Media Maniacs
I have often imagined award ceremonies to pay tribute to what is most typically American. My first thought was a PT Barnum Award for the American who most contributed to the degradation of the American character. Nominees have included Vince McMahon, Taylor Swift, Steven Spielberg, the Cohen Brothers, FOX News jointly with CNN and MSNBC....I'll provide updates on this year's planned event.
But after listening to music on NPR stations for years, I have also been giving an award for the most annoying announcer. The problem is that every year it is won by one Mindy Ratner. So henceforth, instead of retiring the trophy, I am renaming it the Mindy Ratner Award.
I earnestly solicit your nominations for these awards.
Of course, I nominate Donald Trump for the P. T. Barnum Award. Some may ask whether I am being partisan, and of course, I am. I also think the award could as well be named the Joe Biden Award inasmuch as he has been the prototype of its recipients for decades.
For the Mindy Ratner Award, I nominate Mindy Ratner.
Ray, not partisan but obvious. We could rename it The Trump Award
How about the Spectre award for contributions to the degradation of political systems named for Elon Musk’s new party, obviously to be named Spectre. Mr. Navrozov’s old friend Boris Berezovsky could get the “Nice Try” sub-category award for trying to set up a mock two party system (По-американски i.e. in the American style) in Russia in order to create an entertaining distraction for the proles while the big boys continue to rape and pillage unhindered, indeed protected. I know that this sort of extends the awards categories beyond our borders, but I feel that we must honor American influence where-ever it raises its ugly mug.
I don’t listen to the radio since being pushed out of my trade by mass third world immigration thus limiting my need to be in the car (It’s an ill wind…), but, unfortunately, I remember Ratner’s name, but, blessedly, not her voice.
Whoever is responsible for the promotion of rap and hip-hop gets my vote for the P.T. Barnum award. Imagine being sucker enough to give up the blues and even jazz and Motown for that cacophony. All it takes is money and a well designed system of mis-education
So far, I would not dishonor the name of P.T. Barnum with any of the suggestions!
How about Larry David? Seinfeld was an abomination that required laugh tracks to program kitsch viewers to know which obnoxious scenes they were supposed to consider funny. ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ is filled with blasphemies too awful to mention here.
Thank you, Mr. DeRienzo. For years people have reacted incredulously when I tell them I did not watch Seinfeld. They would look at me as if I had just arrived from the dark side of one of Jupiter’s lesser moons. I am not familiar with the other program you mention; happily so it appears.
Spectator sports provide us with so many choices for character degradation nominees. Whoever convinced Americans that poetry was unmanly is another one, along with the social engineers of the New Deal period. Did it all start with the Federalist party? What about all those fruity flaky religious denominations and cults? How about L Ron Hubbard?
What about Ted Turner? Didn’t he invent CNN/the 24-Hour News concept? Plus he colorized “It’s a Wonderful Life” which should have gotten him exiled from the country. He also owned the WCW pro-wrestling organization. Surely he did a lot to degrade the American character?
How about Phil Donahue? Next to him, later such TV show hosts are merely symptoms.
I might suggest Rachel Madcow but “it” seems irrelevant.
Mr Wilson, if you have not already done so, you are hereby charged with the task of reading a segment in Walker Percy’s great little nonfiction book LOST IN THE COSMOS called “The Last Donahue Show,” which showcases nearly all of Mr Marlo Thomas’s vices. Of course, anyone who inspired such a hilarious piece from the always brilliant Percy, had at least one reason to exist.
As an aside, Marlo Thomas may have outdone Ted Turner, when she made “It Happened One Christmas,” a feminist retelling of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” told from the POV of Mary Bailey (played, natch, by the great Thespian Thomas).
Thespian! I said Thespian!
Mr Rosenberger, I have been meaning to buy that book for years. I will now, although having the time to read it is another story. I noticed that signed copies are selling for $200.00.
I either didn’t know or had long forgotten that Thomas and Donahue were married.