PBS board nomination raises eyebrows

[Robbien]

Los Angeles Times

NEW YORK — Less than a year after the chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was forced to resign amid charges that he injected partisanship into the agency, President Bush has nominated a television sitcom producer who has described himself as "thoroughly conservative in ways that strike horror into the hearts of my Hollywood colleagues" to the nonprofit's board.

The nomination of Warren Bell, executive producer of ABC's "According to Jim" and a contributor to the online edition of the conservative National Review magazine, has raised fears he could revive the sharp political debate that engulfed the system last year.

Bell said he was surprised by his nomination but stressed he had no intention of letting his personal political beliefs influence his role on the board. He asked skeptics to withhold judgment until they have a chance to hear about his goals.

"I have every intention of working in a nonpartisan fashion with CPB," he said.

. . .

There's no question Bell is outspoken. In frequent postings to the National Review Online, he described himself as a "not-so-secret conservative" and lamented the liberalism of colleagues in the entertainment industry.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/entertainment/15034482.htm

[truthisfreedom]

1. heh. just wait until they see what CPB has in store for him.

another victim.

*rubs hands together, grinning*

[Robbien]

2. But this year the CPB is headed up by a Republican

who took over the reins last year. Isn't it?

What am I missing?

[Algorem]

3. will PBS shows now star an ugly slob and a hot babe as his wife?

[tanyev]

4. I can't believe how many shows are based on that premise lately.

Now I know that the producer is a conservative, it makes sense. It is the ultimate freeper fantasy.

[elehhhhna]

5. Hey now! I resemble that remark.

[bunkerbuster1]

9. As do Ralph Kramden and Fred Flintstone.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. I don't think that's due to politics

I wish it were that simple and could be that easily dismissed. But I've been seeing the fat slob/hot wife pairing consistently in commercials of all sorts for a while now, so I don't think politics is behind it.

I suspect it's part of a larger social trend, the acceptance of fat. That shows up on DU often enough. On TV shows and commercials, it's starting with fat slobs for the male leads. When that's sufficiently accepted and standard, the female leads will probably follow.

[annabanana]

11. acceptance of fat MEN, maybe...

This slob/hot wife thing has been going on for a long long time. It's due to the fact that there have been very few women writing sitcoms...ever.

[Julius Civitatus]

13. It's as old as television: Honeymooners, Flintstones, etc...

I guess it's a formula that works with the American TV public.

[elehhhhna]

14. Yep, RiKcy Ricardo was the exception.

[MadJohnShaft]

7. I'm returning PBS's pledge card with no $ and a complaint about that

[Dr Fate]

10. That is the whole point- no RWers listen to it or watch anyway.

So they are driving moderate, progressive & old-fashioned fact-seeking viewers/listeners away on purpose- the ultimate goal is to shut it down.

They hate PBS- not because it is so Liberal(It's not), but b/c it is generally fact based.

"Reality has a well known Liberal Bias," as Steve Colbert pointed out.

[Sven77]

8. Sharon Rockefeller still the director ?

and big oil still sponsoring public broadcasting shows ?

[Julius Civitatus]

12. Coming headlines: Elmo and Big Bird headed to Gitmo

Jesus Christ on a pogo stick! Warren Bell?
Wasn't Michael Savage available?