‘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

INTRODUCING: ‘Yosi Needs a Hug’ by Gary Eaton

Fellow Big Hollywood contributor Moxie and I have been in the process of developing a radio show over the past couple of months.  Over the course of the development and rehearsal process, we’ve been focusing much attention on the NEA Conference Call story and the fall-out associated with it.

One of our ongoing segments has been to read aloud (in suitably dramatic fashion) Yosi Sergant’s twitter feed.  (It really is quite entertaining).  It became such a popular segment with the handful of friends who listen to our practice shows that Moxie decided we needed a “Yosi Update” theme song.  She “Volun-Told” our friend and musician, Gary Eaton to write the diddy and within twenty four hours he had completed his masterpiece.

We hope that you, our the loyal readers of Big Hollywood, who are well-versed with the players involved in this story, will appreciate our “Yosi Update” song:   (more…)

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Tags: Gary Eaton, Moxie, Stage Right, Yosi Sergant
Posted Nov 5th 2009 at 10:03 am in Art, Music, Political Humor, Politics | 25817836 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/sright/2009/11/05/introducing-yosi-needs-a-hug-by-gary-eaton/INTRODUCING%3A+%27Yosi+Needs+a+Hug%27+by+Gary+Eaton2009-11-05+18%3A03%3A02Stage+Right

‘Non-Liberal’ Mamet In For Big Year on Broadway

“I took the liberal view for many decades, but I believe I have changed my mind.” – David Mamet

As I discussed in my very first post here at Big Hollywood, many in the theatre world were surprised to read David Mamet’s amazing article, “Why I am No Longer A Brain-Dead Liberal” in the Village Voice.  In my post, I used the play “Oleanna” as an example of a conservative lean that I recognized in Mamet’s work when it premiered off-Broadway in 1992.  I concluded with a couple of questions: (more…)

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Tags: broadway, david mamet, NY Times, oleanna, race
Posted Oct 9th 2009 at 2:55 pm in Politics, Theatre | 24145440 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/sright/2009/10/09/non-liberal-mamet-in-for-big-year-on-broadway/%27Non-Liberal%27+Mamet+In+For+Big+Year+on+Broadway2009-10-09+21%3A55%3A02Stage+Right

8pm PST Sunday: Live Blogging the Tonys — Well, Sort Of

Pop some popcorn, tune in to CBS, and fire up the laptop…  We’ll be live-blogging the Tony Awards during the West Coast tape delay starting at 8:00 PM Pacific Time, tomorrow night! 

Come and join me, Stage Right and a whole host of Big Hollywood contributors as we keep a running tally of all the same-sex marriage references, rate the pretentious hyperbole on a scale of 1-to-10 and hold our collective breath when Jane Fonda is given an open microphone! 

Since the Tony’s will be on live in New York three hours ahead of our blogging session, I have a suggestion for those of you in the Eastern zone:  TiVo the Tonys and watch the Laker game!  Then, when the game is over, start your playback at 11:00 PM Eastern and jump on to Big Hollywood for all the live-blogging hilarity!  Otherwise, don’t jump in and spoil it for the rest of us!

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Tags: big hollywood, Lakers, Live Blog, Stage Right, Tonys
Posted Jun 6th 2009 at 8:06 am in Live Blog | 1533422 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/sright/2009/06/06/live-blogging-the-tonys-well-sort-of/8pm+PST+Sunday%3A+Live+Blogging+the+Tonys+--+Well%2C+Sort+Of2009-06-06+15%3A06%3A46Stage+Right

Sunday Matinee: Les Miserables

Sunday matinee will be a weekly post focusing on an individual Broadway show.  I’ll discuss some of its history, trivia and little-known anecdotes as well as analyze the political, social or cultural ramifications of the piece.  In fact, let me start with a little-known theatre fact:  Did you ever wonder why Saturday matinees on Broadway are at 2:00 and Sunday matinees are at 3:00?  My understanding is that years ago, the Sunday matinee was scheduled for 3:00 so the actors would have time to go to a late church service on Sunday morning.  Because of the late hour of the prior night’s performance, actors tend to sleep in rather late on Sunday mornings.  The Noon Mass is sometimes the only option for church and then a nice lunch after church would have made a 1:30 call way too tight.  I wonder how many actors on Broadway these days take advantage of that schedule. (more…)

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Tags: broadway, Les Mis, Les Miserables, review, Stage Right
Posted Feb 8th 2009 at 7:27 am in Politics, Reviews | 4274632 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/sright/2009/02/08/sunday-matinee-les-miserables/Sunday+Matinee%3A+Les+Miserables2009-02-08+15%3A27%3A15Stage+Right

Big Thanks: A Really Big Launch, A Really Big Tent, A Really Big Future

What an exhilarating week. Big Hollywood is finally up. Traffic is way better than expected.

Greg Gutfeld is posting his wondrous inanities and many pointed yet not vitriolic salvos have been launched against the intransigent Hollywood left and vital ones aimed at the right — for forfeiting culture to the opposition. Movie and television reviews and historical treatises abound, and we’re even breaking news.

John Ziegler launched a massive story where Sarah Palin unleashed on the media for treating her so unfairly. It is easily the mainstream news media story of the week. Big Hollywood is the site to go to for the inside scoop on Ziegler’s forthcoming documentary, “Media Malpractice: How Obama Got Elected“.

Actor-singer-songwriter Joe Lima in a timely fashion came to bury Guevara, but also put usually reliable director Steven Soderbergh in his place for wasting so much studio money and movie watchers’ time with the execrable, “Che.”

(more…)

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Tags: Andrew Klavan, Ben Shapiro, big hollywood, bill whittle, Bill Willingham
Posted Jan 10th 2009 at 4:53 pm in Celebrity News, Entertainment, Featured Story, Media Criticism, Politics, Reviews, Uncategorized | 1400576 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/abreitbart/2009/01/10/big-thanks-a-really-big-launch-a-really-big-tent-a-really-big-future/Big+Thanks%3A+A+Really+Big+Launch%2C+A+Really+Big+Tent%2C+A+Really+Big+Future2009-01-11+00%3A53%3A59Andrew+Breitbart