February 28th, 2005
. . . the Sixers had drafted Chris Webber instead of Shawn Bradley?
0 commentsFebruary 28th, 2005
Charles Johnson has the funniest line you’ll read today.
0 commentsDana Milbank at Brain Terminal
February 28th, 2005
After Washington Post reporter/columnist/? Dana Milbank granted a congenial interview to Daily Kos, Evan Coyne Maloney approached him about an interview for his site, Brian Terminal. Milbank agreed and the interview in now online. Milbank deserves much credit for doing the interview, even though he seems a little combative and, at times, evasive. My favorite is this line:
Q: What are your personal feelings on President Bush?
Milbank: I think he’s exceptionally personable.
His answer reminds me of a line from Emma where the heroine is asked her feelings about Jane Fairfax. Emma replies, “When pressed, I say she’s elegant.”
0 commentsDean Democrats
February 28th, 2005
The Bull Moose is “enthusiastic” about the candidacy of Bob Casey Jr. and says that it’s time for his fellow Democrats to “demonstrate that they believe in cultural diversity as well as multiculutural diversity.”
Perhaps he missed this quote from the current leader of the Democratic party.
0 commentsRock's Hard Place
February 28th, 2005
Tom Shales really trashes Chris Rock’s performance as Oscar host, which I don’t agree with. The 77th Academy Awards will go down in history as the meanest Oscars ever, the one where Hollywood finally admitted that the artists who don’t appear on the cover of Us Weekly don’t actually matter. When I first saw that all of the nominees save the actors where pushed onto the stage together to cut their time and dignity, I had trouble believing that even Hollywood could be that cruel.
So I thought Rock’s incredibly mean jokes about the stars were a good antidote. Make no mistake: Chris Rock wasn’t being a towel-snapper like Steve Martin. He was being rough, like Cintra Wilson on a bad drunk.
But Shales does offer one very keen insight:
This year’s Oscar show was certainly more ethnically diverse than ever, but so much attention was called to this that it made the program seem lopsided, a celebration only of films that qualify as politically correct. Actor Jamie Foxx, who won for playing the great singer Ray Charles in the film “Ray,” seemed to be exploiting the racial angle by implying his victory was a victory for African Americans. He gave essentially the same speech he gave at the Golden Globes, replete with threats to break up in tears when he got to the part about his dear old grandma and her influence on little Jamie when he was a child. . . .
The Oscars are losing their status as a big national party and turning instead into de facto political conventions–and if there’s anything TV and the nation don’t need, it’s more of those.
A new poll by John Zogby confirms this: 4 in 10 Democrats watch the Oscars while only 1 in 8 Republicans do. There’s something to these numbers.
0 commentsSecond Term Pitfalls
February 28th, 2005
Bill Whalen has an excellent piece on danger points for Bush’s second term.
0 commentsPost-Oscar Triumphalism
February 28th, 2005
Once again, the HSX predictions for the Oscars were perfect. Every year the HSX issues options on 8 Oscar categories and every year the market predicts with near perfection who the winners are. This year the HSX was 8 for 8.
So don’t forget: Before you send in your entry for next year’s Oscar pool, check the HSX first.
0 commentsFebruary 28th, 2005
Antonio Banderas? To sing a song from the Motorcycle Diaries? What, Benjamin Bratt and Jimmy Smits were both busy? No! Is too sexy!
0 comments
