Capital New York

jrb commented on Is Tina Brown serious about Newsweek anymore?

". . . in which countless manipulations and outright misrepresentations are marshaled . . ." FACT CHECK, Tom: Ferguson's manipulations can very well be counted.

Posted on August 22nd, 2012 11:00am

jrb commented on Aaron Sorkin's misplaced media malaise

It's clear to me this show is two-thirds about cable news, one-third about the Republican Party, written by someone who disdains both. I watched the last half of last night's episode and even the characters admitted the debate idea was a narcissist's fantasy, and plain dumb. And for real, Will's wise Republican simpatico? 'Ohhhh, *sigh.* Hate my party, too. But, you know, a job's a job. Not like any middle-aged Republican power players ever go work in the private sector. . . . a guy's gotta eat, amiright?' I'm rooting for the Brooks Brothers asshole who tells them off! The Brooks Brothers asshole! This is what it's come to, Sorkin.

Posted on August 20th, 2012 2:28pm

jrb commented on F.A.Q.: Why is Chris Christie fit to be keynote speaker but not running mate?

The 2016 liability: "because he has pushed big costs to the future." And still pushing big tax cuts to make state finances even worse. It amazes me that Christie has repeated -- if not exceeded -- the same short-term gain, long-term pain mistakes of Whitman and McGreevey. I also wonder how Christie's frequent invocation of Jon Corzine is going to play when national Republicans say that Obama unfairly evokes President Bush?

Posted on August 15th, 2012 12:18pm

jrb commented on If Maddow and Beck could ignore Casey Anthony, why can't Sorkin's 'Newsroom'?

I am not a consistent viewer of The Newsroom. I'll put it on, muted, while I do other things so I can look up every now and then and have a laugh. Sometimes, I'll even flip the sound on, but then it's just distractingly funny. FOR EXAMPLE. Last night, I turned on the volume for all of fifteen seconds during the team meeting on Nancy Grace, led by Allison Pill's smug boyfriend. For real, this is all I heard. Smug boyfriend: "Kaylee Anthony didn't deserve a mom with a tattoo. She deserved..." And then EVERY WOMAN in the room began a round robin of "Me." "Me." "Me." And then I muted again because TOO. MUCH. FUNNY. This is the closest thing HBO has to "Fox & Friends."

Posted on August 13th, 2012 12:54pm

jrb commented on How many vibrator jokes does it take to top paparazzi pictures of Katy Perry?

Both were in top form today, but agree that the Post made all the right moves. When a story like that comes along, to quote Arrested D, "You gotta lock that down."

Posted on August 9th, 2012 11:46am

jrb commented on The show Aaron Sorkin should have made (it's not 'The Newsroom'); plus, more girl trouble

"which the media is not reporting" Uh oh. Like nobody was skeptical of the Tea Party or dissected the BP oil spill. Hours and hours and hours. Sorkin's beef is with the American people for not seeing it his way (or maybe not seeing these shows at all). Said as a person who agrees with the nominal Republican anchor, insulted that he thinks nobody has heard it before. But I guess since he doesn't do the internet....

Posted on July 23rd, 2012 7:18pm

jrb commented on Ten great audiobooks for summer, part 1: 'The Complete Sherlock Holmes'

Ace.

Posted on July 13th, 2012 11:52am

jrb commented on In 'The Newsroom,' something to be sorry for

My biggest problem with the show is that it confuses a need for investigative, unsettling reporting with a need for more barn-burning editorializing. Nope! We've got plenty of that already, thankyouverymuch. I mean, calling out the Tea Party for being stupid or extreme? That's heroic, Cronkite-esque truth-telling somehow? Can't believe this has been renewed for a second season.

Posted on July 10th, 2012 10:36am

jrb commented on 'Newsroom' 2.0 falters with Miss U.S.A. misstep

"Sorkin is happy to stick to historical accuracy only when it allows him to point out how the story was covered wrong." This is the most maddening part of the show for me: inserting fictional scolds into spotty recreations of actual events. It's also why The West Wing could preach and not be preachy. Hell, it's why Studio 60 was better. Is it possible for a show to retroactively spoil another one? Because The Newsroom is making me dislike The West Wing, which I loved.

Posted on July 2nd, 2012 10:10am

jrb commented on An incredibly important Horace Mann story, and an erotic journey to the hardware stores of New York

Bravo.

Posted on June 7th, 2012 10:28am