I guess it was only a matter of time, but I’m still a little surprised at how quickly the left connected the dots. Always on guard against elaborate right-wing conspiracies, the brain trust over at Crooks and Liars needed just a few hours to uncover the truth: that Breitbart organized the elaborate sting featuring actors posing as doctors to hand out fake ‘medical excuses’ for union protesters.

Even more impressive; they didn’t even get a copy of our internal memo on the operation. They just noted that Breitbart was in Madison and noted that conservative news outlets did the reporting of the ‘fake notes’ scandal. It was a brilliant piece of deduction.

So, it is probably only a matter of time before they learn the full truth. The doctor sting, in fact, was only an afterthought, dreamed up by our research lemur after a tequila binge with Retracto. It was profoundly simple too. The lemur pulled the whole thing off after only about 15 minutes on Gchat.

I’m coming clean: Breitbart staged the entire union protest in Madison. All of it. The Walker proposal, the union protest and the counter protest. Everything. Let me explain.

(more…)

The liberal reactionaries are in full hissy-fit mode at Big Hollywood for its latest heresy, calling out Glee for its gratuitous – and worse, unfunny – slam on Sarah Palin as “stupid.”  Apparently, pointing out hackneyed liberal sucker punches lurking within tiresome TV shows is yet another cruel assault upon the helpless Hollywood community of visionary artists who only seek to help enlighten and uplift us unedu-makated, tea-partying, gun n’ religion-clingers dwelling in that small, backward portion of America located east of I-5.

Big Hollywood hater Patrick Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times jumped right into full “gotta defend our pals in the Industry” effect with a hysterical (in both senses of the word) counterattack supporting Glee creator Ryan Murphy.  The LAT, for those not residing here, is a small, local pamphlet of uncertain financial stability which recently reduced the physical size of its dead tree edition to about that of an Applebee’s menu.  Its innovative marketing strategy of providing its dwindling readership with even less content for their money has somehow failed to halt its downward spiral toward Chapter 11. (more…)

Those of you who have been with Big Hollywood from the beginning know that Stage — Larry O’Connor — Right has been with us from the beginning, as well. He started out as our “theatre guy” and has since branched out as an invaluable go-to guy at all three of the BIGS, writing on everything from The Madness of Howard Zinn to exposing how nepotism can help you to become The Most Dishonest Character Assassin IN THE WORLD!

Larry also does a nightly talk show on Blog Talk Radio, and while it’s on past my bedtime (9pm PST), after listening to the podcasts over the past few weeks I realized that “The Stage Right Show” is very much a part of the BIGS — so much so that we’re leaning on him to change the title to “The Big Stage Big Right Big Show.” Over the weekend I also leaned on him to do even more work and put together a weekly “Best of” show to post here at Big Hollywood for the benefit of our readers. 

He’s agreed to take that on, and I thank him for that. (more…)

On this week’s highlight show, we start with the hilarious”feud” between Andrew Breitbart and “TV’s Andy Levy” from Fox News’ “Red Eye” that began on Twitter and ended up on “The Stage Right Show.” They were arguing about Ben Shapiro’s Top Ten Most Over Rated Directors list which drove Andy Levy over the edge.

Next, we had Ben Shapiro on the show to respond.  Also, Billy Hallowell came on to discuss the habit the left has of screaming “Racist” at any conservative they don’t like and to tell us about his last post at Big Hollywood about ‘Rock the Vote’.

Andrew Breitbart called in with a very unique anecdote about his travails in renting a car in Palm Springs.  And Adam Baldwin was our featured interview in a wide-ranging discussion about Hollywood, politics, education and Twitter. (more…)

I was a bad boy in 2009. I promised at the beginning of the year at the time of Big Hollywood’s launch to get back into movies and some television. But it’s one year later, and I still have not seen a single episode of The Sopranos (even though I know I’d like it). I wasn’t much better on the film front either. I went to maybe 6 movies in the theater last year, and the same 3 DVD’s from NetFlix sat in our house for the entire year, only to be finally returned and unwatched.

How about that Bruno!

That doesn’t mean I completely tuned out – thanks to Big Hollywood.

On the one year anniversary of the site, I thank God that I chose John Nolte to be the editor in chief. It’s not just because he knows everything about film – though he does. It’s because the man has an impeccable moral compass, and it’s unbelievably refreshing to read his analysis of pop culture not through the typical NY TIMES/VARIETY/VANITY FAIR post-modern prism but through the ancient lens of right vs. wrong, decency vs. indecency, entertainment vs. nihilism.

And it has resonated. Everywhere I go in Los Angeles — and beyond — people come up to me and congratulate me for… well, hiring him. He’s the heart and soul of Big Hollywood.

On this first anniversary, I’d also like to thank from the bottom of my heart our contributors and readers. I am deeply grateful for each and every one of you.

A special thanks to Patrick Courrielche for his Pulitzer Prize Winning* (if Pulitzers were still awarded for great journalism) expose of the NEA/White House propaganda initiative. And a special acknowledgment to Stage Right, who came out as Larry O’Connor. I hope there are more who follow his lead.

And a last, but certainly not least, thanks to Alex Marlow, who is Mr. Big. He is the man juggling all the Bigs at all times. (more…)

I have been presented the opportunity to reach out and communicate my views about politics and entertainment to a wider audience over the coming weeks.  Given these exciting opportunities it is clear that it would be inappropriate to have to be identified as “Stage Right” on nationally syndicated radio and other outlets.

So, tomorrow, here on the pages of Big Hollywood, I will reveal my real name and my background.  I think it is only fitting to do this the day before Christmas Eve as it is in the true spirit of an Obama Administration “Friday Afternoon Document Dump.”  This way, if people in the industry or liberal friends of mine, eventually find out a few weeks from now I can just “Do a Gibbs” and say “That’s OLD news, the American people don’t care about that. Now let me get back to doing the business of the American people… no more questions, please.” (more…)

Over the past few months I have been developing an Internet Radio Show at Blog Talk Radio.  I wanted my show to be truly interactive and inspired by the stories here at Big Hollywood and Big Government.  Based on the style and subject matter you could almost call the show “Big Breitbart Radio”.

The show has gone through quite a few changes and refinement over this extensive preview period, and now, after month’s of previews, tonight will be my official opening night.  And it is fitting that my big debut at Big Hollywood will feature a special guest known very well to the readers here:  Gary Graham. (more…)

Below is Big Hollywood’s “People Speak” LiveBlog, brought to you by ScribbleLive.com.  Head over there and set up a user profile and picture.  All are welcome to participate, contributors and readers alike.

Also check out Stage Right’s “People Speak” podcast special on Blog Talk Radio.

East Coast and West Coast threads after the jump. (more…)

Last night, VP of Sesame Workshop Sherrie Westin joined Bill on “The O’Reilly Factor” to defend a recent show where “Sesame Street” trashed Fox News:

So, PBS, if it is true, as VP of Sesame Workshop Sherrie Westin indicated in the above segment, that the GNN (Grouchy News Network) clip exposed by Big Hollywood three weeks ago was in praise of Fox, then how do you explain this?!?!:

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. -PBS Ombudsmen Michael Getler

I guess that means you were against Pox News before you were for it, or something? (more…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

“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…)

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!

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…)

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.”

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