Weapons Of Mass Destruction

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September 23, 2006 … It’s not always about sex - so from time to time, I’m going to rant and rave about stuff that has very little to do with the penis.

Consider the fact that this entire millenium so far has been dominated by George Bush and Janet Jackson’s tits - clearly both weapons of mass destruction. (Actually, not Janet’s - they’re too small.)

Good news for television folks. If any of you felt a void a few years ago when Aaron Sorkin stepped down as producer/writer of the West Wing, and then another void when the show ended, well fear not. Studio 60 is back with your favorite characters and then some.

The shows pilot was brilliant and is an all-out assault on the state of the media today - how it has whored itself for the almighty dollar.  The show opens with a rant reminiscent of the Paddy Chayefsky’s movie NETWORK of long ago. His pre-Orwellian 1984 prediction has come true, and in today’s television the lines are blurred between the network news and Entertainment Tonight.

The writing is brilliant to the point where the hair will rise on the back of your neck. The dialogue is delivered by the actors, including Bradley Whitford with such panache that you almost want to have sex with them to get an injection of their genius imposed upon your own DNA. 

The timing couldn’t be any better as well.  With ABC’s pathetic and tasteless 9/11 “dramatization” when nothing but facts are appropriate in this very disturbed world, CBS joins the trendy group at terror.  “Jericho” aired with a nuclear attack on American soil. We’ve been warned that Bush is using the media as a powerful tool. And no - he’s not the only one. Reagan, Kennedy and all of them knew the power of the media.  But when I was a kid, we had drills on the last Friday of every month. CBS’ new show is a scary warning, almost ‘training’ of what is to come. Jesus, how many people has Bush been forcing to drink his kool aid?  It frightens the hell out of me to think that programming creative types feel that a show of this kind is even remotely worth producing. And given the new religious-toned shows, and now this ‘prep for nuclear attack’, we are in serious trouble.

Speaking of contradiction and conflict - I was raised when the media and government were supposed to be natural enemies. That’s not a bad thing - I think it’s called “checks and balances”?  Not so at FOX TV these days.  Their news division is a total supporter of Bush and the war. Which is very strange given their other programming which is about as left wing as is possible. And now their creation of a religious channel?  Yikes!  Maybe they made a deal if they support the war; they can have obscene programming in prime time.

Even Jay Leno has gone left. The last show I caught had him talking with Elton John about his marriage - good for you Jay. The monologue, by the way, was pretty far left for a network. ABC, CBS and NBC have to do something. It appears they are the only ones worried about the FCC while cable and satellite scream “fuck” all they want.

Speaking of screaming “fuck”, how about the right wing lunatics refusing to air the 9/11 tapes where the fire men scream obscenities?  Give me a fucking break. What are they supposed to say? “Gosh, golly, gee, Opey - look at that gol-dern plane. Holy Moses, prey tell what shall we do?”  I’m sorry that Janet Jackson showed her boob on television. Wait - no I’m not. We need to see more boobs.  Women should be able to breast feed in public without women fainting at the concept, and men getting erections. But it certainly isn’t the “excuse” to raise fines into the hundreds of thousands per incident. You think we have free speech? I’m not advocating children cursing, or adults gone wild so society becomes one huge rap culture. I still don’t understand that. In fact, rap is the biggest sell out. It’s just violence promoting violence and hatred. And few rappers have much to complain about in their mansions and sports cars. Oh, and news flash, it’s just white people using blacks once again to make money. First sports, now rap. Go figure.

Way back when, in the good old days, I was raised a Republican. At that time their agenda was about small government and making money. Not a bad platform. Things have changed though - now that are about debt, war, terror - all while being led by fractionalized religious groups and the right wing. Hence, I’m now a Democrat, and gay. They aren’t related, but it’s a nice tie-in. Like finding a nice belt to match your shoes.

I was watching Bill Mayer the other night on satellite. As left wing as it is, over the last few shows, Pat Robertson and Barry Goldwater’s grand-daughter spoke brilliantly, and balanced - credible representatives of the true Republican ideal. I would have never expected it. But they weren’t pupating a message. They had developed conscious thought and articulated well. Sandy Rios, who often contributes to Fox News (go figure), made complete fool of herself. All she could speak were well planted ideas that have been promoted by the administration. When questioned in any depth, she stuttered her way through frustration as she had never taken the time to process the information - she just keeps buying the line, and parroting the news to the world. We need to check her for alien gills, or a chip under the skin. Her glassy-eyed glaze and Stepford-like manor is chilling. That she has air time and a platform to influence people is more frightening than anything. Catch her this week with Bradley Whitford and Reze Aslan on HBO.

Til next time - make sure the opinion you have is your own, and not the one someone told you to have. Be mad as hell, and refuse to take it anymore.

Peace,
Mark

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