For a little over a week, an eternity in news cycle dog years, the uproar over TSA pat-downs has dominated the media landscape like the bastard spawn of Rod Blagojevich, Sarah Palin, and Balloon Boy. Heading into the Thanksgiving weekend news dead zone, there seems little chance its momentum will slow, but The Daily Beast’s Howard Kurtz may be ushering in the most welcome phase of this story’s arc: the inevitable backlash against the TSA backlash.

The parade of TSA horror stories continued this weekend, as a YouTube video featuring a young boy being patted down has gone viral, hitting the top spot on mega-aggregator The Drudge Report. In the cellphone clip, posted by college student Luke Tait, a shirtless young boy is being patted down by TSA agents, prompting Drudge to dub the video “Hands on Boy.”

The TSA has responded to the clip on their blog, and offered some facts that differed from the account posted on Tait’s YouTube account. After the jump, check out the video, and decide if TSA’s explanation really helps at all.

The TSA is having a bit of an image problem, what with reports of rampant, illicit junk-touching—a problem on which even President Obama was asked to comment. So, with the busy holiday season approaching, the chartiable folks at SNL tried to help out by making a steamy new ad for the TSA, one that rebrands intrusive pat-downs as intimate companionship.

As the outrage against the TSA body scanners and pat downs reaches a boiling point and anyone who is anyone (as well as anyone) gives their opinion, the collective Internet hive mind known as Reddit has thrown in their two cents as well as a pretty clever gauntlet; if President Obama agrees with the TSA that this is necessary, he should send his wife and young daughters through the process.

Not thrilled with the idea of having a random TSA agent “touch your junk?” Well Fox’s Shepard Smith has your back.

In a typically lively debate over the case of traveler-turned-viral-video-creator John Tyner on Shep Smith’s Studio B Monday, Smith grilled attorney Seth Berenzweig on the TSA rules requiring full inseam “pat-downs” in cases where travelers decline to submit to electronic body scans.

John Tyner, the man whose viral video refusal to have his “junk touched” has made him something of a folk hero, appeared on Fox News‘ America Live to respond to unfortunately-named TSA administrator John Pistole, among other things. While Pistole and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano maintain that the privacy of Tyner’s privates is a small sacrifice to make, software engineer Tyner says his hardware is off-limits.

In an editorial for USA Today, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano defended new airport security measures, just as pat-downs have come under attack via a viral video of a man refusing to have his “junk” touched by TSA officers. Napolitano assured travelrs that the new Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) units are safe and secure, and described pat-down measures for those who refuse AIT scans. According to Matt Drudge, this means “The Terrorists Have Won!”

To follow up, Napolitano also held a press conference this morning to answer questions about the policies. Video after the jump.

There’s been a lot of grumbling about the TSA’s new pat-down procedures lately—people say they’re far too intrusive, especially when it comes to “crotchal area” examinations. A man trying to board a flight at San Diego International Airport even filmed his encounter with the TSA, saying that their security screening felt like “a sexual assault.” It’s no surprise, then, that the TSA is now trying to defend itself against its detractors. This morning, TSA administrator John Pistole attempted to do just that when he stopped by CNN to discuss attitudes toward full-body scans and general security concerns with anchor John Roberts.

The failed terrorist attack on Christmas day has sent nearly everyone in a frenzy over airport security. And while many Americans are willing to make some sacrifices in the name of safe flying, that appears to only go so far, best evidenced by today’s scorn the news media brought towards underwear searches — particularly those made by dogs. But not only was there great skepticism, there was also a strange obsession with our nether regions. More specifically, the nation’s collective crotch.