The Clinton era seems long gone now, but when the memories come back, they're not generally pleasant. For conservatives, the bad memories surface when CNN has the gall to bring Clinton on "Larry King Live" on Ronald Reagan's birthday. There he was, to publicize his stage appearance with the Rolling Stones to raise funds to fight that global warming monster. In his typically petty way, this most unpresidential former president slammed George W. Bush for not spending enough on homeland security while giving tax cuts to the rich. Liberals still regret having to drop all the fairy tales about the... continue reading
Nearly everyone loves the idea of fame and fortune, but at what cost? As the news headlines tell us almost every day, that some of the richest and most famous people turn out to be the unhappiest, most demented people in the world. Legendary but erratic music producer Phil Spector has been largely out of sight since the early 1970s. He's back in the headlines, a la O.J. Simpson and Robert Blake, as the only suspect in the slaying of a Hollywood actress killed inside his home. In another La La Land mansion, another legendary musical has-been, Michael Jackson, has... continue reading
Anyone who doesn't believe that journalism is often politics by other means ought to learn a little about Jerry Thacker and Sarah Pettit. How Donald Graham's little Washington Post-Newsweek empire regarded these people will give you a taste for why the media elite are described as concerned about liberalism first, and professionalism maybe later. Jerry Thacker was named to the President's Advisory Commission on HIV and AIDS, a quiet little panel based in the Department of Health and Human Services. On January 23, the Post put this backwater on the front page. Reporter Ceci Connolly suggested Thacker was unfit for... continue reading
Beware the entertainment critics who, after sitting through years, if not decades, of repetitive entertainment, of love stories and crime stories and war stories and supposedly funny stories, are bored. These eye-rubbing analysts have a tendency to worship any TV or movie producer who can break down the walls of convention by inventing something new, something that will get their attention. Add a few sparkles of artistic excellence - good acting, good writing, an entertaining pace - and the critics lose all moral qualms. Squeezed out of the equation is any consideration for the broader culture. All that matters is... continue reading
As Democrats compete to take on President Bush in 2004, they still fear the power of his appeal on the prominent issues of the day: war and taxes. They rhetorically ape his appeals for national security and economic stimulus. But on one issue, these emerging candidates will not budge, no matter what. They are lock-step radicals on abortion. On January 21, the militant pro-abortion group "Naral Pro-Choice America" held an abortion-affirming dinner. Their leader, the ever-shrill Kate Michelman, laid down her marching orders. Every judicial nominee who ever stood in the way of a 12-year-old getting an abortion without telling... continue reading
The typical American child today cannot escape the bombardment of sexuality, in every medium, at every moment, day or night. It happens at the movies. It happens on television. It happens on the radio. It certainly happens in advertising. Ad critics used to be outraged about "subliminal seduction." In these randy times, almost nobody's subliminal about seduction. Unlike the programs they fund, commercials have to be simple, direct, and cut to the point quickly. Producers of programs might try to suggest that their envelope-pushing sex scenes of suggestive dialogue are tangential to the plot. Ad makers don't have that luxury... continue reading
Washingtonians opened their top newspaper on Sunday, January 19 to see what could have been predicted down to the letter. "Thousands Oppose a Rush to War," the headline announced, resting under a large color picture of a sea of protesters. Not one, not two, but three articles on the front page cast doubt on the Bush preparations for war on Iraq. Inside, the anti-Bush rally was awarded two entire pages of articles and pictures, and then, as if that weren't enough, the Post tacked on another half a page for the protests in San Francisco. "Chill Doesn't Cool Fury Over... continue reading
A few months ago, the New York shock jocks Opie and Anthony were fired after encouraging listeners to have sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral. The mere suggestion of an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission - and perhaps the outrage of a large number of offended Catholics - were enough to shut that nonsense down. But it's not just the shock jocks who have turned radio into a jaw-dropping arena for sexual titillation. When will the FCC or anyone else address the shocking sex talk in the music? Exhibit A: Missy Elliott's "Work It." Nearly every music critic in America... continue reading
Robert Menendez wants everyone to know he's not a wealthy guy. He has this little studio apartment two blocks from the Capitol. He drove the same blue Buick "clunker" for ten years. He says that "materialistic things are not important to me." But the poverty plea from this New Jersey Democratic congressman in the January 5 Washington Post Magazine doesn't impress most Americans. Menendez insists, "My whole income is my congressional salary. I don't have any other sources of income, you know, so I watch it." This year, that translates to a paltry $155,000. This is the fourth straight year... continue reading
After a holiday lull, in which the Cable Channel Formerly Known as Music Television actually spent some down-time hours playing music videos, MTV is back to thrill your children with another year of profitable porn masked as "reality" programming. While "The Osbournes" continues to capture the lion's share of attention by coasting on Ozzy's talent for fitting a curse word into every sentence, the real news on the MTV front comes from "The Real World: Las Vegas." It has managed to stay under the radar of public scrutiny, and that's unfortunate. Parents would be shocked to learn what their children... continue reading