Michael Moore gets it. He understands that politics follows the culture, not the other way around. He knows this so well that his to artistic call-to-arms is as matter of fact as it is sincere. (more…)
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To anyone paying attention, Michael Jackson died sometime before 1989. Tragically, in just a few years following 1982’s “Thriller,” this unbelievably attractive and talented young man had switched races, started down a grotesque road of self-loathing, disfigurement and, through a series of increasingly bizarre antics, lost his status as a star by perfectly meeting my definition of celebrity: One who doesn’t let dignity get in the way of fame. Everything that happened after 1989 was so increasingly off-the-charts those of us who made fun of Elvis probably owe him an apology.
Yesterday’s clampdown of the news media and worldwide outpouring of grief for a man whose narcissism was so complete he had himself buried in a 14-karat gold coffin like some demented, disfigured, predatory pharaoh was nauseating. Sure, celebrate the music, but defying explanation is the lamenting and hushed, effusive praise for the man, a man so indulgent he reportedly left behind $400 million in debt, a man who admitted sharing his bed with young boys, hired a gay porn producer as his personal videographer, dangled a newborn baby over a third-floor balcony and laid out millions for a settlement rather than clear his name of child molestation charges. But there you go. Such is life in Celebrityville where all is forgiven except attempting to hold yourself to a higher moral standing. (more…)
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Captain America was born to fight America’s real world enemies. He was first seen punching out Hitler on the cover of Captain America Comics #1, a year before the attacks on Pearl Harbor. But nearly 8 years after the attacks of 9/11, Cap is yet to be unleashed on Jihad. Not long after 9/11, likely feeling they had no choice, Marvel Comics made a half-assed attempt to pit Cap against what seemed to be an al Qaeda type group, but it was forgettable, with the terrorist leader having his ‘reasons’ and with Cap apologizing for us. It’s a sign of the times that there was not a Captain America movie on the fast track in Hollywood right after 9/11.
[click to enlarge]
I’m told that it would be considered ‘controversial’ for such a pop icon to take on today’s jihadists, but the controversy to me is that the most patriotic superhero of all time is still MIA against Jihad. For a time after 9/11, I was naive enough to believe I could write and draw a Captain America story where the jihadist’s get what’s coming to them, with no apology and with full fury. I stopped cold when I realized there’d be no chance in hell of Marvel Comics allowing Cap to say and do what had to be said and done against this enemy. I wised up and created the perfect enemy against Jihad. For more on that, please visit my blog. (more…)
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The Main Point
The world view, or philosophical perspective, of Sarah Palin versus say, David Letterman’s or Katie Couric’s, is profound at its core. Not only are the philosophical differences profound, but the political implications of those differences are as equally profound.
Palin is the philosophical descendant of those who created this country’s constitution; Couric and Letterman, on the other hand, like much of the Bi-Coastal Media/Entertainment Left, are more consistent with the self annihilating philosophy of moral relativism. While Palin is intelligent and constant in her views, I make no similar claims specifically about Letterman and Couric, relative to their views. They strike me as shallow and weak. Palin implicitly understands the limitations of Reason. Moral relativists do not. Our founding fathers also understood man’s limitations and established a constitution whose core principle was Liberty, supported strongly by laws to protect this Liberty. The Left, on the other hand, believe that “truth” can be imposed on individuals and society as a whole. Many have commented on the futility of the latter. Frederich Hayek’sThe Road To Serfdom is the clearest explanation of how that view ultimately and logically has lead to totalitarianism; the ultimate expression of political nihilism and its philosophical antecedent, moral relativism. (more…)
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He may have further burnished his left-wing bona fides, but when it comes to winning elections David Letterman did his side no favors this week ‘joking’ about the statutory rape of Governor Palin’s 14-year old daughter. From the looks of this interview, She Who Strikes Terror In Leftist Hearts wants to turn the unsavory affair around into a push back against all of pop culture, which is certain to resonate, especially if we keep pushing back. Just compare the bitter, sour, twilight-of-his-increasingly-pathetic-career Letterman to this intelligent, poised, cheerful, vibrant woman with her horizons still open to everything. It’s kind of a no contest.
Most heartening is that unlike some on our side, the Governor seems to get it. If this unfortunate episode proves anything, it’s that Sarah Palin understands that a Republican is up against more than just their Democrat opponent and the mainstream media; pop culture is also waging ideological war on all things conservative and traditional. This is a reality we ignore at our own peril, and this week Governor Palin (and Carrie Prejean, for that matter) fought back and won wielding truth, good humor and dignity. (more…)
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My Dear Scudworm -
Congratulations on the fine work you did with the recent Hollywood hoopla thing. What are those golden statues called again…Arthurs? Oscars? Ollivers? No matter. The fine art of idolatry is becoming your forte, my dear nephew. With the powers of a willing media and the brilliance of commercialism prevalent, it’s no wonder the masses turn to your town for direction and meaning. I chuckle with delight to see how real meaning and substance is more and more becoming passé, and overlooked for the sizzle and bling of the ephemeral. You make your uncle proud to see that you are once again the year’s big producer for thirty years running…and gaining even more new customers every month.
Your work on the special interest groups is particularly impressive. You are keenly aware that, pound for pound of effort, this is where we gain the most purchase in our clawing scramble over the human psyche. Continue to stress their inherent oppression and victimization, so that our aims may be met. Nothing makes a poor soul feel more empowered than believing itself to be a part of a large, aggrieved and neglected group. Build on their individual sense of outrage and anger, along with their helpless sense of futility. Remind them that they are being victimized, and must demand their rights! I know you are laughing right now, as am I. But drive the seriousness of their indignant and violated pride, and demand restitution for the wrongs perpetrated upon them. (As for the specific nature of these ‘wrongs’, either real or imagined, simply fill in the blank; a group is a group, and we can use any and all of them for our purposes.) And good that you can work the golden idols into so many hands that help legitimize our work. That Penn character is an excellent poster boy. In fact, increase the irreverence, step up the hatred of our Enemy and brighten the public celebration of him, as his flippant outrageousness masquerades as gravitas. We can trade on his magnetic popularity, and draw the proverbial moth to the flame. Continue your brilliant work in framing his disrespect and hatred of Judeo-Christian ethics and traditional values as hip and ‘progressive’. (more…)
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Today is the first Monday of Spring, the season that inspires fresh hope, renewed energy, and thoughts of new beginnings. And so it is appropriate that today a colleague and I have launched Parcbench, a pop-culture and lifestyle brand whose central feature is an online daily magazine at www.parcbench.com.
Parcbench does not profess to be like most other publications, although we have derived much inspiration from Big Hollywood and its founder, Andrew Breitbart, who has agreed to join our Board of Advisors. And we believe that we share a common mission. Specifically, we strive to bring people pop-culture that reflects mainstream America. (more…)
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