NBC-Owned History Channel to Air Howard Zinn’s ‘The People Speak’
by John NolteDon’t believe for a second that the History Channel — which should now be called The Revisionist History Channel — will be the end of Matt Damon and Howard Zinn’s cinematic ode to trashing America. The obvious next step for the adaptation of Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States,” will be taken up by nitwit, pseudo-intellectual, America-loathing teachers and professors everywhere – many of them paid by the taxpayers of GodDamnAmerica – who are no doubt panting in anticipation for their first chance to screen this toxic mix of guilt and victimization in classrooms everywhere stocked with young, captive, impressionable minds.
–
And the film’s producers are showing academia the way with “The People Speak College Tour,” which launched at Boston University November 4th and ends right here at UCLA this coming Friday.
Turning Zinn’s textbook poison into an even more powerful brew of sound and fury has been a goal of producer Damon’s for going on a decade now. When I first heard that this skewed, leftist dwelling on America’s sins (some real, most imagined, all delivered without historical context) had received the seal of approval from the History Channel it was a shocker – until I remembered the History Channel is owned by NBC – a network now working like a propaganda war machine to boost every leftist cause imaginable.
There’s an older preview here. Should be interesting to see if the now inconvenient history of Cindy Sheehan made the final cut.
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202 Comments
too bad, too. We like the History Channel…
And, for the most part their programming is pretty good. Noticed their liberal bias from time to time- FDR, JFK and other Dems get real good treatment. Reagan is ignored, not much difference from other networks.
Just won't watch this. Figure a lot of other folk won't, either…
We still have 'Battles BC' ' Dogfights', 'WWII in HD' and' UFO Hunters' and 'Nostradamus Effect'. So all is not lost…
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by andrewbreitbart and andrewbreitbart, Fernando Colon. Fernando Colon said: NBC-Owned History Channel to Air Howard Zinn’s ‘The People Speak’ http://bit.ly/7gcowF [...]
This show has nothing to do with Hitler or UFO sightings (to my knowledge). What's it doing on the History Channel?
These American Haters won't be happy until they bring the deluge upon themselves. I for one hope to live long enough to see them Joyous.
I worship actors. I believe everything they say without question.
Damon stars in Invictus, based on the book Playing the Enemy by John Carlin, who as a journalist for The Independent (London) proposed that Flight 93 on 9/11 was a myth/hoax.
It's funny that Matty Damon has taken his star turn as a working class MIT genius seriously – as if he's channeling "Good" Will himself!
Er – not.
The last time I watched the History Channel (probably some 5 years ago as I no longer watch TV) they were doing a show about Rome. I watched and laughed at how they proceeded to mistranslate EVERY SINGLE comment made by an Italian historian. They even continued with getting major dates and locations wrong. If they can't even handle that I shudder to think what else they might be screwing up.
…or pawn shops or Yetti or …
Yeah we liked the History channel as well … Sigh.
What is wrong with Matt Damon's head (I mean besides the fact that it's empty)?
My favorite is when Damon says " . . . and the pursuit of happiness."
Do you think he even understands what he's saying? this is gonna be a funny show.
I'll get to watching this right after I watch their special on the secret history of Christianity. Sounds about as accurate.
Damon is mentally retarded.
I remember having to read a People's History for history…made for some good times in class.
More mind numbing liberal drivel………….God this gets old!
or Hitler ON a UFO- we're waiting for that!
It's interesting that the trailer uses only POSITIVE quotes about America (excepting Damon reading from The Grapes of Wrath, which is a novel, not something written by an 'ordinary American') … even though most of the source from which they're reading paint incredibly NEGATIVE pictures of America.
It's also interesting that Josh Brolin is reading from Johnny Got His Gun, a book which Dalton Trumbo repudiated when WWII started. He wrote it about the senselessness of WWI, but felt that WWII was "an entirely different matter". I'm sure that will make it into the reading
No matter how used to this stuff one gets, it is still disappointing. I wonder if we will ever see a day when we at least get a neutral shake. I wonder where the "fairness" doctrine" crowd is on this one? For every Matt Damon revisionist crockumentary, maybe we get a show "You are there," sponsored by Prudential, and maybe narrated by Moriarty. Maybe it could have the "Theme for the Common Man" as the music. After all, there seems to be big bucks in remakes.
The History Channel has some good programs… it's enlightening to learn it is an NBC-owned network! WWII in HD was amazing. Unfortunately, HC has a preoccupation with bashing Christianity and (like its sister stations, Discovery and TLC) the global warming HOAX. I can wait to see what kind of Marxist / liberal drivel is spewed from this upcoming series.
History Channel is not owned per se by NBC. History is actually owned by AETN or A&E to the rest of the world. AETN is then a jointly owned company between Hearst and ABC with NBC owning somewhere in the neighborhood of 14% of the remainder. They neither have a board seat nor any control over the company. That's why when they bought Lifetime Television recently it was said they were divesting themselves because of tax implications. Here's an article: http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20090827/FRE...
"NBC Universal was already the junior partner in A&E Television Networks, with a 25% stake, compared with 37.5% each for Disney and privately held Hearst.
If no cash was exchanged, NBC Universal's stake in the venture would shrink, giving it less of a strategic position, said Standard & Poor's analyst Tuna Amobi."
This isn't meant as a gotcha, I actually agree Zinn is an idiot. I just thought it was important to clarify, so some idiot at HuffPo didn't.
I don't know about this particular work but I've noticed that most whinging from the neocons about such-and-such being "against America" turns out to be against the corrupt FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. Don't you recall Clinton whining about people daring to say they love their country but hate their government? The phony conservative Zionist Neocons LOVE government! Especially to fight wars with it but they love their social programs, too. And they love welfare if it is for a foreign nation that has murdered Americans like Israel has.
Since when did conservatives become more liberal than Clinton? The Founding Fathers would be liberals according to you – they hated the idea of a standing army. Maybe you should look in to Smedley Butler's book "War is a Racket." Guess he hated America to…according to you?
Damon even mentioned Zinn's book in his movie "Good Will Hunting". At a speaking engagement at the University of Georgia, Zinn said he had set "quiet revolution" as his goal for writing A People's History. "Not a revolution in the classical sense of a seizure of power, but rather from people beginning to take power from within the institutions. In the workplace, the workers would take power to control the conditions of their lives."
Then he ran around the room shouting "I am a dirty commie!"… Not really but he might as well have.
Perhaps it is the porcine features of Mr. Damon, but the Zinn and Disciple Damon propaganda slop brings to mind that wonderful episode of The Twilight Zone where all the "normal" and "beautiful" people had snouts and cloven hooves, while those who were strikingly beautiful or handsome were told they were ugly misfits of society and were encouraged to undergo "surgery" to correct their defects or be banished. Pure hogwash, that's what Zinn and his useful idiots peddle, and the History Channel will broadcast it.
His mom is gonna be real busy watching his crap!
The H.C. has a lot of good programming. Too bad this kind of stuff gets worked in too. I might watch it as a curiousity. I will certainly remember who the sponsors are.
"What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
Suggestion: In future blog posts such as this, please make sure you capture the worst picture in the thumbnail that makes the celebrity look like a Mongoloid.
That's an effect trick I learned from Leftists.
What I said about Sean Penn on a nother post goes for this nimrod as well.
what do you expect from someone who likes the red sux?
Not sure if it's in the book but in the movie version didn't the kid ask the old guy what Democracy was and the old guy replied, "it's got something to do with men killing each other." nice.
Heh. You fail at movie knowledge. TJD's quote comes from the Adam Sandler movie, "Billy Madison".
As for your points; one of the first things the Founding Fathers did _was_ establish a military for the defense of our nation. The Marines were created to handle the Barbary corsairs, and then there was the French Indian war, the war of 1812, etc. etc. etc. to consider.
You state Israel has murdered US citizens. Citations? Examples?
But you are right; the Founding Fathers would dislike the way that the RINOs have run the country so far; pretty much every presidential election in the past 40 years has been a choice of statist-lite vs. full blown statist, and that philosophy is diametrically opposed to what they wanted . They would've been libertarian in nature, not Far Left socialist Neo-Liberals lauding the crap that Zinn so wholeheartedly vomits up.
When History Channel did their big global warming program they showed how this happened naturally 1,000 years ago (aka the little ice age.)
But then they went on to contradict themselves with the al gore message. did they have suv's 1,000 years ago.
"You state Israel has murdered US citizens. Citations? Examples? "
USS Liberty attack. Also, the Lavon Affair which was a false flag terrorism attack carried out by our fine allies who are famous for this rather disgusting tactic. Many think they were involved in 9/11 and the 5 Israelis arrested at the scene filming and jumping for joy support that. I bet the film showed the first plane strike. They certainly benefitted which Netanyahoo GLOATED about.
As for military, even today no threat justifies a standing army. Each state could have their guard that could be activated. At the very least we need to guard the border which we AREN'T doing despite it being a legitimate use of the military….unlike wars of occupation halfway round the globe.
Well hell. Learning that the History Channel is owned by NBC is like learning that Santa Claus is not real. I am in the depths of despair, how did I not know this? Now what in the hell am I going to watch?
It's odd ro me that Damon would push Zinn so obsessively. The only people who taked him seriously are undergraduate poseurs who are trying to impress the take back the nignt crowd…… OHhhhhhhhhhh that's right!
It seems like the History Channel is being taken over by the far left just as the BBC was in the 1990s. Once upon a time, the BBC was fair and neutral but is now riddled with political correctness.
There may be a truck that drives over ice though.
If Matt Damon really believes he's so brilliant , why did he refuse to debate Bill Kristol of the Weekly Standard? Did Matt know he didn't have a chance debating Bill, an intelligent guy with facts that actually support his positions?
Matt Damon.
NBC has pseudo news shows why not pseudo history.
GE sold NBC to Comcast today, 12/01/09, according to Larry Kudlow on his CNBC show. It is a 51/49 split. The government has to approve, perhaps contingent on NBC remaining this admin's shill. Besides the obvious change in ownership it's unclear if there will be change in NBC's executive leadership or political direction.
And the problem is that this stuff never goes away and could be recycled a decade from now, even if it gets fully discredited. I've seen not only a 1980s movie about KAL flight 007 that blamed the downing on a US conspiracy shown after 2000 but also a UK documentary entertaining the idea that perhaps the plane really was on a mission and so on on one of the educational channels (If not History, then Discovery or TLC), the sort of anti-Reagan nonsense that was all the rage in the 1970s. There was no excuse for showing either of those programs after the discovery that the Soviet Union had recovered the black boxes and not only was the plane not on a spy mission but was likely shot down over international waters. Yet here that nonsense was again, being recycled to deceive a new generation of people who might not know any better.
After the History Channel aired an absurd documentary about the Star Wars movies referencing symbolism between the Empire and the Bush Administration, I finally gave up watching. Their airing of fictional movies had been diluting the brand before that point.
I hate to say this, but the History Channel no longer has anything to do with history. Ice Road Truckers, Ax Men, UFO Hunters, MonsterQuest, etc….these are all good shows, in and of themselves, but what do they have to do with history? Nada. Zip. Zero. Sure, you can still find shows about World War II and Nostradamus–which I suppose loosely fits within the category–but those other shows are what brings in the ratings, which is why those programs supplanted the earlier shows in the first place. As someone with a history degree, this depresses me. Obviously, the History Channel was never perfect, but it did once have some intelligent and informative programs on, like the French Revolution, the Roman Empire, the Black Death, the Revolutionary War, etc. Those were shows I learned a lot from. What do I learn from these new shows? Nothing.
so is SyFy, the homo channel Bravo, Telemudo, USA Network … have some relationship with A&E, CNBC MSNBC of course, Nat Geo (international, at least), and ……. drumrollllll …. The Weather Channel !!!
So you wondered how TWC could possibly buy into AGW sham, could have tolerated a head anchor calling for the disaccreditation of any disagreeing meteorologist, at one point have a weekly program dedicated promoting Global Warming ? Now you know …
As an aside, anyone remember what happened to that show? It seems to have failed.
The original "How the Earth Was Made" two hour documentary program detailed how Earth went through many extreme climatic changes (short version: all icecap to no icecaps) long before mammals came about… then had a reference to global warming near the end. (?!)
NBC owns the History Channel? No wonder why they began to suck so bad these past few months!
so is SyFy, the homo channel Bravo, Telemudo, USA Network … have some relationship with A&E, CNBC MSNBC of course, Nat Geo (international, at least), and ……. drumrollllll …. The Weather Channel !!!
Oh, and since it looks like no one else remembered….
"MATT DAMON!"
Egads… I just realized the Team America parody of Damon makes him sound like a Pokemon.
"Matt Damon!" "Pika!" *zzzzap* "MaAaatT dAAAmON!!" *thud*
Liberals love welfare if it is for black people who kill other black people.
Liberals hate people who work because they want to take away more and more of the money they earn for working.
The phony liberals LOVE bigger government, especially to control people.
The Founding Fathers would be liberals? The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States.
I am outraged! How dare the History Channel tarnish themselves! They had built such a sterling reputation as a serious source of historical knowledge by churning out quality programming like "The Lost Book of Nostradamus." And now they've thrown it all away! The "History Channel Seal of Approval" used to mean so much. I must go weep now.
Can we have R. Lee Ermey do the follow up to this special?
Yes, because there's nothing more gosh-darn American than exiling people who don't share our political views. That's what freedom of speech is all about, right? That a bunch of yahoos who are consumed with hate and rage get to define what's allowed to be said in this country, and everyone else gets shipped off to Africa?
I love all you people who claim to love this country and yet are so terrified of everything it's supposed to stand for.
Does anyone else think of Team America when Matt Damon speaks?
Yeah just because he wrote himself a genius for a half-baked movie, doesn't make him one in real life. I thought his best part aside from "Team America World Police" was as the anti-Semitic creep in "School Ties." That was perfect casting, as Matty wasn't really acting IMHO..
I like "Pawn Stars," and "Axe Men," and of course a good war documentary will always do in a pinch. I didn't know that GE/Immelt owned it. Suppose I'll just vote with the remote, when little matty is on.
You know they still have those documentaries that you mentioned, but you got a point, as they are showing less and less of them. Kinda like MTV never shows music videos, etc anymore. You have to go to VH-1. or VH-1 classic to see anything related to music. I hope that this doesn't happen to History International, as well.
That's a pretty accurate way of summing it up.
Yeah I saw those, they played a couple of them a few days ago. Lincoln is the only one that is longer than 15 minutes. Agree on the BJ Klinton, but Jimmah Carter is a dreadful 15 minutes, as well.
The book is endlessly critical of the concept of "war for country". Like most kids, I read it b/c I saw the Metallica video, and I did like it (I found the movie unwatchable). I still like the book somewhat, because it is a shocking and original concept, it's well-written, and I can attempt to put myself into the time mindframe – WWI was pretty pointless. But I also gained more respect for Trumbo when he explained how he changed his mind during WWII. This is a nuance that people like Damon can't grasp – they really believe the banal, bumper-sticker expressions like "NO WAR!".
TTS2nd is a troll, not that they'll go away, but it's usually better to ignore them as they just like to stir things up, and then go back to HuffyPoo where they really belong. You're right though, TTS2nd has no rational points to make and if he/she did it's accidental.
Its pretty amazing how the author of this blog post manages to tell us in a dozen ways that this show is bad and we shouldn't watch it and its affiliated with all of these people who we're not supposed to like… but you know, he never bothers to show us what is bad about it?
I guess we're supposed to take his word for it and quietly move along?
I should hope it makes some of us curious to see Howard Zinn's The People Speak.
God forbid you see a crumb of evidence that the world doesn't conform to the way it pleases you to think of it!
I wish I could give you more than one thumbs up.
Facts are like kryptonite to the liberals, and Matty would've been destroyed. Probably the smartest thing he ever did, or the best PR advice he ever took.
What they should do is get rid of that moron that is Chris Matthews. Especially after what he said tonight after Obama's speech.
Howard Zinn is a discredited hack. I think most of the people on this site are aware of that. He's an anti-semitic, America-hating, communist. It's in his books, which many of us who went to college were forced to read. It's not like anyone's misinterpreting him. He's not ashamed of it. He thinks it's one of his finer attributes.
So, yeah, when I saw the Howard Zinn children's book in Barnes and Noble I nearly threw up on the stacks.
There is not a single frame that he's in where I don't hear "Matt Damon!!!!" in the back of my mind. Certainly makes his work that much more enjoyable though.
All I needed to see was the list of "talent" that will be participating to know this is some sort of Leftist history tour through the sins of America.
It's a real shame. Years ago, the History Channel used to be about actual history. The one where American's liberated the enslaved through firepower. Then, some years back, it morphed from "The History Channel" to just "History". Ever since then, it just seems like a lame knock-off of The Discovery Channel.
Now, they are completely abandoning their legacy for this tripe. As if there were not 300 other channels that they could use to broadcast Matt Da-mon and pals.
RIP History Channel.
You just discredited yourself. As you cannot refute Mr. Zinn's viewpoint and / or beliefs, you resort to histrionic name calling of the silliest kind. I've heard more sensible tirades from pro wrestlers… perhaps you're just channeling Sargent Slaughter?
I was "lucky" enough to see their craptacular show "History's Mysteries" while flying from LA to NYC back in 2002 or 2003. It was all about Skull and Bones. Yep, the secret society Bush was in at Yale. They went all out with the conspiracies and connections, including links to the "Illuminati". It was absolutely mind-boggling and laced with scary "Bush worships the devil" possibilities. Of course, Skull and Bones became simply a club when John 'effin' Kerry ran against Bush since he'd been in it, too. I guess their investigation proved that the "Illuminati" were not, after all, involved.
So, yeah, it's not like the brand has much further to fall.
Well, I guess Reid's healthcare plan should definitely fall under the banner of "things to fight" as far as Zinn's concerned. Considering "obedience to government" is codified in the atrocity and all … oh, right … he's a communist and what he says isn't what he means and I should know and accept that. Got it.
neocon,,,keep repeating that , neocon ,,,,neocon..necon
sounds Like neonazi…neonazi..neonazi
you are a shining example of liberal talking points, and a disgrace
to truth….." when the last liberal falls, we will blame the republicans "
yea,,,repeat that
These people are all delusional useless idiots. I love the part when that actor is reading Dalton Trumbo. Morgan Freeman who I am losing respect for has to read from Douglass? Why because they are both BLACKS and they want to pick at the damn scab of slavery? You think one of these jack off malcontents would read Madison, Adams, Jefferson, Monroe. When Madison was 8 years old he could read the Homer's Iliad in Greek. Why are we giving these educated derelicts any attention. They understand NOTHING…
Just happy to see what passes for conservatism continuing to reject intellectualism. Damn those smart people! Palin 2012! …. If you folks are going to keep digging, can I get you a bigger shovel?
Sir, we have sacred cows in this country,,
…And if I am correct ..their skin color is BLACK
It's absolute insanity how the people of this country bend over backward
kissing the backsides of black people..
when is enough , enough?
YOu say I support Palin 2012..
I do not ..but keep repeating Palin 2012 ….or " neocon . neocon, neocon"
keep saying stuff enough and it gets repeated as truth..
SP is not electable..but that dont mean I am a toe nail eating liberal
Funny, !!!
every time the Nostradamus crap comes up
I cannot get to my remote fast enough !!!
I also am quite the avid viewer of the History Channel and I did not know it was owned by Immelt Co. Next stop, the Military Channel, where Special Ops and Weaponology await my viewage. Heehee
LOL!! I remember that episode! Thanks for the memories! I will not be watching the History channel again until they start telling the truth!!!
Liberals are like whining teenagers. They'll complain about the living conditions and their 'rights', badmouth those who have enabled them to do the complaining, and yet, when given alternatives, they won't leave.
So is the country…and they are falling apart horribly, taken over by muslim groups and they are to PC to stop them!!
About 2 years ago they did a short bio on every single president. they had the nerve to suggest that Clinton was going to catch bin laden but he was too distracted by his impeachment.
damn right wing conspirators.
Hi folks. Well, it would appear that ComCast is going to own NBCU (NBC Universal along with all the specialty channels etc). From reading the blogs the ComCast crew are businessmen and not libs. It will be interesting to see whether they start making changes as soon as the deal goes through. It would be interesting to see whether they look at the ratings for msnbc and compare against fox and decide that this hard left bias is costing them money.
Now now!! Lets not insult the mentally handicapped by placing this melon head in that catagory….
Ok … As soon as you trotted out the "Truther" spiel I figured you out…. Have a happy existence with the other inhabitants of La-La land….
Seems like a great opportunity for a competing network to do an antidote like Politically Incorrect Guide to American History with a big conservative star, like Stallone, Gibson or Eastwood.
Damon is such a lightweight.
Actually , I didn't say that "you" support anything – and I didn't even mention "neocons" at all. I was simply posting "a new comment"(that's what the box at the bottom says) and responding to the hysterical nonsense("communist!"… "America Hater!"…) coming from the majority of people commenting on here. ..And If you don't support Palin, Beck, etc… then you're a hell of a lot smarter than the vast majority of the folks posting on this thread who do.
Are you quoting yourself? I'd say you have some mental issues.
I was done with Damon when he trashed Palin and I was done with the HC when their whole "argument" for global warming in one of their shows was a quote from Al Gore saying "there is no more debate." I'm sure this is up to their usual standards of accuracy– meaning it's total crap.
It is an Orwellian nightmare! The Islamic invaders are free to espouse extreme hatred at all levels. Any criticism from the indigenous population is often gaged by New Labours thought crime laws. People in and around Londonstan suffer the most but the Islamic plague is spreading rapidly throughout the land.
Forced marriages, honor killings, terror cells, ect. are becoming more common place everyday.
I apologize – I had not read your previous post. You're not a Palin supporter – just a racist. Sorry for implying that you were smarter than the other posters. My bad.
so sad to see the History channel fall for this propaganda. I used to enjoy the History Channel. But they do lie and they have a leftest agenda. I am not surprised.
So it's just another show of propaganda for the one..on why it's great living in America today because he's president right?
God I can't stand the douchebag that is Matt Damon.
Does anyone else think of Team America when Matt Damon speaks?
Oh yes…
"Matt Damon!" "Psy-ai-yiiiiii…." "Matt Damon!" "Bulbasaur!"
(There's a downside to working nights about ten years ago and channel surfing from boredom. Now I'm working nights again but fortunately Pokemon isn't on any of the channels I run into when I surf.)
Where's that birth certificate?? Stupid liberal nazis. Like slavery or institutional racism ever happened in this country, and people ever had to deal with it. Well shut up already! Yes, America may have been slightly evil in the past, but let's not talk about it. Unless it was one of them smelly libs who was evil. Oh and if it Rush says it's OK.
Oh, so they must be including the tea baggers and anti-health care reform protesters right. Also, seeing as the Glenn Becks, Limbaughs, Levin's, Breitbarts of the world are opposing certain policies, why not include them in the film?
"It's a real shame. Years ago, the History Channel used to be about actual history."
Bravo once had good middle- and high-brow entertainment. I also remember when A&E actually had programs that had, well, Art and Entertainment. And when TLC really was a learning channel.
Ask me again why I no longer watch television.
That sort of thing is all of a piece for mainstream television. Notice also how when there is any sign of discussing new nuclear power generating stations, the Movie Of The Week is… (ding!) The China Syndrome.
The People ARE speaking. When they do however, they get called all sorts of nasty names like teabaggers, nazis, a mob etc…
These leftwingers are acting as if they don't already have every imaginable media available to them express their views.
What is Matt's problem with America, I'd like to know. I mean, the guy fell into the butter tub long ago and has been slathering around in it ever since. What's eatin' him?
Good Will Hunting was and still is, an enjoyable movie for me, except where he mentions Zinn's book. But even there, you get the impression that it's one of those things that he's clueless about, like the smell inside the Sistine Chapel. So, it's easily dismissed, as Robin Williams' character does on topics the boy is out of his very naive range on.
But, for the History Channel, owned by NBC, I didn't know this, to air the rantings of Zinn with Damon's blessings and endorsement doesn't bode well for the objective education of young Americans so easily wooed by the star.
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