* That was a cheap shot that Gasparilla recently took from “The O’Reilly Factor.“ In the on-the-street interviews segment called “Watters World,” producer-interviewer Jesse Watters asks questions to elicit embarrassing reminders that we have a lot of clueless, ill-informed people in this country. Indeed, we get that, but it shouldn’t require going to a place where a bunch of inebriated, partying millennials are being asked to identify (former Taliban captive Bowe) Bergdahl and Gitmo (Guantanamo).
Frankly, Jay Leno’s “Jaywalking” around Hollywood intersections and asking current-events questions was more entertaining–and more to the point that there are major informational deficits beyond pop-culture. Plus, sober ignorance is valid.
* This happens too often. President Barack Obama, in the name of going to alternative media to connect with constituencies, belittles his office. We’ve seen him on “Comedy Central,” “The View” and YouTube with GloZell Green. Now where?
How about a video posted on “BuzzFeed’s” Facebook page that shows the president making silly faces and using a selfie stick to capture them? The video had two ostensible aims: showing the president in a more casual light and reminding viewers to sign up for health insurance. Too bad the aims were not: combating the image of an Amateur Hour Administration and not talking down to a constituency in need.
* Whether it’s about ISIS or Ukraine or Venezuela, we frequently see State Department spokespersons briefing the media about the U.S. position. Most recently it was the State Department’s Marie Harf who was providing ISIS context to Hardball host Chris Matthews on MSNBC. After acknowledging that we were, indeed, killing a lot of ISIS fighters, she went on to note that the real issue was economic conditions in the home countries of the disaffected who morph into ISIS jihadis.
“We need to help them build their economies so they can have job opportunities for these people,” Harf explained. Matthews was so taken aback by the answer that he didn’t even interrupt. Eventually he referenced those observers and religious scholars–and The Atlantic’s Graeme Wood–who see an ISIS commitment to cherry-picking the Koran and returning civilization to a 7th-century legal system and ultimately bringing about the apocalypse.
It obviously wasn’t part of her talking-points prep and she came across as frustratingly facile. Which brings up another point. The Obama Administration doesn’t need any more Amateur Hour optics. But sending out what appear to be graduate students and recent interns to mouth Administration positions and rationales is discouraging to witness. Harf is no anomaly.
* “SNL 40” was a big ratings success. Two take-aways: Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey and Billy Crystal were the most talented, versatile cast members in some of the most memorable skits. John Belushi was the most overrated cast member in some of the least entertaining, although well-referenced (“Samurai”) skits and Adam Sandler wasn’t funny, then or now.
* Among those taking advantage of (licensed) opportunities to travel to Cuba: TBS talk show host Conan O’Brien. He was there over Presidents Day weekend taping segments to be shown on Wednesday, March 4. Promos refer to it as a “a rare glimpse into the daily life of a country not often seen by American viewers.”
Before long, that will no longer be the case.
* Norman Lear’s book, “Even This I Get To Experience,” revealed that Mickey Rooney was originally under consideration for the role of Archie Bunker in “All in the Family.” Mickey Rooney over Carroll O’Connor? Did no one see Rooney in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s?”