PBS fire kiddie show host for spoof videos she made in 1999

Paul and Audrey say:

PBS is the new Clear Channel. The hypocrites at PBS Sprout Kids have fired their host Melanie Martinez over two short films she made SEVEN YEARS AGO that spoof PSAs [called “Technical Virgin”] about teen abstinence. Someone posted the films on a website (though we couldn’t find them, they sound funny) and PBS was worried about her moral authority as their host of programming for 2- to 5-year-olds. What did they think would happen – our 4-year-old might find the films while trolling the Internet?!?

Here are the videos (1) and (2). They are really funny, but NSFW.
| Statement from PBS

Grammar rant: George says:

You quoted some text using the word “trolling” in a piece on BB today. “our
4-year-old might find the films while trolling the Internet?!?”

I know it was not your text, but really I am very tired of seeing this
nonsensical usage and would welcome its regular correction before it gets
out of hand.

A troll is … well a troll. So ‘trolling’ makes no real sense. I am 100%
convinced that this usage began when someone correctly used the word
‘trawling’ in a proper context and some under-educated (not even enough to
think to check) thought it sounded like trolling and … well that’s how
s**t happens. I have yet to see a usage of the word ‘trolling’ where
‘trawling’ would not have fitted perfectly (and more to the point,
correctly, I believe).

Grammar rant rant: Andy Keck says:

I want to rant about George’s grammar rant. Specifically, George says:

A troll is … well a troll. So ‘trolling’ makes no real sense. I am 100% convinced that this usage began when someone correctly used the word ‘trawling’ in a proper context and some under-educated (not even enough to think to check) thought it sounded like trolling and … well that’s how s**t happens. I have yet to see a usage of the word ‘trolling’ where ‘trawling’ would not have fitted perfectly (and more to the point, correctly, I believe).

I do not believe that George has a firm grasp on his fishing terminology. Here’s the entry for troll from the Merriam-Webster site:

troll

One entry found for troll.

Main Entry: 1troll

Pronunciation: ‘trOl

Function: verb

Etymology: Middle English, probably from Anglo-French *troiller, *troller; akin to Anglo-French troil, trolle winch

transitive verb

1 : to cause to move round and round : ROLL

2 a : to sing the parts of (as a round or catch) in succession b : to sing loudly c : to celebrate in song

3 a : to fish for by trolling b : to fish by trolling in c : to pull through the water in trolling d : to search in or at ; also : PROWL
intransitive verb

1 : to move around : RAMBLE

2 a : to fish by trailing a lure or baited hook from a moving boat b : SEARCH, LOOK ; also : PROWL

3 : to sing or play in a jovial manner

4 : to speak rapidly

– troll·er noun

Note that both transitive entry #3 and intransitive entry #2 express the idea that he claims to be incorrect. Trolling is correct.

Brad says:

To correct George who is “tired” of your incorrect and under-educated usage of the word “troll,” actually it comes from the fishing term.
Fishermen using this method drag either numerous lines or a specially
made bucket filled with bait behind a slow moving boat, enticing the
fish in large numbers. So it’s similar in usage as to “surfing” the
web. Maybe now that he was “tired” for no reason, he’ll have the energy
to find something more productive to do with his time, like looking it
up.