CBS Lawyers Worried Over "Reagan" Miniseries

The Mad Monk · October 24, 2003, 14:59

Quote:

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX FRI OCT 24, 2003 09:42:38 ET XXXXX

CBS 'REAGAN' REVEALED: WATCH NANCY HIT DAUGHTER, SEE RONNIE CURSE

**Exclusive Details**

Former first lady Nancy Reagan has reached out to Hollywood heavyweights, including Merv Griffin, to somehow stop an upcoming CBS-TV movie about her life and times with Ronald Reagan.

A concerned legal department at CBS repeatedly called producers of the upcoming miniseries THE REAGANS, during filming, looking for assurances that shocking claims made in the telefilm could be backed up, productions sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT. Irritated producers reminded the network they had already cleared the script, with few notes!

THE REAGANS is now at the center of a media and political firestorm.

Insinuations that Nancy pill-popped are scattered throughout the story, as are repeated allegations that Ronald Reagan was homophobic, and was suffering from Alzheimer's disease as early as 1984. [Nancy rushes to a doctor to warn that her husband is forgetting things.]

Actress Judy Davis's portrayal of Nancy Reagan appears to be inspired by the Joan Crawford camp biopic MOMMIE DEAREST; wild mood swings, dramatic lighting, and tart-mouth insults are hysterically delivered by Davis.

[The showcase line "Ketchup is a vegetable! It is not a meat, right? So IT IS a vegetable" is likely to become the "No wire hangers ever!" camp highlight of the season.]

One camp scene shows Nancy and Ron both standing nude [wrapped in towels] when they first learn from NBC's John Chancellor they have won the election.

Pages 32, 33 of script:

INT. REAGANS' HOUSE -- PACIFIC PALISADES -- DAY

A FILM CREW is swarming all over the living room, setting up lights, cameras, etc. Reagan sits in the middle, putting on his own make-up.

INT. UPSTAIRS -- PATTI'S BEDROOM

Nancy arguing with Patti, (age 5), who won't come down.

NANCY: Come on, Patti. They're all set to go.

PATTI: No. I won't. I want to stay up here and play.

Nancy grits her teeth, and takes Patti by the wrist.

NANCY: No arguing. We're going down, right now.

PATTI: No! No! No! No! NO! NO!

Nancy reaches out, and slaps Patti. Patti reels, holding her cheek. Nancy

freezes.

*** Nancy is shown talking with her own mother in one flashback.

Page 16 of script:

NANCY'S STEP-FATHER: Nancy, I don't know what you see in Hollywood. As far as I can tell, it's nothing but Communists and drug addicts.

NANCY: It didn't used to be this bad -- did it, Mother?

NANCY'S MOTHER, EDITH: Hell, no. When I was here, it was just wall-to-wall Jews and queers.

****

President Reagan, played by James Brolin, is shown cursing his staff during one Oval Office meeting.

Pages. 152 of script:

REAGAN: "Rank amateur"! Who does that sonofa***** think he is? I'm the goddam President of the United States, I'm his boss!

****

Lawyers for CBS have growing concern that few of the most-intimate scenes created for THE REAGANS have much historical documentation or on-the-record witness corroboration.

Complicating matters is the film's charge that Reagan believed AIDS was biblical revenge -- as actor James Brolin finds his family in a real-life fight with the disease!

An immediate member of the Brolin/Streisand family is currently suffering from HIV, according to press reports.

During a scene in the film which his wife pleads with him to help people battling AIDS, Reagan says resolutely, "They that live in sin shall die in sin" and refuses to discuss the issue further.

Actor Brolin delivers the uncorroborated words with extra confidence.

In 1992, Streisand wrote an essay condemning Reagan over AIDS:

"I will never forgive my fellow actor Ronald Reagan for his refusal to even utter the word AIDS for seven years, and for blocking adequate funding for research and education, which could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Then came George Bush, once the moderate, who, in a Faustian bargain, allied himself with the same primitive, gay-bashing, immoral minority."

Streisand, who spent weeks on the set of THE REAGANS, did not return calls seeking comment.

Developing...

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http://www.drudgereport.com/rr4.htm

Rufus T. Firefly · October 24, 2003, 15:20

But did they include Peter Lawford's claim that Nancy Davis gave the best head in Hollywood? Because if they left that out, I'm not watching.

Stefu · October 24, 2003, 16:59

Is Nancy played by a guy or something?

Nubclear · October 24, 2003, 17:02

Evil communists....they provide no evidence....THEY PROVIDE NOTHING! Yet they want to destroy Regans image.....those criminals

Hueij · October 24, 2003, 18:17

Welcome back Fez...

st_swithin · October 24, 2003, 18:24

Maybe they'll show clips from Hellcats of the Navy.

Imran Siddiqui · October 24, 2003, 18:34

Brolin looks nothing like Ronnie

Paul Hanson · October 24, 2003, 18:44

Don't know, doesn't look too bad.

Put it this way: when I saw the pic, I thought "Ah, he's supposed to be Reagan". Although not exactly like that, of course. I don't think in sentences like that.

Verto · October 24, 2003, 18:48

Imran Siddiqui · October 24, 2003, 18:51

Quote:

when I saw the pic, I thought "Ah, he's supposed to be Reagan"

But would you have thought that if you didn't click on a link that said "Reagan" on it

.

This is not just a complaint with this one, but in many movies/miniseries, etc, they could do much better in making the person look like the historical figure. Then again, this is the leftist view on the Reagan Presidency

.

Jules · October 24, 2003, 19:01

Quote:

Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar
Evil communists....they provide no evidence....THEY PROVIDE NOTHING! Yet they want to destroy Regans image.....those criminals

The Comrade is starting to change on us. What's next: Fez swears allegiance to the memory of Stalin?

MrFun · October 24, 2003, 21:58

Quote:

Originally posted by The Mad Monk

http://www.drudgereport.com/rr4.htm

DUH

Look at Reagan's incredible neglect during the early period of the AIDS crisis when others had some knowledge of what was going on -- he was/is homophobic.

That's not a claim -- that a fact -- his actions, or rather, his lack of actions during his presidency speaks louder than words.

Ramo · October 24, 2003, 22:26

Most importantly, how well can this dude pull off senility?

molly bloom · October 24, 2003, 22:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Brolin looks nothing like Ronnie

Yes, clearly they should have used someone or something with similar acting skills to portray him- a block of wood, a cabbage, or a boulder. Failing that, if anyone had had a spare Pinocchio puppet, stuffed with sawdust, with strings still attached...

Nancy Reagan's hair to be played by deep frozen meringue.

Ronald Reagan's hair to be played by an oil slick. Artificially dyed, of course....

Tuberski · October 24, 2003, 23:10

Quote:

Originally posted by molly bloom

Yes, clearly they should have used someone or something with similar acting skills to portray him- a block of wood, a cabbage, or a boulder. Failing that, if anyone had had a spare Pinocchio puppet, stuffed with sawdust, with strings still attached...

You do realize that it's James Brolin that is playing Reagan, right?

Pretty similar acting skills if you ask me.

ACK!

The Mad Monk · October 25, 2003, 09:41

Quote:

Originally posted by MrFun

DUH

Look at Reagan's incredible neglect during the early period of the AIDS crisis when others had some knowledge of what was going on -- he was/is homophobic.

That's not a claim -- that a fact -- his actions, or rather, his lack of actions during his presidency speaks louder than words.

Just wondering -- because I really have no idea -- what actions were taken by presidents in response to the influenza, polio, tuberculosis, and other epidemics that occured in this country's history?

Evil Knevil · October 25, 2003, 09:44

One word.

Contras.

MrFun · October 25, 2003, 14:18

Quote:

Originally posted by The Mad Monk

Just wondering -- because I really have no idea -- what actions were taken by presidents in response to the influenza, polio, tuberculosis, and other epidemics that occured in this country's history?

Take one example that was not an epidemic crisis, but showed how quickly and strongly the government can take effective action.

In the same period of the early AIDS crisis, there was an incident of a few bottles of contaminated Tylenol pills, and upon this realization, the government went rhough incredible means to ensure that all Tylenol products were contained through a recall.

The government's reaction was swift and strong, with several agencies working in coordination. And yet, it turned out that the contamination was not widespread at all.

Also look at the Legion's disease crisis -- the government wasted no time in taking action to prevent the spread of this disease, IIRC.

DinoDoc · October 25, 2003, 16:06

Quote:

Originally posted by MrFun
Take one example that was not an epidemic crisis, but showed how quickly and strongly the government can take effective action.

Can we take an disease that is spread through behavior and see how well the government can contain it when there is little interest in the populace to do so? I'm sure that the gay population would have liked closing the bath houses by government edict seeing as how they weren't closed of thier own accord during this time period and only served to worsen the epidemic.

The Mad Monk · October 25, 2003, 16:32

Mr. Fun, in those actions, was it done through direct measures taken by the President, of was it through the normal operations of the involved agencies?

The Mad Monk · October 26, 2003, 07:26

Hello?

Zylka · October 26, 2003, 08:08

HAVE U HEARD OF THE OZBORNES IT'S A SHOW WITH THE OZZY OSBOURNES AND IT'S REALLY GOOD IT'S CALLED THE OZBORNES

alva · October 26, 2003, 09:45

Quote:

Most importantly, how well can this dude pull off senility?

Reagan? Very well actually, during he's whole life he never went of caracter, a class actor indeed.
Not only was he able to convince the whole world but in end the even his doctors fell for it.

DinoDoc · October 27, 2003, 00:12

Quote:

Originally posted by The Mad Monk
Hello?

Hi.

MrFun · November 2, 2003, 21:29

Quote:

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Can we take an disease that is spread through behavior and see how well the government can contain it when there is little interest in the populace to do so? I'm sure that the gay population would have liked closing the bath houses by government edict seeing as how they weren't closed of thier own accord during this time period and only served to worsen the epidemic.

Apparently, you have not read other past posts where I have mentioned that the responsibility during the early crisis came from different groups of people -- including gay activists who refused to take reasonable precautions with the bathhouses.

Really -- your assumption that I am narrow minded on this issue is an insult.

MrFun · November 2, 2003, 21:30

Quote:

Originally posted by The Mad Monk
Mr. Fun, in those actions, was it done through direct measures taken by the President, of was it through the normal operations of the involved agencies?

I believe the iniative went through the appropriate government agencies, rather than the executive itself.

Theben · November 2, 2003, 22:16

Quote:

Originally posted by MrFun In the same period of the early AIDS crisis, there was an incident of a few bottles of contaminated Tylenol pills, and upon this realization, the government went rhough incredible means to ensure that all Tylenol products were contained through a recall.

The government's reaction was swift and strong, with several agencies working in coordination. And yet, it turned out that the contamination was not widespread at all.

I don't know the govt's level of involvement, but IIRC Tylenol itself issued the massive recall to regain consumer confidence.

Saw it on a tee-vee program, I did.

Ben Kenobi · November 3, 2003, 00:37

Quote:

Look at Reagan's incredible neglect during the early period of the AIDS crisis when others had some knowledge of what was going on -- he was/is homophobic.

That's not a claim -- that a fact -- his actions, or rather, his lack of actions during his presidency speaks louder than words.

How about just don't have sex!

It's a preventible disease provided people exercise some measure of personal responsibility. Why blame Reagan?

DinoDoc · November 3, 2003, 01:41

Quote:

Originally posted by MrFun
Really -- your assumption that I am narrow minded on this issue is an insult.

You still didn't answer the question. What would you have the government do when the main people being affected with a disease at the time were resistant to taking any steps to slow its spread?

Imran Siddiqui · November 3, 2003, 01:47

Quote:

What would you have the government do when the main people being affected with a disease at the time were resistant to taking any steps to slow its spread?

VERY good question. I think the actions of the gay community showed that no one knew about the horridness of the AIDS disease... so to heap all blame on Reagan for not doing anything about it is a bit silly.