loves Lexus, but also supports the green movement.
“As far as recycling and all those things, I try to do all that,” Morgan said. “I’ve [also] grown more vegetables.”
Ewan McGregor came to see how anyone could possibly argue against the existence of global warming. He said he’s doing his part in the green movement, recycling and riding his bike more. His family also gets its eggs from a duck. “I have a duck and she gives me eggs five or six times a week,” McGregor said.
For the debate, Bates took the side in support of the existence of global warming, while Monckton argued against.
Unfortunately, it played out like most debates do. One person argues his point, citing empirical data. The other person then argues his point, citing different empirical data. They argue, get nowhere, and eventually resort to personal attacks.
Bates said that we know global warming is occurring. “We just went through the hottest six months on record,” he said. “We just went through the hottest ten years on record.”
Monckton countered by saying that Washington D.C. just went through its coldest winter ever. His over-arching point was that climate change has been occurring forever, so there’s no reason to worry.
“For 4,567 million years, climate has been changing,” Monckton said. “Sit back and enjoy the sunshine.”
As the conversation meandered to an end with no progress in sight, Bates brought to light Monckton’s controversial position on AIDS. In 1987, Monckton argued that the entire population should be screened for the disease, with the carriers quarantined for life.
Monckton confirmed the ridiculous position, but it didn’t matter. This wasn’t a campaign, so the allegation had no consequences. More importantly, no one was paying attention anyway.
The debate was pushed off into a corner, behind a floor filled with people drinking and talking.
But, hey, at least Tracy Morgan is recycling something.
—Ryan O’Hanlon
The writer is entitled to his beliefs since I regard this as an opinion piece. I personally believe in climate change and no amount of snark will change that, although I don’t understand ALL of its causes. I think humankind is contributing to the problem by burning fossil fuels, and we need to reduce the levels of carbon being released into the atmosphere.