01 July 2007

Brzezinski strikes a cord

I had not heard of Mika Brzezinski until I read an interview in today’s Observer . If you have never heard of her she is an anchor on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. Last week she shot to fame by kicking against the cult of celebrity by refusing to read a news story about Paris Hilton.

To the amazement of viewers she simply into the camera and apologised for the decision to put the hotel heiress's release from jail at the top of news, ahead of an important political story linked to the war in Iraq. 'I didn't choose it,' she said of the Hilton story. When her co-host, Joe Scarborough laughed at her words, she simply refused to read the story. 'No,' she said, 'I hate this story and I don't think it should be the lead.' Then she put the Hilton story down and began to read the rest of the script, opening with the phrase 'To the news now...' The moment was the first of repeated refusals by Brzezinski to read the Hilton story throughout the show. It has made her a heroine to people across America and around the world. Clips of her refusal have spread like wildfire all over the internet. Including the Poor Mouth:


Brzezinski said her actions were not planned before last Thursday, but it was at that morning's news meeting that she had just felt that she could not stand silent as the Hilton story was put on the top of the news agenda. 'My co-host and I had problems with the story at 6am, when we had our first morning meeting. I let my co-host Joe know and he told me to go with my gut. I want to thank him for his support in that,' she says. Though Scarborough knew Brzezinski was going to make a stand, he probably did not know exactly how far she would push it. 'We were making a statement on our show. I hope making it will start to change something. It became like a piece of theatre,' Brzezinski says.

Her move could easily have been a career-ending disaster. But for the moment at least it looks as if she has got away with it and perhaps even succeeded in making her point - that the news media is so saturated with celebrity gossip that serious issues are not getting discussed. It's a big problem. We need to have an open discussion about what is news and what is not,' she explains.

The Hilton story occurred at the same time as Republican senator Richard Lugar was attacking President George Bush's position on the Iraq war. Yet MSNBC's producers wanted to give the Hilton story precedence. 'It was not a story. My gut was telling me that,' she says. Nor does she regret her move. 'No regrets,' she adds defiantly 'Absolutely not.' It remains to be seen whether Brzezinski's lone voice in the wilderness will become a chorus of meaningful dissent in other newsrooms in America and around the world. By the weekend Hilton was still dominating the celebrity magazines, the tabloids and many of the cable channels. Larry King had interviewed her live on CNN. But Brzezinski thinks she may have started something.

Personally I applaud what she did. There’s far too much non news in the news. Paris Hilton is a vacuous little celebrity who adds nothing to the sum of human existence. She was arrogant and stupid enough to drive when banned so she got some jail time. Big deal! On the other hand, more fool the people for lapping up this shit .

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Suprise , suprise. Wow I am so shocked .Dear oh dear what a coincidence the attacks in Glasgow & London were carried out by 6 Iraqi fully trained combat experienced ex Saddam - military , all given Asylum & some Asians , possibly form Pakistan . Never? I can't believe it .Oh so shocking. There were 8 Iraqui's arrested & charged with Terrorism offences, a few years ago.In 2005 they were in court when oh my golly gosh they were released by the Judge in order to preserve sensitive security sources.They were sent home on home arrest when ...wow they all managed to escape past all the MI5 ,MI6, Police, Antiterrorist Squad,Satelites , Big Brother Camera Systems , Traffic Cameras and disappeared. Boy oh boy what a strange coincidence !? Umm let's see now on the TV news oh yes 6 Iraquis & possibly some Asians maybe even a white guy who looks very much like a very strong stocky sort of special forces type have been captured....wild guess of course pure speculation. Wow they are looking for 2 more that makes 8.
Isn't it unusual that the Security services & Anti Terrorist Squads have a list of 1600 known terrorists living in the UK mostly Assylum Seekers but also some British born Muslims. I wonder ,haven't the Security forces & police considered deporting these 1600 terrorists? Just a suggestion. Perhaps we could um arrest them and deny them Assylum? Oh I forgot 1.5 million have managed to slip into the U.K. since Blair & Brown took office . Most of these illegal immigrants are a great boost to the British economy so the Politicians say. Where do they all come from?
Iraq, Syria,Algeria ,Somalia ,Afganistan,Lebenon, Iran, Albania, Sieera Leone, Nigeria ,Kosovo & Chechnya all Terrorist States , all combat trained either as insurgents or Government conscripts , nearly all young men between 18-35. Of course thats just a coincidence . Of course that Islamic Army resident in the UK is not a threat to our Security. Lets send all of the Armed Forces to the Gulf, Iraq, Afganistan, Africa ,Falklands etc etc anywhere but here in the UK. Ok we have some logistics & Admin personnel, and the Queens personal Guards ... and Blair just happened to hand our immigration policy to unelected foreigners , namely the E.U. I forgot also the Defence policy of the Armed Forces.Also the police are soon to be intergrated in a E.U. police you know one uniform etc . E.U. police patrolling U.K. streets !The Armed forces even our Nuclear weapons lock stock & barrel in the hands of unelected E.U. officials. Oh yes over a million Legal immigrants from Pakistan ,Arab states, the Gulf and Eastern Europe. Many trained in the Soviet Era , but mostly just ex military conscripts. Wow isnt that unusual. This isnt a security risk to the U.K. I mean a standing Armed forces of 180,000 could have no problems with 1.5 million combat trained , miliary trained ex conscipts, insurgents ,guerillas, terrorists & intelligence personnel all from abroad. Ok so its also true that France , Germany, Italy Spain etc are in a similar position. Of course we cant stop this occupation by design , we mustnt send them back, because it would infringe their human rights. After all anyone that loves their Country & Nation is a racist or extremist.
Dont you just love the Government. It is so fair and just and has never lied to the British people aren't we lucky. I mean MI5 ,MI6 & SIS nearly always managed to stop Soviet intelligence and expell them in the old days. As we did in WW2 etc etc. But nowadays with all the massive increases in technology and Personnel they are unable to track the Islamic terror cells.And 4 million spy camers and 2000 spy satelites just dont know where they all are or what they are doing.
Strange how the S.A.S. just snatched a British born Islamic Terror cell out of Somalia, past all those Islamic Jihadist Armies with out a single loss. Perhaps they were snatched for arrest and trial you might say. That would be reasonible except they haven't .Indeed they seem to have vanished. Retribution ? Illegal but I can understand that. Um well no they are on the streets. Strange but true. Here is a little imagined scenario. In the near future a group of Islamic terrorists will carry outan attrocity against the British people. Of course war with Islamic nations will have to be the only solution. Lets bring back the Draft and send all fit young British men to war and leave the Nation in the very safe hands of the 1.5 million foreign combat vets & the E.U. Oh I feel so safe & secure. I can sleep so well now. Aren't we lucky to have such compassionate ,kind & loyal E.U. unelected officals looking after us all. After all Blair said giving away all of defences to the unelected E.U. officials was in "Britians interests". He said in 100 years the British people will look him in a different light. As he knows what is right for us inferiors we shouldnt question his judgement. Should we?

Alison said...

Phew, is there room for me here?

I say well done to her. Sadly though, world news is still not reported well in the USA and I can't see it changing any time soon.

jams o donnell said...

Well she did make a stand. Perhaps it will have a little effect, Alison!

Garth said...

Anybody remember 'Network' with Faye Dunaway and Peter Finch?

jams o donnell said...

Ah yes Pisces. Excellent film. I didn't realise it had its root in a real on screen suicide

elasticwaistbandlady said...

I feel guilty for saying this but..... I saw a picture of Paris without any makeup and her hair in a ponytail and I thought, "Wow, she's such a pretty girl without all that crap on her face that makes her look like a haughty bitch."

Paris should be a tabloid only story and it pisses me off that my favorite talk radio shows were pre-empted for all this Paris hysteria. People are dying in Iraq. We have enemies crossing our borders and setting up sleeper cells every day. Who the frick cares about Paris Hilton?

jams o donnell said...

I'm sure she is attractive under the slap Ewbl but she is just not a news story..