CBS Execs LOVED "The Reagans" TV Movie Smear

Media Research Center via E-Mail | November 3, 2003 | Brent Baker

[PJ-Comix]

CBS's The Reagans, Item One of Three. "Before a New York Times story last month detailed conservatives' complaints," about the CBS mini-series The Reagans, this week's Newsweek disclosed, "network executives reportedly loved the movie. 'They all thought it was brilliant,' says someone who worked on the film." But now, with CBS reeling in response to the angry reaction for the movie's derogatory and made up portrayal of the Reagans, the production crew is refusing to cooperate with CBS's editing demands, Newsweek reported.

Newsweek's Sean Smith and Marc Peyser wrote: "Director Robert Allan Ackerman has opted out of the editing, and CBS executives are now cutting it themselves. As one person close to the film says, 'It's being edited with a machete.'" And it may not even end up on CBS: "Sources tell Newsweek that the network has even considered selling the $9 million film to Showtime."

Already, the Newsweek duo reported, "the most incendiary line -- where Nancy asks the President to do more for AIDS victims and he replies, 'They that live in sin shall die in sin' -- has been cut."

An excerpt from the story in the November 10 edition of Newsweek:

President Reagan is lounging in his pajamas trying to watch TV when Nancy starts that old argument again. "Al Haig's got to go," she tells Ron. Nancy never liked Haig, and now she's needling her husband again. "You know what he did when you were in the hospital?" she asks. "I know he thought he was going to take control, but that's not so bad," Ron says amiably, between bites of an Oreo. Finally, she swoops in front of the President, placing her blood-red nightgown between him and the television, and gets him where it hurts most. "Get rid of Al, Ronnie, or you're never going to end the cold war!" Bingo. "All right!" he says. "Now get off my goddamn back, will you?"...

"The Reagans" was always meant to be a warts-and-all portrait of an American icon, with ample attention to the President's hands-off approach to governing, his wife's behind-the-scenes power plays and their estrangement from their children. Still, CBS thought the movie was, so to speak, fair and balanced. It credits Reagan with defeating the Soviet Union, and its central theme is the First Couple's love affair. The script was vetted by two teams of lawyers, and producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan, who would not be interviewed by NEWSWEEK, have insisted that every fact (though not every line of dialogue) is supported by at least two sources....

But the day the Times's story broke -- "The Reagans" crew calls it "Black Tuesday" -- the movie instantly became trouble. CBS chairman Leslie Moonves, who approved both the script and a juicy eight-minute trailer, ordered the lawyers to look at the movie again, and asked for assurances that the facts were all in order. When he was told everything was fine, Moonves started editing anyway....

Of course if CBS does dump the movie on Showtime -- both owned by Viacom -- much of the heat would dissipate into the cable ether. But some who worked on the film worry about the long-term implications of "The Reagans" controversy. "This is censorship," says one source....

END of Excerpt

For the Newsweek story in full, with a not very interesting 30-second Windows Media Player clip from the film's take on the assassination attempt: http://www.msnbc.com/news/987895.asp

The DrudgeReport on Sunday night posted a new item with additional dialogue from the movie. See: http://www.drudgereport.com/rr6.htm

[PJ-Comix]

But the day the Times's story broke -- "The Reagans" crew calls it "Black Tuesday" -- the movie instantly became trouble. CBS chairman Leslie Moonves, who approved both the script and a juicy eight-minute trailer, ordered the lawyers to look at the movie again, and asked for assurances that the facts were all in order.

Howard Stern described Les Moonves perfectly---"a snake in the grass." Moonves loved this TV smear until he started catching flak and is now pretending he didn't really know all about the errors. As stated above, Moonves APPROVED both the script and the incredibly cheesy trailer.

I received this MRC report via e-mail and it should appear on the MRC.Com website later today.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

CBS should be edited with a machete.

[LavaDog]

"This is censorship,"

Liberals need to start learning the meanings of phrases that they continuiously throw around. The one above is just like the fabricated "seperation between church and state is in the Constitution" line that they always use.

[I still care]

'"The Reagans" was always meant to be a warts-and-all portrait of an American icon'


Gee, I think I'll hold my breath until we get a Clinton "warts and all" movie. No? How about a Nixon "warts and all" movie? Wait - that's been done.

This couldn't be partisan, could it? Naaah.

You know, if CBS had had the intelligence to do an accurate movie of Reagan, showing the incredible triumphs the man achieved, they could REALLY have had a blockbuster. But that would run counter to everything they believe in.

[sirchtruth]

But that would run counter to everything they believe in.

More importamtly it would run counter to the TRUTH!

[upchuck]

Thanks for the post, P-J. Sounds like we're making a little headway.

"This is censorship," says one source....

No, this is, "Perventing a bunch of lies and made up stuff from being broadcast to the American public." Just a tad bit of difference.

[Rutles4Ever]

Imagine the outcry if...

Proposal: Biopic -- "The Clinton Administration"

Network: FOX

Synopsis: President Clinton has Vince Foster murdered. Several more people connected with the First Family are mysteriously murdered in Arkansas as this tawdry tale unfolds.

[XJarhead]

We made a mistake in pushing for this thing to be edited. Had it been aired with the worst of those scenes intact, it would have destroyed its own credibility. By taking out the worst of the scenes, they may be able to salvage some respectibility and plausibility for the more subtle smears. We should have let them hang themselves.

[Cicero]

I haven't heard any Freepers saying that it should be edited. They have simply been outraged that Moonves has shown his true colors once again.

Personally, I've repeatedly said that editing is pointless. The movie should be canned completely, because the two principal actors make Reagan look like an idiot who can't tie his shoes and Nancy look like a tyrannous shrew. That will come through just in the tones of their voices and the expressions of their faces, no matter how much is cut.

[longtermmemmory]

Of course if CBS does dump the movie on Showtime -- both owned by Viacom -- much of the heat would dissipate into the cable ether. But some who worked on the film worry about the long-term implications of "The Reagans" controversy. "This is censorship," says one source....

*** *** **** ***

Well the ownership explains the move. However this would not settle the matter, CBS will remain a target due to ownership AND the EUROPEAN DISTRIBUTION!

Showtime would be a stupid move because people will easily cancel the showtime subscription off their cable bill.

The sale to showtime is smoke and mirrors.

[whereasandsoforth]

"This is censorship,"

Whoever said that is not a very intelligent person. This is about stopping slander and lies. To wait until it airs is too late. You don't patch your rowboat on the bottom of the lake.

[ridesthemiles]

Howard Stern described Les Moonves perfectly---"a snake in the grass."

You would think that a lady as attractive as Julie Chen could find someone better to sleep with.....

[kidd]

"This is censorship," says one source....

No its not. There is no government involvement in this whatsoever. The viewers are exercising their freedom of speech. CBS is free to exercise its freedom of speech, but it will cost them viewers and advertisers to do so. There is no right to viewers and advertisers.