re: #1 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce

Is it too early to assume that this whole thing was a contrived publicity stunt from the beginning?

No. Because I’m convinced that’s all it is.

Back in late July, Phil Robertson was making noise about leaving the show and that he didn’t think he’d be on much longer, and that it would go on just fine without him:

‘Duck Dynasty’ patriarch Phil plans to leave show

What’s the best way to speed that process along? Saying something he knows will ignite controversy. And he just happens to say those things so they’re published right in time for the holidays? He gets to leave the show before the end of the year, A&E looks good to most of its advertisers and outside groups by suspending him for what he says, and in both cases they make money off the scandal. It’s win-win.