CBS has cancelled its "truthful" anti-Reagan hit piece

Ned · November 3, 2003, 23:34

As reported by Drudge, CBS has heard the message of the people and has cancelled its upcoming movie on Reagan that was purportedly a smear of Reagan. Republicans had called for CBS to prominently label the movie as fiction. Rather than do that, CBS management apparently dismissed the movie's director and began to edit it themselves. However, they apparently realized that there was nothing they could do to fix the movie and simply decided not to run it at all.

http://www.drudgereport.com/

Nubclear · November 3, 2003, 23:35

Republicans pride America for its free speech, yet when something appears that they do not like...They wish to silence it so that nobody may hear it.

How.....Soviet

notyoueither · November 3, 2003, 23:37

Slander is not protected by free speech.

Harry Tuttle · November 3, 2003, 23:40

Judging from the last few TV movies I saw this is a good thing. Besides, their viewer base probably would have puked at the thing. Reagan was a TV icon for the older generation and many of those viewers thought he was a decent president. And no, I don't believe he got all biblical and said AIDS victims can all just go and die. Just another example of a director with way to much creative license and an agenda.

Harry Tuttle · November 3, 2003, 23:41

ditto on the second to last post

Lincoln · November 3, 2003, 23:41

CBS should be called see BS. Too bad they couldn't pull off this scam. It had so much potential for the Democratic party. Oh well, they can still hope that the economy takes another down turn and we lose the war in Iraq and make a movie about Atila the Bush...

Q Classic · November 3, 2003, 23:44

i'm sick of fake "biopics" that purport to destroy whatever remains of any heroic thing we have left in america.

the last hero died sometime in the late 60s, along with the silver age of comics.

Nubclear · November 3, 2003, 23:45

While I agree this movie is too political (I mean all political movies will bend the facts, however this one went a bit far....) however to silence them is to begin a slip into despotism.
If the Republicans have enough power to begin shutting things down that violate party doctrine...

No peoples should be silenced from giving out their opinion, and they should not be limited in how they express their opinion unless it harms other people.

ixnay · November 3, 2003, 23:48

GOOD THING THOSE EVIL DEMOCRATS WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE AN EVIL PROPAGANDA FILM THAT DIDN'T SHOW REAGAN AS A GOD AMONGST MEN.

Lincoln · November 3, 2003, 23:49

It wasn't just Republicans. There was a tremendous public outcry. If they wanted to spoof him then that is their problem for being tastless but trying to present this as a real portrait is a little much. They tried to scam the public and they got caught.

Nubclear · November 3, 2003, 23:52

Ha.

Of course there were a few other people. However the outcry in the Republican party was quite severe. I have no doubt this is what happend.
And yes, if the democrats did the same thing about a movie slamming some liberal leader, I would be saying the same thing

I do hope someone else picks this up.

Shi Huangdi · November 3, 2003, 23:55

Free speech remains protected. The government did not interfere in this matter. But while you have a right to say what you want, you don't have the right to expect people to continue to do business with you if you offend them. CBS realized the threat of this and withdrew the movie.

Harry Tuttle · November 3, 2003, 23:55

Hey Tassadar, do you really think the Republicans went in their like gang busters and shut this thing down? I've got news for you, there was so much hoopla over this piece of junk that CBS was receiving phone calls from bi-partisan watchdog groups. Also, it's not "people" or "citizens" having their say, CBS is an independent corporation. What would you say if someone ran a biography about FDR and had him say that he purposefully ignored the the Holocaust? Or had LBJ say that his Great Society was no more than BS for the voters? Would that come under free speech or slander?

Nubclear · November 3, 2003, 23:59

Quote:

Originally posted by Harry Tuttle
CBS is an independent corporation.

However, the Republican party has shown power in the area of being able to censor what it does not like. It can get people fired from corperations, it can get mini-movies taken off the air, it can cancel deals between two people....
Yes, other people may have complained, but the Republican party is an extremly powerful force in America today. I would not be saying this if I had not seen for myself exactly what the party does when theres something it doesn't like.
At first theres a news story about it. Then all the conservative talk show hosts begin to slam it for one reason or another.
Then they call for a boycott/whatnot, and then it gets dropped.

Quote:

What would you say if someone ran a biography about FDR and had him say that he purposefully ignored the the Holocaust? Or had LBJ say that his Great Society was no more than BS for the voters? Would that come under free speech or slander?

I would disagree with it and not watch it, however it is free speech. It wouldnt be accurate, and it certainly wouldn't be a biography, but it would be free speech and should not be censored.
If the Nazis decided to run a movie slamming the allies and they call it a historical-nonfiction piece, then fine! People can label it what they want, but it should still be allowed to run.

Harry Tuttle · November 4, 2003, 00:07

Yes Tassadar, exactly like the mob. That is the party I spent five years in, running a grass roots effort for, and seeing first hand how it exactly works. We keep tabs on everyone. Watch what they eat, read their trash, and smite them with no abandon. I suggest you put down your popular fiction, get a clue, and take some time away from your idealist fantasy. There is no big brother. In fact, even if their was, he'd be to dumb and disorganized to do anything like what you are describing. Trust me, I've seen the politicos in action and its nothing like that.

MrFun · November 4, 2003, 00:11

Hooray for extreme right-wing censorship!!

Hooray for deity worshipping of a flawless, god-like Raegan!!

Nubclear · November 4, 2003, 00:14

Quote:

Originally posted by Harry Tuttle
Yes Tassadar, exactly like the mob.

Well, no, I don't see republicans going out shooting democrats or cutting all their fingers off.
However I've seen plenty of times where BOTH parties mobilize their voter base to get something done. Usually for the sake of putting people into office

And the Republican party just seems to be more effective at it right now than the Democratic party.
Also, with how twisted the democrats seem to be right now, I wouldn't be surprised to see them try to mobilize their base for some reason like this either. I believe if they had the power....They would indeed silence the Republican party completly.

And yes, I may be idealistic in this fashion. But for me personally, it disgusts me when people try to silence other people. Because it's like ignorantly attacking and harming something that quite a few people on this Earth don't have at all.

Harry Tuttle · November 4, 2003, 00:14

Yahhhh! Let's start throwing in some Clinton bashing too! Alright, this is getting lame. Night.

Nubclear · November 4, 2003, 00:15

Oh, okay.

Bye.

Harry Tuttle · November 4, 2003, 00:17

haha, and that's why off-topic was created. have a good night all.

Nubclear · November 4, 2003, 00:18

He'll probably keep this thread open, hitting refresh just to see if anythings popped up

Harry Tuttle · November 4, 2003, 00:21

Will not! Uhhh, whoops....

St Leo · November 4, 2003, 00:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Q Cubed
the last hero died sometime in the late 60s, along with the silver age of comics.

Hmm. Carl Sagan died in 1996.

Are there any living great Americans remaining? Probably quite a few, but I won't hear of them for a while.

Of course, the only living great Canadian I can think of is Margaret Atwood. Meh.

notyoueither · November 4, 2003, 00:43

Quote:

Originally posted by St Leo
Of course, the only living great Canadian I can think of is Margaret Atwood. Meh.

Mike Harris was pretty good.

Sarxis · November 4, 2003, 01:40

Quote:

Originally posted by Harry Tuttle
...Reagan was a TV icon for the older generation

And CBS caters to them. Its well noted by David Letterman himself.

The Mad Monk · November 4, 2003, 01:48

Quote:

Originally posted by MrFun
Hooray for extreme right-wing censorship!!

Hooray for deity worshipping of a flawless, god-like Raegan!!

How long will you let your hatred blind you?

Sikander · November 4, 2003, 01:50

Quote:

Originally posted by MrFun
Hooray for extreme right-wing censorship!!

Hooray for deity worshipping of a flawless, god-like Raegan!!

A"It looks like #9 is finally coming around."

B"Yes."

Berzerker · November 4, 2003, 01:58

Here we go again with the "censorship" nonsense. CBS can run the movie and people who don't like it can boycott CBS, that's how freedom works... Ironically (or not), Repubs complain to high heaven about how they are boycotted in Hollywood with only the biggest Repub stars willing to express their views, so the boycotters are using the same tactic many on their side decry...what a surprise...

Of course, there may be a slight difference here. Liberal Hollywood may boycott Repub actors just for being Repubs where as CBS appears to be playing fast and loose with reality and facing the consequences of potentially deceitful behavior... and that destroys any moral high ground they may have in fighting a boycott...

Imran Siddiqui · November 4, 2003, 02:05

Quote:

to silence them is to begin a slip into despotism

Funny how for leftists free speech goes only one way

. This was the same BS with the Dixie Chicks affair. People have the right to critique and THEN people have the right to protest that! It's called free speech.

Boycotts used to be standard operating procedure for the left. Now the right uses it and suddenly it is 'censorship'.

MichaeltheGreat · November 4, 2003, 02:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Ned
As reported by Drudge, CBS has heard the message of the people and has cancelled its upcoming movie on Reagan that was purportedly a smear of Reagan. Republicans had called for CBS to prominently label the movie as fiction. Rather than do that, CBS management apparently dismissed the movie's director and began to edit it themselves. However, they apparently realized that there was nothing they could do to fix the movie and simply decided not to run it at all.

http://www.drudgereport.com/

And of course, with the movie still in production, Drudge and everyone else actually have seen the movie in it's entirety as it was planned to be presented.

God forbid that any portrayal of the GOP's mythical superhuman demigod be anything less than a GOP propanda piece of non-stop praise, with any unflattering references edited out.

Imran - it's a bit different to boycott sponsors or broadcasters after the airing, or if there's a pre-screening of the finished product than it is to start a PR, media and boycott threat, intimidation and what have you campaign before a project is even finished production.