This week in the Daily Variety there was an article by Ted Johnson entitled “Biz Need Louder Voice to Fight Piracy.”  In that article Mr. Johnson makes a case that the entertainment industry needs to be stronger and more vocal in its fight on the piracy issue.  His point is made almost entirely based upon a speech given by President of the DGA Taylor Hackford at the “Content Protection Summit.”  To quote Mr. Hackford from the article:

Our industry doesn’t get it at all. And I am talking about top executives down to secretaries.  I am talking about directors to craft service people.  Unfortunately, this is our (DGA) No 1 priority…But within our own members, they just don’t quite understand how serious this is…Hollywood is filled with very famous and successful people…And, we are really famous for our causes.  We care about things.  We step out, and we have our pet causes…The point is when we care about things, we back it with our money and we speak out.  The problem is nobody in this community speaks out about the threat that is actually happening in our community.  And, if we let this threat continue, they will not have the money to contribute to these causes.

The remainder of the article is mostly dedicated to the proposition that the problem stems mostly from the internet.  Mr. Johnson states that government should control the internet to protect the business models of the content providers.  He feels that the bill passed in the Judiciary Committee giving the Justice Department new powers to shut down “rogue” web sites is a good thing. (more…)

If the real world was like a Hollywood movie, Julian Assange would step onto a rain-drenched sidewalk, insert the key into his Prius and be blown into several thousand pieces of blond Australian jerk.  From their observation post high above on a building, a pair of sinister CIA assassins would smile as they squelch yet another voice of freedom. 

Instead, the Wikileaks revelations and the pathetic aftermath demonstrate that far from being the omnipotent cadre of high-tech avengers, our leaders have apparently been reduced to hoping that the Swedes’ bizarre sex crime laws will do the dirty work for us.  Capping this twerp might be a bit harsh, but it’s not unreasonable to expect that we be able to come up with some better options for dealing with Wikileaks than cancelling his credit cards and leaving the rest up to Sven and Inga.

For decades, Hollywood has depicted the US intelligence establishment as some sort of all-seeing, all-powerful collection of high-tech killers in expensive suits hunting down those who interfere with America’s imperialist designs.  Hollywood has pushed the notion that our government officials are able to implement conspiracies of such ridiculous scope and audacity that they would embarrass a Truther – well, maybe not Hollywood Truther Charlie Sheen, who apparently doesn’t possess a shame gene.  And the lefties seem to buy that image –a preeminent lefty sight has revealed that the Swedish sex charges were trumped up by a Uppsula University feminist gender equity officer in cahoots with Cuban freedom fighters and the CIA.  The role of the Trilateral Commission is left unclear.

We wish we could pull that off!  In reality, instead of weaving exquisite tapestries of deception or launching waves of vicious kill-bots, we have an Attorney General whose Plan A was offering a searing condemnation of Wikileaks as “arrogant, misguided and ultimately not helpful.”  Wikileaks is “unhelpful” – shockingly, this harsh language somehow failed to deter Julian and Co.  After that smashing success, the AG has initiated Plan B and is promising to possibly consider perhaps contemplating maybe reviewing a number of options designed to somehow do something of some sort.  That is, if he’s not still preoccupied springing some New Black Panthers or failing to convince FIFA not to hold its 2022 shindigg in Qatar.  Figuring out how to lose sponsoring a soccer tournament expecting thousands of Brit, German, French and Italian fans/hooligans to a part of the world that frowns on alcohol probably took all of his attention.  (more…)

The Vatican calls it “outrageous.” Hillary called it “disgraceful.” Eric Holder smeared it as “idiotic.” And the NYPD called it “dangerous.”

No, those strong words are not about my new mesh thong ( I’m only giving the people what they want). And they aren’t reactions to the mosque built near Ground Zero. They are responses to the putrid pastor’s plans to burn the Quran this Saturday, Sept 11th.

And I agree with all of them. The dude, Rev. Terry Jones, is an attention seeking sack of poop who’s accomplished everything he wanted: He put his morbidly mustachioed face all over the map – and embarrassed everyone from Gainesville, Florida. I’ve been trying to do that for years.

But in a weird way, this handle-barred hooligan has taught us a few lessons:

1. That mostly everyone agrees the pastor can burn the book, but he’s a big weenie if he does it. This was exactly my argument over the construction of the mosque. So in a weird way, this guy may have clued in others who missed that subtle point: The mosque can be built, but a compromise (or a conversation about it) might have been nice. Don’t get me wrong: the Koran burning is pure provocation, and I’m not sure that’s entirely the case with the mosque. But both issues deal with poor judgment. The key distinction: the pastor is a total barfpuck. (more…)

So the big news this week? Charlie Sheen entering “prehab,” which I guess is like rehab, except for preteens. I don’t know…. if you ask me, it’s not Sheen who needs therapy for an addiction, it’s Eric Holder.

Fact is, he’s hooked on something far worse than coke or speed. It’s lawyers who defend terrorists.

This addiction – rooted in his bedrock belief that America is to blame for everything, including his mustache – would be fairly harmless if it were held by a nobody – like say, a Daily Kos blogger. I mean, that’s just a harmless sap stuck in the attic taking turns trying on grandma’s underwear. Nope, this junkie is in the White House, and by the looks of it, someone better call Dr. Drew because Holder’s using on the job. (more…)

I’ll try to make this short…last week I wrote about my concerns over the naming of a special federal prosecutor to re-examine the use of Enhanced Interrogation Techniques by the CIA. I have appeared on several radio shows since the article posted here at Big Hollywood and I was pleased to see over weekend former Vice President Dick Cheney say in a more articulate fashion almost every point I raised in the article EXCEPT one. 

Today my point is the LAW. I touched on it briefly in the article but no one seems to be discussing the LAW. Many on the left and maybe even some on the right are applauding the decision by Attorney General Eric Holder to name a special prosecutor. I only have one question: What crimes were committed? Those supporting the decision to name a prosecutor say, “torture.” 

 The federal statute can be found in Title 18 chapter 113C of the Federal Criminal Code and Rules. Section 2340 defines torture. Section 2340A says: (more…)

Michael Jackson died and the media cried. But don’t worry; they were tears of joy, not despair. After all, what better time to sacrifice journalistic integrity for the sake of high ratings and bloated ad revenues?

In the weeks following Jackson’s death, the level and scope of coverage was and continues to be mind-numbing. Sure, MJ’s death was tragic, but tragedy doesn’t warrant the widespread disengagement of American media outlets, nor does it permit the dumbing down of pertinent information. To borrow from John Ziegler, the obsessive coverage of Michael Jackson’s death is yet another glaring symptom of the malpractice that is all too common amongst today’s media elite.

It’s no surprise that CNN and others are jumping on the bandwagon. Jackson’s collapse and subsequent death fueled increased viewership and network interest. According to CNN co-founder Reese Schonfeld:

“Jackson’s death brought all sorts of new viewers to the cable news networks, and it’s obvious that most of them turned to CNN. CNN is still seen, by most people who are not news junkies, as the place to turn to for news they really care about.”

(more…)

I like him.  He’s nice guy (or so I’ve heard).  If you’re irritated at him defending Tom Shillue defending Janeane Garofalo, you’re just going to have to take my word for it. (Or at least the guy’s word who told me Konig was a nice guy.)

Dave posted a column defending Tom defending Janeane and I just wanted to say there’s merit to go around for everybody!  I don’t know what the big deal is, us right wing extremists being tagged as racists.  I’ve already admitted I’m a racist coward! (more…)

I am appalled.  I just found out that I am a racist and a coward and I did not know it.

Eric Holder said yesterday, “Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and I believe continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards.”

How could I have been so self-deluded?

Wow.  I know, huh?  The things you find out about yourself if you just listen to newly appointed/elected government officials.  (more…)

I haven’t been posting lately, because deadlines are well and truly on me. But here’s a quick note about something that caught my eye today.

According to the new Attorney General, Eric Holder, speaking today at the Justice Department, we’re a nation of cowards because we don’t talk about race enough. I have several responses to that grotesque statement, most of which aren’t printable. But I will say this much: If the past discussions about race in which I’d participated (voluntarily and otherwise) didn’t always – not often, not most of the time, but always – devolve into name calling, where I was denounced as a racist (usually as a starting point for said conversation), then I might today be more willing to continue to have discussions on the subject. I suspect I’m not alone in this. (more…)