(Part 2 of 2) Last week in this space I addressed the Mel Gibson bigotry issue and tried to put it in its proper perspective, to wit: As awful as his anti-Semitic remarks were, they pale in comparison to the anti-Christian, and more specifically, anti-Catholic bigotry raging within some elements of the entertainment community. But this doesn't exculpate Gibson. He said what he said. Twice he has apologized publicly and profusely and some, like long-time nemesis Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League, have accepted Gibson's act of contrition. Others, like Jewish super agent Ari Emanuel, are having none of it... continue reading
Since he's made no effort to deny them, one has to accept that the police report was accurate and that in a drunken stupor Gibson hurled those anti-Semitic insults. He has been humiliated and in his unequivocal apology, humbled. "There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of anti-Semitic remark. I want to apologize specifically to everyone in the Jewish community for the vitriolic and harmful words that I have said..." Gibson's remarks were disgraceful. But is Gibson now to be disgraced? And who is qualified to make that judgment?... continue reading
For the last decade or two, the Big Three network news ratings have declined and their once-iron grip on public opinion has loosened, prompting this debate: is this decline merely a sign of increasing 24-7 media availability (cable news, Internet sites) or is the liberal tilt of the networks driving conservative viewers away from these networks in favor of alternative outlets? Network news executives have consistently chosen the former, denying a liberal bias and denying that the ratings decline means they should have to change their modus operandi in any way. They are in denial of the obvious. A new... continue reading
So what do you do if you're an old and washed-up, or not-so-old, but increasingly forgotten actor anxious to regain the spotlight of celebrity? As a rule, you look to associate yourself with a project that might jump-start your career. It is nice to be asked to participate in a project popular with the public. You jump at the chance for a supporting role in a Stephen Spielberg movie. It's even better when the show is the rage of Hollywood itself and generating the all-important "buzz" among Tinseltown's sycophantic critics. If you're desperate enough, you'll latch on to this project,... continue reading
Who says The New York Times has lost touch with reality? A recent puff piece by TV reporter Bill Carter on MSNBC's "Countdown" host Keith Olbermann honors him as the "centerpiece" and "great growth story" of MSNBC. He's up "30 percent" in the 25-to-54 demographic. How significant is this? Since Olbermann came to TV as a sportscaster, let's just say this is like celebrating a .200 hitter for having the best batting average on a last-place baseball team. The Times shoe-shine carried the headline "MSNBC's Star Carves Anti-Fox Niche," yet in his report Carter had no choice but to place... continue reading
By L. Brent Bozell III "You kept me alive!" I wasn't skeptical when I was invited to a private screening of Oliver Stone's upcoming "World Trade Center" movie. I was downright cynical. As a conservative I've long considered so much of his work the bane of my existence. From "Platoon" to "Salvador" to "Born of the Fourth of July" to "JFK," and let's not forget last year's ghastly "Alexander," Stone has delivered one leftwing screed after another specifically intended, I'm convinced, to bring my blood to the boiling point. When I learned a few months ago that he was working... continue reading
With an eye on building audience anticipation, and maybe a little political gravitas, CBS sent its anchor-in-waiting Katie Couric on a six-city promotional tour complete with town meetings. AP reporter David Bauder compared her "listening tour" to Hillary Clinton's, and like the former First Lady's sojourns, these were frantically pre-screened to be safe and boring. (A blogger in Minneapolis had his pen confiscated.) Couric told gossip writer James Brady in Aspen she was going out to see "real people," but Couric has been doing something else at tour stops. She's been raising money for local cancer charities at $150 a... continue reading
The line between old-fashioned objective reporting and opinion writing is blurry enough on the big subjects like the war on terrorism and the economy, but in entertainment journalism, it's becoming nearly impossible to differentiate between the two, especially since those who deliver this product don't, and won't. Take it from me: This is a rough neighborhood to work in if you are lobbying for decency and family-friendly programming on television and regularly deal with the entertainment press. In the daytime, you're working with reporters you assume are dedicated to telling the story in an objective and balanced manner. But when... continue reading
There was the expected wailing and gnashing of teeth from the left when New York's state Court of Appeals ruled against installing so-called "gay marriage" by judicial fiat, as they had in the People's Republic of Massachusetts. The New York Times, as expected, was stunned that the judges could find a "rational basis" for traditional marriage, and that judges would defer to elected legislators. This outrage was plastered at the top of the Times with two "news" stories. One was a front-page editorial (they call it a "news analysis") by Patrick Healy, who focused on the "gay rights advocates" and... continue reading
Editors of the New York Times, along with their allies in journalism, are defending the publication of anti-terrorism programs by declaring their actions to be in the "public interest," making them a watchdog against what they view as excessive government power and secrecy. But the tables need to be turned. What about excessive media power and secrecy? There's something bizarre about the Times rushing out to protest excessive secrecy in the Bush administration - and then touting the testimony of secret sources as its evidence. Media theorists have declared that anonymous sources are crucial to holding government accountable. But who... continue reading