gdp's Comments

Breitbart.tv : Maher To Limbaugh: I Can Call Palin C**t, 'I Don't Have Sponsors - I'm on HBO'

Sun, 4 Mar 2012 14:55:47 +0000

Just one point of order...Bill Maher DOES have one sponsor...HBO, and they CAN be touched. I cancelled my subscription a few months ago, and told them why. I urge anyone with an HBO subscription (even if it comes free with cable service) to cancel. And don't feel like not having a subscription means you can't tell them how you feel - you just need to send it directly. Below is the URL to their comment screen. Please, anyone who uses it, be more polite than HBO would, or Bill Maher could... http://www.hbo.com/about/index.html?title=Real%20...

Big Hollywood : 'Act of Valor': 'Parenthood' Actor Walks Back Tweet Comparing Film to Nazi Propaganda

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:09:10 +0000

IIRC, the first time I saw Dax Shepard was in "Idiocracy." Nice to see an actor who inhabits his role 24/7.

Big Hollywood : 'Broadcast News' Predicted Journalism's Collapse

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:18:45 +0000

PART TWO... Neither my parents nor I could see much moral distance between Brooks' manipulation (done purely to make the story more "punchy"), and Hurt's (done merely because the subject AND the cameraman thought Hurt was about to cry when the camera was on the subject, so he recreated his near-reaction). Now, admittedly, the message (Director James) Brooks seemed to want to convey (the danger of flash winning in the end over substance) is one that should be paid attention to. But the simple fact, in my opinion, was that Brooks' character was already a "salesman," just one selling things with a little more subtlety. That Brooks (and, to a lesser extent, Hunter) was so aggressively pompous about his point (and, it seemed to me, also sabotaging Hurt out of jealousy over Hunter's and Hurt's relationship, and envy of Hurt's success, not to register some important message), again, in my opinion, fatally undermines any moral high ground Brooks wants his character to stand on. FWIW. IMOO. YMMV.

Big Hollywood : 'Broadcast News' Predicted Journalism's Collapse

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:17:48 +0000

Sorry, Lawrence, but I couldn't disagree more with your conclusion. I watched this movie in the theater with my parents, and the three of us all concluded that the overall message (beyond the surface) was far off the mark. ***SPOILERS*** The opening scene showed Brooks doing an on- scene report on South American guerillas, with the movie showing Brooks' (IIRC) behind-the-scenes manipulation of the frame (the frame and his voiceover focusing on the boots shipped to the guerillas, to add pathos to the segment). That story was not called out by the film as anything but good journalism. Meanwhile, what infuriated Brooks and Hunter (and which the film condemned) was Hurt's false tear in a segment (conjured up as a later-filmed reaction shot to the "heartrending" story Hurt's character was reporting on), despite the fact that everyone in the segment agreed that, while false, it was pretty much an accurate recreation of Hurt's true reaction. PART ONE

Big Hollywood : Oscars: Baron Cohen’s ‘Dictator’ Dumps Kim Jong Il Ashes On Ryan Seacrest

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:33:35 +0000

Wow. Seacrest vs. Sacha Baron Cohen.. Who do ya root for on that one?

Big Government : 'Equal Justice Under the Law': Why the End Is Near For Affirmative Action

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 00:25:33 +0000

I hope Mr. Wohl is correct that the SCOTUS will use this case (which would be egregious, were it not for the regular abuse of that term by and on behalf of AA) to overturn the constitutionality of AA. I fear, however, that the SCOTUS may use the case to overturn a popularly-approved Proposition, in clear violation of the concept of representative Republicanism, in favor of "social justice" and "The Greater Good." (I'm looking at YOU, Justice "5-4" Kennedy) That seems to be the trend lately...

Big Hollywood : Comedy Cowards: ‘SNL’ Hammers GOP, Gently Teases First Lady’s Obesity Campaign

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:31:02 +0000

sometime in the last few months (if I had to guess, it'd be around when Obama's popularity numbers went upside down), the entertainment media finally jettisoned the last vestige of impartiality (mind, I'm not saying they ever really had much, but at least before 2008, they at least mostly made a play at pretending). I'm waiting for someone to demand the FEC declare their prime time lineup to be an in-kind contribution. I can dream...

Big Hollywood : Something Gays & Muslims Need Never Fear: CBS, Grammys Mock Catholic Church

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:35:09 +0000

3. So Minaj is a "schizo-aesthetic artist," is she? Igoring for the moment what the hell that means, it reminds me of a morality exercise I participated in in high school, the upshot of which is, no matter the cognitive ability or motive of a person who punches me in the nose, it doesn't make my nose hurt any less (I say this as a never-been-Catholic). Minaj's performance was so transparently anti-Catholic that even if she didn't recognize it, someone in the long list of reviewers of the performance should have done so. That no one either foresaw a problem with this, or didn't care, is itself an issue.

Big Hollywood : Something Gays & Muslims Need Never Fear: CBS, Grammys Mock Catholic Church

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:34:50 +0000

2. Tell you what: you hold on to the "position" that there was nothing political about Minaj's performance; me, I'll live in the real world for now. The evidence I hold on my side is: in the same week that the political realm practically exploded over the dispute between the O admin and the Catholic Church over the latter having to pay for contraceptive services, Minaj takes to the Grammies to perform a "fever dream" about overtly Catholic priests holding her prisoner and persecuting her, the first part of which is in a unique icon of Catholic practice (the Confessional). If it was just coincidence, it was one of the more amazing (and unbelieveable, in every sense of the word) coincidences in an industry that seems to fall back on the coincidence excuse on a nearly weekly basis.

Big Hollywood : Something Gays & Muslims Need Never Fear: CBS, Grammys Mock Catholic Church

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:34:32 +0000

I have several comments to this, in no particular order: 1. No matter what Minaj's "appeal" may be (to whomever that may be), her presence on the Grammies is arguably broader for its incorporation into the Grammies production. Unless you sincerely believe that (a) the Grammies producrers told Minaj "hey, we love your work, so do what you want. We aren't even particularly interested in seeing it beforehand," Minaj's message was endorsed by a broader "speaker," namely the Grammies producers. I sincerely doubt THEY were hoping for laughs. I saw absolutely nothing to suggest that it was put on for comedy (nor, for that matter, do I honestly believe that the Grammies producers have a working comprehension of "humor," but I digress). Absent that, the only really "absurdist" commentary I can foresee is that of the Grammies producers, and it ain't the one I believe you think it is.

Big Hollywood : Something Gays & Muslims Need Never Fear: CBS, Grammys Mock Catholic Church

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:50:23 +0000

I definitely could be wrong, but did I hear audience members laughing at the utter ridiculousness of the "confessional" part of that performance (at least before the hoard of tortured cats drowned them out)? If so (a huge "if," I grant), audience drones laughing at what was clearly being played as a "serious statement" is a good sign...small but good. OTOH, such an OTT broadside against the Catholic Church (as opposed to the overworn "child molester" charge), aired in prime time on a major network is a very BAD sign.

Big Hollywood : Rappers Love Obama, Hate Paying Him Taxes

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:37:51 +0000

Ah, sounds like more racial dog-whistling to me.

Big Hollywood : Carolla Slams Progressives for Ruining a Day at the Beach

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:37:02 +0000

I'm pretty sure whatever right you are looking for (so long as it doesn't involve guns) is to be found in the penumbras of whatever's left over of the Bill of Rights once the Obama Administration is done with it.

Big Hollywood : 'An Inconsistent Truth' Debunks Gore's Global Warming Hysteria

Wed, 8 Feb 2012 03:58:11 +0000

IMO, for most of the front-line GG soldiers, it's the same instinct for conspiracy theories - a frosting of guilt for our lifestyle (which MUST be bad brcause Americans are all, globally speaking, the 1%), over a self-important cake of need to be among the "inside" people who see something the common sheeple who lack the clear sight to see the conspiracy for what it is, don't. People like this are absurdly easy for puppet masters to manipulate. Just put forth a theory that's one part phoney-baloney pseudoscience, and three parts speaking to their political prejudices. Just like trutherism

Big Hollywood : Which Celebrity Had the Best Super Bowl Ad?

Mon, 6 Feb 2012 23:08:52 +0000

Yeah, good luck with that one, Midnite. Sadly, I suspect they'll be seeing a LOT more of your (and my and everyone else's) money. We just won't be handing it over with the hope of getting a mid-quality car, or anything else, in exchange. Going Galt is pretty much the only other option.

Big Hollywood : Which Celebrity Had the Best Super Bowl Ad?

Mon, 6 Feb 2012 22:57:13 +0000

IMO, the commercial isn't selling (or even mentioning) Detroit, the actual city in Michigan, it's selling Detroit, the Motor City, the concept behind American motor production. The Big 3 have been selling the idea of Detroit for decades (even as the City has descended into the Fourth Circle of Hell). The fact that Detroit hasn't been the actual center of American car production is beside the point - it IS the spiritual center. The fact that Detroit is also the poster child for uberliberal mismanagement and union greed and "I-got-mine-ism" is just a happy coincidence.

Big Hollywood : Muppets Go Partisan: Kermit and Miss Piggy Trash Fox News

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 03:35:35 +0000

Nope. Back then, we had three flavors of the same warmed-over liberal pap, no alternatives to that enforced intellectual gulag, and, interestingly enough, a completely different professional whiners (LeftWing stuck up MSM). How things have changed.

Big Hollywood : Muppets Go Partisan: Kermit and Miss Piggy Trash Fox News

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 03:31:45 +0000

[full disclosure: I have not seen the newest film] Those villians at least made internal "sense" (if such a word can be used to describe a Muppets movie). When the protagonist is a frog, it makes internal sense to make the villian a restauranteur of a national chain of frog legs restauarant. It makes the conflict personal and logical. As well, making the "thief" character "interesting" by making him a "bored rich kid" also makes sense, as it's a common, non-political trope (making him an actual greedy rich man who got there by ripping off consumers would be closer to the political hit I presume you're thinking of). However, an oil tycoon villain makes no sense in the context of the plot of the film, as I understand it. Why would you need such a convoluted scheme to get an oil tycoon involved? KISS.

Big Hollywood : Muppets Go Partisan: Kermit and Miss Piggy Trash Fox News

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 03:09:29 +0000

Aside from Miss Piggy's joke, I don't see this being partisan. Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? The screenwriter went out of his way to make the villian an agglomeration of right-side cliches, when, as has been pointed out in this thread, far more realistic, and/or tonally appropriate villians. Then, when called on it, rather than addressing the issue striaght-forwardly, or at least leading with a less broadside, ad hominem and cliched meme-attack, MissPiggy's voice/hand-up-the-a$$ went with the least imaginative b.s. possible.

Big Hollywood : Pathetic Judd Apatow Panders to Politically Correct Hollywood Crowd: 'F*ck You, Jerry Lewis'

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:46:12 +0000

Sounds an awful lot like Apatow's still smarting from Katherine Heigl's critique of Knocked Up as sexist. Well, you all know the old saying, "If you can't laugh at yourself...make fun of other people!" (credit Bobby Slayton)