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Up to the minute notes on the current state of free thinking and free living: Kentucky moonshine - original analysis and reporting from MoreThings, and all round pop culture museum of sight and sound - photo galleries, mp3 and video downloads.
Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
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January 02, 2004
I dig Pat Caddell
For my first post in the New Year, I want to go for something of a "love thine enemies" type of thing.
To that end, let me say that I dig Pat Caddell. He's a pretty curious cat. His original professional background is as a pollster- which is where I generally expect some of the highest level of cynicism. He worked for George McGovern and Jimmy Carter way back when. Yet he's now a fairly emotional liberal ideologue, with some knowledge but only a limited interest in the horse race. For being a pollster by profession, he lashes out at Democrats who disappoint him like only a wounded idealist could.
He's a frequent guest on Hardball, and a vigorous supporter of Howard Dean. He was staunchly opposed to the Iraq war, and really doesn't like President Bush. He's pretty much of a cheese eating pinko.
Yet I find myself feeling warm fuzzy feelings for him- and it sure ain't because he's cute. I've noticed this repeatedly over the last year.
Partly, he really strikes me as honest. He might tend to put his own spin on stories, but he doesn't deny plain facts, or just make up stuff. He has a strongly different outlook on the world than me, for one, but he always seems to be very carefully trying to speak truth. He's hard nosed, but won't deny hard facts.
He speaks with an honest passion, and a careful respect for reason. Often he speaks harshly of Democrats who he thinks are screwing up. Maybe once in a year he might say just a word or two in favor of a Republican, as unnatural as it must feel to him.
Unlike many political operatives, Caddell seems to be a remarkably straight shooter. He's cool.
posted by Al at 1/02/2004 03:13:00 AM
December 30, 2003
TV Land New Year's First/Last
TVLand has a particularly groovy way of finishing off the calender year, with the Last Things/First Things shows.
On the first day of the year, they will show first episodes of tv series, including the Brady Bunch, Gunsmoke, Bonanza and Sanford and Son. It's interesting to see where some of these shows started out compared to their full glory. The differences are particularly interesting with shows featuring children. I just happened to see the first episode of Malcolm in the Middle on Fox, and the difference in the boys was actually startling.
Of the scheduled TVLand first episodes that I've seen, the first Andy Griffith show is one in particular to watch or record. It's really more dramatic than comedic, with Aunt Bea moving in, desperate for Opie's acceptance.
More interesting even than the first shows on January 1st, the Last Things final episodes on December 31 are most intriguing. Some of them come to big event endings, some have nice clip shows, some didn't know that this was the end when they were making them. They tend to have some interesting weight of sentiments built up from years of production, and they get last shots at weddings and big events of all kinds.
The final Gunsmoke "Manolo" episode was a particularly nice piece of dramatic writing, guest starring a young Robert Urich. Yet Matt Dillon was in it for maybe a minute or two, in a very perfunctory role. Festus has maybe a minute, and a couple from Doc. They made a really good product, but it's like the producers kept the show going for a couple of years after the cast were all pretty much retired. Very curious.
Interestingly, the final episode of Leave It to Beaver has stuck with me since last New Year's eve. That in itself seems like a fairly significant recommendation- particularly for such a white bread show that I never really cared about or had any emotional investment in. It's largely a clips show, but the current-time frame was beautifully, simply effective.
There was a bit of a wistful sentiment from Ward and June looking through the old pictures: Our boys are growing up. Then they ended up with the boys playing with an old toy from the attic that had been in the very first show. We're left with a beautifully stated idea of the folks positively cherishing the lingering last days of the boys' childhoods.
Lordy, I feel silly talking so seriously about Leave It To Beaver, but this was a really good send-off.
First and last episodes tend to be pretty interesting, even for shows that mostly weren't that good.
posted by Al at 12/30/2003 01:27:00 AM
December 29, 2003
Michael Jackson Interview on 60 Minutes
Michael Jackson sat down on Christmas day 2003 for an interview with Ed Bradley of 60 Minutes. COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT HERE.
If I was skeptical of Jackson going in, this interview really screams out GUILTY OF SOMETHING REALLY BAD in bold letters.
The main thing is that he was saying all kinds of big dramatic things that I find nearly impossible to believe, particularly about his time in custody while he was being booked a couple of weeks ago.
He claimed that the police, among other horrible physical abuses, absolutely dislocated his shoulder. He can't sleep, and he's in constant pain from the awful treatment at the police station. He stopped in the middle of the interview with Bradley a couple of times to complain of the supposed pain. And his unlikely stories went onward and upward from there.
Beyond anything else he said (some of it plausible, some not), there is no way in hell that he was roughed up by the cops like he's making out. They are not that goddam STUPID. There is no way in hell that these cops brought MICHAEL JACKSON in and beat him up, with 100 news trucks with satellite uplinks parked all around HQ.
His whole performance seemed like some drama queen whipping up big, extravagant lies to cover some deep hidden shame.
He also showed Bradley pictures of him with his whole inner forearm apparently horribly bruised. What I'm supposed to believe the cops did that to you, with the media gathered right outside?
It's interesting that he didn't show Bradley the injury, but photos. Bradley should have asked him to roll up his sleeve. Given his behavior throughout the rest of the interview, I would not find it difficult to believe that this was absolutely make-up, cosmetics.
I have no knowledge as to whether the specific legal charges against him are true or false. I just know I don't believe a word that's coming out of his mouth.
And he didn't get any points for ending his interview with a plea to listen to his sappy "Childhood" song. Not buying this schtick AT ALL. "Childhood" is both a crappy song and a cheap ploy for sympathy.
posted by Al at 12/29/2003 03:28:00 AM
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