This is the news.
A quick note before I begin. A lot of what I’m about to rant about applies to FOX News, but it is evident across all current media outlets. So I’m on YouTube this morning and I see a link to one of Keith Olbermann’s Worst Person segments and that night, the honor of Worst Person in the World went to Mr. John Gibson. He is the host of one of FOX News’ programs and also has a show on FOX News Radio. So what garnered him that top spot? The fact that he said that America needs another 9/11 in order to form unity. Now mind you, he didn’t think that up all on his own, he was simply concurring with a columnist that said it. He then went on to play a clip of John Stewart interviewed days after the attack. This is what Stewart said:
“The view from my apartment was the World Trade Center. And now it’s gone. And they attacked it. This symbol of American ingenuity and strength and labor and imagination and commerce, and it is gone. But you know what the view is now? The Statue of Liberty. The view from the south of Manhattan is now the Statue of Liberty. You can’t beat that.”
Yes. Gibson mocked it. And while the clip was playing to boot. I go on to google Gibson and right there I see that his Wikipedia link does not say journalist, it does not say news anchor, it doesn’t even say reporter. What his label is, according to Wikipedia, is media host. That is what we have now. We have a bunch of tv personalities or what the Wiki refers to them as “media hosts,” talking a bunch of BS and taking themselves way too seriously. Again, it isn’t just FOX News, it’s everyone. CNN, MSNBC, and even the the network news outlets. A prime example of my point is CBS’ decision to place Katie Couric on the top spot at CBS News. Those types of decisions are fueled by a quest for ratings. The quest for ratings are fueled by the American public who God forbid, have to sit through an informative, un-biased, and completely detailed news broadcast. What we are left with are these news commentators, these pundits who don’t report the news, who comment on what others (others who are never seen, just heard) have reported. That’s what we are left with. And while those who made up what broadcast journalism once was are dying off, we are left in the company of people like Bill O’Reilly, Keith Olbermann, and John GIbson, who are fun to watch and leave us feeling like they know exactly how we feel, but they aren’t really reporting anything, just commenting on it.
That is the news.
A Great Loss
Yesterday afternoon, an incredible figure in broadcast journalism and more specifically, political journalism, passed away suddenly. Tim Russert, long-running host of Meet the Press on NBC, suffered a heart-attack Friday afternoon while recording voiceovers for his Sunday broadcast. Tom Brokaw, retired anchor of NBC’s Nightly News broadcast broke the news that afternoon. He called Russert “one of the premire political journalists and analysts of his time.” Russert was known by everyone by his genuine passion for politics and sports. He is survived by his son, wife, three sisters, and his father. While the political field tries to cope with this news, one can’t help but notice that our Sunday mornings will never be the same again.
R.I.P.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Larson Family.
She’s a sweetheart…
To Desi A. Gallaway:
Honey, I listened to your message. I thought it was fantastic. Again, I’m sorry I don’t stay up as late as I used to (I used to like…not sleep), but I am an old geezer now. And I know that my messages aren’t as sober understandable as I would like them to be, but the main point that I try to get across is that I miss you and I love you and that I wish we spoke more. By the way, that joke was effing hilarious! You probably won’t like the pic that I used for this post but I swiped it off your facebook page. I don’t have any pictures of you! Well, I guess I will try you again later today…hopefully you won’t be working. I know I won’t! Until next time my dear.
AND NOW FOR THE JOKE THAT STARTED THIS COORESPONDENCE:
What do you call a cow with a twitch?
…
Beef Jerky!
R.I.P.
Sydney Pollack, an Academy-Award-winning director (Out of Africa, Tootsie) and occasional actor, has died. He was 73. He died of cancer Monday afternoon at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by family. He was diagnosed nine months ago. Pollack is survived by his wife, Claire; two daughters, Rebecca and Rachel; his brother Bernie; and six grandchildren.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Yes, I am aware that it is Saturday, but just because America celebrates it tomorrow doesn’t mean the rest of the world does. In Latin America, it is celebrated today…so happy mother’s day! This here is my momma, who is pictured proudly holding up a quarter that she found on the ground while we were stranded in the desert. We later found that the said quarter was actually one that had fallen out of her pocket moments before she found it on the ground. Good times…good times indeed.
