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27 Oct 2011 19:40

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Biz, U.S.: Barbara Walters interviews Bernie Madoff from jail

  • For our interview, I was permitted only to bring in pen and pad. I was also allowed to bring in $20 in quarters since there were vending machines near our meeting room, which prisoners and guests are permitted to use during the visit. As it turns out, Madoff didn’t want anything, but I did mention it during the meeting in case we were hungry.
  • Barbara Walters • Delivering a first-hand account of her jailhouse interview with convicted Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff. The interview, which airs on ABC during ‘World News’ and ‘Nightline,’ comes several days after a short segment was released from an upcoming episode of ’60 Minutes’ in which Madoff’s wife Ruth admitted the pair had attempted suicide. source
Posted by Matthew Keys • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Sep 2011 20:50

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World: Dominique Strauss-Kahn admits “moral failing,” denies everything else

  • yeah … Dominique Strauss-Kahn admitted to a “moral failing” in his sexual encounter with a NYC hotel maid, in an interview with a French television station. It was his first public interview since the former IMF leader was arrested in May.
  • … but He claimed the sex was consensual, and that he did nothing that constituted an arrest. He also said an accusation that he attempted to rape French journalist Tristane Banon was “imaginary and slanderous.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

17 May 2011 00:36

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Politics: True story: Bill O’Reilly loves him some Weather Girls

  • Stop attacking The Weather Girls, they’re one of my favorite groups. … yeah, I love them.
  • Bill O’Reilly • In the process of a highly entertaining verbal spar with “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart, O’Reilly let this bit of info slip. It’s worth mentioning that Stewart wasn’t attacking The Weather Girls so much as using “It’s Raining Men” as an example of non-literal songwriting, but let’s be honest, that’s of less interest than imagining Bill O’Reilly jamming out to the high energy, synthesized tones of their hit single. Big ups to Martha Wash! Down with C+C Music Factory! source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

25 Apr 2011 16:07

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Politics: Rachel Maddow talks about responsibility, coming out

  • I’m sure other people in the business have considered reasons why they’re doing what they’re doing, but I do think that if you’re gay you have a responsibility to come out.
  • Rachel Maddow • Talking about closeted people working in the TV news business, in a profile and interview with British newspaper The Guardian. The paper asked Maddow whether she felt frustration towards an “equally well-known news presenter who is widely assumed to be gay but has never come out,” which prompted the above response. (Are they referring to CNN’s Anderson Cooper, a common is-he-or-isn’t-he target of celebrity gossip sites?) While the right to not divulge one’s sexual identity is (we would argue) an absolute one, Maddow’s argument is a classic advocate’s stance — that the importance (solidarity, mainstream appeal, and inspiration) of an uber-successful media professional coming out of the closet ought to trump that person’s reluctance to admit it. What do you all think? (EDIT: Maddow clarified her comments; she didn’t mean Anderson Cooper.) source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Feb 2011 15:39

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Politics: Sen. Scott Brown revisits childhood physical, sexual abuse

  • Hats off to Scott Brown: Discussing traumatic events from one’s life is never easy, especially to a large, disparate public. Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown is doing just that. An upcoming 60 Minutes interview will touch on his sexual abuse at the hands of a camp counselor when he was ten, as well as physical abuse by multiple stepfathers. Brown, a moderate GOP senator who has earned much respect during his year in office, deserves an immense amount of credit for this, hopefully giving an example to youth in the same position to report abuse. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Sep 2010 10:35

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Tech: Mark Zuckerberg talks to the New Yorker; we know you won’t read it

  • Can’t wait for “The Social Network” to come out? We have good news for you! The New Yorker has its own take on Mark Zuckerberg, and this one comes from the Jesse Eisenberg-looking man himself. Key line from the entire thing (from when he regrettably called his own users dumb something-or-others over IM): “If you’re going to go on to build a service that is influential and that a lot of people rely on, then you need to be mature, right? I think I’ve grown and learned a lot.” All grown up! And he’s only 26! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Jun 2010 10:25

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Culture: Larry King should retire because he sucks: The NYT & us

  • In Lady Gaga, Mr. King had a willing, wildly famous subject. If he can no longer hit a hanging curve ball over the middle of the plate, shouldn’t CNN be thinking hard about who is on deck?
  • New York Times media writer David Carr • Suggesting exactly why Larry King kinda sucks at his job. He has flopped with numerous recent interviews, specifically with Gaga. And the worst part? CNN doesn’t have anyone to replace him. They’re so desperate to find someone to replace Campbell Brown that they’re talking to Eliot Spitzer (which we actually think would be a good idea). And, ultimately, Carr argues, he may find himself in a Helen Thomas situation if he doesn’t get ready to move on. Do the right thing, Larry. Retire. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

27 May 2010 22:44

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Music: M.I.A. doesn’t handle long-form interviews very well

  • The messages have mostly been from people trying to hook up with M.I.A. If she wants to get together with John at Bard next week, I have his number.
  • New York Times staff writer Lynn Hirschberg • Regarding what happened to her after the pop star, angry about the very interesting, exhaustive piece Hirschberg wrote about her, posted a phone number on Twitter claiming it was hers, like so: “CALL ME IF YOU WANNA TALK TO ME ABOUT THE N Y T TRUTH ISSUE, ill b taking calls all day bitches ;)” In reality, it was Hirschberg’s, and her voicemail totally filled up as a result. Listen. M.I.A. is an awesome musician who deserves a lot of respect for her art, but this is pretty much the worst possible way to handle a situation like this. You’re 34, not 12. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Apr 2010 11:23

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Politics: Stephen Colbert briefly drops out of character, hits Wikileaks hard

  • In this interview with the founder of Wikileaks, Stephen Colbert rips into the guy pretty hard around the 3 minute mark. He notes that the clip was called “Collateral Murder,” which offers a political angle to something he’s trying to push objectively. Colbert quickly drops back into his persona, but the effect is pretty impressive.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

24 Mar 2010 09:57

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Politics: UK Conservative leader: Yeah, we, uh …, support, uh …, gay rights

  • Man, talk about a stumble. David Cameron, who’s been leading a push to portray the Conservatives as a modernized party in the UK, tripped over his own words in this interview with Gay Times, to the point where he told the magazine to shut off the camera so he could collect his thoughts. This is how to make your party look modernized. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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