While we're on the subject
of religious fanatics, did anyone catch Bill Donohue's appearance on The Colbert Report last night?
The man comes across as an absolute lunatic. I find it difficult to believe anyone would actually listen to anything he has to say, if that's his ordinary mode of delivery. Don't even get me started on his content.
I firmly believe that The Daily Show and TCR should be required viewing for every American. Yes, they are both quite good at trenchant political satire, but beyond that, where they really shine is when they set their crosshairs on the media, which Colbert did to great effect in his opening salvo last night. The sort of stupid shit TCR highlighted in the mini-montage is why I can't stomach morning talk shows (thankfully I'm always busy getting ready in the AM, so it's not really an issue); unfortunately, that sort of "reporting" has also started to bleed over to the nightly news, which I've stopped watching as well. This is not to say I'm trying to shut out the world, just that the talking heads can't tell me in 22 minutes anything I can't find out online, and minus the Overly Serious Voice-Over of Impending Doom, or the cloying bullshit they tack on at the end of the broadcast to try and make us forget we're staring down the barrel of World War III (largely due to - surprise! - religious fantatics).
Far be it from me to recommend anything put out by Regnery, but a couple of years ago I read Bias at my father's behest. I definitely don't agree with a lot of what Goldstein says (especially with regard to his titular allegation), but I have to admit he makes a vaild point about the current state of TV newscasts. They are well and truly awful; incisive reporting has given way to fear-mongering and press release parroting (for which a good deal of the blame could be placed on the current administration, but that's a subject for another time).
The guarantee of a free press was written into the First Amendment for a reason. The Fourth Estate serves a vital function in a democracy - knowing that they're being watched and reported on is meant to keep our leaders honest, and form a line of defense between us and the encroachment of authoritarianism (it's no accident that many authoritarian regimes around the world - say, in the Mid East, or China - all have state-run media. Of course, we have that here in the US, as well - most know it as "Fox News"). It's a way in which politicians can be called to account in between elections.
I wish the newspeople of this country would remember all that, grow a pair, knock it off with the inconsequential bullshit, and do their fucking jobs.
The man comes across as an absolute lunatic. I find it difficult to believe anyone would actually listen to anything he has to say, if that's his ordinary mode of delivery. Don't even get me started on his content.
I firmly believe that The Daily Show and TCR should be required viewing for every American. Yes, they are both quite good at trenchant political satire, but beyond that, where they really shine is when they set their crosshairs on the media, which Colbert did to great effect in his opening salvo last night. The sort of stupid shit TCR highlighted in the mini-montage is why I can't stomach morning talk shows (thankfully I'm always busy getting ready in the AM, so it's not really an issue); unfortunately, that sort of "reporting" has also started to bleed over to the nightly news, which I've stopped watching as well. This is not to say I'm trying to shut out the world, just that the talking heads can't tell me in 22 minutes anything I can't find out online, and minus the Overly Serious Voice-Over of Impending Doom, or the cloying bullshit they tack on at the end of the broadcast to try and make us forget we're staring down the barrel of World War III (largely due to - surprise! - religious fantatics).
Far be it from me to recommend anything put out by Regnery, but a couple of years ago I read Bias at my father's behest. I definitely don't agree with a lot of what Goldstein says (especially with regard to his titular allegation), but I have to admit he makes a vaild point about the current state of TV newscasts. They are well and truly awful; incisive reporting has given way to fear-mongering and press release parroting (for which a good deal of the blame could be placed on the current administration, but that's a subject for another time).
The guarantee of a free press was written into the First Amendment for a reason. The Fourth Estate serves a vital function in a democracy - knowing that they're being watched and reported on is meant to keep our leaders honest, and form a line of defense between us and the encroachment of authoritarianism (it's no accident that many authoritarian regimes around the world - say, in the Mid East, or China - all have state-run media. Of course, we have that here in the US, as well - most know it as "Fox News"). It's a way in which politicians can be called to account in between elections.
I wish the newspeople of this country would remember all that, grow a pair, knock it off with the inconsequential bullshit, and do their fucking jobs.
posted by the breakfast ninja at 2:10 PM
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