We were so swept up in the excitement of the election results that we didn’t listen to carefully to the exchange between Daily Show host John Stewart and stats stud Nate Silver the next night.
But after Stewart dubs Silver “the Chick-fil-A sandwich for reality,” the gay statistician makes a shocking admission: He ate Chick-fil-A at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. Now that convention was September 4th to 6th—Chick-fil-A management didn’t claim it had divested from the marriage-equality battle until the 18th or 19th.
So the international LGBT boycott was still on, and Silver, a former Out 100 honoree was a fast-food scab walking across the rainbow picket line. (Forgive the tortured metaphor.)
Now, since Nate was really doing God’s work by rationally analyzing poll data—rather than, say, holding his breath till he turned blue like right-wing pollsters did—we’ll let it slide. In face, Nate, if you really want some waffle fries, we’re willing to make that happen.
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jerry_pritikin
The simple fact is that the only poll that counts is the polling place you vote in at election time! I have been voting since the late 1950s, and not once in that time has any polling organization ever asked me who I was voting for, or why? There are no accurate polls for gays,Jews,Blacks,Latinos or Martians! Of course you can get involved if there is a particular new law or candidate you believe in on the ballot.
Dumdum
When I saw that interview I was all like WHAT!!! Oh no she didn’t. I thought maybe he was joking. Perhaps he is on a budget and it was the only cheap place to eat.
1EqualityUSA
This man saved me from forming an ulcer this year. Whenever I read a disturbing article that sent cortisol through my circulatory system, I’d go to Nate Silver 538 and find instant relief. Towards the end of the election, I found myself tapping onto 538 two or three times a day. Forever-known-as-a-bully-and-a-creep-Romney had a case of electile dysfunction. Nate Silver’s steady message about Romney’s flaccid chances of winning 2012 saved me much angst. I have to go to work now, so that I can pay taxes to a government that still refuses to see me as an equal citizen. Obama will change this. He tends to follow through with what he says he’s going to do. I’m very thankful this spurious, counterfeit Republican ninny is not calling the shots. Romney was totally convinced he would win. He even spent $25,000 for fireworks to celebrate. He was rejected by the state where he was born (where his father was governor), the state where he was governor, and the three states where he has homes. If I never saw his muppet face ever again, it would be too soon.
the other Greg
The first time I saw Nate on TV he had a terrible haircut! I couldn’t even believe he was gay. Is that $7 barber college in the East Village still there? But maybe someone at the Times tracked down where Steve Kornacki on MSNBC gets his adorable haircut, and sent Nate to whichever probably-gay genius does that. Nate looked much better the second time I saw him, on the Daily Show quoted here.
If there were a Chik-Fil-A a couple blocks away as in Nate’s Charlotte situation, I suppose I might try the forbidden “fruit” just once, just to see how awful it is. As a once-a-week carnivore in New England – unpolluted as yet by Chik-Fil-A – I don’t need to worry about it yet, but that picture of it that Queerty usually runs doesn’t look very appetizing. The only time I ever go down South is to New Orleans and it would be insane to waste any time eating fast food there.
YES – I hope Nate replies to Queerty’s texts!
the other Greg
Hey Queerty, why no news yet on the DEFEAT of Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Palm Springs)? Politico finally called it yesterday. We’re still in the mood for some gloating! So please take a break from your bloody marys and mimosas to post something about that. I even promise not to make fun of you if you’re obviously drunk like Diane Sawyer.
tazz602
There is no evidence he is gay or follows the boycotts of the left or the GLBT community – it’s not even clear whether he is a Democrat or Republican, – just a very very smart man who put every single Republican pundit and “pollster” to shame – and for THAT I am grateful, because if they had listened to him at all, we might be singing a different tune today. Where is eats is moot – we aren’t looking at him to be a leader, just thanking him for being as smart as he is.
the other Greg
@tazz602: Aw, I’m disappointed if he’s not *really* gay (the 34-year old virgin?) and seems to enjoy being a c*ck-tease, but that would explain that haircut.
TRS122P
He’s gay? How exactly do you know this?
the other Greg
@TRS122P: Queerty often seems to *imply* he’s gay, but his Wikipedia entry says he has “often been called gay” which is an odd way of putting it. WP even cites a Queerty article about him so maybe this all a sort of Queerty circle-j*** wishful thinking, or something. (I’m guessing the prudish Queerty auto-censor won’t like “circle-j***”!)
fofomazuzu
@the other Greg: The article that Wikipedia cites for that statement explicitly states that he’s openly gay, so the person that wrote that part of the wiki is not right in what they wrote.
Dumdum
Nate Silver is GAY. Unless you want to call him and Out Magazine liars.Silver is our favorite self-described gay geek (who we honored in the 2010 Out100 you may recall). He is also the founder of FiveThirtyEight, which is now part of the New York Times. He’s often touted for having correctly predicted the popular vote in 2008 within one percentage point, correctly predicted the outcome in 49 out of 50 states (except Indiana), plus accurately forecast all of the Senate races. And he’s taken that statistical cred and authored this year’s most accessible wonk book, The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail-but Some Don’t.
Tessie Tura
@Dumdum: Chick-fil-A ain’t cheap. Compared to other fast-food places, it’s relatively expensive.
the other Greg
@Dumdum: Glad to learn he’s definitely gay! And damn, since my library has such a long wait list, another book to buy (sigh) along with Rachel Maddow’s, at my local independent LGBT-oriented bookstore instead of online!
GayBacon
It’s sad to say that lots of my friends gay and straight still like and eat at Chick-Fil-A.
As for Nate Silver, I’m very happy he’s on the Dems side. Someone needs to give me a job job. I’m all for entrepreneurship, but he would be an ASSet. see what I just did there?…
Dumdum
@Tessie Tura: I suppose I am not typical in that I NEVER eat fast food. Unless you count giant hot soft pretzels and the occasional corn dog at fairs. I like real food, served at a restaurant that is not part of some soulless generic chain. Aside from that my home cooking is epic, tastes better and costs less. That’s right girls, if Julia Child had a kid with the Galloping Gourmet? I would be that child. I can do things with a grilled cheese sandwich that is poetry for your taste buds. Try smoked Gouda with fresh tomato slices on wheat berry bread.
FStratford
Obama and Nate Silver are both University of Chicago denizens. There’s a connection…