TV big shots and politicians blast CBS for its cowardly decision to yank the Ronald Reagan miniseries.
(snip)
But television industry insiders, journalists and even politicians were not worried on Tuesday about the quality of "The Reagans." They were shocked by the unprecedented decision by CBS to give in to political pressure. The decision, many critics said, is even more alarming considering that CBS is a television network with an august history of creative risk-taking in the face of social and political pressure -- a history it celebrated on Sunday in a televised 75th anniversary bash.
"I think it is the lowest day in the history of CBS," said Neal Gabler, a senior fellow at the Lear Center for the Study of Entertainment at the University of Southern California. "If they didn't want to make this film to begin with, that's one thing. But to pull something off the air based on the protests of a minuscule number of people? They should have put this thing on once it was made come hell or high water."
But that "minuscule number of people" happens to have a lot of clout. Pundits on the right have been stirring up the faithful ever since reports of the script broke in the Oct. 21 New York Times. That night, Fox's "Hannity & Colmes" featured conservative talk show host -- and famous adopted son -- Michael Reagan who, after being egged on by host Sean Hannity ("You know, Michael, I love your dad, you know that"), blasted the movie, saying it "just proves the point that Hollywood has always hated Ronald Reagan." The same night, over on MSNBC, host Joe Scarborough darkly postulated that "CBS could never bring down Ronald Reagan when he was president. So now they're getting their revenge on one of our greatest presidents in his final days."
And they were just getting started.
more…
http://salon.com/ent/feature/2003/11/05/reagan/index.html
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
