Posted on 11/07/2005 7:39:08 AM PST by RatherBiased.com
A CBS producer who led the network's coverage of the recent Michael Jackson trial has been marketing a brand of wine under the label "Jesus Juice," complete with a logo of a Christ figure sporting a Jacksonesque red glove, fedora hat, white socks, and penny loafers
NewsBusters.org has learned that Bruce Rheins, a high-level producer for such shows as the "CBS Evening News", and his wife, Dawn Westlake, began preparations for their marketing campaign while the Jackson case was still in court, registering a U.S. trademark for the words "Jesus Juice"
in January of 2004, days after word got out that Jackson allegedly referred to wine by that term in attempting to seduce young boys.
A year later, the couple registered (under Westlake's name) the web domain JesusJuice.biz, apparently with the intent of partnering with a wine maker to create a product line bearing the Jesus Juice name, in a partnership or by purchasing the trademark.
"Should you want to start something with us (i.e. you're a vintner with a sense of humor, but a seriously good line of wines, visit us here and drop a note…In the meantime, we'll be moonwalking over our own grapes.)"
Westlake wrote in an online diary entry on her personal web site.
The trial ended June 13, 2005 when Jackson was acquitted of all charges.
Rheins's marketing of Jesus Juice wine (and apparel) raises some troubling journalistic issues since he was attempting to profit from a story which he was personally covering for the "CBS Evening News."
"You can't be the lead producer on the West Coast by day and then turn around and sell t-shirts and wine by night," says a CBS insider.
Jennifer Siebens, the network's L.A. bureau chief, had to have known about his extracurricular activities, the insider says.
"It's a very small bureau. There's no way Siebens and others wouldn't have known he was doing this. He and his wife hang out with them all the time. Now, had the people in New York known, that's another story. He'd probably have been fired."
That a CBS News producer saw it as appropriate to put his name on something that many would consider to be offensive is also problematic. How can viewers trust CBS's reports on religious or cultural issues when one of its top producers is creating anti-Christian spoofs and attempting to profit from them?
Rheins is well aware of accusations of bias. On his personal site, the producer seems to take pleasure in seeing others accuse him of being unfair.
"Everyone thinks I am purposely biased against them. Yet they sure watch my work closely, to make sure I don't upset their world view. I take comfort in this inadvertent power I seem to have in their lives."
I'd mock HIM at my own risk.
> "You can't be the lead producer on the West Coast by day and then turn around and sell t-shirts and wine by night," says a CBS insider.
Ummm... why not? Lots of people run multiple businesses/jobs.
Of course, not so many go this far out of their way to annoy people...
Gee, I wonder why he didn't do a Mohammad Juice?
Maybe because he wouldn't LIVE long enough to get the first batch out!
Foolish is as foolish does. V's wife.
CBS hates Christians. And no, you can't trust them to be honest on cultural and religious issues. Is anyone surprised?
I'm just totally shocked ...shocked, I tell you, that it's a CBS drone engaging in this blasphemous stupidity.
Stupid. Tasteless. Offensive.
I hope the market punishes him with a severe loss if capital.
Lilliputian fool.
This is so incredibly offensive. I want to puke.
I wonder if these same people would hesitate if the name Allah Apples was used to sell fruit.
I'm sure they would think that was insensitive to Muslims.
The rampant vulgarity of America's media leaders is nauseating. Time to bring back the expression, "no class".
What an Eye-Dee-Ten-Tee.
Warning: Ultra CATHOLIC-BASHING PING
Warning: Ultra CATHOLIC-BASHING PING
> I wonder why he didn't do a Mohammad Juice?
Mecca Cola is already on the market.
In any event, the name should be alliterative.
My first thought as well... he goes for "Jesus Juice" 'cause he knows that Christians don't behead people for blasphemy.
Charming.
The Guards Mock Jesus
63The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64They blindfolded him and demanded, "Prophesy! Who hit you?" 65And they said many other insulting things to him. Jesus Before Pilate and Herod
66At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. 67"If you are the Christ,[d]" they said, "tell us."
Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68and if I asked you, you would not answer. 69But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."
70They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied, "You are right in saying I am."
71Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips."
They don't believe and they will suffer the same as the Romans.
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