Barbra Streisand Is Sad

http://barbrastreisand.com/statements.html ^ | 11/4/03 | Barbra Streisand

[journey7873]

A Sad Day for Artistic Freedom

...Barbra Streisand

I am deeply disappointed that CBS, the network that in 1964 gave me complete artistic control in creating television specials, now caved in to right wing Republican pressure to cancel the network broadcast of the movie The Reagans. (And I say MOVIE - because this is NOT a documentary - it's a television drama.) The movie will now be aired on Showtime, where the difference in viewership is in the millions.

One can only imagine the kind of pressure that would compel CBS to take such an extraordinary action. This was an organized Republican spin machine at work. Remember the Dixie Chicks controversy? It wasn't the larger general public that called in to radio stations and burned CDs, it was a small group of right wing activists. In fact, now the band is more popular than ever, with a sold out summer tour.

I don't believe Democrats often, if ever, try to muscle the First Amendment like this. For example, in 1983, no one stopped NBC from airing Kennedy, a biopic that portrayed President Kennedy and other members of his family and administration as deeply flawed, even though the movie could have potentially been hurtful to Jackie Kennedy, who was still alive to see it, as well as to her children.

This is censorship, pure and simple. Well, maybe not all that pure. Censorship never is. Due to their experience with the restrictive English government, the framers of our constitution specifically included a ban on prior restraint in the First Amendment, which is an attempt to stop information from getting out there before the public has a chance to see it at all - exactly what is going on in this case. Of course, CBS as a company has the legal right to make decisions about what they do and do not air. However, these important decisions should be based on artistic integrity rather than an attempt to appease a small group of vocal dissidents. Indeed, today marks a sad day for artistic freedom - one of the most important elements of an open and democratic society.

[journey7873]

She's deeply disappointed and Tom Daschle is deeply saddened.

[dep]

this is good to know -- as a general rule, if it makes her sad, i'm for it.

[woofie]

Im deeply deeply

[Nonstatist]

And I say MOVIE - because this is NOT a documentary - it's a television drama.

Too late for the spin, Babs. You people lost.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

click

[over3Owithabrain]

So if the next Movie of the Week is an "artistic rendition" of Babs as a crack ho, she won't complain?

[Onelifetogive]

I don't believe Democrats often

Something Babs and I can agree on...

[tractorman]

Hosenose shows blows

[Nick Koss]

Shut up and sing...

Oh, on second thought, just shutup.

[KellyAdmirer]

I don't believe Democrats often, if ever, try to muscle the First Amendment like this.

Dr. Laura and several others would heartily disagree.

[E Rocc]

Call Robert Smith (of the Cure):

-Eric

[hapy]

Why dont these clinton lovers get it!
they are out and we will never let them back in.
anybody associated with the Clintons will lose in the polls and I will take great pleasure in watching Clark lose

If you are a liberal reading this, you have two options
either you leave this country on your own
or we will vote you out

bah bye

[APFel]

"I don't believe Democrats often, if ever, try to muscle the First Amendment like this."

They are called speech codes. You can find them at university and businesses everywhere.

"I don't believe..." Yeesh. Why not say that you don't believe that the grass is green, kittens can be fluffy and the Earth is round?

Ladies and gentlemen, once again, the oracle of uncritical thought. Thank you, Babs. You may sit.

[E Rocc]

Seems to be working.

-Eric

[AppyPappy]

We feel her pain

[borkrules]

Barbra Streisand is stupid.

[Cathryn Crawford]

I'd like to take a red pen to most of the things she writes.

[Onelifetogive]

CBS as a company has the legal right to make decisions about what they do and do not air. However, these important decisions should be based on artistic integrity...

Babs seems to have a pretty good grasp of the "business" of running a television network. Networks NEVER base business decisions on whether the public will watch or not...It ALL about "artistic integrity."

[exile]

Q: Why can't Barbra Streisand get Mad Cow disease?

A: Because she's a pig.

[journey7873]

Wonder if Bab's has a subscription to Showtime?