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September 26, 2008
Why Does This Bother Me?
It's NY Post by way of Defamer, so we are starting with a pleasure in gossip, but...
Why does it make me very, very uncomfortable when major newspapers find themselves in the business of streaming public figures' private phone conversations for nothing but their own amusement and the amusement of their audiences?
I am not shocked by anything on these tapes. But is it really a fair moral choice - forget about journalistic choices - to embarrass any of these people because the opportunity to do so, over an 11 year old movie?
I admit it... I am as curious as anyone to see Marilyn Monroe fellate a Kennedy on grainy Super 8, but I think I would be disgusted if a major paper got a copy of the film (if it really exists) and ran the frame-by frame like Zapruder.
Even the Alec Baldwin thing with his daughter… just unnecessary. And we in the journalistic community seem to forget to ask ourselves, “Whose motives are we serving?”
Don’t even get me started on ignoramuses who built their rep 100% on cronyism and peeks at other the reporting of others only to accuse others of the same with nothing constructive to add to the conversation while embarrassing others via private communications that should have remained private.
Occasionally, exposure of audio or video has value to the good of the community. But it is very rare. Much more often, it is about gossip. And I don’t need to know about DeNiro’s wish to get paid for a movie, spun into a childish ego fit, anymore than I need to know what body part Lindsay Lohan is resting her tongue on. Enough already.
Posted by dpoland at September 26, 2008 11:54 AM
Comments
"...anymore than I need to know what body part Lindsay Lohan is resting her tongue on. "
HOT. TOTAL RAGER.
Also, "any more" should be two words there.
Posted by: LexG ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 26, 2008 01:07 PM
Well, the real point on this particular case is, "Who gives a shit?" It's not even revelatory of...anything. But I get, and side with, your point.
Posted by: Kristopher Tapley at September 26, 2008 03:11 PM
I agree with DP's point as well. In this age, any public person who has any notion of privacy has to be obsessively withdrawn or reticent. Forget about letting your guard down. Almost everyone has a phone with camera/video capabilities these days. Any idle chitchat might end up on a blog. Its unfortunate.
Posted by: mysteryperfecta at September 26, 2008 03:21 PM
Paul Newman has died. Let us celebrate him and his brilliant career (and if anybody like Chucky or Lex says we shouldn't because they're old or whatever then they can pretty much fuck off forever thank you).
So many classic performances, how does one pick just one to represent their feelings toward the man.
I gotta say though, if Liz Taylor were to pass this weekend too.... well... that'd just be awful.
Posted by: KamikazeCamelV2.0 at September 27, 2008 08:07 AM
I realise that may come off as mean towards Lex (pfft) but I couldn't remember who it was exactly who made such horrible comments after the passing of Anthony Minghella recently.
Posted by: KamikazeCamelV2.0 at September 27, 2008 08:20 AM
Way to accuse someone of something they didn't, and wouldn't, do. You could've, you know, taken 14 seconds to google the Minghella thread to find the culprit, but I guess it's classier to blame someone you don't like.
And not two days ago, you wrongly attributed someone else's dumb X-Files predictions to me as well. What's next, KCamel, gonna take me to task for my name-checking/Oscar-whoring obsession?
I won't hold my breath waiting for the apology I'm owed, Mr. Moral High Ground.
Posted by: LexG at September 27, 2008 05:52 PM
Gee Lex, you're getting extra attention without having to work for it, you should be happy.
Posted by: jeffmcm at September 27, 2008 06:29 PM
Wait, is LexG the right-wing Canadian, or the guy who's always cursing everyone out and telling them not to "play?" It's hard to keep up around here.
:)
Posted by: yancyskancy at September 27, 2008 09:32 PM
Actually, I think LexG would have had a great time hanging with Paul Newman. They both have/had a way with the ladies.
http://movingpictureblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/remembering-paul-newman.html
Posted by: Joe Leydon at September 27, 2008 10:47 PM
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