Al, that's because a large percentage of the public are spoon fed on televised garbage. You have to remember that its far more important (to the average couch potato), to assassinate a mans career for talking with tongue in cheek (because someones opinion has to be offensive if its not the same as a mentally retarded practice golf ball these days), than it is to improve safety and a hard working persons quality of life.
Wish i could add my signature for you chaps, but alas, I'm a Kiwi and thus excluded.
Good luck for a just cause.