This week GOP Presumptive Presidential nominee Senator John McCain gave a highly touted and highly intriguing speech in which he detailed what it would look like in 2013 when he completed his first term (if he’s elected).
Attention, Men! And let’s be clear here… I mean the “real men” out there. Not you wimpy, over educated, latte and wine cooler sipping Obama voters. I’m talking to the manly men who are far more likely to support Clinton or McCain. (TMV’s female readers are politely invited to stop reading right now and go do some online shopping at Victoria’s Secret.) There is a dark, spreading evil on the horizon. Currently it’s over in Europe, but it will be touching down on our shores in the next few weeks and you need to be prepared. The Chicago Tribune’s John Kass explains the imminent downfall of civilization.
I can still hear the terrified cries of men from across the sea, from England, men scared stiff by the new “Sex and the City” movie premiere, and such cries are cries of warning to men in America, where this evil film will debut in a few weeks.
One of the first shrieks of woe came from a regular guy named Phil. His warning was posted in the Times Online, as a comment on the review of the film that premiered the other day in London.
“I don’t think SATC is just for girls. I am a reasonably well-adjusted bloke and I am looking forward to seeing the film with my girlfriend. I am then looking forward to poking my eyes out with red-hot pokers, burning my skin off, and rolling around in salt for a while.”—Phil Mann, Newcastle upon Tyne.
I understand how confusing this issue is for some women. As Kass points out in his column, many girlfriends and wives simply don’t get how men run in terror at the mention of this particular entertainment phenomenon. Look… it’s not the women themselves. We like them too! (Particularly when they show up with less than restaraunt minimum amounts of attire.) It’s not even the endless whining and bashing of all things male. (Well, ok.. it’s might be partly that, but certainly not the major factor.) No, my friends… in the end it’s all about the shoes.
Women Just Don’t Get It. Because when it comes to “Sex and the City,” women don’t care about our needs, our desires, our deepest hidden longings—and our phobias about $700 pairs of Manolo Blahnik shoes. I’ve never seen such shoes. But if I saw the bill, I’d begin to cry.
We, as males, just seem to be genetically incapable of feeling sorry for a woman who bitches and moans, week after week, about how awful men are - how we simply aren’t developed enough to understand exactly how wonderful she is - and then goes out to console herself by purchasing yet another pair of shoes that cost more than many people’s mortgage payment. Then, having run herself into debt, she is forced to take a side job to make up the money. What sort of employment does she seek out? Giving lectures to single women on the best way to meet even more men who will treat them like crap and leave them. What’s not to love?
Yes, it seems that SATC has been made into a movie. (Who knew about this in advance and why in the name of All That Is Holy did they do nothing to stop this?) The movie will be touching down in America very soon. And for many of you, the women in your lives are going to immediately put pressure on you to go see it.
But today we are here to offer you salvation. A sort of SATC Get Out Of Jail Free Card, if you will. By going to this link at the tribune, you will be able to download and print out a Get Out of Sex and the City Card. Just print it, sign it, keep it in your wallet, and when your girlfriend raises the subject, whip it out and show it to her. At that point, you are legally free of any obligation to go and she’ll just have to go find some of her girlfriends to see it with her.
You may now being the march to my house with pitchforks, torches and gasoline. Sadly, you won’t find me at home. I’ll be out watching Iron Man.
This Guest Voice post is by Watching America translator Dorian de Wind, who is also a retired U.S. Air Force officer. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of TMV and its writers.
From the Frying Pan into the Fire, and Back to the Showers–at Home
by Dorian de Wind
Political scandals–there are so many of them these days-seem to have a very short shelf life, perhaps with the exception of those involving the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. These are kept alive forever on the now-famous “endless loop” by the righteous media.
One of those scandals rapidly fading from most people’s memories is Idaho Senator Larry Craig’s “episode” in that men’s restroom at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport almost a year ago now.
Somehow, that incident and its repercussions must have still been fresh on my mind when I was taking a shower at our fitness center recently.
Let me explain.
As a 68-year-old senior–straight, I should add–I am in dire need of some kind of physical activity to stay fit. So I do various stretching exercises while in the shower at home. One of these exercises involves standing tip-toe and stretching and rotating each arm in a circular motion high above my head.
After joining our local fitness center, I saw no reason for not continuing these exercises at the center while taking a shower after my swimming and steam room routine.
During one of my first exercise sessions there, I happened to glance at the opaque-glass separation between my shower and the adjoining one and saw the silhouette of another shower taker. I froze in mid-exercise when it suddenly dawned on me that my neighbor could surely see my hand and arm waving motions. Remembering the Larry Craig episode and not wanting my waving to be misconstrued, I instantly stopped my exercise and slinked out of the shower and eventually out of the center.
On my way home, I mulled the whole incident over and for an instant–just an instant–I felt a pang of pity for the senator. What if his gestures in that airport restroom had been misconstrued?
Just for an instant, because then I remembered the anti-gay words and anti-gay legislative initiatives by the senator from Idaho, and my compassion for him–gay or not gay–quickly evaporated.
On the way home, I concluded that the showers at the center were not the right place for my exercises.
Missing my exercise routine, however, I decided a few days later that the steam room at the fitness center would be a good place for resuming my stretching exercises–but only when I found myself alone there.
It was all going well until the other morning. That is when two concerned fellow fitness center enthusiasts, who had discerned my strenuous arm-waving through the thick clouds of steam, rushed into the steam room, ready to rescue me and to summon all kinds of medical assistance. After somewhat oafishly explaining that everything was OK, I decided that the steam room was not the right venue for my stretching exercises either.
So, it’s back to the showers for me now–the ones at home.
And it’s back to the other stories for the media—you know, the stories that keep on endlessly looping, and giving endless hope to Republicans.
Dorian de Wind is a retired U.S. Air Force Officer, born in Ecuador and educated in The Netherlands. He has a bachelor’s degree from of Texas A&M University and a master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. Dorian has written opinion pieces and travel and other articles for the Austin American-Statesman and for the military newspaper Stars and Stripes. He also translates Dutch press articles for watchingamerica.com.
There’s a major Frank Sinatra revival now going on. And the celebration of the singer Time Magazine named as the greatest entertainer of the 20th century is part re-appreciation of his art, and part hard-nosed business. The Los Angeles Times:
A new era is beginning in the career of Frank Sinatra even if the Chairman of the Board isn’t here to participate.
The iconic singer died May 14, 1998, and the 10th anniversary is being marked with a flurry of activity, including a new U.S. postage stamp with his likeness, lavish new CD and DVD collections, a major revival of his films on television and high-profile media appearances by his children.
This surge in all things Sinatra is more than just a fleeting commemoration, however — it’s more like the beginning of a corporate brand roll-out.
Late last year, the Sinatra heirs signed a pact with Warner Music Group Corp. that will bring Ol’ Blue Eyes back in a big way, not just as a digitally resurrected entertainer but also as an advertising pitchman and, potentially, the name on the marquee of a feature film, a Broadway show and a casino and resort.
Part of the way you can judge if a deceased icon “lives on” is whether he has appeal to young people. And you can see some appreciative comments under Sinatra videos on You Tube.
And it’s fun to watch the often offbeat Sinatra lip syncs on You Tube done by young people — like this great one (a classic lip sync of a classic):
Back in February, Saturday Night did a peppery parody of a CNN televised debate in which it painted the press as fawning all over Democratic Senator Barack Obama and dismissing and being hard on Senator Hillary Clinton. Clinton’s campaign and Clinton herself pointed to that parody in their argument that the press was going easy on Obama and part of “Obamanamia” and hadn’t been vetting or challenging him.
Shortly after that, what many believe was Obama’s “free” ride indeed ended — and some pundits attributed it to the SNL sketch and the Clinton campaigns use of it as an example of how it wasn’t only them that had this perception of the press’ behavior.
Obama supporters charged SNL was repeatedly biased in its parodies in favor of Clinton and skewering their candidate — and Dan Abrams on MSNBC noted in a segment that political supporters were going haywire…and that SNL was a political candidate equal offender (click on the link since he includes various excerpts).
The Clinton campaign loved SNL — but it’s likely the love affair is over now with last night’s latest parody which at times seems downright brutal.
There are books about motherless daughters and motherless mothers. I’m the daughter of a motherless mother, but I only came to glimpse even the tiniest look at what it must be like for my mother, and millions of others, a few years ago.
Mother and mothering is a concept that doesn’t restrict itself to women with children, or perhaps even women period. But the need to have a relationship that is like that which we have with a person we call mother - that, I believe, is indispensible.
My mother hates my hair color. She says it’s unprofessional, a color only men like, and if I want to be taken seriously, I’ll retreat to dishwater brown.
I give her compliments too. A few years ago, after she had cosmetic surgery, I told her she looked creepy. Who wouldn’t want me for a daughter?
And yet, this woman does for me what I’d never do for myself. While I finished up graduate school, she planned my wedding. My kids’ Halloween costumes? Made by Grammy. Clothes with missing buttons? Ripped seams and extra long hems? Stuffed in a plastic bag until she visits her only daughter.
I let her commandeer my house when she comes. I don’t buy food for days beforehand because I know she’ll shop and pay for everything. She makes her bed and retrieves towels from unfolded piles of laundry. Then she folds the rest. Not like I fold, mind you, but I let it slide.
Do I feel guilty? Am I abusing the woman who delivered me and survived teaching me how to drive a stick shift? Read the rest of this entry »
May 11th, 2008 by DR. CLARISSA PINKOLA ESTÉS, TMV Columnist
The Mistaken Zygote Syndrome
by C.P. Estés
I tell my patients this story I made up, with both levity and gravity, to try to explain one of the great mysteries of this Earth: why some parents and offspring sometimes look at one another and ask themselves, “Who the heck are you? and what planet did you really come from??”
Here’s what I have to say on the matter in my consulting room:
We are born the way we are, and into the odd families we came
through:
1) Just because… (almost no one will believe this).
2) The Self has a plan, and our pea-brains are too tiny to parse it (many
find this a hopeful idea) or
3) Because of the Mistaken Zygote Syndrome
(well…yes, maybe…but what is that?).
Your family thinks you’re an alien.
You have feathers,
they have scales.
Your idea of a good time is the forest,
the wilds,
the inner life,
the outer majesty.
Their idea of a good time is folding towels.
If this is so for you in your family,
then you are a victim of The Mistaken Zygote Syndrome. Read the rest of this entry »
(10.) She can devote all of her time to enable the residents of Guam to vote in presidential elections.
(9.) When she tries to say Muslim it comes out muslin.
(8.) Jack Abramoff may be available to help her with her golf game.
(7.) Her campaign staffers can get a head start on lining up jobs with the Obama administration.
(6.) She’s run out of nice things to say about Obama.
(5.) Maureen Dowd makes her cry.
(4.) Voters aren’t as stupid as she thought they were.
(3.) Even her black maid has stopped talking to her.
(2.) She’s finally realized that change isn’t just the stuff in the bottom of her purse.
And . . . We’ll leave it to you to fill in the Number One reason why Hillary should quit.
May 6th, 2008 by DR. CLARISSA PINKOLA ESTÉS, TMV Columnist
We’ve seen our last First Lady of a certain kind. Genteel, always attempting to be background instead of foreground or middle ground. Laura Bush will likely be the last of a long line of smart women who stayed behind the scenes for the most part, or else led lives ‘out there’, like Eleanor Roosevelt who most of the time seemed as though she wasn’t married to the President, but rather to ideas.
We have seen the signs of the remarkable transition from genteel little lady with little to say, and certainly never anything controversial, to efforts to act as a fuller human being… for instance, First Lady Hillary Clinton. She had an idea and thought to bring it to the fore. But, she was bashed for carrying the notion that she should/could/ would dare to be involved in policy; health care. “You’re not a player, you’re just a figurehead; go put your hoop skirt back on and act right.’
Nancy Reagan was smarmed for ‘advising’ her husband; many thought she had ‘too much power’ over him and should just go back to pouring tea for be-medaled dignitaries. Mrs. Reagan’s bold interruption of Raisa Gorbachev who appeared to be hogging the camera during an interview of the Russian and US First Ladies, prompted Mrs. Reagan to intervene clearly and loudly. “I want to talk now,” said Mrs. Reagan. This breach of ‘ladylike’ protocol was hailed by many as a high-fiver for Nancy.
It used to be, and was vehemently expected by many in the electorate, that First Ladies, whether wives of Presidents or Governors, were supposed to remain like the curtains; be backdrop, to concern themselves only with ’safe, feminine’ interests (feminine as defined by softness and sweetness… forgetting that many women are also inventors, innovators and often, warriors ).
The short list below is not to trivialize, for First Ladies’ attendance on under-served populations and ideals that might never have more than a hoot and holler amongst male politicians, has been critical. Read the rest of this entry »
Howard Dean was on The Daily Show last night. The interview was all smiles and laughs but chock-a-block full of important and substantive information. It went on for an unusually long 9 minutes and ran right up into the commercial break.
Stewart commented on Jeremiah Wright on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday’s shows and — in contrast to every other cable news show — his clear and conclusive emphasis was on how miffed with the media he was because “this issue which should have only had enough fuel to last one news cycle has somehow lasted eight news cycles.”
Now Stewart’s is not a news show. It doesn’t have to obey the “News” rules, so it is not able to speak with that “News” authority. No, Stewart’s is a comedy show.
Any comic fool can rush in, where the angels of journalists and historians fear to tread. And as we know if we’ve ever watched any Shakespearian tragedy, fools can often be the wisest people on the stage.
Bob reminds us that comedy does not have to deal with the inconvenience of checking facts, getting multiple sources, or trying to get it right. Comedy gets to make stuff up! But it’s also able to intellectually explore lots of the stuff that neither journalism nor history can because they’re both so bound by facts.
That comic freedom has obvious attractions to intellectually active and politically engaged young minds. So I’m thinking that Stewart and his spin-off Stephen Colbert are out there dog-whistling to the youth-vote. And I’m wondering how accurate we’ve got that measured. Aren’t they — with their cell phones and non-traditional media habits — a demographic we’ve traditionally had trouble tracking anyway?
Maybe the Colbert bump holds a clue. It was in the news a while back as a legit phenom for Dems (Republicans need not apply). Thompson gives it the benefit of the doubt:
You know, some people might say, well how can this be? I think the burden of proof is on proving that there is no such thing as the Colbert bump. I think the common sense assumption would be that, yeah, there probably is. Until proven otherwise, that seems to be the commonsense thing that one would have.
On the 5th anniversary of President Bush’s declaration that major combat operations in Iraq were over, the Pentagon reported that American combat deaths were again on the upswing and in April were the highest in seven months.
Not long ago, several dozen gray wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park. It was part of an Interior Department effort to keep down excess deer and elk populations, and to restore a natural predator to a habitat where it once roamed freely. In a larger sense, it was also a recognition that the natural” approach to public land management, the way it was done before elaborate human planning became the rule, is still often the best way to get things done.
The question that immediately leaps to mind upon contemplating this natural methodology is whether a similar effort might work well in the park lands of major American cities. More specifically, whether the introduction of gray wolves into Fairmont Park in Philadelphia, the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Golden Gate Park in an Francisco, or Central Park in New York, might have a salutary effect on the local ecologies of these urban areas.
Opposition to such a scheme, of course, might be considerable—at least initially. One can easily anticipate the objections of neighborhood people: “A threat to children.” “An affront to the homeless.” A danger to community security.” The rhetoric is Read the rest of this entry »
Said Stewart after having his good fun, “Let me tell you something, Jeremiah Wright is not the one running for president. He’s the guy who used to talk at the church of one of the guys who is running…”
Stewart’s guest tonight will be Newt Gingrich, who was on both “Good Morning America” and “The View” today presenting pro-Hillary talking points. How much do you want to bet that Stewart doesn’t let Newt get away with that tonight?
April 25th, 2008 by JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman went to Brown University to give a speech on Earth Day and he was greeted by a big student crowd — and pies in his face thrown by environmental activists.
Note when you watch the video how this form of pie-in-the-face is not funny at all but is done in a way so that it resembles an assault. And it is dealt with (correctly) that way by the legal system:
The legalities and proprieties of pie-throwing aside, what’s notable in the video above is that these students were the gang that couldn’t throw pies straight.
“The Clinton campaign describes Hillary’s voters as older, white, and undereducated. Or as we called them in my neighborhood: white trash.”
–Randi Rhodes
How can this kind of s**t from those in the tank for Obama possibly be good for the Democratic party?
This is a record for me. Two YouTube videos the same day but sometimes you have to do what you gotta do (for lack of better words). Here is a video of Senator Obama in Raleigh, North Carolina today responding to Wednesday’s debate in Philadelphia. One thing that jumped out at me was how different he looked and sounded in Raleigh as compared to Philadelphia. It’s positively like looking at a different person. In the video below, Obama is spry, vibrant, alert, rested, and humorous. Does these standard debates drain Senator Obama of his very life essence? It seems like it. The video below has generated a love it/hate it response in the blogosphere. Some Clinton bloggers/comments say he’s arrogant, smug, and snarky in the video. Some Obama bloggers/comments say he’s witty, humorous, and charismatic in the video. Personally I think it’s a good comeback. His “shoulder shake/collar brush” action was classic in my opinion. And he jabbed Senator Clinton a few times in a smooth, good-natured way. I love it when politicians get “loose” and show some humor. Anyways, here is the video:
I’m going to say it again, if Senator Clinton wins the nomination, Senator Obama would be a great vice-president. Especially when it comes time to speak to the American public. I purposely didn’t say mention Senator Clinton as VP to Senator Obama since I feel the former ticket has more of a chance. Something about Senator Clinton being a VP just doesn’t work right. I see her becoming Speaker Of The House before VP.
After watching the below video from YouTube entitled “Baracky: The Movie”, it’s amazing to see how this campaign season has provided so much fodder for the creator(s) of this type of campaign “commentary”. After watching this video, I’m looking forward to the endless entertainment that will be provided by the Supporter Video Wars on YouTube. Methinks there won’t be one-sided swift boating this election cycle with YouTube around. Is that a good thing??
April 17th, 2008 by JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief
This Guest Voice is by video and web producer Joe Windish, who wrote a well received column earlier this week. He takes another look at the dynamics between politics and cable political and comedy talk shows.
Matthews, Clinton & Colbert: Retributive Jusice In The Modern Mediascape
by Joe Windish
Stephen Colbert ends his Philadelphia run tonight with a guest appearance by Hillary Clinton. There’s nothing saying that appearance will be an interview and it’s too bad, too, after last night’s debate.
The story-line this morning is her relentless pounding of Obama on Rev. Wright and the Weather Underground and the like, as he uses tea and cookies as a means to diffuse such issues rather than attack. He refused even to pile on when given the opportunity with her Bosnia gaffe and (unlike Andrew) I admire him all the more for it.
The bigger debate take away, of course, is her “Yes! Yes! Yes!” belief that Obama could win the presidency.
All of this is the stuff of a great Colbert interview!
A Clinton on the Colbert set the day after a debate that some saycould have been scripted for her by a sycophant press caught up in all of the non-issues of the day is all of the license Colbert needs to go for comedy of epic Correspondents Association Dinner proportions.
I’ll be watching closely tonight.
Colbert’s performance has been fine in Philadelphia, still he’s yet to really soar. Maybe it’s the road, or the size of the theater (nine times that of his NY home), but I have to wonder if he wasn’t thrown off his stride that very first night interviewing Philadelphia native Chris Matthews…
STEPHEN COLBERT: Your show’s called Hardball.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Right.
STEPHEN COLBERT: Well I think I have a harder ball than you and let me tell you why.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Hah!!!
STEPHEN COLBERT: Because Barack Obama did an hour with you, how hard could your ball be? He won’t come on my show. I clearly swing a harder ball.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Let me put you another case… you’ve got Hillary Clinton coming on, right?
STEPHEN COLBERT: Uh… [pregnant pause]… There’s a possibility of that Chris… We like to surprise people with certain guests.
