Posted on 09/19/2008 8:18:57 PM PDT by Mike Bates
On PBS's Web site today, ombudsman Michael Getler writes of complaints over an incident during last Sunday's pledge drive. He describes the cheap shot taken by actor Mike Farrell against vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin:
According to Joseph Campbell, vice president of fundraising programs, here's what happened:
"During the broadcast of 'The 60s Live!: My Generation, My Music,' a special featuring Eric Burdon (of the Animals), the Mamas and the Papas, Roger McGuinn (of the Byrds) and others, celebrity host Mike Farrell made an unscripted remark regarding the presidency of the United States. Mr. Farrell's spontaneous comment was entirely unplanned and does not represent the views of PBS, its employees or its member stations."
Campbell explained that, aside from performance clips by many stars of the 60s and pledge breaks featuring station-produced testimonials, a number of celebrities appeared live, including Farrell. "He made the comment live and gave us no indication of his intentions. Immediately after he went off the air he was confronted about his comments and promised that he would stay 'on script' for the remainder of the telecast, and did."
The exact exchange is as follows:
While Farrell is introducing Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and Papas, Phillips says: "People may even know us as boyfriend and girlfriend from (the TV show) 'Providence.'" Then Farrell says: "'Providence' that's right. Now I've been thinking about the fact that with all your qualities and the fact that you don't know anything about economics or foreign policy that you could be in line for the Presidency!"
Getler rightly notes that making political statements while asking viewers for contributions "is just plain stupid, and contradictory to the purpose and credibility of PBS." He includes a sampling of letters received, all of which are critical.
Actor Mike Farrell's extremely liberal views and eagerness to voice them are well known and his comment should not have been totally unexpected. Still, at least PBS is recognizing that - at least during fundraisers - it's prudent to dial down the bias.
Liberals, making their way on the federal dime for decades.
EVERYONE: Freep the Gretawire.com poll asking whether Todd Palin should honor the Witch-hunt subpoena against him! (HINT: “NO”)
Mike Farrell is an idiot - but then most of Hollywood are. There are a few exceptions ... the cast of American Carol for one ...
Are they sure he wasn't talking about Obama?
Describes Obama exactly !!! :-)
Any ways, i don't give much anymore...to many organizations are to corrupt...We don't even contribute to Israeli causes any more....nothing, nada....
I was in my car and called in the donation line and got hooked up with this guy and told him that I thought the guy host a socialist. The guy told me, no, he was to the left of being a socialist and so were most of the people at the station. The next day I looked up the station on the internet to find that it was being rebroadcast from San Francisco.
Ol Mike reminds me a lot of Bugliossi these days. Their brains are shrinking.
Best sounds in the world are produced on Pacifica Foundation stations ~ we have one here in the DC area.
They’re all Commies ~ really nasty ones too ~ Stalinist black people in fact.
Guy I worked with used to be a DJ at a Pacifica station in Boston. He would say, when describing events there, “That was before my Moslem phase”.
That was a whole ‘nuther story.
He still likes Pacifica’s approach to music AND a good Halal butcher shop.
Who is Mike Farrell?
Seriously, who is he?
Mike Farrell? Didn’t his career die in Korea?
I don’t know why we have to fund that liberal BS at PBS. Or the homosexual rights station, NPR. if they can’t survive on their own, let them fail.
I think he’s the guy who won the speedwalking contest in the Olympics but I might be wrong.
This is good news, he must think McCain is going to win and if they keep screwing up maybe they’ll be defunded.
If taxpayer funded PBS management wasn't as far left as the Obama zombies are they wouldn't choose a Hollywood actor who is known to be an America-hating far left wing activist to host a fund raising program. I would as soon send a donation to Hezbollah or Hugo Chavez as to PBS.
Where in the Constitution does it give government the power to establish and operate a politically biased media outlet at public expense? Freedom of the press is one thing, state sponsored, taxpayer funded political propaganda mills are another thing altogether.
You should have then said, "Oh. So you work for free?"
He was on Mash, it was after he came that it wasn’t funny anymore and he and Alda were able to act just like they are, liberals.
Horse manure. It certainly does.
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