Now in our fourth calendar year! PCR #189. (Vol. 4, No. 45) This edition is for the week of November 3--9, 2003.
How ironic that the week after CBS celebrates it's 75th Anniversary that it bends to small-time criticism and pulls "The Reagans" mini-series off the air. I know if I was a stockholder in Viacom I'd be pissed that the company I have a piece of just decided to blow off its major sweeps-period attraction. And the reason given? To ensure that the film was an accurate depiction of Ronald and Nancy Reagan. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? Since when has a TV-movie, even about real people, been taken to task for being "accurate"? I'm sure Jackie Kennedy didn't like all of those films about JFK which showed him banging Marilyn Monroe. Hell, I'm sure Joe DiMaggio didn't like it, either. No one cared about what they thought. And believe me, I've studied John and Bobby Kennedy since I was a kid, and not once did I ever hear them say they slept with Marilyn Monroe. And maybe Reagan never referred to AIDS victims as "Sinners getting what they deserve." But dammit, the man didn't do a fucking thing for those people. All of these conspiracy nuts are pointing out that James Brolin is married to big-time Democrat supporter Barbra Streisand. So what? I'm sure the producers hunted everywhere to find someone who was the politically opposite of Reagan. Even the fact that the film is now scheduled to be shown on SHOWTIME has people upset. Why? It's a movie. Hell, it's a TV-movie. Sorry, now it's a PAY TV-movie. I'm pissed because I don't subscribe to SHOWTIME. And I'll say right now that I've liked Jim Brolin since "Marcus Welby." I loved him in "The Amityville Horror" and I love watching his screen tests for "Planet of the Apes." I don't mean to make light of President Reagan's Alzheimers problem, but when you consider it, it's not like he's going to be able to watch the show and yell, "Damn it, mommy, I never said that!" I'm sure we haven't heard the end of this. COMING SOON CRIME DOES PAY MISSING A BROTHER CHIP OFF THE OLD TOMBSTONE Well, that's if for now. Have a great week. See ya!
"Mike's Rant" is ©2003 by Michael A. Smith. Webpage design and all graphics herein are creations of Nolan B. Canova. All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2003 by Nolan B. Canova.
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