Even by CNN standards, the wall-to-wall coverage of the untimely death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, is truly embarrassing and grotesque.Your carnival queen, Fredricka Whitfield...
Doctor Drew interviews? Live shots from the Super Bowl inquiring about "buzz" of the death? Are you kidding me? No. Let's send a reporter to his apartment and talk to the neighbors too.
Nobody disputes the tragedy and sadness of such a talented guy's demise due to drugs, apparently, but this is not John Lennon. Not even close. This is embarrassing. This is saturation coverage of the worst degree.
Rick, you're just so predictable. If they didn't cover his death you'd get on your "outrage" soap box and say: "they are NOT covering the demise of perhaps this generation's greatest actor. Oscar winner, multiple Tony award winner, playwright, director. My God CNN is asleep at the wheel!"
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Good column. Too bad CNN doesn't devote the same resources to investigating why Banksters are not in federal prison.
ReplyDeleteWhy the shock? it was well known that he was a Drug Addict!!
ReplyDeleteExactly! When you take drugs, you die.
DeleteThe super sweet folks find it tragic because the junkie was famous. If he he were joe shmo, he'd simply be a statistic and nobody would care. They'd be glad to rid the neighborhood of him.
DeleteLets see if the follow up story gets any press...the abundance of heroin due the policies arraigned with Afghanistan. It's being exported/imported at record levels and the impact will be significant for years to come. The follow up story to that will be all the new "customers" filling the prison system.
Yes, @5:53, undoubtedly national news organizations should devote enormous coverage to each and every death that occurs.
DeleteRegarding the Joe Schmo remark, you are so right 5:53. Another example of how people react to life (and death) events in selective ways.
DeleteYes 10:50,
DeleteNews stories on passings should be limited to those on...
Slimeball, corrupt government "officials," corporate elite, and other high profile crooks.
Nut case, substance abusing celebrities (including athletes).
Dogs, cats, pandas, whales, seals, and horses.
Oh yeah, predictable Lieberman, the guy who wants to go wall-to-wall with Heather Ishimaru's stroke calls CNN grotesque for covering someone's death. Rich, is perpetually outraged with anything and everything.
ReplyDeleteI am truly sorry for his death. He could never overcome his personal demons. And my condolences go out to his family in what must be an impossibly difficult time. But why must certain media outlets beat any celebrity's death into the ground? I supposed as I write this they are dispatching Anderson Cooper to Hollywood to "cover" Phillips' passing.
ReplyDeleteYes, undoubtedly an anonymous expression of "true sorrow" on an internet blog must be the source of enormous comfort to the family.
DeleteOther reasons I cancelled my cable TV subscription: lengthy, annoying panels of so-called "experts" (!) shouting at each other for way too long; constantly repeating video clips of the same scene over and over and over and over; MSNBC's mind-numbing, incredibly boring prison shows that seem to repeat several times a month for years and years; and the unwarranted regular rate increases with extra surcharges to watch local stations.
ReplyDeleteNow with indoor antenna TV, I get not only a clearer, better HD picture of shorter, more concise newscasts on the networks, but it's free. And no shouting or repetition.
Just shows how starved mainstream media is for a story that will draw ratings. Anything remotely sensational goes mega saturation in hopes of getting the jump on the competition.
ReplyDeleteYeah, good thing Lieberman doesn't resort to sensational nonsense to draw traffic. When's your next weather girl pin up Rich?
DeleteAt least Dr. Drew had the presence of mind to tell Fredricka to shut up about her lack of knowledge about mental health and addiction.
DeleteMet him once. He had horrid breathe
ReplyDelete