The Frey book debacle: Misplaced aggression toward Bush?

[amitten]

I have never seen such a public feeding frenzy as the one I've witnessed over "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey. People are acting as though this fiasco is somehow actually negatively impacting their own lives (which it clearly isn't).

I think that right now everyone is hyper-sensitive about being LIED to. Most of them know deep deep down that their own President has blatantly lied to them on the most serious of issues. An actual important, life-or-death issue: war. Americans are dying as we speak because of a lie. A lie just a LITTLE more important than how many days some guy did or didn't spend in the drunk tank, no?

So, with unchecked frustration, people en masse are redirecting this you-lied-to-me anger at the largely inconsequential James Frey. Wake up, kids. Impeach the lying bastard you so gleefully elected and leave the fucking writer alone. :eyes: (Oh, and while you're at it, get off the self-righteous high horse.) Am I right? The punishment should fit the crime. Hold your leader to a standard at least half as high as the one you hold an author to, 'kay? Just an idea.

[leftstreet]

1. That's a very good point

If Oprah's so big on the "emotional" stuff, she could do the nation a huge service by planting Bush's ass on the couch and telling him "we feel duped!"

[amitten]

2. Exactly. Bush=no reaction. Frey=angry mob. Doesn't compute

if you ask me. People are on the receiving end of lies on a daily basis now, and I think they're becoming very aware of it, slowly. Rather than criticize the source they elected, and admit blame, they go after some ex-drug addicted author who is basically trying to make a buck. Go figure.

I doubt the book would have created this reaction say, ten years ago...

[leftstreet]

3. You're right. Ten years ago? "yeah, whatever."

If only the Corporate Media would expose Bush with more brutality.

[hughee99]

4. From personal experience, anyway,

the people who I personally know who bought and are upset about the Frey book don't pay any attention to politics, and most people I know who are interested in politics paid no attention to the Frey book. I don't mean to say that people who read the book don't pay attention to politics and policy, it's just my personal experience.

I thought is was interesting to see someone so upset (I mean 1 person was REALLY pissed off) that a person would lie to them in a book, which seems a rather trivial matter to me anyway, and yet in seemingly more important things they don't know that * is lying, because they don't pay attention to what he says.

[Jade Fox]

16. It' a manageable outrage....

one that is clear and simple. The outrages come so thick and fast from Bushco, people never really get the chance to fully understand and respond to them.

Also, people aren't scared of Frey. It's alway easier to get outraged at someone who doesn't have the power to hurt you.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

5. Very astute, lady.

:kick:

[Judi Lynn]

6. You're right. You revealed something which really needed to be aired.

There was far more heat, far more attention paid to something basically inconsequential in the great scheme. It was so trivial I couldn't bring myself to sit down and listen to any of the many cycling reports. I thought it was decent of the man to sit there and take his beating, and of course, it's a bad idea to write bogus material in a "non-fiction" book.

I think you're right. No one CAN do anything about _Bush yet, but grabbing a small fish like the author Frey is controllable, so he was the one who got the pounding.

I appreciate having read the other posts in this thread as well. Really glad you brought it up.

[tulsakatz]

7. my main complaint with Oprah

Oprah has tremendous influence and the debacle over this book is just one example.

Just imagine all of the great things she could be doing to educate the public about what the politicians are doing every day! And these are things that affect Americans every single day!!

If Oprah did do this, she would have all of America talking and focused on the activities in DC.........and these are things the public should learn about but don't. She could be a powerful force in this country..........if only she would do it.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

8. yes.

If she would focus on a bigger, much bigger picture . . . we'd find that the women of this country would find their voice en masse. And vote en masse. And they sure as hell wouldn't vote Repuke.

But, she's a smart lady. It may happen yet.

[Jara sang]

19. Oprah had bush on back in 1999. She gave him a complete pass.

fuck Oprah.

[TNMOM]

13. Oprah's a hyprocrite in my book... her first reaction

(when she defended Frey) was very revealing. She'll do whatever to spin her own involvment in a promoting a fraud. But... when the heat is on (as in when they found out that her producers had received a credible complaint/warning about Fry's veracity from the rehab center in ADVANCE and still chose to go forward), she runs the other way.

Used to love her. But I've lost respect for her in the past several years. She does not take risks any more to defend principle. She lacks genuine-ness. She'll say whater or promote whatever so long as it is good for her show.

[iconoclastNYC]

23. I suspect she likes living.

Someone with the power of Oprah cannot be allowed to rock the boat. Unless she wants to hire a private army to guard herself. And even then she could find herself killed by a "crazed fan".

[sandnsea]

9. Is it a frenzy?

Is anybody talking about this stupid book out in the real world? I've never heard it mentioned at all. :shrug:

Although I don't doubt your premise. I think all these stupid stories we get fed are to serve a greater psychological purpose. The need for law and order, or a gun, or to revere mothers and babies. All of it preps the mind for right wing solutions.

[Judi Lynn]

10. I just discovered Newsweek's has done a 2 page article on that show

for its February 6 issue. The fire hasn't gone out on it yet, apparently:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11079174/site/newsweek/

[no_hypocrisy]

11. Classic Freudian defense device of transferred hostility.

[jhain]

12. Olbermann danced around this thought a bit

a couple of times last week.
and - yes, you are spot on.

Goes to show that our fellow americans WOULD wake up if MSM presented some truths about this admin.

I fantasize about it... I mean, they only care about ratings and advert dollars. They could flipflop if they realized the truth sold more drugs, cars, mutual funds than the current pack of lies.

A girl can dream on a rainy Sunday morning....

[amitten]

24. Figures that Olbermann picked up on this.

Great minds DO think alike... :P

[valerief]

14. Almost as big as Tom Cruise jumping on the couch

Unless Oprah does a BIG followup (weeklong or longer) about lying and brings in "political lying" then this is just a rolling Big Gulp cup in a windstorm of roadside litter.

[smirkymonkey]

17. Can you imagine her reaction when she finds out Tom Cruise

was lying to her about being straight? :scared:

[Jade Fox]

15. Or a press attack on a perceived Liberal....

I'm talking about Oprah--you know, successful, "hollywood", touchy-feely Oprah.

Don't forget, it's soooo much worse when a liberal is involved in fraud, regardless of how little actual harm is done to anyone.:sarcasm:

[freeplessinseattle]

18. the novacaine free root canal would have been a red flag

for me. just sayin' as a person who had one last year and needs one or two more soon.

uh-huh. sure.

[KharmaTrain]

20. The Flavor Of The Moment

There's no Michael Jackson or missing runaway blonde to be outraged about, and Bunnypants only messes up on peoples lives, not visible blue dresses, so the corporate media could care less.

The irony is how people is "outraged" (most I talk to think this is a farce and are as amused as I am) but still buying the book and rewarding the liars in a strange ritual that is pure marketing. That publisher who sat there while Ophra bored this poor loser a fifteen asshole knew this book was a fraud and still could either pull it off the shelves or offer a rebate to those who felt misled by what they purchased, but she sat there and played poor victim...letting Oprah get her off the hook and look good.

This dude, just like boooosh, isn't shamed or upset that he lied or tried to decieve people...only that he got caught. And he's laughing all the way to the bank.

Now I expect this loser to try to materialize in a couple years with a new book...his "one billion little pieces"...his embellshed story of how he survived the Oprah ordeal...and he'll make another million in the process. Sadly, sometimes, laws don't legislate being stupid.

Cheers...

[Jara sang]

21. That book is still getting good reviews on amazon.

a shit load of one star "Buyer Beware- he's a liar" reviews but a bunch of people are saying it's still a good book. Frey is laughing all the way to the bank. One reviewer attacks Oprah:

I love this guy. He so totally played Oprah and her whorish money making way. With her facade of concern and feigned empathy, she has played so many people didn't thinking she gives a damn. Yes, she does good with her Angels Network, but like the cars she gave out, it was not out of her money but rather from that of other companies and charity that made far more back than what they "donated" in terms of sales revenue and free publicity and media attention.

Oprah is clearly a hypocrit, never reading this author's work, which was clearly so ridiculously off center and preposterous that the only conclusion you could draw was that Oprah is seriously stupid as a piece of dung or simply didn't give a damn and not concern herself with the important details of truth. At first she kept defending the author and it was clear that she had no real contention with the author when she was on the phone interview with Larry King. Yet soon after that she got all self-righteous and took her oh-most courageous stance and bravely stood up to lend voice and defend the truth. Can I get a hallelujah brothers and sisters!

So what happened from that short since her Larry King interview to when she had the author back on her show, now on the proverbial hot-seat? It's not rocket science people. Clearly one of her PR people pointed out the obvious that was lost to her, namely that she would have a serious lost of confidence with her audience. But do not think for one moment that Oprah was now suddenly concerned for "truth." No, this was, as all of Oprah's motives are, a financial move; for in the final cost benefit analysis, Oprah comes on top yet again by feigning the poor "duped" good samaratin, helping out a poor "Joe" that made it through a dark time, whose voice can lend yet courage and hope to those who think they have reached their proverbial rope's end. Break out the tissues, for the emotional string-tugging, took place then and yet again when Oprah manipulated her audience into sympathizing with her as a "victim" of this author's scheme.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0307276902/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/104-9311723-2844762?%5Fencoding=UTF8&customer-reviews.sort%5Fby=-SubmissionDate&n=507846

[amitten]

25. Good reviews, because it is a good book. Even if it were pure

fiction, it's a great read, and would scare any sensible person out of ever trying any really hard drugs.

[iconoclastNYC]

22. It does affect our lives

Oprah goes on Larry King and says basically that even tho it was a big lie, it's ok, because it made people feel good.

There is a war against truth in this country.

She had a the good sense to think it over and apologized.

The American people have to demand the truth, from our politicians and from memoir authors.