Nice Going, PBS

Isn't it wonderful to know that the Public Broadcasting System is so scared of a celebrity half-term governor that they would edit a speech given by Tina Fey during her acceptance of, of all things, The Mark Twain Prize?

Here's what they edited out:

“The success of Sarah Palin and women like her is good for all women—except, of course those who will end up, you know, like, paying for their own rape 'kit 'n' stuff. But for everybody else, it's a win-win. Unless you're a gay woman who wants to marry your partner of 20 years—whatever. But for most women, the success of conservative women is good for all of us. Unless you believe in evolution. You know—actually, I take it back. The whole thing's a disaster."

From the Kennedy Center website, here's part of the description of what the award is about:

...As a social commentator, satirist and creator of characters, Samuel Clemens was a fearless observer of society, who startled many while delighting and informing many more with his uncompromising perspective of social injustice and personal folly. He revealed the great truth of humor when he said "against the assault of laughter nothing can stand."

PBS said the speech was edited because of time concerns. It's a shame they didn't read what the Mark Twain Prize was all about before editing out the very crux of what Twain would have applauded. Guess they really needed those 40 seconds or so.

Kayne West Is A Dick

I don't usually write about pop culture on my blog and those who frequent this site know my musical tastes are not mainstream by any means, but last night's display by Kanye West at the MTV Video Music Awards was something truly sickening to watch and I felt the need to comment.

The first time I'd ever heard of Kanye West was when he uttered his now famous, "George Bush doesn't care about black people" quote during a broadcast concert for hurricane relief to benefit Katrina victims. His emotions got the better of him that night and I thought then that either he was pretty ballsy or pretty stupid. Now I know it was the latter. If you weren't sure before, you certainly know it now.

Taylor Swift got a surprise when she accepted the award for Best Female Video at Sunday night's MTV Video Music Awards.

After Swift, looking shocked, beat out Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Pink and Beyonce for the honor, she took the stage and accepted the award. As she was thanking MTV, Kanye West ran up on stage, took her microphone, and said Beyonce had been robbed for her "Single Ladies" video.

"Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!"

Swift, 19, stood silently holding her trophy, cameras cut to Beyonce looking stunned in the crowd, and MTV then cut to break.

MTV Shows

What. A. Dick. Just goes to show you that money doesn't buy class. Or brains. Or a good haircut.

Luckily, Beyonce is pretty damned classy herself and when she was awarded Video of the Year towards the end of the program, she called out to Taylor Swift to come on stage and finish her interrupted acceptance speech.

MTV Shows

New found respect for Beyonce! And Kanye can kiss my ass. He has since apologized on his blog for his intrusion in an obviously effort at damage control, but sometimes an apology just doesn't mean anything. You can't always do what you want and think an apology will make it all go away. And it's clear that he still doesn't get it.

"I'm in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment," he wrote. "Beyonce's video was the best of this decade . . . I'm sorry to my fans if I let you guys down . . . I'm sorry to my friends at MTV . . . I will apologize to Taylor."

Sorry, Kanye, it's too late. Maybe you should have sought out Taylor and apologized before posting your ALL-CAPS comment on your blog. And if you're going to apologize, don't try to justify your actions in the apology. Asshole.

Kanye West doesn't care about 19-year old white country singers!

O-BAM!-A

Barack Obama responds to Sarah Palin's acceptance attack at the Republican National Convention. He hits back nicely, but stays above the fray refraining from attacking Palin.



He's not taking the bait. Suck it, Republicans!

Palin's Speech - Some Thoughts

[Updated below...]

I was holding off in judgment of someone I'd never heard speak publicly, except for the video bits here and there about Hillary Clinton whining or asking what a vice president does. Here's my analysis: Same shit, different mouth.

Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska pulled no punches, was sarcastic, snarky and spewed the usual lies and smears regarding Barack Obama. But if you think about it, that was her job, to deliver a speech written by the McCain flunkies and solidify the base. Job well done.

I was hoping to hear some substance, some policy ideas or initiatives that this campaign plans to instill (if they happen to win the White House) on Day One, but got nothing. And maybe that's the job of John McCain tomorrow night, although I think I've heard his ideas of "drill here - drill now" and "I'm going to win this war by winning it," so I'm not expecting too much tomorrow night.

The "blame the media" card was pathetic as well. It seems that it's sexist for the media to try and find out what Sarah Palin's qualifications are for the vice presidency and actually vet the candidate in a proper fashion, something the McCain campaign didn't do. At least, the McCain campaign is calling it sexist... I guess I missed McCain coming to Hillary Clinton's defense when the media was scrutinizing her.

Hopefully, the media will remain the media and not revert to the McCainstream Media that we've seen this long campaign season. I'm optimistic because it looks like they're not too happy about McCain crying about the media. Joe Klein isn't having any of it:

There is a tendency in the media to kick ourselves, cringe and withdraw, when we are criticized. But I hope my colleagues stand strong in this case: it is important for the public to know that Palin raised taxes as governor, supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she opposed it, pursued pork-barrel projects as mayor, tried to ban books at the local library and thinks the war in Iraq is "a task from God." The attempts by the McCain campaign to bully us into not reporting such things are not only stupidly aggressive, but unprofessional in the extreme.

We'll see what transpires over the next couple of weeks. Biden had better unload and pull no punches because Sarah Palin won't.

More later...

UPDATE (9:40am):

Will Bunch - Attytood: Palin's Speech To Nowhere

HuffPo - AP: Attacks, Praise Stretch Truth At GOP Convention

Crooks & Liars - Attn: Media: Earmark-loving Sarah Palin is not a reformer

Top GOP Pundits Peggy Noonan, Mike Murphy Caught On Tape Disparaging Palin Choice: "Political Bullshit," "Gimmicky"


UPDATE II (2:25pm):

McCain's Latest Stunt - May Deliver Speech From Gustav Disaster Area

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind at this point that John McCain has gone absolutely stark raving mad.

McCain was scheduled to deliver his acceptance speech Thursday but now may do so from the devastation zone if the storm hits the U.S. coast with the ferocity feared by forecasters.

“It just wouldn’t be appropriate to have a festive occasion while a near-tragedy or a terrible challenge is presented in the form of a natural disaster,” McCain said in a taped interview for Fox News Sunday.

So going into a disaster area and utilizing resources that would be put to better use for evacuation, rescue and safety is a better idea?! And now I'm reading some comments on left wing leaning blogs that this can work to McCain's advantage if recovery efforts go swiftly - as if he would have anything to do with those efforts except delaying them due to his presence. Has everyone gone insane thinking that McCain using a hurricane disaster as a backdrop for his acceptance speech is a good thing?

Actually, it's a great thing - FOR DEMOCRATS! Let the motherfucker go make that speech in the aftermath of a hurricane. How can it look like anything other than the mother of all political stunts?! With any luck, McPander will get washed away by the Hurricane Gods for daring to mock them.

Three years after Katrina, the Republicans will prove that they have learned absolutely nothing if they make the decision to speechify in a disaster area. In fact, they've already proven their lack of understanding by even considering such an option. The idea that a presidential candidate would go to a dangerous area for a political speech, taking countless resources away from those in need is mindboggling to me. And what would the McCainstream Media say if it were Obama who decided to make this demented decision?

The only logical reason to make a decision like this if I were working for the McCain camp is to avoid the disgrace of a sad sack convention punctuated by an awful acceptance speech in front of a sleepy, "we have no other choice" crowd. It also shows how McCain is being run by his campaign and not the other way around, for surely it was some nitwit on his staff who made this suggestion. If not, if it was actually McCain's idea, then it's only a matter of time before his head explodes with lunacy... I'm guessing sometime around the debates.

(H/T Cesca)

Just A Regular Joe...

... and exactly the type of guy we want standing next to Barack Obama in the White House.