JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH: MORE NEW YORKER COVER REMIXES
July 16, 2008
On Larry King last night Barack was asked about the New Yorker cover controversy and used the opportunity quite brilliantly to patch up any ill will he has had from the Muslim community.
Barack stated, “I know it was the New Yorker’s attempt at satire. I don’t think they were entirely successful with it. But, you know what, it’s a cartoon Larry. And, that’s why we’ve got the first amendment.
This is actually an insult against Muslim Americans. Something that we don’t spend a lot of time talking about. And sometimes I’ve been derelict in pointing that out. There are wonderful Muslim Americans all across the country doing who are doing wonderful things. And for this to be used as sort of an insult or to raise suspicions about me I think is unfortunate. It’s not what America is all about.”
Score Obama!
Related:
“TASTELESS AND OFFENSIVE” PART 2?
It has become a well known fact that tabloids pay ridiculously huge sums of money to get the first shots of new babies. Right now, Angelina Jolie’s twins, considered the news of the century by many in the field, are causing a bidding war between People and OK! that has reached, according to Rush & Molloy, $12 million.
The pale and ever-skinny while she was preggers, Nicole Kidman, has decided to go the classy route and not sell photos of her new born to the tabloids, unlike the slew of other celebs who have garnered million dollar deals.
So the two big questions are:
Do tabs make there money back? Angelina and Brad’s baby Shiloh sold 800,000 more copies than usual, but this didn’t make back the $4.1 million People paid for the shots. An important exclusive can sell an extra 300,000 to 500,000 copies, but that is less than $1 million in added earnings.
But even though they don’t make the money back, they do it for the reputation of the brand and to establish themselves as the go-to name for exclusive shots, which will hopefully lead to advertising and subscriptions.
Question 2. Is this ethical? This is strictly opinion. Tabs are not known to be ethical, but what does this say about the celebrities who are willing to put their children on the magazines? I think it’s okay. The shots are going to get out and paparazzi will hound them until they get that picture.
By setting up a photo shoot they avoid being ransacked by angry men with cameras who are willing to do just about anything for a picture. Brad and Angelina have taken the high road and will be donating the money they make to a charity, which is one way to turn this into an undeniably good thing.
But the bottom line is-these tabloids make tons of money off of these celebrities by slinging their names through mud. If you were in their position, wouldn’t you take the opportunity to make a profit off of them when you have the chance?
Sweet. AFP reports:
“With their champion Hillary Clinton by his side, Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama on Thursday launched an overt appeal to working women, a key voting bloc in November’s general election.
Obama paid tribute to Clinton’s historic primary challenge, praised his own late mother’s struggle to bring him up as a single parent, and admitted guilt that his wife Michelle was bearing the brunt of raising his two daughters.
‘We are working together and all the women in this room are working together, there is no way we’re going to lose in November,’ Obama said, at a ‘Women for Obama’ fundraising event, which drew a 2,300 strong crowd to a New York hotel.”
Can’t say we didn’t see this coming.
Related: BAM, IF YOU’RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SEX, PLEASE DO IT RIGHT
VOTE NOW FOR THE HOTTEST MALE JOURNALIST
July 9, 2008
The NY Post has put together a fun poll on who is the hottest man in journalism. Silver Fox Anderson Cooper, Today Show stud Matt Lauer, and CBS Early Show National Corespondent Jeff Glor, have all made the list of choices, as well as Billy Bush (WTF?), but they left off two very important names.
MSNBC’s Morning Joe’s Willie Geist. And (I’m sorry to do this, but he is adorable when his mouth is shut)…
Talking head Tucker Carlson.
Can anyone think of any other candidates for hottest newsman?
Click here to vote in the NYP poll. So far, Anderson is in the lead with a whopping 22%. Cody Willard, Fox Business Network Anchor, Co-host of ‘Happy Hour’, is dead last with a measly .7%.
Related:
MEANINGFUL DEDICATION: THE AGE OF THE SILVER FOX
BILL O’REILLY JOINS THE FOX NEWS-NY TIMES THROWDOWN
July 8, 2008
Not one to miss his chance to jump into a fight and sling a few mis-directed punches, Bill-O went on a tangent saying that the NY Times is as guilty as FOX News is at carictaturing people into the least attractive versions of themselves.
The paper ran this illustration of the cable news man for a 2007 book review. As anyone can see, it is not a carictature in that, it looks realistic and he does not have devil horns, just thought bubbles.
(Via Gawker)
Related:
MORE ON FOX NEWS & DIRTY JOURNALISM
HOW FOX NEWS RESPONDS TO CRITICS: BY MAKING THEM APPEAR UGLIER THAN THEY REALLY ARE
BILL O’REILLY CAN TOTALLY LAUGH AT HIMSELF & IS DOING IT FUCKING LIVE
FOX NEWS JUST KEEPS GETTING CLASSIER, ASKS: DOES GOD SELL COCAINE
KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR MICHELLE
FOX NEWS: MICHELLE OBAMA = BARACK’S “BABY MAMA”
MORE ON FOX NEWS & DIRTY JOURNALISM
July 7, 2008
David Carr makes a brave, bold and much needed move with his scathing article in today’s NY Times. In it he reveals the dirty tactics Fox news uses when getting even with journalists who write unfavorable things about the network.
As we covered last week, FOX recently yellowed the teeth and enlarged the facial features of two Times reporters who had written what they described as a “hit piece” about them.
According to Carr, the network goes much farther when exacting their revenge. When writing a piece on the network he says that he knows, “once the public relations apparatus at Fox News is engaged, there will be the calls to my editors, keening (and sometimes threatening) e-mail messages, and my requests for interviews will quickly turn into depositions about my intent or who else I am talking to.”
Carr also alleges that they blacklist reporters they do not like and that they plant stories about them on blogs. He has plenty of evidence to this, but few people who will go on record, meaning that the network’s intimidation tactics have worked. FOX of course, denies everything.
FOX’s chief executive, Roger Ailes, may have something to do with these no holds barred tactics. Ailes was the senior political adviser to Richard M. Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. Go figure.
Related:
HOW FOX NEWS RESPONDS TO CRITICS: BY MAKING THEM APPEAR UGLIER THAN THEY REALLY ARE
FOX NEWS JUST KEEPS GETTING CLASSIER, ASKS: DOES GOD SELL COCAINE
KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR MICHELLE
FOX NEWS: MICHELLE OBAMA = BARACK’S “BABY MAMA”
1-877-BE KANYE
July 2, 2008
If this was for a new album or something, I would say it was brilliant enough to justify Kanye’s ego. However, it is for Absolut vodka, which you probably wouldn’t be able to figure out unless someone told you.
Related:
This Sept., the Family Guy creator will bring his “Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy,” to the Internet. The installments have been described as “animated versions of the one-frame cartoons you might see in The New Yorker, only edgier,” which sounds questionable at best.
The clips will have advertising incorporated into them and Google will syndicate the show to thousands of websites using AdSense, which means if you are a 17-32 year old male with a penchant for Axe Body Spray and fart jokes, you will be forced to view this.
MacFarlane will be making out big, receiving a percentage of the ad revenue.
Production carries a multimillion-dollar price tag, which is the largest amount spent on original Internet content to date.
McFarlane is a genius, as displayed by Family Guy, but with the clip playing in an ad box and the subtle advertising within it, hasn’t it already failed with it’s target of young men who are highly aware and averse to having products shoved down their Gen-X throats?
NY TIMES LOOKING TO HIRE NON-STEREOTYPICAL SOUTHERNER
June 27, 2008
Hey southerners, the nations most prestigious paper is looking to hire one of you as a stringer. The pay is modest, but hey it is the NY Times.
Requirements are pretty general-know how to report and things of that nature.
Most importantly: Don’t be a 1950’s sterotype. “Please do not submit ideas concerning dog fights, cock fights, or the Confederate flag.”
They left off pick-up trucks, jokes starting with “You know you’re a redneck if,” sharecropping, and lynching, but I am guessing that it’s implied.
Good luck. Click here to apply or for an original of the image, y’all.
(Via Gawker)
McCain previously admited he didn’t know how to use a computer and is now being backed up by his own staff.
During this week’s Personal Democracy Forum, Mark Soohoo, part of John McCain’s “Internet team,” said, “John McCain is aware of the Internet.”
He then continued by saying, “You don’t necessarily have to use a computer to understand how it shapes the country.”*** Which seems like the makings of a great comeback for those in the GOP who will claim Barack’s lack of military service means he’s unfit to be our Commander in Chief.
***McCain also knows about that big box with moving pictures and the banana shaped thing you talk in to and hear another persons voice.
BARACK DOES ROLLING STONE
June 25, 2008
Shadow posted on the article earlier, but i wanted to put this up, because it’s just a great cover.
Will Dana, the managing editor of RS, told Morning Joe (MSNBC) this morning that they decided to leave all words off to recognize the significance of the moment of Obama’s candidacy.
This is the mag’s second Obama cover. Check out the first, here.
Yes, yes he does. Ba dum dum.
If your planning on prostituting, committing murder, burglary, really any crime and then getting caught, can you please take the time to rename yourself Fox News first?
(Via Videogum)
OBAMA SAYS: “I WANT MY MTV,” MTV RESPONDS: “YES!”
June 25, 2008
MTV has decided to go ahead and make history during this “historic” election. While Rocking the Vote in the past, they have never before accepted political ads.
That is until now, saying “the youth vote has increasingly engaged and played a crucial role in past presidential elections, we re-evaluated the MTV policy and decided that campaign-approved ads would be a good fit for our audience, and would compliment our ‘Choose or Lose’ campaign efforts.”
Hmmm..it couldn’t be that they want ad dollars could it? This announcement follows suspiciously close to a report in the New York Times on June 22 that Democratic Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign wanted to do an MTV buy, reports Ad Age.
Since Bam opted out of public financing, he’ll have plenty of moolah to woo the youth vote away from Real World watching McCain supporters (oxymoron alert).
The network will only accept ads directly from the candidates, not from 3rd parties so no mommy & baby ads from MoveOn.org or swiftboat style ads will interrupt Pete Wentz getting his emo on.
(Via Ad Age)
I’m not jerking you Hoff, here. The man who talks to cars and rules women in red bikinis has his very own social networking site. It’s sure to get tons of Hofftastic members and become the number one reason people will cite when arguing that the Internet should be regulated.
On the site you’ll meet other fun/insane Hoff fans and take part in interesting discussion threads like: “If the Hoff was a god…What Would he do first?” (um, turn water into wine and air into burgers?) or visit the Hoff Shop, and purchase cool products like the “Don’t Hassle the Hoff” shirt that you can give to people you don’t like for their birthdays or during the office’s Secret Santa.
You should sign up — it’s a hoffer you can’t refuse. Plus, just think how much easier it’s going to be now to organize Hasselhoff-Con.
(Via Vulture)
DON IMUS WILL NEVER LEARN
June 23, 2008
UPDATE: Don apologized this morning on his radio show for making the controversial comments about Dalls Cowboys Adam Pacman Jones. He was trying to “make a sarcastic point” , but they were misunderstood. He also called people’s reaction “ridiculous” and said that his program’s cast is now more diverse than ever (he’s got a black producer and two black co-hosts).
ORIGINAL: Check it out:
Imus: “What color is he?”
Warner Wolf: “He’s African American.”
Imus: “Well there you go… now we know”
(Via Fishbowl)
(Video Via VideoGum)
When the Straight Talk Express gets detoured, at least we know the guy’s got patience.
LUKE RUSSERT TALKS ABOUT HIS FATHER ON THE TODAY SHOW
June 16, 2008
Please click here to watch the video. It’s incredibly moving.
SEXISM IS A TWO WAY STREET: BALL BASHING
June 13, 2008
Both myself and Shadow Campaigner are avid feminists, so we tend to discuss sexism a lot here on MD. Lately we have been focusing on how the media portrays and discusses women, but feel its important to remember that the testosterone crew also faces unfair stereotyping.
AskMen.com has compiled a list of the top 10 commercials that show men as dumb and incompetent. The #1 ranking commercial above. Click here for the complete list.
R.I.P. TIM RUSSERT. NEWS HOST DIES AT 58.
June 13, 2008
The NBC journalist and host of Meet the Press passed away today at the age of 58 from what appears to be a heart attack, reports the NY Post. Details to come.
Our thoughts are with his family and those close to him.
HILLARY & SEXISM IN THE MEDIA: IT’S TIME TO FIGHT BACK!
June 13, 2008
Hill has been plagued by sexism throughtout her entire campaign and I am happy to say that women and her supporters are fighting back. Here on Meaningful we have posted “Media Hall of Shame” videos and are joining the voices (see related links below) calling for Obama and Hill to address sexism in a speech.*
*(Which according to Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who supported Hill and is now speaking for the Obama campaign, is unlikely to happen since Obama “already incorporates themes of discrimination as a societal problem into his speeches.”)
The majority of the media however, feels that these allegations are false and that they only arose once Hill has fallen behind. Basically-crying sexism is a way to scapegoat.
Well fuck that!
MORE RACISM IN THE NEWS: UNCLE BARACK’S CABIN
June 12, 2008
For those of you a bit rusty on their German, the above cover of Die Tageszeitung’s reads “Uncle Barack’s Cabin” and it’s rightfully causing massive commotion overseas.
The paper itself leans left and is now claiming it was merely meant to be satire.
One can only assume that in this case, satire means the propagation of racist stereotypes.
(Via Times Online)
Guess what? Everyone’s favorite blue cartoons are coming to the big screen in a live action/animated version of the Smurfs!
Now I love the Smurfs just as much of the next child of the ’80’s but I would just like to call attention to one fact that may sadly taint your perfect, nostalgic view. The first lady smurf was actually created by Gargamel to bring evil to the Smurf village. Check out the clip and shudder–she’s made of deception and lies!
FISTBUMPGATE: ED HILL GETS BUMPED!
June 11, 2008
Fox News’ E.D. Hill, the journalist responsible for causing alarm over Barack and Michelle victory terrorist fist jab, has apologized. Despite this she is getting her hosting duties taken away.
The network is not out-right firing her, but will be placing her in an as yet to be determined position.
And while part of me agrees with this, another part just gets angry that blowhards like Chris Matthews retain their position while others like Don Imus and E.D. get made examples of. The woman made a ridiculous, overtly overblown off-base statement in order to draw in viewers with a shocking and alarming story.
Thing is-1) Sometimes this works. 2) ED Hill is taking the fall for what a bunch of other people at the network are also resposible for.
Related:
Finally! The Obama campaign is hiring full time senior staff to push back against the subterranean email smears that would have us believe that he is:
a Muslim, a terrorist, someone who doesn’t salute the flag, belonging to a separatist black (Christian) church, anti-Semetic, a Manchurian candidate sent to destroy America, a racist, unpatriotic, the Anti-Christ, a homosexual, a drug addict, … am I leaving anything out?
Campaigns often do this kind of reverse opposition work, but man, what took him so long? He’s been dogged by this from Day One. And a shocking number of people still believe some of this crap.
The group will also be tasked with “handling” difficult-to-explain-away comments made by Michelle Obama, ala, being “proud of her country for the first time.” These guys are about to get up close and personal with the ugliest underbelly of American politics. I hope they brought their Tums.
(via The Guardian)
