Posted on 06/20/2006 11:06:03 AM PDT by Monkey King
Let me preface what I'm about to say regarding Ann Coulter by declaring what may seem obvious: She isn't a genuine molder of opinion any more than the Ku Klux Klan. She's not a real pundit but an actress, a screeching smoke alarm in the guise of a point of view. And yet the media encourages her, legitimizes her, mainstreams her and collectively serves even to venerate her.
If you're wondering why, look no farther than the packaging. Were Coulter a balding, middle-aged, paunchy, finger-pointing white male, her self-aggrandizing hatespeak would enjoy a short shelf life. But because she's blond, female, semi-attractive and shows up in a black cocktail dress, her opportunistic brand of extremism is cast as somehow unique.
Think of it as misogyny in reverse. A man spewing similarly vile invective about Sept. 11 widows would be shipped off to live out his days in shame and isolation. Coulter is instead celebrated as a "controversial" (read: audience-generating) guest on magazine and talk shows to discuss a book that slams Democrats as subhuman, godless and scarcely worthy of oxygen. It goes far beyond political partisanship to outright demonization that hails conservatives as patriots and vilifies liberals as terrorists.
But again, this is to damn Coulter with too much credibility. Her toxicity is more about salesmanship than citizenship, more high-decibel attention whoring than true ideology. The problem is, a public that would make Coulter's "Godless: The Church of Liberalism" the top-selling book in the country (it was still holding steady at No. 2 on Amazon.com as of Friday) can't differentiate between the pontificating preacher and the profiteering promoter.
The media establishment's symbiotic relationship with the Cult of Coulter reached its nadir this month as NBC in particular has supplied a disturbingly accommodating platform that has consistently lent her undue validity.
No doubt, those in charge at the network defend their booking of Coulter on "Today," "The Tonight Show" and Tucker Carlson's "The Situation" on MSNBC as timely publicity generators with, and for, a best-selling author. And while we've all seen the clip of Matt Lauer playing tough guy in debating her about the reference in "Godless" to the Sept. 11 widows' "enjoying" their husbands' deaths, the fact that the discussion was taking place on national television at all served only to legitimize an unconscionable, slanderous piece of moral depravity.
More appalling still was Jay Leno's lovefest for Coulter on "Tonight," complete with an audience of fawning, cheering fans and an open invitation for the guest to be as flamboyantly shrill and offensive as she saw fit (which was, as usual, plenty). The much-anticipated showdown with comedian George Carlin -- booked onto the same show last week -- never materialized, as Carlin opted to travel the classy road. Somebody has to.
In permitting Coulter such free reign to slash and burn and vent and incite, NBC demonstrated an utter willingness to sell its soul for a rating point. The network evidently believes that it isn't the most intelligent and provocative who should be given a promotional forum but the loudest and most obnoxious, or the squeaky wheel theory of airtime allocation.
The issue of where guest authenticity fits into the television picture has become officially moot. When an extremist whack-job like Ann Coulter can be positioned on network air as notorious but cogent and compelling rather than a lunatic fringe agitator of division and hatred, it would seem the broadcast news community has abandoned its judgment.
At the same time, I don't buy the argument that Coulter is merely a significantly slimmer and slightly more feminine Michael Moore. At least Moore tries to provoke discussion. All Coulter seeks to trigger is a fatter income. And in NBC, she has her obliging enablers.
For conservatives, it's a tough choice - how do you get exposure in the Liberal MSM (and Hollywood Reporter is VERY Liberal)? Ms. Coulter's answer seems to be: Say something either faux outrageous, somewhat outrageous or completely outrageous, depending of course on the listeners/readers viewpoint or politics. G-d knows when a Conservative makes a reasoned, rational appeal to the mind, the Liberal MSM refuses to engage them - when was the last time Victor Davis Hanson or Charles Krauthammer were "profiled" in Hollywood Reporter, for example?
While the media focuses on the outrage, Ms. Coulter slips her points in to those members of the public who might be questioning what the hubbub is. The media get a partial win too in that they get to trumpet (yet again) how awfully mean conservatives always are. Who comes out ahead? Not sure.
As many Liberal commenters have said about Ms. Coulter recently, notice how the author also conflates the "Jersey Girls" with 9/11 widows (all of them apparently)- to the casual reader, Ms. Coulter just insulted a few thousand people; to those in the know, she admonished just four.
Many more egregious errors of both omission and commission here in this article.
"...semi-attractive..."???
I even got past the Klan refernce in the first sentence but this is where the writer lost me. A real pundit? Please.
"At the same time, I don't buy the argument that Coulter is merely a significantly slimmer and slightly more feminine Michael Moore. At least Moore tries to provoke discussion. "
Bwahahahaah! I snorted coffee on that one! Ann's got all their panties in a twist, I'm lovin' it. Keep it coming Ann!
Another Lib not at all upset with Ann's "Godless" title attributed to Liberals.
Well, writing this sure beat having to review the book, eh Mr. Richmond?
Carlin was probably warned by the "Cars" people not to say anything that would hurt their box office. Ann just stuck the knife in by being nice to him. ("I showed the manuscript to the smartest liberal I knew... That was before I met you, George.")
Ray Raymond seems to be an unhappy camper.
Ray, please don't drive angry.
"At least Moore tries to provoke discussion!"
Yeah, right.
Michael Moore provokes dessert, and he's superb at it!
Isn't it the tradition here that someone post photographic representations of Ms. Coulter's appearance and let the people decide?
LOL! Perfect retort!
I am shocked. Where was this guy when the book about Bush's drug habits was all over MSM? How about Michael Moore's crap fest? Only conservatives are "radical nutjobs."
Michael Moore is a fat, ugly, middle-aged white male and he is lionized on talk shows and in Hollywood for saying things far more offensive than anything Miss Coulter has ever said.
decide or drool, yes, there ARE rules...
Maybe it's the West Hollywood Reporter.
Well, remember, the guy who wrote this is semi-literate, so that's probably the best he can do.
hear hear!
the libs are wailing because Ann is getting mroe attention than Gore's movie.
Good call. I'm pretty sure that balding white guy has a longer shelf-life than this "reporter".
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