Glenn Beck on the Supreme Courts ‘Gitmo’ Ruling:”I Would Just Shoot them in the Head”
June 27, 2008
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Yesterday, during his radio program, CNN’s version of Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck successfully illustrated for us - once again - just how demented and obnoxiously archaic his train of thought really is. This is not the first time Beck has showed us his fascist stripes. Beck’s gleaming example of “pure ignorance” came during one of his infamous, “migraine inducing” rants, which apparently covered his disdain for the recent Supreme Court’s recent ruling which grants terror suspects being held as prisoners of war, the right to challenge their detention in civilian courts.
Ben Affleck Now a NBC Affiliate Set to Report From the Congo
June 26, 2008
NEW YORK “Nightline” will focus on the humanitarian crisis in the Congo with the help of an unusual correspondent - Ben Affleck.
The 35-year-old actor took a “Nightline” crew on his recent fact-finding mission to Africa with the goal of spreading the word on a story that gets relatively little notice in the United States. His essay airs 11:35 p.m. Thursday on ABC.
He’s been to the Congo three times in the past year. He said his motive was to learn about the war and hunger that have killed thousands of people per month in the past decade in hopes that the outside world would be moved to help, and his celebrity opened some doors.
“It’s fairly clear that in the modern age that there is a currency to celebrity, or celebrity is a currency, really,” Affleck told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “I’ve discovered that you can spend it in a lot of ways, or you can squander it. You can be taxed, as well. I really started thinking long and hard about how to use that currency as long as I had it.”
His representatives approached “Nightline” with the idea of reporting on his journey. Affleck said he was impressed by “Nightline” stories in 2005 where “Hotel Rwanda” actor Don Cheadle visited that country.
“Nightline” executive producer James Goldston admitted to skepticism. ABC News took heat a decade ago for letting Leonardo DiCaprio interview President Clinton, and the idea of a concerned celebrity taking on a world problem has become a news staple.
“I was quite persuaded by how candid he was about the cliche of it, or the potential cliche,” Goldston said.
Affleck deals with that issue in the opening of his essay:
“I want to try to bring people along to learn and if they might not tune into this unless there was some celebrity involved in it, either because they’re interested in the celebrity or because they want to see the celebrity kind of make a fool of himself, then so be it,” he says.
He doesn’t act as a reporter, Goldston said. The idea was to present the story as a personal journey, following Affleck as he met with survivors of the conflict, relief officials and even some warlords.
“Nightline” hasn’t done its own story on the Congo since 2002, although Cynthia McFadden recently took a trip to Africa to report on several issues there.
Affleck said one “Nightline” piece isn’t likely to change much, but the goal is to spread the word and hope that people in the United States can identify with some people who are suffering.
Perhaps then they could be moved to help, he said. Affleck hasn’t identified himself with any particular relief organization that is helping the Congo.
He believes people will respond to this approach.
“I don’t think people respond particularly well to being hectored, or being made to feel guilty, or being made to feel as though they’re kind of callow or insensitive for the life they’ve been leading up until then,” he said.
MTV Decides to Lift Longstanding Ban on Political Advertisements
June 25, 2008
WASHINGTON - AdAge.com is reporting on a MTV decision to lift it’s longtime ban on political advertisements. Apparently politicians can finally get their MTV. After declining political advertising since its inception in 1981, MTV is reversing course. The Viacom MTV Networks channel - once known for round-the-clock music videos and now home to a host of reality shows - says it will now take political ads, though only from political candidates and party political committees, not from third parties.
“The First Time They Called me a Strategist, I Literally Laughed”: Just Another Day at FOX News
June 25, 2008
FOX News has for a long time now been known for their unwavering support for the GOP, as well as an equally opinionated take on anything “liberal”. It has become more or less the networks calling card - with right wing blow hards, O’Reilly and Hannity acting as head cheerleaders. While political “favoritism” has become common among the competing networks (ie: MSNBC slanting to the left) the practice of misrepresentation, and reporting under false pretenses remains a industry “no no” - however FOX apparently doesn’t feel obligated to abide by these standards either.
The Second Season of A&E’s “The Two Corey’s” Looks to be Incredibly Disturbing
June 21, 2008
Whether or not any of you caught any of A&E’s “The Two Corey’s” season one is pretty insignificant, because by the looks of it the former child stars second run around appears too be disturbing on a whole new level, a level that not eve reality TV has managed to really deal with (we are talking child molestation and rape here).
VideoGum.com writes about the reality shows advertisements that been running pretty steadily (video attached below) over the past couple of days, in the run up to the season two series premiere tomorrow night, Sunday June 22nd on A&E:
“Uh, there’s a new clip from the second season of The Two Coreys, which is back Sunday night, and things have taken a turn for the very dark and not really make-funnable anymore. Coreys Haim and Feldman are at a restaurant, and Haim accuses Feldman of doing nothing when he knew 14-year-old Haim was “being raped, so to speak” by Feldman’s “best friend.” Then Feldman says he was being molested at the same time by someone else. The clip is supposed to be uncensored (it’s now censored, but just has the bad words bleeped) but there’s a part at the end where Haim says “I was awake, Corey, I was very fucking aware of what was going on with me–” and gets cut off, leaving us to sort-of maybe wonder who Haim is talking about.”
Ya - it’s bizarre to say the least. Here check it out for yourself, the video is attached below, and while this is in fact the “censored” version, you will have no problem picking up on the whole “dark & disturbing” tone the show seems to portray. Some serious issues, that might requitre more then a reality show to fix - mentally that is.
“Left, Right & Center”: Media Personalities Reflect on the Legacy of Tim Russert
June 13, 2008
There seems to be a sense of shock of learning that media icon, Tim Russert, had tragically passed away after suffering a severe heart attack Friday afternoon while working at the NBC offices. The thought of Russert being anywhere but the set of “Meet the Press” Sunday morning is one that is all too foreign to accept. That’s what he did, that’s what he’s great at - asking the questions other journalists shied away from regardless if it were Barack Obama or an unknown GOP Congressman sitting across from him, or his always intriguing analysis of the latest beltway “buzz” with the likes of James Carville, Mike Murphy, Mary Matalin, Bob Shrum, or any one his of the esteemed Washington “insiders” who have graced the shows weekly panel.
Tim Russert Dead at Age 58: Video, Reaction, & Remembering One of the Media Greats…
June 13, 2008
WASHINGTON Tim Russert, a political lifer who made a TV career of his passion with unrelenting questioning of the powerful and influential, died of a heart attack Friday in the midst of a presidential campaign he’d covered with trademark intensity. Praise poured in from the biggest names in politics, some recalling their own meltdown moments on his hot seat.
FOX News Refers to Michelle Obama as “Obama’s Baby Mama”
June 12, 2008
Well I would be lying if I were to site here and say that I was “surprised” too see FOX News dabbling in race baiting in a contrived attempt to pass their propaganda off as legitimate news. I am referring to the latest FOX News attack, which I would argue is one of the more blatant displays of political race baiting we have seen out in quite some time from a “mainstream media outlet.” The incident occurred during a segment discussing conservative attacks against Michelle Obama, the wife of Barack Obama, too which the network described the former as “Obama’s baby mama,” while even going out of their way to providing a graphic depicting their new nickname for Mrs. Obama, which appeared on the screen for a good portion of the segment.
Host Apologizes for “Terrorist Fist Jab” Reference: FOX Rewards Her By Canceling Her Show
June 10, 2008
Wow, if this wasn’t on video in front of me I would probably say it was made up - unfortunately though, its not. Last week we covered FOX’s E.D. Hill, host of FOX News’ Americaa’s Pulse, and an association she made which somehow correlated Barack Obama’s “fist jab” with his wife Michelle, too that of a secret terrorist hand gesture. Needless to say this unprofessional, obscure and down right tasteless piece of reporting landed both Hill and FOX News in hot water with many outlets of the main stream media, from both sides of the political spectrum.
Olbermann Surpasses O’Reilly in the Network News Ratings War
June 10, 2008
If you follow the site whatsoever then I am sure you are aware that I am really not into the whole ratings war currently being waged between the network giants (FOX, CNN, NBC). However I am quick to admit that I am no fan of FOX News, and by “no fan” I really mean - I hate the network and everything they represent. So whenever an opportunity does arise (unfortunately they are few and far between up until this point) too point out a drop in FOX News’ status, I am quick to put it out there front and center, and do so with a smile on my face.
