Warts And Gall

IBD Editorials ^ | January 12, 2011 | Staff

[Kaslin]

Political Clout: The Kennedys no longer have a family member in Congress, but their undue influence can still pressure a high-profile cable channel to suppress an unflattering $25 million biopic.

Since 2007, A&E's History Channel has lured younger viewers and a bigger audience with reality series like "UFO Hunters." Sadly, the channel has axed a miniseries that was a cinch to give the History Channel its highest ratings ever.

[Ciexyz]

Since I don't have cable, I'll have to wait for the local library to get the DVD.

[popdonnelly]

Preserving the Kennedy Myth.

What other group of politicians gets this kind of protection?

[Sans-Culotte]

I'd like to say I am boycotting the History Channel; but I already seldom watch it. They've been showing dumbed down programs for years. I tried to watch one on Caesar recently. It had about as much information as the dust jacket inner flap of one of the books I have read on Caesar. After this Kennedys fiasco, the channel is as dead to me.

[oyez]

It think History Channel should update its name to Pop-history Channel. Other new names we should see are Pop-Discovery Channel, Pop-Documentary Channel and Pop-science Channel. Having said that, I’m afraid that Pop-military Channel is waiting in the wings.

[Sans-Culotte]

I liked The Military Channel better when it was the Wings channel.

Seriously, most documentaries these days are all the same. They show a fact or two, accompanied by a shot of some re-enactors brandishing swords or muskets. Then some talking heads come on and use language that is sprinkled with modern vernacular (e.g. "Caesar knew he was between a rock and a hard place") and add nothing relevant, etc. You can learn more from an old Classics Illustrated comic book.