I was at Disneyland Sunday when my sister called to say Brittney Murphy had died.
My first reaction was “Oh, that’s too bad.” Then the journalist in me kicked in and wanted to know more. But, in this TMZ world, true facts don’t always make themselves known right away.
Rampant speculation on the other hand, runs wild.
Stephanie and I are both big believers in journalistic integrity. We detest TMZ, Access Hollywood and the like. Sitting there in New Orleans Square I decided that I would wait and watch it on CNN before I came to any conclusions.
The Internet on the other hand, already knew that Murphy died because of an eating disorder or cocaine use. The fact is that no one knows what really happened and won’t for a few weeks.
We’ll talk more about this during the news segment of the next “Inscaped” which we are shooting Wednesday morning.
Showing posts with label media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label media. Show all posts
Monday, December 21, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Spoiler sport alert time
As I talked about on Monday, "District 9" has been getting great buzz and some really good reviews. On Monday it had 15 good reviews and zero negative reviews.
Today on Rotten Tomatoes I noticed it was now at 96 percent, with 25 good reviews and only one negative review.
I clicked on the link to take me to the collection of reviews. As the page loaded I thought to myself "he wouldn't" and "there is no way he's going to do this again."
I scrolled down to see who the negative review came from and like getting socks on Christmas the realization came true.
Armond White was the negative reviewer.
Of-bloody-course. White, throughout the past year (that I have been following) seems to be the first person out of the gate to give a bad review to a movie that everyone likes ("Star Trek") or give a good review to a film that everyone dislikes ("Dance Flick"). He has become predictable in a very evil way.
On Rotten Tomatoes it posts a one sentence segment from the review to give you a sense of what the critic was thinking. Here is White's:
"District 9 represents the sloppiest and dopiest pop cinema -- the kind that comes from a second-rate film culture."
Now let's just look at a sample of what another, notable, critic said. This time let's look at the Associated Press' Christy Lemire (who's rumored to be working on the new Ebert/Roeper show):
"This is one intense, intelligent, well-crafted action movie — one that dazzles the eye with seamless special effects but also makes you think without preaching."
I posted this because it seems to be the common thought among the other critics, the film is smart and looks awesome.
My journalistic curiosity got the best of me and I clicked on the link to read his full review.
Oh, boy.
One thing you'll notice when you read a White review is that he likes to compare films to things... a lot. Check out how he ends his review and yes, this is how he ended it.
"Fools will accept District 9 for fantasy, yet its use of parable and symbolism also evoke the almost total misunderstanding that surrounds the circumstance of racial confusion and frustration recently seen when Harvard University tycoon Henry Louis Gates Jr. played the race card against a white Cambridge cop. Opening so soon after that event—and adding to its unending media distortion—District 9 confirms that few media makers know how to perceive history, race and class relations."
I think we might have to take a crack at this on Friday during "Viewpoints On..." The material is just too good to pass up.
To close I want to post a few of the responses that White's review got on Rotten Tomatoes, funny stuff:
DPK99 writes: HaHa! Of course. I only wish that I could gamble in Vegas with the same success I have at predicting when Armond is going to give a bad review. I would be a very rich man.
Ryan D. writes: the ol' devil's advocate!! what a d-bag.
omilio writes: I don't see a single movie unless Armond gives it a bad review. I pray he never has a fresh fruit next to his pic otherwise I'll never go to the movies again.
Wait... there's more.
I was getting ready to log off when I noticed he posted a review of "G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra."
If you had a million dollars, you would know where to bet it... he liked it.
" G.I. Joe must be understood as an authentic measurement of our cultural values. Its appeal to the pop-commercial synapses also demonstrates livelier filmmaking than such utter banality as Iron Man and Star Trek and Harry Potter’s Half-Blooded Chintz."
Yes, he said "G.I. Joe" was better than "Iron Man, "Harry Potter" and "Star Trek."
My head hurts.
Today on Rotten Tomatoes I noticed it was now at 96 percent, with 25 good reviews and only one negative review.
I clicked on the link to take me to the collection of reviews. As the page loaded I thought to myself "he wouldn't" and "there is no way he's going to do this again."
I scrolled down to see who the negative review came from and like getting socks on Christmas the realization came true.
Armond White was the negative reviewer.
Of-bloody-course. White, throughout the past year (that I have been following) seems to be the first person out of the gate to give a bad review to a movie that everyone likes ("Star Trek") or give a good review to a film that everyone dislikes ("Dance Flick"). He has become predictable in a very evil way.
On Rotten Tomatoes it posts a one sentence segment from the review to give you a sense of what the critic was thinking. Here is White's:
"District 9 represents the sloppiest and dopiest pop cinema -- the kind that comes from a second-rate film culture."
Now let's just look at a sample of what another, notable, critic said. This time let's look at the Associated Press' Christy Lemire (who's rumored to be working on the new Ebert/Roeper show):
"This is one intense, intelligent, well-crafted action movie — one that dazzles the eye with seamless special effects but also makes you think without preaching."
I posted this because it seems to be the common thought among the other critics, the film is smart and looks awesome.
My journalistic curiosity got the best of me and I clicked on the link to read his full review.
Oh, boy.
One thing you'll notice when you read a White review is that he likes to compare films to things... a lot. Check out how he ends his review and yes, this is how he ended it.
"Fools will accept District 9 for fantasy, yet its use of parable and symbolism also evoke the almost total misunderstanding that surrounds the circumstance of racial confusion and frustration recently seen when Harvard University tycoon Henry Louis Gates Jr. played the race card against a white Cambridge cop. Opening so soon after that event—and adding to its unending media distortion—District 9 confirms that few media makers know how to perceive history, race and class relations."
I think we might have to take a crack at this on Friday during "Viewpoints On..." The material is just too good to pass up.
To close I want to post a few of the responses that White's review got on Rotten Tomatoes, funny stuff:
DPK99 writes: HaHa! Of course. I only wish that I could gamble in Vegas with the same success I have at predicting when Armond is going to give a bad review. I would be a very rich man.
Ryan D. writes: the ol' devil's advocate!! what a d-bag.
omilio writes: I don't see a single movie unless Armond gives it a bad review. I pray he never has a fresh fruit next to his pic otherwise I'll never go to the movies again.
Wait... there's more.
I was getting ready to log off when I noticed he posted a review of "G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra."
If you had a million dollars, you would know where to bet it... he liked it.
" G.I. Joe must be understood as an authentic measurement of our cultural values. Its appeal to the pop-commercial synapses also demonstrates livelier filmmaking than such utter banality as Iron Man and Star Trek and Harry Potter’s Half-Blooded Chintz."
Yes, he said "G.I. Joe" was better than "Iron Man, "Harry Potter" and "Star Trek."
My head hurts.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Let Michael rest in peace
As a longtime, loyal Michael Jackson fan I have to say I'm ready for the media coverage to move on. Without getting into the debate about how he should be remembered (I choose to honor the music) I think we can all agree that the coverage has become repetitive and more of a guessing game than solid journalism.
I know the memorial is tomorrow and that it will consume the news cycle, however, once it's over I think it's time for the media to move on.
As a fan, I'm finding it hard to deal with my emotions with the constant news coverage populating my television. I can only imagine how this must be affecting his family. As a journalist I understand the need to stay on a story this big, but at this point the media is just speculating and prolonging the grieving process.
So for the sake of Jackson's children, family, friends and fans, CNN, Access Hollywood and all the rest need to let the man rest in peace, which is all he ever wanted when he was alive.
I know the memorial is tomorrow and that it will consume the news cycle, however, once it's over I think it's time for the media to move on.
As a fan, I'm finding it hard to deal with my emotions with the constant news coverage populating my television. I can only imagine how this must be affecting his family. As a journalist I understand the need to stay on a story this big, but at this point the media is just speculating and prolonging the grieving process.
So for the sake of Jackson's children, family, friends and fans, CNN, Access Hollywood and all the rest need to let the man rest in peace, which is all he ever wanted when he was alive.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The demise of Vibe
With today's announcement that Vibe magazine is ending publication, I have begun to wonder if anyone is still reading magazines? However, I quickly realized that it's not that people aren't reading magazines, it's that they're not buying them.
Despite cutting circulation, workdays and staff, Vibe magazine has become the latest casualty of the recession.
For the uninformed, Vibe was a urban publication that focused on hip-hop and r&b and became popular in the 90s when hip-hop became the most listened to music on the planet. It also frequently covered issues important to the African-American community, like race relations, hip-hop controversies and problems facing Black families.
Vibe was famous for its covers, which often featured the hottest artists of the moment, usually before they hit Rolling Stone or Blender.
Vibe was also known for its interviews, where subjects would say things that they would never say to more mainstream magazines. Many of today's biggest stars like Lil Wayne and T.I. were discovered in the pages of Vibe.
The demise of Vibe is not just a blow to the media industry, it is a huge hit to African-Americans.
The voice of a community has been silenced. We can only hope that when the economy recovers Vibe will be able to bounce back, stronger than ever.
Despite cutting circulation, workdays and staff, Vibe magazine has become the latest casualty of the recession.
For the uninformed, Vibe was a urban publication that focused on hip-hop and r&b and became popular in the 90s when hip-hop became the most listened to music on the planet. It also frequently covered issues important to the African-American community, like race relations, hip-hop controversies and problems facing Black families.
Vibe was famous for its covers, which often featured the hottest artists of the moment, usually before they hit Rolling Stone or Blender.
Vibe was also known for its interviews, where subjects would say things that they would never say to more mainstream magazines. Many of today's biggest stars like Lil Wayne and T.I. were discovered in the pages of Vibe.
The demise of Vibe is not just a blow to the media industry, it is a huge hit to African-Americans.
The voice of a community has been silenced. We can only hope that when the economy recovers Vibe will be able to bounce back, stronger than ever.
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