MattHelm

A good Tammy Bruce book is The Death of Right and Wrong. The title says it all. She's another ex-insider and was the president of NOW years ago. In her latest book, The New American Revolution, she exposes NOW and their deceitful practices.

I think Stewart's personality is well suited for the Oscars or any award show. I'm sure he'll be the only thing keeping people awake there this year.

pktrekgirl, There is a difference between Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly, O'Reilly has been a journalist for over 30 years and only deals in facts. Stewart's a comedian. Bill's an analyst and yes, he has an opinion, but that's based on analysis of the facts. Stewart's show is entertainment, O'Reilly's is journalism. He has guests to represent both sides of issues so that you're allowed to make up your own decision based on the discourse. He has people who research the stories and he verifies their research before airing a story. Stewart just goes off the cuff and either writes his jokes based on headlines, or has someone else write them for him. I think you should watch a week of O'Reilly before condemning him. He really has no agenda and equally criticizes the left and the right. Leftwingers who never watched him accuse him of being a Republican, and Rightwingers write in accusing him of being a liberal. You might not agree with him, but I think you'll see his facts are unbiased, although he forms an opinion based on them. There's nothing wrong with that, when the facts are real and not contrived or distorted. There's only one truth and you can't get to it using loaded dice.

There are people on either side of the spectrum that can't tolerate views contrary to their own. Our perspectives are only as good as our knowledge is, on any given subject. When people ape others' opinions or plug into a collective mindset, that's when they start making accusations and/or name calling. They've reached the end of what they know and have to compensate for not being able to go the distance. I find it odd that if someone here says they don't like, say, Tyrone Power (which I don't), people are more accepting of that opinion, though they may disagree ... but say you don't like a Jon Stewart (though I do) and your opinion sparks outrage for some. I agree, people do make certain celebrities extensions of themselves and take criticism of them personally. It's fine if a celebrity or whoever is wrongfully accused of something to point out an indiscretion, to be fair, but some think if you don't like their favorite celebrities for any reason, it's the equivalent of drowning a litter of puppies. And God forbid you respond to those accusations and victimize the accuser.

I do catch Brit Hume and the All Star panel a few times a week. When Mort Kondrake talks I miss what he's saying because I stare at his hair and try and figure out if it's a toupee. I like Krauthammer's nonchalant way of leaning back in the wheelchair while giving his two cents. I like that they have their opinions but don't need to grandstand or steal each other's spotlight. Most of the yelling on the other shows comes from guests not answering and dodging questions, or trying to filibuster. My favorite is William F. Buckley. Always the gentleman, respectable and has an incredible vocabulary. His collection of memoirs Miles Gone By is great reading. Also, David Horowitz, an ex-commie who saw the light and can speak from his experiences and knowing personally the "who's who" of subversive radicals and their tactics. Tammy Bruce is also a favorite ... a liberal lesbian who gets it.

Yeah, you were pretty articulate in stating your opinion of Stewart and his taking himself seriously as a pundit, outside his show. I think it's the blindness of ideology that caused some to just assume you were rehashing Limbaugh's talking points. Some may be shocked to find that I don't listen to Limbaugh (other than when I'm in traffic since I don't get much of an option of nonmusic stations here). Nothing against him, but I'm not into political soliloquies. I'd rather hear debates on issues by knowledgeable people and see who's the best informed. I watch O'Reilly and Hannity & Colmes sometimes because I think it's important to get both sides of the issues. Also, they're the only shows you'll see where they take on judges who give child rapists slaps on the wrists, and expose them. They cover stories like towns using eminent domain to take peoples' homes away to put up condos ... sometimes the victims' appearances on the show leads to a reversal of the decisions because of the publicity. You won't see that anywhere else. But I prefer to read too, because other sources are doing the same thing and can go deeper into issues than a TV show can.

Helen, a lot of people are either conservative, independent or liberal, but that doesn't mean they have an agenda. I can give you examples all day long of mainstream media's liberal bias agenda that's based on evidence. Can you back up your pun on O'Reilly's name and give an example of one instance where he's lied (don't embarrass yourself with the Franken accusations, they've been proven false)? Or an example of where his agenda lies? What's rare in the world of journalism is that he admits his mistakes asap when he's wrong. Dan Rather still hasn't. There's one thing I find a lot of liberally minded people don't get ... there's a difference between reporting opinionated, biased news and passing it off as fact, and having a show that's based on opinions. Reporters are supposed to report the facts, not their ideological opinion; analysts opine ... get it? Drudge may be a conservative, but if you can point out an agenda on his nonpartisan site (drudgereport.com), which is all that I mentioned of him, feel free. You accuse Melanie of getting her info on Stewart second hand through Limbaugh, but you illustrate that you get yours that way about the above mentioned people. That reminds me of the Letterman show where he told O'Reilly that 60% of what he says is crap ... O'Reilly aksed him for an example to back up the accusation ... Letterman said he couldn't because he doesn't watch the show. Typical. I don't see why you're obsessed with my not mentioning everyone under the sun. I don't find any of those you mentioned annoying because they're not in-your-face idiots. I'm amazed you don't understand the difference between behavior and ideology, even after I listed conservatives that I find annoying. I'm sorry they're not the names your after. When was it that Duvall interrupted a cancer benefit to soapbox his views? What funeral did Ron Silver disrespect the dead to attack his political enenmies? Get it? That's good that you watch Jon Stewart, but I never said that he only appeals to those under 30 (one word ... bifocals). I said that most over 30 either don't know who he is or just don't watch him. It's common sense that Comedy Central's core audience is of a younger age demographic. I don't see why you're begging me, if you look back at all the posts, I never once started a political discussion, only responded to or joined in them. I think it was you who started it ... No?

I don't even attend the Oscars, nor accept the ones I win ... it's so bourgeois. Message was edited by: MattHelm

I already ordered both Wanderer and Voyage earlier after mentioning them here today. I've been meaning to read them for years after reading about Hayden in a memoir by Barnaby Conrad called Name Dropping, about the celebrities that frequented his night club, El Matador. That book is a great read too. Voyage is still in print but I got a used copy of both books for 75 cents a piece on Half.com.

I don't bother with most TV news either, it's like "(blank) on a bull." Everything you need to know that happens is conveniently on the Drudge Report site, and the many blogs that look past the superficiality of the agenda driven mainstream media. I don't think having Jon Stewart host the Oscars is going to help its already doomed ratings, since most over 30 either don't know who he is or just don't care.

Ditto on Lupino and Hayden. Hayden's life story would make a great movie. He turned his back on Hollywood, kidnapped his kids after a messy divorce, and took them sailing around the world. He wrote an autobiography called Wanderer after that, and a novel about the sea.

I think a good example though, of one host who can't rise above his politics is Letterman. I was almost embarrassed for him when he dropped the fun host mantle and verbally attacked Bill O'Reilley on his show. O'Reilley actually kept it light which made Letterman look real bad, and stole his applause from him. The he provided Dave with a window to segue back into a jovial end to the segment. He basically rescued him from making himself look worse. Leno must have loved that.

Thanks, I wasn't familiar with Hodel's book but I'll check it out. I wonder if it can ever really be solved. I don't mind Ellroy's writing now, since I read American Tabloid and the sequel before the older books. I saw online that a 16 year old made an indie version of AT with the oldest kid in it being 19, and that they mispronounce some of the names. That ought to be a laugh. I never read the Matt Helm books, I'm a fan of Dino and love the films ... you have to be to love these movies. Aside from ruining the books, half of these flicks are really nothing other than greeting cards to Sinatra, which make them even funnier, with the not-so-private jokes. In a couple of them, it's obvious that Dino never even saw the script, nevermind read it. Now that Ausitn Powers has pretty much ripped off the Matt Helms, it would be nice to see straight versions of the books made into movies.

I wish they had started by making The Big Nowhere first, that way the heroin racket that Dudley Smith was involved in, in L.A. Confidential, would have made more sense. And Buzz Meeks wouldn't have been such a nothing character. But I love L.A. Confidential, and as is, they did a good job tying up the peices to make a coherent movie out of it. Showtime did a series years ago based on Buzz Meeks, Mickey Cohen and Howard Hughes, called Fallen Angels ... did you ever see it? I haven't, but would love to even though Gary Busey plays Meeks. I'm a bit skeptical of the Dahlia's cast ... I can't imagine bucked teeth on Hartnett.

Stewart, regardless of his views, doesn't degrade guests and has a good political balance in his choice of guests, and treats them well while still having fun with them. Yeah, it is a smarter version of SNL news ... except when Dennis Miller used to be on there. I find it scary that anyone gets their news from any form of entertainment. Message was edited by: MattHelm

Stoney, The Black Dahlia is based on the James Ellroy book, which I've been waiting to come to the screen for ages. So far, we only have one Ellroy book made into a movie, L.A. Confidential, which was done very well, though it was a LOT different from the book. But I'm worried about De Palma because I think he's incredibly overrated and has made a career out of mimicking other directors' styles. I just hope he mimics a good noir director this time around. The actual Dahlia case files were just recently unsealed and a new book on it believes that Bugsy Siegel was involved.

I like the taxi and cabbie parts in Midnight ... the cabbies driving around looking for Colbert for Ameche. My favorite car scene is the opening to Thunder Road, where Mitchums face is obscured by the car frame between the windshield and the driver's window ... then the camera pans and reveals Mitchum through the windshield as he suavely lights up a cigarette. Message was edited by: MattHelm

I do find Jon Stewart funny, but yeah at times he takes himself too seriously. Like Bill Maher, he omits facts to customize his political jokes, which can be damaging since a great deal of his/their audience is going to be naive enough to think that the joke is based solely on fact.

From Becket: Richard Burton: Tonight you can do me the honor of christening my forks. Peter O'Toole: Forks? RB: Yes, from Florence. New little invention. It's for pronging meat and carrying it to the mouth. It saves you dirtying your fingers. PO: But then you dirty the fork. RB: Yes, but it's washable. PO: So are your fingers. I don't see the point.

Suddenly?

For me, years ago it used to be Arthur Kennedy and Kevn McCarthy.

Scarlett, I used to have that line on my old answering machine years ago ... "What we have here is failure to communicate ... some men, just can't be reached ... beeeeeeep, please leave a message." In your honor, I shall add the song that Luke sings after he learns that his mother has died ... "Plastic Jesus." "I don't care if it rains or freezes long as I got my plastic Jesus sittin' on the dashboard of my car, comes in colors pink and pleasant, glows in the dark 'cause it's iridescent take it with you when you travel far. Get yourself a sweet Madonna dressed in rhinestone, sittin' on a pedestal of Abalone shell, going 90 I ain't scary 'cause I got the Virgin Mary assurin' me that I won't go to Hell." Message was edited by: MattHelm

I think a great part of that fascination for a young mind is the sound aspect of Rear Window. It's one of the few early films to depend on background sounds to add to the film's setting. You can close your eyes during this movie and still be in Jimmy Stewart's apartment. One of the best audible experiences in the movie is the sound of the rain, which is only rivaled by Kurosawa.

I wanted people to think along those lines ... those **** movies are open to so many interpretations, but say sci-fi or apes and the jig is up.

Harrer spent many of those seven years in the Himalayans looking for the Yetti. I think that would have made for a more interesting movie if they went from monks to monkee man.