CBS yields on Reagan movie - Streisand screeches

Washington Times ^ | 11/05/03 | Jennifer Harper

[kattracks]

CBS will not broadcast a miniseries about the legacy of former President Ronald Reagan, conceding yesterday that the production "does not present a balanced portrayal of the Reagans."

But the project is still alive and kicking. In a deft scheduling maneuver, CBS will now air the "The Reagans" on cable channel Showtime, owned by Viacom, the parent company to both networks.

[Tabi Katz]

"Oh dear... BS trying to stick her nose into everything."

How could she avoid it?

[Simmy2.5]

You got to look at it from BS's point of view. On her planet, everything she sees is the truth. Everything else is a lie. Especailly about the lies that got us into Iran. ;-)

[KneelBeforeZod]

merv is qualified to comment on cowards because he was never afraid to molest the males on his staff.

[KneelBeforeZod]

geez, thats a terrible thing to happen to babs since she fought so hard to keep dr laura's show on tv. these two defeats must really have her down.

[Fawnn]

Shut up Barrrabraa, and go powder you nose.
(That should keep her busy for a long while.)

LOL!!! She's one diva who obviously can't gracefully take a dive.

BARF-NOSE ALERT!!!

[FixitGuy]

I think they need to round up all those mouthy Hollywood liberals and put them on an ice floe!

They wouldn't be any more disconnected from reality, and damn sure nobody would miss 'em!

[river rat]

Sounds like the looney bitch has gone "postal" on us...
Too bad...

Maybe she'll have a stroke and leave us in peace...

Semper Fi

[witnesstothefall]

Headline News is still describing it as a docu-drama.

Viacom still intends to distribute this slanderous pack of lies to millions of viewers inside and outside America.

Unless they are stopped.

[leprechaun9]

CBS should still be held responsible if this partial birth production is broadcast by anyone. CBS is the creator and producer and must get the blame!

It is not sufficient for CBS to take a financial loss as long as the big lie (appropriate for B.S.) gets told.

[CheneyChick]

From her website.....

A Sad Day for Artistic Freedom

...Barbra Streisand
Posted on November 4, 2003

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.

[kattracks]

Indeed, today marks a sad day for artistic freedom - one of the most important elements of an open and democratic society.

No, today marks a great day when the American people tell you Hollyweird people that your leftist swill will no longer be quietly accepted.

[wizardoz]

Suppose we made a movie wherein Clinton is shown having sex with a cow or something? They'd scream their heads off. But they would be right to do so, because that would be a slanderous falsehood (I hope.)

Protesting a slanderous falsehood is hardly "censorship."

These people aren't worth further thought.

[InvisibleChurch]

Yesss...excellent!

[mikeb704]

Suppose we made a movie wherein Clinton is shown having sex with a cow or something?

Let's keep Hillary out of this.

[Quix]

Sooooo, Boobs-challenged VeryTryingNTheSand

farts out both ends again.

Light a match and move away quickly.

Take a shower, Take communion and possibly take an exorcism for walking too close to it's Screeching Pontificance.

[Bryan]

I noticed that on her website, Streisand is calling this "censorship." Anyone with even an elementary understanding of First Amendment law knows that censorship can only be done by an agency of the government. There is no suggestion that the FCC or any other part of government was involved in this.

When asked what historic figure he would most like to portray in a biographical movie, Ed Asner said that he would choose to portray Stalin. Given his politics, it's clear that such a movie would be at least as fictionalized as "The Reagans" ... but to improve Stalin's image rather than to smear it.

[Bryan]

http://andrewsullivan.com/index.php?dish_inc=archives/2003_10_12_dish_archive.html#106601479467537790

Asner: "I think Joe Stalin was a guy that was hugely misunderstood. And to this day, I don't think I have ever seen an adequate job done of telling the story of Joe Stalin, so I guess my answer would have to be Joe Stalin."

[TontoKowalski]

She also says on her website:

Indeed, today marks a sad day for artistic freedom - one of the most important elements of an open and democratic society.

Indeed. What would America be without artistic freedom. I remember specifically that phrase in the Constitution (which I choose to capitalize, even if Babs does not... call it artistic freedom) in which the framers wax poetically about religious symbols displayed in urine and dildo exhibits in public libraries.

[Bryan]

And don't forget the performance art clause.