Webster's tells us that an extremist is one who is "at the end or outermost point; farthest away; most remote." In politics, extremism is "the extreme right or the extreme left." Both sides have their respective ideological embarrassments, but with one striking difference: if you're a left-wing environmental extremist you are treated as sensible, even praiseworthy, by ABC News. Meet Colin Beavan, a man who touts himself as "No Impact Man," a walking Manhattan publicity stunt with a book deal and a documentary filmmaker to publicize his year of monastic self-denial. He sounds like a comic-book superhero, but the more... continue reading
Anyone whose remote control wandered past an ABC, CBS, or NBC morning "news" show on May 5 probably found the "news" hounds barking enthusiastically over this supposed "news" scoop: Paris Hilton was sentenced to Los Angeles County jail for 45 days. She violated parole after repeated episodes of reckless driving. This was news of national concern. The morning anchors interviewed legal experts and professional Hollywood celebrity-stalkers to lament this heiress being brought low, complete with bad jokes about the jail being a "one-star Hilton." But they all wondered out loud: Who is to blame for this human train wreck? Paris,... continue reading
We're now finished the first two presidential debates, both on MSNBC. Pundits are debating whether they will make a difference in the race, but one thing is very clear: it's business as usual for the media moderating these things. The Democrats were treated to an amiable chit-chat among friends. The Republicans took round after round of hostile fire from enemies. Nothing ever changes. The Democrats are spoiled like rotten kids, and the Republicans are invited to sleep on a bed of nails, and do so willingly. But the dynamic now has been made even worse by the petulant petitions and... continue reading
We're now finished the first two presidential debates, both on MSNBC. Pundits are debating whether they will make a difference in the race, but one thing is very clear: it's business as usual for the media moderating these things. The Democrats were treated to an amiable chit-chat among friends. The Republicans took round after round of hostile fire from enemies. Nothing ever changes. The Democrats are spoiled like rotten kids, and the Republicans are invited to sleep on a bed of nails, and do so willingly. But the dynamic now has been made even worse by the petulant petitions and... continue reading
After the Don Imus firing over making "ho" jokes at the Rutgers women's basketball team, and in the wake of condemnation in some quarters that there is a most glaring double standard at play here, some black leaders have proclaimed they will rededicate themselves to the larger battle against the destructive nature of the gangsta-rap culture. A new leader is emerging. His name is Russell Simmons. Simmons is one of a relatively new species in the American entertainment industry: the "rap mogul." A co-founder of the Def Jam rap label way back in 1984, Simmons was an early pioneer in... continue reading
A few years ago, the Left pulled several muscles exerting itself with the strange theory that the Public Broadcasting Service was lurching dangerously to the right. When Corporation for Public Broadcasting chairman Kenneth Tomlinson had the audacity not only to speak internal profanities ("fairness" and "balance"), but to try and build on them, it became clear to them that he was out of control and needed to be stopped. Tomlinson made several small but significant steps toward balance on our taxpayer-subsidized airwaves, nudging the creation of two right-leaning talk programs - "Tucker Carlson Unfiltered" and "The Journal Editorial Report" -... continue reading
Bathroom humor is an unfortunate staple of the entertainment industry, but it's not always intentional. Tongues wagged all over America when rock singer Sheryl Crow announced her latest planet-saving ideas on the Internet. As she cruised the country in a biodiesel-fueled bus to fight against global warming, the singer said some of her ideas "are in the earliest stages of development" - and then proclaimed one of them without having thought it through. "I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting....one square per restroom visit." Her critics are... continue reading
- So, you think NBC shouldn't have aired that Cho Seung-Hui video, do you? - NBC has a new definition for its initials: the Narcissism Broadcasting Company. How fitting it is that their logo is a peacock. It's bad enough that this monster gunned down 32 students and teachers at Virginia Tech. But in between murder sprees this vicious, calculating killer calmly went to the post office and sent an Express Mail package of his self-glorifying pictures and videos to NBC News in between killings - and NBC News rushed this killer's propaganda on NBC and MSNBC within hours of... continue reading
Even in the midst of the horrific killings at Virginia Tech, some talk radio shows on networks like National Public Radio are still devoting hours to the botched jokes and ruined career of talk radio host Don Imus. If that topic is still under discussion, allow one last comment. CBS executive Les Moonves finally bowed to public pressure, and immediately dumped the I-Man after a meeting with Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton threatening a weekend of ugly protests. The decision was as expected as the spin attached was atrocious. In his twelve years at the top of CBS entertainment, Moonves... continue reading
Conservatives often ponder why more young conservatives don't go into journalism. Here's one easy reason: the path to prizes and prestige doesn't come from fierce investigative probing into liberal sacred cows or sharp-eyed conservative commentary. It comes from pleasing liberals with stories which advance their agenda. The 2007 Pulitzer Prizes must have been a sad affair, what with no major prize for exposing and ruining an anti-terrorism program, and no major natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina to blame on President Bush. But that doesn't mean the Pulitzers weren't typically political. After all, the panels of judges are stuffed with long-standing... continue reading