Bill O’Reilly Brings His Freak Show To Los Angeles

Posted by on February 20, 2008 at 2:36 pm. 2 Comments :

O'Reilly Fear FactorBill O’Reilly is broadcasting his “O’Reilly Fester” from Los Angeles all this week. We don’t particularly want him, but hey, it’s a free country – despite O’Reilly’s best efforts to promote authoritarian rule via his bullying brand of demagoguery.

The question I have is, “Why is he here?” Seeing as Billo is unlikely to return my calls, and I don’t have a producer like Stuttering Jesse Watters to ambush him at his hotel, I’m left with speculation.

One possibility is that the Academy Awards are being broadcast this Sunday. O’Reilly, well known narcissistic attention whore that he is, may want to rub shoulders with the celebrities he is so fond of bashing. It would not be the first time he has attempted to skim off some glory from those he routinely disparages. Two years ago, at the height of the Dixie Chicks controversy, he tried to shmooze Natalie Maines at a Time, Inc. party. She smacked that down in short order, but the same parasitic tendencies may have brought O’Reilly to Hollywood this week.

Newshounds theorizes that O’Reilly may have come to attend the winter retreat of the Republican National Committee at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. This $15,000 (minimum) per head affair featured appearances by Party big wigs including Karl Rove.

It should also be noted that we are in the middle of Nielsen’s February sweeps, one of the most important ratings periods of the year. O’Reilly may be hoping to goose his program’s performance by glitzing it up with Tinseltown glamour. Of course, the Oscars and the RepubliFest could both contribute on this measure.

But if the foregoing isn’t enough to hype the Nein-Spinster, it appears he is planning another event that can only be described as deliberately provocative and profoundly insensitive. O’Reilly is scheduled to appear at the Brentwood Theater on the grounds of the West LA Veteran’s Administration. That’s right – the Veteran’s Administration. The federal agency responsible for, amongst other things, programs to assist veterans who are homeless due to finances, emotional or physical disability, substance abuse, or other hardships. The agency that reports that there are a couple hundred thousand such veterans who are homeless. Now O’Reilly actually has the gall to show up at a facility whose purpose is to aid people who O’Reilly is on record as saying do not exist.

If anyone is in the Brentwood vicinity tomorrow, you might want to visit the VA and give Mr. O’Reilly the welcome he deserves. I wish there were more time to organize a proper reception, but a spontaneous turnout of some patriotic Americans (and hopefully some vets) to let O’Reilly know how we feel would be great. Here is the information:

Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008 – 7:00pm (get there early)
The Brentwood Theater.
West LA Veteran’s Administration
11301 Wilshire Blvd
Brentwood, CA 90049
Tel: (310)479-3003

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Pundit Population Explosion?

Posted by on February 20, 2008 at 2:03 am. NO Comments :

Paul Farhi of the Washington Post penned a column today that looks at what he describes as an overpopulation of political pundits on television:

“With the cable news networks ramping up wall-to-wall political coverage, the demand for people to analyze, comment upon and speculate wildly about the presidential race has expanded accordingly. The nation’s economy might be coughing and wheezing, but there is no shortage of employment opportunities in Punditland.”

I have to wonder what cave Farhi just crawled out of. The TV pundit infestation has been festering for years on the cable nets. Like cockroaches that have evolved to be pesticide-resistant, these blunder-tolerant vermin proliferate and endure. A year ago, I wrote in The Pep Squad about…

“…the clubby environment that embraces the fraternity of professional opiners. Amongst the benefits of membership in the PEP Squad (Perpetually Erroneous Pundits) is that, no matter how much you screw up, you never lose your seat at the table. Commentators who have been wrong for a half dozen years or more, are consistently invited back to deliver more of their bad advice.”

Farhi seems to be misinterpreting the problem entirely. The recruiting fest that he suggests is simply not happening. In his article he rattles off a list of pundits as affirmation of his thesis, but his own list proves the opposite. Take a look at some of the names on the list.

On MSNBC: Gene Robinson, Pat Buchanan, Tucker Carlson, Chuck Todd, Howard Fineman, and Richard Wolffe.

On CNN: Bill Bennett, Paul Begala, Carl Bernstein, Donna Brazile, Gloria Borger, David Gergen, Jeffrey Toobin.

On Fox News: Eleanor Clift, Fred Barnes, Morton Kondracke, Michael Barone, Dick Morris, William Kristol, Juan Williams, Newt Gingrich, and Karl Rove.

That is not exactly the roster of a new generation of commentators. To the contrary, it is the same old team of hackneyed veterans that have been pawning off their specious viewpoints for years. I’m not sure which of those old-timers Farhi thinks have just fallen off the TV news van. Perhaps the flaw in his analysis is that these well-worn faces, while not part of a hiring boom, are being given more time to misinform viewers. The result is the opposite of a population explosion. In fact, the senior denizens of cable news are squeezing out newer, fresher voices by consuming all the broadcast oxygen.

While the nation is in the mood for change, with both Democratic and Republican candidates battling for the crown, it is high time for the media embrace the concept. The public approval of the press is nearly as low as that of the president, and we’re getting rid of him. So as we prepare to introduce some new faces to Washington, we would do well to swap out some of the hacks who are still pontificating on TV.


Tucker Carlson’s New Election Analyst: Roger C.U.N.T. Stone

Posted by on February 19, 2008 at 10:12 am. 6 Comments :

Tucker Carlson RatingsIt is well known that Tucker Carlson’s program resides in the lowest lying, scum-ridden depths of TV punditry. He consistently loses to his competition and he is the lowest rated program on his own network (see Tucker Carlson: A Ratings Black Hole).

That may explain the trouble he is having booking guests who are not idiots or purveyors of profane filth, lies, and slander. Yesterday Tucker may have outdone himself by interviewing “Republican Strategist” Roger Stone.

C.U.N.T.Stone is the founder of Citizens United Not Timid, or C.U.N.T. Their stated mission is to “Educate the American public about what Hillary Clinton really is.” Tucker didn’t bother to disclose this affiliation. Apparently he doesn’t think it’s relevant to his viewers that the guests he presents as experts are actually political pornographers.

What’s more, Tucker is providing more evidence for those who already believe that MSNBC is brazenly anti-Clinton. It is mind-boggling that after both Chris Matthews and David Shuster have had to issue public apologies for derogatory remarks directed at Clinton, Tucker would invite this smear-meister to discuss election issues as if he weren’t a repulsive sack of vomit. Ironically, it was Shuster who, alone amongst the punditry, called out Stone for not revealing his part in C.U.N.T. Shuster, who fills in for Tucker on occasion, was unavailable to question Stone because he’s still on suspension for his “pimped-out” gaffe.

I thought Clinton’s reaction to the Shuster affair was overblown and calculated for political effect. But I wouldn’t fault her, or her campaign, for blasting Tucker for granting air time to Stone and the slime and maggots that come out when you turn him over.



The News Corpse Oscar Nominees For 2008

Posted by on February 15, 2008 at 9:57 am. 5 Comments :

The News Corpse Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is proud to present its Oscar nominees for 2008.

News Corpse would like to congratulate the nominees and remind them that they are already winners.:

Atonement – The story of a country and a political party finally trying to make amends for a history of repression.

There Will Be Blood (Mud) – An epic tale of the destructive power of nature, and the even more destructive power of a corrupt and incompetent government.

Michael Clayton (Hayden) – Espionage, intrigue, torture, and deceit mark this political thriller that delves into the secret world of the CIA.

Juno (Repo) – This is the heartwarming tale of a family struggling to make ends meet in an economy ravaged by self-serving politicians and their cronies.

No Country For Old Men – Follow the adventures of a mysterious and foreboding figure who exudes fear and terror wherever he roams.

Also available on YouTube. (It’s my first YouTube video and is a little rough around the edges. I like this widget better).

For reference, these are the original posters for the Academy’s nominees:
Oscar Pix


The Clinton/Shuster Affair Winds Down

Posted by on February 14, 2008 at 1:16 pm. 2 Comments :

Word has it that David Shuster, who was suspended for using a common colloquial that is even featured in the title of a popular television show on MTV, will be returning to the air on February 22.

What’s more, Hillary Clinton, who has been railing about Shuster’s comment, and threatening to boycott MSNBC, has confirmed that she will participate in a debate on the network February 26 – the week following Shuster’s return. I always thought Clinton’s over-reaction was politically motivated, and I think this decision is as well. With her campaign teetering, she likely believes that the exposure of a nationally televised debate is more valuable than a few more days of righteous indignation.

Throughout this affair, Clinton has narrowed the scope of her rage to only MSNBC, despite the fact that Fox News has been a far worse offender. While she was considering whether to ditch the MSNBC debate, she had already accepted one on Fox (Obama did not accept and its originally scheduled date has passed).

C.U.N.T.It is unclear whether Shuster ever got credit for demanding that right-wing Republican dirty-trickster, Roger Stone, take responsibility for a profane anti-Clinton organization he founded called “Citizens United Not Timid,” or C.U.N.T. Their stated mission is to “Educate the American public about what Hillary Clinton really is.” Wow, those Republicans are really classy! Check out that logo.

Finally, Greg Sargent at Talking Points Memo has confirmed that Shuster was never really Clinton’s primary target:

“As dumb and clueless as Shuster’s “pimp” remark, this was never really about him. The Clinton campaign, while genuinely upset about what Shuster said, lashed out at the network because they were primarily irked by Matthews’ conduct…”

I still wonder when they will become irked by Fox News’ conduct.

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A Valentine For John McCain

Posted by on February 14, 2008 at 2:31 am. NO Comments :

On this special day, Republican presidential candidate, Senator John McCain, can look back fondly on a lifetime of love and romance. And isn’t that what life’s really about?

Candy McCain’s Valentine’s Day Card:
Candy McCain

Whether it’s President Bush, Governor Schwarzenegger, Mayor Giuliani, or some poor sap at a rally, Johnny sure loves to pour on the sugar.

Too bad he doesn’t feel that way about all the soldiers that he’s so proud to have sent to Iraq.

And it’s too bad that he thinks it’s OK for them to be there for the next hundred Valentine’s Days.

And it’s too bad that so many of them will not be celebrating Valentine’s Day with their sweethearts and families because they have been sent thousands of miles away to police another nation’s civil war.

And it’s too bad that some of them will never come home or will return so damaged that they don’t even know what Valentine’s Day is.

And it’s too bad that, despite previously condemning torture, Johnny just voted to allow it, perhaps as a gift to the president he is so fond of.

And it’s too bad that this “family values” advocate, who is presently on his second wife, won’t let others celebrate Valentine’s Day because he disapproves of their gender status.

And it’s too bad that he thinks that bombing civilians in Iran is joke to be put to the tune of a Beach Boys song.

But other than that, he should have a warm and enriching Valentine’s Day in the bosom of his family and not let the tragedies for which he is responsible spoil this happy occasion.


Microsoft, News Corp, and Yahoo, Oh My

Posted by on February 13, 2008 at 3:21 pm. NO Comments :

The armies of consolidation are on the march. Last week, Microsoft made a surprise $44 billion bid for Yahoo. Microsoft is desperately trying to shore up its exposed Internet flank, which Google is battering brutally. Snatching up Yahoo would go a long way toward putting Microsoft back in the online game.

Enter News Corporation. Rupert Murdoch is now reportedly offering a deal that allows Yahoo to remain mostly independent. He would trade Fox Interactive Media for a 20% stake in the new and improved Yahoo. FIM is significant property. It includes Myspace, Photobucket, games giants IGN and GameSpy, AmericanIdol.com, and the MyFox internet platform for the News Corp-owned television station group.

I’m not sure which of these is better (or worse, to put a negative spin on it). Murdoch is, of course, pure evil. But his proposal would leave Yahoo independent and in control of some of the biggest destinations on the web. And all it would cost them is a 20% chunk of the company. Microsoft is a serial monopolist in its own right, and their deal would consume Yahoo whole. On the other hand, they aren’t Murdoch.

Ultimately the problem’s roots go back to the hyper-consolidation that has created an environment where all parties believe that they have to become gargantuan just to be able to compete and survive. In this matter, there don’t seem to be any good options.


The Presidential Beer Bowl

Posted by on February 12, 2008 at 12:51 pm. NO Comments :

One of the most annoying measures of electoral appeal is the moronic notion that a candidate’s company at a beer bust speaks to his/her qualifications for office. The implication is that a drinking buddy will be someone who is more like me and, therefore, more acceptable to represent me.

Bullshit!

If I’m looking for somebody to assume a high office, like that of the presidency, I’m not looking for someone who is proficient at getting high. And I don’t want a candidate who is like me either. I want one who is WAY better than me. Since when did our standards sink so low as to include the guy chugging pints at the end of the bar?

Beer BowlWell, leave it to the National Beer Wholesalers Association to further blur the lines between competence and crapulence. The NBWA is polling visitors to their web site on with whom they would rather share a beer. This bit of harmless stupidity is the sort of thing that makes H. L. Mencken such a fount of wisdom for observing that…

“As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

Notwithstanding that the downright moron of whom Mencken speaks is about to complete his final term, the NBWA still isn’t helping to improve matters.

For the record, Barack Obama is pickling his opponents.