NBC’s ObamaVision: Green Week and Lousy Writing

NBC gives new meaning to the phrase “green screen” next week, spreading a pro-environmental message across five of its prime-time entertainment programs – AP News.

When Arthur Miller wrote “The Crucible” it was rightly seen as a brilliant allegory to the House Un-American Activities Committee.  It was a brilliant piece of drama about the Salem Witch Trials of the late 17th Century with obvious corollaries to the political climate of post-World War II America.  And no matter where you fall on the political spectrum you must recognize the play as a classic in the canon of American drama.

My admiration for much of Miller’s work gives me enough confidence to say that he would view the current efforts to ham-handedly inject political statements into television sitcoms as absolute crap.  It takes a deft hand to send a message without it seeming like you are sending a message… and the writers of “The Office” and “30 Rock,” as glib as they may be, are no “Arthur Millers”.

I love “The Office.”  I’m one of those apostates who actually like the U.S. version better than the original (must be my knee-jerk patriotism at work).  But I saw my very first example of lousy (and I mean REALLY lousy) writing this season when they tried to force the issue of “Volunteer-ism” into the storyline. (more…)

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Tags: "Glee", 30 RRock, All My Sons, Arthur Miller, big hollywood
Posted Nov 17th 2009 at 2:13 pm in Politics, Theatre | 26219031 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/sright/2009/11/17/nbcs-obamavision-green-week-and-lousy-writing/NBC%27s+ObamaVision%3A+Green+Week+and+Lousy+Writing2009-11-17+22%3A13%3A49Stage+Right

‘The Demands of Political Correctness’

In reply to a recent political and cultural controversy involving “Sesame Street,” Sesame Workshop Executive Vice President Miranda Barry wrote:   

Jim Henson, Jon Stone, Frank Oz and others set a witty and silly tone for Sesame Street that our current writers work to maintain despite the demands of political correctness. 

What then, specifically, are the demands of political correctness that Ms. Barry’s taxpayer-funded organization operates under? 

What is Political Correctness? 

For an exacting scholarly analyses of Political Correctness we can turn to Free Congress Foundation & William Lind’s The History of Political Correctness. 

As Mr. Lind distills:

If we look at [Political Correctness] analytically, if we look at it historically, we quickly find out exactly what it is. Political Correctness is cultural Marxism. It is Marxism translated from economic into cultural terms.  (more…)

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Tags: Miranda Barry, Ms. Barry, pbs, political correctness, Sesame Street
Posted Nov 13th 2009 at 1:18 pm in Entertainment, Featured Story, Politics, Television | 262598176 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/abaldwin/2009/11/13/the-demands-of-political-correctness/%27The+Demands+of+Political+Correctness%272009-11-13+21%3A18%3A01Adam+Baldwin

Green Push on ‘Sesame Street’: Programming Your Kids For ‘Sustainable Living’

This week marks the start of Sesame Street’s 40th season.  As announced in an article in National Geographic, the show will be focusing on a green storyline this year:

As another example of the show’s forward thinking, Davis said, the new Sesame Street season that begins next week will introduce children to the basic ideas of sustainable living.  “It’s a curriculum about nature and caring for the world that is just right for today,” he said.  ”This show continues to stay very current with ideas that are in the zeitgeist.”

Sustainability.  Makes you feel smart just reading that word, doesn’t it?  Who doesn’t want sustainability?  This is a great new tactic of the Left; the raping of our language and the use of beautiful sounding, unassailable words to represent an agenda with far more controversial ideas.  Sustainability.

Sustainability is not just about putting your empty beer bottles into a special bin to keep them separate from your other trash.  It’s also more than driving a car with a giant battery in it (which will eventually poison our water system after all of these “Hybrids” end up in a landfill… didn’t think about THAT, did you Mr. Begley?).   It’s also more than building giant solar panels which require preciously scarce water to stay constantly clean and efficient or giant windmills which end up killing endangered birds.  No, sustainability is not any of those ineffective yet relatively benign efforts at “saving our planet.” Sustainability, as a National policy, is the most regressive and dangerous idea the Green-Left has ever put forth.  Sustainability is the death of the West’s economic dominance. (more…)

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Tags: 40th anniversary, National Geographic, Sesame Street, Sustainability, sustainable living
Posted Nov 10th 2009 at 4:03 am in Featured Story, Politics, Television | 260098107 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/sright/2009/11/10/green-push-on-sesame-street-programming-your-kids-for-sustainable-living/Green+Push+on+%27Sesame+Street%27%3A+Programming+Your+Kids+For+%27Sustainable+Living%272009-11-10+12%3A03%3A23Stage+Right

‘Sesame Street’: Habitat for Political Correctness

Having received some criticism for my last post about “Sesame Street,” I would like to briefly respond to some of the questions and assertions in the comment section. 

What’s so bad about saying “we share common humanity despite ethnic/religious/linguistic differences?” 

A main tenet of the multiculturalism and Enviro-Statism inculcated by Modern Liberal educators and as practiced on “Sesame Street” — exemplified in “We All Sing the Same Song,” is the diminishment of the unique greatness of American culture. 

Political Correctness and its Critical Theory are shamefully deployed against American culture to create a false front of “equality” to less free, less successful, and deviant cultures around the globe. 

That is neither a healthy, nor appropriate form of values inculcation upon young American children, nor is it a responsible expenditure of American tax dollars.  (more…)

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Tags: children, DVD, environmentalism, pbs, Sesame Street
Posted Nov 9th 2009 at 8:28 am in Culture, Featured Story, Politics, Television | 260138173 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/abaldwin/2009/11/09/sesame-street-habitat-for-political-correctness/%27Sesame+Street%27%3A+Habitat+for+Political+Correctness2009-11-09+16%3A28%3A01Adam+Baldwin

‘Sesame Street’: It’s About My Children, Not the Puppet

Just as I suspected, it has happened.  They are trying to “Falwell” me and my colleagues here at Big Hollywood for raising concerns about “Sesame Street’s” description of Fox News as “Trashy.” We are “stupid,” “idiotic” and we are whining and pathetic (impressive debate tactics there, Mr. Socrates).  And, according to PBS’ own Ombudsman, Michael Gelter, we are….  right:

I don’t know what was in the head of the producers, but my guess is that this was one of those parodies that was too good to resist. But it should have been resisted. Broadcasters can tell parents whatever they think of Fox or any other network, but you shouldn’t do it through the kids

I was planning on letting the issue die after being romanced by Media Matters, but I noticed something fascinating.  I’ve written here about a lot of subjects.  Mostly about theatre and the arts, and I also defended that “racist-fascist” Rush Limbaugh,  but, never has a post of mine gotten the kind of hate-filled comments this one did.  Also, for the first time I started receiving hate e-mails… the long, rambling, Holden Caufield kind of e-mails (you can forgive me for feeling a little “Grouchy”).  What gives?  Why was this post different? (more…)

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Tags: big hollywood, Fox News, free to be you and me, holden caufield, Media Matters
Posted Nov 6th 2009 at 1:49 pm in Culture, Television | 25944687 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/sright/2009/11/06/sesame-street-its-about-my-children-not-the-puppet/%27Sesame+Street%27%3A+It%27s+About+My+Children%2C+Not+the+Puppet2009-11-06+21%3A49%3A58Stage+Right

PBS Ombudsman: ‘Sesame Street’ Fox News Slam Crossed Line

Earlier this week, Big Hollywood’s Stage Right broke the story of a ”Sesame Street” episode which referred to Fox News as “Pox News” and “trashy.” In response to the episode, PBS also received a number of complaint letters from viewers which prompted a reply from PBS Ombudsmen Michael Getler:

I don’t know what was in the head of the producers, but my guess is that this was one of those parodies that was too good to resist. But it should have been resisted. Broadcasters can tell parents whatever they think of Fox or any other network, but you shouldn’t do it through the kids.

In response to Stage Right using “Sesame Street’s” unfortunate behavior as an example with which to speak for the many, many many parents frustrated with the idea of partisan programming aimed at children, some online outlets responded with the expected and usual dismissive snarky contempt. But now that PBS is on record agreeing with Stage Right, we’re left to wonder if they find PBS ”stupid,” “asinine,” “absurd,” and “idiotic.”

You can read Getler’s full article here, along with some of the complaint letters PBS received. (more…)

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Tags: Michael Getler, Ombudsmen, pbs, Sesame Street, Stage Right
Posted Nov 5th 2009 at 1:58 pm in Culture, Media Criticism, Theatre | 258774164 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2009/11/05/pbs-ombudsman-sesame-street-fox-news-slam-crossed-line/PBS+Ombudsman%3A+%27Sesame+Street%27+Fox+News+Slam+Crossed+Line2009-11-05+21%3A58%3A44John+Nolte

‘Sesame Street’: All Monsters Are Equal?

The Public Broadcasting System’s taxpayer-funded ‘Sesame Street’ has, at cursory glance, presented young American children with what colorfully appears to be one of television’s few safe havens of educational fun. 

Yet, embedded in its visually intoxicating muppetry and otherwise innocently entertaining educational content there lurks highly controversial political messages designed to promote multiculturalism and global citizenship:

–

 ”We all sing with the same voice, the same song, the same voice. We all sing with the same voice and we sing in harmony… 

I live in southern France, I’m from a Texas ranch, I come from Mecca and Peru… I come from everywhere, and my name is you…” 

That’s right kids! We’re ‘All’ the ‘same’… um, except that we’re all different.  (more…)

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Tags: nea, Obama, Orwell, Sesame Street
Posted Nov 3rd 2009 at 12:33 pm in Art, Featured Story, Politics, Television | 257210134 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/abaldwin/2009/11/03/sesame-street-all-monsters-are-equal/%27Sesame+Street%27%3A+All+Monsters+Are+Equal%3F2009-11-03+20%3A33%3A05Adam+Baldwin

‘Sesame Street’ Trashes Fox News

Add one more soldier to the Left’s war on Fox News:  Oscar the Grouch.

Last week, in a re-broadcast of an episode that originally aired two years ago, Oscar starts his own news network, GNN (Grouchy News Network).  An irate viewer calls in to berate him that the news is not grouchy enough:

“I am changing the channel. From now on I am watching ‘Pox’ News. Now there is a trashy news show.”

–

Later in the episode, Anderson Cooper from 4th place CNN, guest stars as a reporter for GNN.  He interacts with “Walter Cranky” and “Dan Rather-Not” —  Muppets representing real-life liberal news personalities — and they talk about “Meredith Beware-a” and “Diane Spoiler.” But no affectionate nicknames for Fox News personalities; no Spill O’Reilly or Brittle Hume — nope, and the only disparaging characterization of real-world news is reserved for Fox:  Fox is a POX.  It is trashy.  They didn’t even attempt to try “MessyNBC.”

If Mom and Dad watch cable news, it’s better than 50/50 they watch “POX News.”  So what gives? PBS — a network partially funded with my tax dollars — has the right to tell my kids that their parents watch “trashy” news?  The message is clear, I can’t even sit my kids in front of “Sesame Street” without having to worry about the Left attempting to undermine my authority. And don’t tell me, “If you don’t like it change the channel.”  There are no channels left! It’s everywhere. Just last week I had Obama’s service and volunteerism promoted on every single major network, including Disney and Nickelodeon. (more…)

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Tags: "Learning From the Left”, Anderson Cooper, Fox News, Jerry Falwell, Julia L. Mickenberg
Posted Nov 3rd 2009 at 3:37 am in Culture, Featured Story, Politics, Television | 255466519 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/sright/2009/11/03/l-is-for-leftist-thats-good-enough-for-me/%27Sesame+Street%27+Trashes+Fox+News2009-11-03+10%3A37%3A24Stage+Right

Conan to Obama: Honeymoon’s Over

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The New York Times wrote during campaign 2008 that late night comics were having a hard time cracking jokes about Barack Obama.  This year, President Obama was treated with kid gloves. Leno, Letterman and Conan largely stood in a cone of silence when it came to prodding the Prez.  But after scandals and bumbled policy initiatives, the once-airtight Obama spin control has given way to a White House spinning out-of-control.  Late Night TV finally rises to the occasion — and the honeymoon is officially over. (more…)

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Tags: Barack Obama, Big Bird, Conana, health care, healthcare
Posted Oct 2nd 2009 at 2:26 pm in Political Humor, Video | 23919898 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jmeath/2009/10/02/conan-to-obama-honeymoons-over/Conan+to+Obama%3A+Honeymoon%27s+Over+2009-10-02+21%3A26%3A53Jason+Killian+Meath

‘NewsBusted’ 8/28/09 — Fake News from the Right

(more…)

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Tags: AARP, Cash for Clunkers, Ed Schultz, Elmo, Governor David Paterson
Posted Aug 28th 2009 at 6:44 pm in Media Criticism, Political Humor, Video | 2131866 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/newsbusters/2009/08/28/%e2%80%98newsbusted%e2%80%99-82809-%e2%80%94-fake-news-from-the-right/%E2%80%98NewsBusted%E2%80%99+8%2F28%2F09+%E2%80%94+Fake+News+from+the+Right2009-08-29+01%3A44%3A18NewsBusters

‘NewsBusted’ 5/15/09 — Fake News from the Right

In this episode, “NewsBusted” covers: Obama’s Egypt speech, Massachussetts welfare, conservatives, Republicans, GOP, Michelle Obama, Sesame Street, Barbara Walters, Anderson Cooper, Rosie O’Donnell, Kelly McGillis, and Simon Cowell.

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Tags: Anderson Cooper, Barack Obama, Barbara Walters, Conservatives, gop
Posted May 15th 2009 at 5:54 pm in Celebrity News, Media Criticism, Political Humor | 135654No Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/newsbusters/2009/05/15/%e2%80%98newsbusted%e2%80%99-51509-%e2%80%94-fake-news-from-the-right/%E2%80%98NewsBusted%E2%80%99+5%2F15%2F09+%E2%80%94+Fake+News+from+the+Right+2009-05-16+00%3A54%3A13NewsBusters

“NewsBusted” 3/17/09 — Fake News from the Right

In this episode, “NewsBusted” covers: Bernie Madoff, President Obama’s popularity, Newsweek, Air America, Jon Stewart vs. Jim Cramer, John Mayer and Jennifer Aniston, The Taliban, Sesame Street, and PBS.

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Tags: Air America, Bernie Madoff, Jennifer Aniston, Jim Cramer, john mayer
Posted Mar 17th 2009 at 1:25 pm in Celebrity News, Entertainment, Political Humor | 827149 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/epeterkofsky/2009/03/17/newsbusted-31709-%e2%80%94-fake-news-from-the-right/%22NewsBusted%22+3%2F17%2F09+%E2%80%94+Fake+News+from+the+Right+2009-03-17+20%3A25%3A54Eric+Peterkofsky