The Verdict: House (11/27/07 episode)

Tonight's episode of House does not disappoint. Of course, there were several twists and turns. First, 13 and Kutner were fired. Then, Amber and Taub. Then everyone. And finally House made his melodramatic decision, firing 13 and Amber. Yet, it was all a set-up.

In the end, it's only Amber, "cut-throat bitch" who is fired. And everyone learns that she does have feelings. I am surprised at the descision to fire Amber. Her character as a dedicated doctor willing to go to any length to win appears to fit perfectly in House's team. However, House revealed a part of his heart in tonight's episode by saying that members of his team must be willing to make mistakes, to "lose."

What does all this say about House's character? Does he care for his patients? Is everything a game for him? Is he emotionless? Does he fear living as Wilson suggests? There are no black and white answers to these questions. In a sweeping generality, the answer to all of these questions is "yes and no."

House does care for his patients and he won't have team members who don't (as he illustrated by firing Amber). House likes to keep everyone, especially Cuddy, guessing what his next move is (plus it's an ongoing theme in the series). House has shown emotion for both himself and others (throwing away 13's test results). As for his fear of living, I believe House finds his life most animated when his patient's are close to death. He walks a fine line of being able to solve life's mysteries for others, but denies that same insight for himself.

What will House's new team bring out of him? They are now the Fantastic Four as opposed to the traditional Three Musketeers. I believe they will continue to draw emotion out of House the remainder of this season. I also believe that Amber will be back in some capacity. House returns in January 2008. We'll see what happens then.

House: Who's Fired Next

The character of Gregory House, MD (Hugh Laurie) made his debut on November 16, 2004 on FOX. Since the show's debut, House, has kept viewers coming back every season for thrilling and compelling medical cases being solved by a crotchety, sexually driven, sardonic doctor. House is now in its fourth season of success, with a new plot line and characters.

At the end of Season Three, the three diagnosticians on House's team--Dr. Eric Foreman (Omar Epps), Dr. Robert Chase (Jesse Spencer), and Dr. Allison Cameron (Jennifer Morrison) left House's team either by choice or through termination. This has left a void in Season Four, although all three doctors still work at the hospital including Foreman directly with House.

Season Four of House has turned into a medical version of Survivor with House attempting to find a new diagnostic team. Starting at the beginning of the season with about 30 candidates, the House finds himself down to his last elimination. The candidates include:

#24 - Amber Volakis - Specializing in Interventional Radiology, Dr. Volakis is an agressive, cut-throat competitor for one of the three coveted spots on House's team. She has proven throughout the course of the season she will do anything (including passing her underwear off as Dr. Cuddy's).

#6 - Lawrence Kutner - A rehabilitative and sports specialist, Dr. Kutner, is an optimistic fellow. He has much potential, but his enthusiasm rushes him to make bold choices. Like House, he is a radical thinker, always rushing to one extreme to another.

#13 - "Thirteen" - The mystery woman of the show, #13 practices Internal Medicine, she's quiet, beautiful, and shares no personal info with anyone.

#39 - Chris Taub - A plastic surgeon, Dr. Taub is one of the most insightful characters on the show, although his practice is the most shallow. Dr. Taub was forced out of his practice for cheating with a colleague on his wife, his last chance to practice medicine lies in a position on House's team.

So, who will be fired this Tuesday? It's a hard decision to make, however, I will place my bet on Kutner because his medical practices although risky, his personality doesn't show enough personality for the direction Season Four is heading. The trailer for next week's episode alludes to some gigantic mistake being made by one of the fellows and Kutner would be the one to commit it. #13 has learned from her mistakes. Volakis has a character to compelling to cut from the series. And Taub provides balance to the team.

Keeping Foreman, Cameron, and Chase on the show hasn't done too much. They are rather annoying influences on the program during the elimination process. Chase runs bets on who will be fired next, while Cameron is reluctant to confess her love for her former boss, and Foreman is House's watchdog for Cuddy.

Anyway, enough criticsm for now, let's see if I'm right...tune into Fox 5 this Tuesday evening at 9 p.m. EST to discover who makes House's team. And then log onto my blog to hear what I have to say about it.

Where Have I Been?

It's been six months and three days since my last post! My apologies for not being around! There is so much I've meant to write, but little time to do it. I've had ideas brewing in the synapses of my brain over this long absence and would like to share them all, but I'll start with my latest obsession: Stephen Colbert.

Stephen Colbert is the epitome of America. He was born and raised in North Carolina as the youngest of eleven children. He lost his father, James Colbert, and two of his brothers, Peter and Paul, in a plane crash when he was 10-years-old in 1974. Raised as an Irish Catholic, Colbert still teaches Sunday school and is married with three kids. He's a family guy and prefers his kids not to watch his Comedy Central hit, The Colbert Report. His career, in many ways, is the polar opposite of his personal life.

Colbert plays an intriguing right-wing pundit on his nightly newscast. He crafted this character from his stint on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart when he played the role of a correspondent. Colbert also won two Emmys for his writing work on The Daily Show. Today, on The Colbert Report, Colbert colorfully criticizes American politics and media. The scripts to his show are pointed and sardonic, especially "The Word." And his interview segments are a true display of his rapid-fire wit and intellectual cunning, which brings me to why I believe he is one of America's most valuable voices.

Colbert tells it like it is in his new book, I Am American (And So Can You!), a daring display of his character's hutzpa in print. He also isn't afraid to tell it like it is to anyone else. Take the 2006 White House Correspondent Dinner as an example. Or, more recently his October 14 op-ed in The New York Times, where he wrote Maureen Dowd's column on an issued challenge. In all moments, outside of The Colbert Report, Colbert remains true to his character, seldom just being "Stephen."

His recent grab at a chance to be the "favorite son" of North Carolina, was both entertaining and culturally significant. Colbert announced his presidential candidacy on October 16, 2007. On October 15, he appeared on Larry King Live and alluded to his candidacy. He also skimmed the topic in his NYT op-ed on October 14. As the "favorite son" of North Carolina, Colbert proposed to be on both the Republican and Democratic ticket.

He campaigned in North Carolina the weekend of October 29, mixing with the locals, receiving a key to the North Carolina state capital, Columbia, and winning over the hearts and minds of his fellow Americans.

In order to process his applications for the ballot, Colbert forked over $2,500 of his own cash to the Democrats, but dropped off the Republican radar when he refused their $35,000 fee. In order to maintain his campaign and not be snagged by federal campaign laws, his entire campaign needed to be less than $5,000.

On November 1, Colbert was crushed to learn--on his show--that he didn't make the Democratic ticket and was voted down 13-3. Colbert officially announced his drop out of the race on November 5.

An action packed 22 days! Colbert was really gaining some popularity in the race though I doubt his campaign would have truly succeeded. However, I do believe the campaign did its part in getting people to pay attention to what is going on for Election 2008. He had people talking.

The Comedy Central Message Board for The Colbert Report is largely a milieu of one-time-only posts. During his candidacy, there was one post in particular that caught my attention expressing that Colbert should drop out of the race. What this naive poster didn't understand was that Colbert's stunt was an effort to get folks talking about this race. There are far too many people out there who don't know enough about the candidates, their stances, and what they could do for America if elected. I believe Colbert took a step in the right direction by motivating them to learn more.

To wrap up this long-winded, rambling post, I'd just like to say that it is important that we inform ourselves about the candidates. Next November's Election Day will be here faster than we know and if the 24-hour news networks give you a headache, tune into Colbert. He'll give you the highlights and do it with the sarcasm that politics is all about.

Jackson Pollock and My Life

Who the f*** is Jackson Pollock? That’s a question I asked myself not too long ago. Last summer, I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and ventured into the Modern Art section. I never cared much for art, and had no idea what “modern art” was. As I walked through the section, glancing at the artwork, I kept asking myself, “what is so special about this?” One of the works, was a full wall of separate canvases, each painted solid in a different color. It was basically a giant spectrum and I just didn’t get it. Some of the paintings were neat, however, I could make no sense out of any of them. I finally came to this one huge canvas that was splattered with paint. It had black, brown, and white splatters with hints of orange and yellow throughout. It caught my attention. I read the art tag. The painting was called Autumn Rhythm and it was painted by Jackson Pollock. Little did I know how big an impact Pollock would have on my life and schoolwork.

In the fall of 2006, I took a course at Fordham University in the Mass Media and Communications Program (I’m still a student there, working on obtaining my Masters). The course was called “Theories of Communication.” One of the course’s main objectives was to define and understand “The Modern.” I was a little put off by it because after seeing Modern art and having little knowledge of Modernism, I didn’t know what to expect. But, to make a long story short, I learned that Modernism was a movement that began in the early 20th century that focused on a continuum of change. Those who took part in the Modern always wanted to push the envelope a little farther, break through new ground, continually change.

I thought about Pollock when we were learning about Modernism. I decided to make Pollock my final paper topic for that class. The assignment was to discuss modernity and its impact. After reading up on Pollock’s life, I learned that he was a manic-depressive who grew up in the West and then moved to Greenwich Village in New York to pursue a career in painting. He painted throughout the World Wars, making money as a starving artist. He married a fellow painted, Lee Krasner, and the two of them moved out of the city to the suburbs.

As an artist, Pollock experimented with many different forms--cubism, surrealism, and then he came to his home artistic movement: abstract expressionism. The Abstract Expressionists looked to create work that not only delved deep into their own psyches, but could reach into their viewers psyches. All of a sudden, Autumn Rhythm and all of the other splatter paintings Pollock created began to make sense. He painted them through his subconscious and when I looked at them, I could draw something out of them for myself. Modernism became much clearer to me and much more exciting.

In the midst of doing this project, I heard about a new film that was being made. It was a documentary called Who the F*** is Jackson Pollock. A woman by the name of Teri Horton, 74, bought a painting in a thrift shop for $5 many years ago. She intended on giving the painting, which looked like a piece of junk to her, to a friend. That never happened, so she put the painting out during a yard sale. A local art teacher came by and saw the painting and told Horton that it might be by Jackson Pollock and worth millions. Since then, Horton has been trying to prove her painting was by Pollock’s hand and become a millionaire.

I saw an interview with Horton last week on 60 Minutes. She is quite a character! She is a retired truck driver (and has the mouth to prove it). She is convinced that her painting is a Pollock after have it synthesized. Experts found a fingerprint on the painting that looks like a match to one of Pollock’s fingerprints. However, other art experts say the painting can’t be a Pollock. So, Horton is stuck.

One of Pollock’s latest found paintings was sold for $140 million. Horton thinks hers is worth $50 million and won’t give it up until she gets it. Pollock was known to throw his paintings away if he didn’t like them. They have turned up in garbage dumps around the country. Pollock’s fame took off in the late 1940s when he first created his “drip paintings” or what we call splatter paintings. He created them by laying the canvas on the floor and drizzling paint from various objects like brushes, sticks, etc. to create the drip effect. Pollock’s paintings did not become sought after until his death in 1956.

Pollock also happens to be the topic of my Masters thesis, which I will be writing this summer. My topic takes his Modern artwork and pits it against the postmodern networking website, MySpace. Please come back to my blog often, I will have more information on my thesis posted as it comes along and a poll for you to take in the new week or so! If you’d like to learn more about Pollock, I would rent the movie Pollock. The film was directed by Ed Harris. Harris also stars as Pollock. The film gives you a great idea of Pollock’s life and what contributed to his artwork. I highly recommend it!

The Modern Museum of Art dedicated an entire room to Pollock. He is certainly one of the 20th century’s most influential artists. There are a few links below if you want to see some of Pollock’s work and learn a little more about him. He is truly a great artists and a premier example of how Modernism continues to exist today, in a postmodern society.

The address to 60 Minutes and the story about Teri Horton:

Information about the film, Pollock

Wikipedia article on Jackson Pollock

Athletic Escapes: Flaunting Crimes and Getting Paid Big Money (Part 3 of 3)

My final blog post in this series centers on athletes who have gotten away with committing crimes. Athletes are similar to celebrities (whom I discussed earlier in this blog series). We look up to athletes. These men and women are capable of performing inhuman tasks involving hand-eye coordination, strength and agility, flexibility, the list goes on. Like celebrities and politicians, however, athletes also commit crimes. How do they stand up against the other two groups (politicians and celebrities)? Let’s explore…

The one athlete crime that never seems to be exhausted in popular culture is the alleged murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman by football player, O.J. Simpson. The latest media coverage occurred this year when news media reported that Simpson was on the verge of publishing a book entitled If I Did It. The book’s production was canceled and currently the book’s rights may be held up for auction with all proceeds being given to the Goldman family to whom which Simpson owes over $30 million.

October 3, 1995 is the date in history in which Simpson, now 59 years-old, was deemed not guilty for the murders. The evidence against Simpson seemed to be enough to convict him. There was the DNA that linked Simpson to the crime scene. There were also traces of blood located in Simpson’s car, in his bedroom, and driveway. A pair of gloves also pointed to Simpson as the murderer—the left glove was found at Nicole Brown Simpson’s crime scene and the other at O.J. Simpson’s home. Other physical evidence suggests that Simpson could have committed the crime as a single-edged knife was missing (the supposed murder weapon) as well as a pair of shoes that Simpson was allegedly wearing at the time.

Some believe that all the evidence was planted against Simpson, framing him for the murders. Others believe that he was the killer. Who will ever know at this point? I must admit that the fact Simpson chose to pen a book entitled If I Did It does seem a little fishy. How did Simpson get off if all the evidence against him was so compelling? Was it simply the matter of a good attorney? Was it because there were several mistakes and miscommunications made throughout the course of the trial that negated the evidence? Or was it because O.J. was a public figure with a lot of power?

I don’t know why he got off. The O.J. Simpson trial is said to be one of the greatest of its century. It began on January 24, 1995 and lasted for 133 days. The verdict was reached on October 3, 1995 and attracted approximately half of the U.S. population to watch on Court TV. The Simpson trial was, to many, an elongated episode of Law and Order. It had all the elements to a good crime mystery/drama: murder, evidence, a popular cultural figure, and intrigue. And today, over a decade later, Simpson’s trial is still receiving media attention.



Moving on…The second athlete I’d like to bring up in this discussion is Barry Bonds. Bonds, 42, has had a successful MLB career leading the league with the highest number of walks and intentional walks. He is second in homeruns, which currently total 744 as of May 5. He is only 11 home runs away from beating Hank Aaron’s major league homerun record of 755. What a career!

Aside from Bond’s success on the baseball field, his career has had some major shadows and downfalls when it comes to steroid use. Steroids and steroid use have been a part of sports for quite a while. In 2003, Bonds was involved in a scandal when his trainer, Greg Anderson of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO) was indicted by a grand jury and charged with supplying anabolic steroids to athletes. This speculation led to prosecutors to believe Bonds was a user as he was trained by Anderson since 2000.

Bonds, an extraordinary athlete, attributed his athletic buildup to a new training regimen and diet. It is important to note that testing for steroids was not a mandatory procedure for the MLB prior to Anderson’s indictment. Bonds is said to have admitted Anderson gave him suspicious supplements that might be performance-enhancing drugs. However, before any convictions could be made Anderson and another three defendants in the scandal struck deals with federal prosecutors, which banned them from revealing the names of any athletes who may have used steroids.

The book, Game of Shadows (2006) by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, is a permanent piece of popular culture that points to Bond’s usage of steroids during certain points in his career. The book also contains excerpts of the grand jury testimony, which is supposed to be kept sealed and confidential from the public view. The authors, reporters for the San Francisco Chronicle, investigated drug use in athletes, including Bonds for two years collecting data that can be considered questionable.

Bonds sued Fainaru-Wada and Williams and attempted to block the book from being published. Bonds was unsuccessful and a judge deemed the authors’ book an exercise of free speech. Bonds dropped his lawsuit in June 2006. Bond’s lawsuit may point to his guilt of using steroids, however, his career has remained unharmed.

In April 2006, federal prosecutors began to examine whether Bonds had committed perjury in the grand jury trial of 2003. Anderson refused to testify in the trial and was jailed, but released shortly after. It is said that Bond’s medical records were obtained in July 2006 by federal prosecutors. These medical records as well as testimony from several other witnesses point to Bond’s usage of steroids that possibly led to a knee injury last season and an elbow injury in 1999.

Anderson remains in jail today for contempt and the attempt to link Bonds to steroid use ensues. Fans of MLB are split, half believing that Bonds hasn’t used steroids to reach his career high success at the age of 42 while others doubt that he could have such success without using steroids. It seems that Bond’s usage of steroids is currently on the backburner of current events as he continually nears reaching an all-time homerun record.

Bonds continues to play outfield for the San Francisco Giants and is cashing in this season at $15.8 million with $4 million in additional incentives. Nevertheless, he is extremely close to breaking one of the most prestigious MLB records.

It seems that athletes aren’t much different from politicians and celebrities. It’s easy to ignore their crimes because they are public figures. We would rather celebrate their accomplishments and hold them in our memories as heroes rather than criminals. I personally believe this trend is a cultural phenomenon that is detrimental. Public figures need to be treated like the public they serve and represent. Preferential treatment should not apply to them.

I have attempted to discuss and come up with some potential answers as to why public figures (politicians, celebrities, and athletes) get away with perjury, murder, drug abuse, and a multitude of other misdemeanors. To my dismay, I have reached no conclusive answer. I can only conclude that public figures enjoy a heightened popularity and power than regular people because we allow them to. They are held in the limelight and admired for their accomplishments and those attributes that are not as flattering are swept under the rug and ignored. Why? Because society prefers it that way.

Leave the six and ten o’clock news report murders and crimes to the regular common criminals of the day and keep the public figures safe. For without model citizens, what would our society be?

I will leave the answer to that question up to you. As for me, I’m off to enjoy my weekly perusal of People and Us magazines to catch up on my politician, celebrity, and athlete gossip, which may very well indeed provide the topic for my next blog post! Cheers!

Credits: Photos are compliments of Google Image Search. See below for direct URLs to each photograph.

O.J. Simpson: http://www.pdhyman.com/blog/oj-simpson.jpg

Barry Bonds: http://www.mikepaulblog.com/blog/media/Barry%20Bonds%20SI.jpg

Celebrity Porn: Why They Get Away With It (Part 2 of 3)

As I begin my second installment of this blog series, I’d just like to inform everyone that Governor Corzine of New Jersey opted to pay the seatbelt fine after he was released from the hospital last week. It is refreshing to see a political figure own up to his mistake and approach the situation with honesty and dignity. And of course, it’s wonderful to see the Governor back on his feet!

This blog post moves away from the political sphere and delves into the world of celebrities: movie and music stars as well as other popular culture figures. Over the past few years, I’ve seen a huge increase in people’s interest to keep up with the lives of celebrities. One of my fellow classmates in the M.A. program for Communication and Media Studies at Fordham calls this phenomenon “celebrity porn.” Our culture is bordering on obsession when it comes to knowing the latest celebrity gossip like who’s breaking up with who, what the celebrities wore to the latest awards show, etc.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I find the lifestyle of celebrities attractive. I too pick up a copy of People magazine every so often to catch up on my celebrity gossip. When I flip through the pages of People or watch the Entertainment Channel, I enjoy looking at the pictures of celebrities or reading their personal stories. In a way, I feel connected to the celebrity. Therein lies the appeal to celebrity porn. We want to be closer to those who are famous. The stories that I don’t like so much in these magazines and shows are the ones about celebrities who have committed crimes and then escaped punishment.

My first celebrity victim in this blog is Britney Spears. She was a young success. I own her early records. Then, things started to go downhill in 2004 when Spears married childhood friend Jason Allen Alexander. The marriage occurred in Las Vegas and ended 2 days later. Spear’s fall began after the release of her fourth album, In the Zone, in November 2003. Only nine months after her annulment to Alexander, Spears tied the knot with Kevin Federline in September 2004. A year later, on September 14, 2005, Spears gave birth to her first child, Sean Preston Federline. Paparazzi caught Spears driving with her son in her lap in February 2006. Spears was not prosecuted for the incident, which as anyone knows, put her child in danger.

Spear’s marriage began to fall apart that year and she became pregnant a second time and gave birth to her second son, Jayden James Federline on September 12, 2006. Shortly after their second son’s birth, Spearks filed for divorce. The divorce settlement was recently reached and on March 29, 2007, Spears and Federline were officially divorced.

2007 has been a big year for Spears. She has not only been in and out of drug rehabilitation centers, but she has also shaved her head. During the time in which Spears was gallivanting with other celebrities who have misused drugs, she was never caught in possession or prosecuted although Federline filed for custody of the children in February 2007. The court trial never occurred and Spears continues to have full custody of the children. On May 1, 2007, Spears appeared at The House of Blues in San Diego, California for her first stage performance since her drug problems emerged. Is Spears on the road to success once again?

If so, then the best of luck to her. But, what about her kids? Obviously, she has had some risky behavior over the past year. It is also obvious, however, that Spears wants to recover to be a mother. She also has immense support from her family, her ex-husband Federline, and ex-boyfirend, Justin Timberlake. Spear’s mistakes and potential crimes have been turned into a human interest story like that of most celebrities. Then again, not all celebrities are so lucky…

Poor Martha Stewart. A successful, honest, non-drug using, house making spokesperson and savvy business woman was convicted for insider trading in 2004 and sentenced to prison, fined, and barred from serving as an executive in any capacity for five years. Allow me to compare and contrast: Spears puts her child’s life in danger, misuses drugs, and displays borderline behavior while Martha Stewart just tries to rescue her money?

Stewart was accused of insider trading in 2002 after selling shares of a pharmaceutical company which was said to be failing as a new drug would be denied (she supposedly saved over $45,000 in damages). Stewart’s reputation and image suffered over the course of the next three years. Her magazine subscriptions dropped and in March 2004, she was convicted on four counts of lying to investigators and obstruction of justice. Steward was forced to resign her role as CEO of MSLO. She also resigned her other executive positions at Revlon and the New York Stock Exchange. Stewart said in July 2004 that, "I'm a perfectionist. But I want people to understand that I'm not, personally, perfect.”

The notion of non-perfection in the celebrity world is one that is foreign to most of us. Celebrities act as role models and to see them put in negative light is something that culture chooses to ignore. Getting back to Stewart, however, she began serving a five month prison term in September 2004, while her appeal was still pending. Stewart served her term from October 2004 to March 2005 and then was placed on house arrest for an addition five months and required to wear an ankle bracelet.

After her house arrest, Stewart began to see her success rise again and the last of her legal battles was settled in August 2006. The Securities and Exchange Commission agreed to settle. Under the settlement, Stewart, who did not admit guilt, agreed to pay a fine of about $195,000 (or three times what she avoided in selling the shares). She also agreed to a five-year bar from serving as a director of a public company.

By 2011, Stewart will be able to return to the helm as CEO of MSO, at the age of 70. Since her jail term and house arrest, Stewart has become the spokeswoman for K-Mart and had several books published as well as starred in several reality TV shows included an Apprentice series which failed.

So, the stories of Spears and Stewart are polar opposites in many ways. Spears, 25, is a young pop-star who has been caught up in the world of celebrity-hood and has been innocent over the course of her recent risky behavior and drug habits. But, I think it’s interesting to note that even Spears knows, “she’s not that innocent” when she sings her hit song, “Baby, Hit Me One More Time.” On the other side of the spectrum, Stewart, 66, has served a prison term, paid an immense fine, and resigned her role as an executive. She did not endanger anyone, she just looked out for her own well-being, a crime we are all guilty of at some point or another.

It seems that it all depends upon the celebrity whether they get punished for their crime or let off scot-free. Does age have anything to do with it? Popularity? Probably, but that’s an entirely different topic for an entirely different blog post. As public figures, celebrities like government officials need to be held to the same standards as everyday citizens.

Then again, what would be the appeal in reading an issue of People that is chock full of celebrity crimes and convictions? It probably wouldn’t be much fun, although I do enjoy seeing that Paris Hilton was just sentenced to 45 days in jail for violating her probation. She will serve her term prior to June 1 and she will have her own quarters at jail like other celebrities to avoid humiliation and angst from other inmates. People also reports, “Each day, the incarcerated are permitted outside their cells for an hour to shower, watch TV in the day room, participate in outdoor activities or talk on the phone. (Cell phones are not allowed in the jail cells.) As for food, inmates are offered three-poultry-based low-sodium meals a day. The jail's overseer calls it ‘a very nice place’,” (People.com).

Now, when and if I ever go to jail…I want that treatment!

Credits: Photos are compliments of Google Image Search

Britney Spears: http://www.baldhalloffame.com/images/__britney%20spears%2001.jpg

Martha Stewart: http://www.funmansion.com/images/MarthaStewart.gif

People Magazine: http://www.mala.bc.ca/~soules/media205/people_mag.jpg

Presidential Mishaps: Escaping the Law of the Land (Part 1 of 3)

Who better to escape the law than the President himself? If any government official or public figure should be entitled to get away with breaking a law or committing a crime, it should be the President, right?

The answer to the question is, “no,” at least in my opinion. Nevertheless, we have seen many former presidents escape from the clutches of court. The first one that comes to mind is President Richard Nixon and his involvement in Watergate.

The Watergate Hotel was the headquarters for the Democratic National Committee. In 1972, there was a break-in at the headquarters by members of the Nixon Administration. Once leaks that Nixon might have been involved in Watergate emerged, the press, most notably The Washington Post set out to uncover the scandal. Eventually, a Senate committee was commissioned to further examine the break-in at Watergate in 1973.

Nixon began to lose his political footing after the hearings with the Senate committee, which aired May 17 to August 7 in 1973. During the course of the hearings, the committee learned that everything said in the Oval Office of the White House was recorded. Nixon’s tapes were subpoenaed, but he refused to hand them over on the grounds of executive privilege.

In Nixon’s case, executive privilege wasn’t enough and the tapes were surrendered to the FBI on July 24, 1974 after the case went all the way to the Supreme Court. After the tapes were released, Nixon’s White House began to fall apart with one aide/official after another being found guilty of illegal election-campaign activities. The pressure from the Senate as well as dwindling public support caused Nixon to resign.

On August 8, 1974, Nixon announced he would be resigning his presidency effective August 9. Had Nixon not resigned, he most likely would have been found guilty of perjury and conspiring in illegal campaign activities. Nixon’s resignation saved him from further public embarrassment. A month later, on September 8, 1974, the newly sworn President Ford gave Nixon a full pardon excusing him from any past crimes.

Because Nixon was never formerly tried, the truth still remains somewhat concealed. Some critics believe that Nixon’s acceptance of the presidential pardon is testimony of his guilt. It is also significant to note that in 1977, Nixon agreed to a series of interviews with David Frost. During these interviews, Nixon became angry with Frost. According to Louis Liebovich in his book, Richard Nixon, Watergate, and the Press: A Historical Retrospective, Nixon “…valiantly tried to explain away his Watergate role during the Frost interviews and later in his book, reacting angrily when Frost pointed to inconsistencies in his arguments and pressed him for more details about his personal involvement,” (Liebovich 117). Aside from Watergate, however, Nixon avoided the press.

Nixon’s case is unique and is the only case in which a president resigned from office. The fear of impeachment is a great fear for a president or any government official. The other case that always comes to mind when I think about guilty presidents is the case of President William J. Clinton and the Monica Lewinsky Scandal.

Clinton is suspected of having a sexual relationship with White House Intern, Monica Lewinsky between November 15, 1995 and April 7, 1996. It is also purported that Lewinsky and Clinton had sexual relations in February and March of 1997.

The Clinton/Lewinsky scandal was brought to light during the Paula Jones sexual harassment case in 1998 after Lewinsky submitted an affidavit denying any physical relationship with Clinton. Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr, who was working on the Jones case, received tapes from Linda Tripp, a colleague of Lewinsky’s. These tapes were recorded by Tripp and documented phone calls between herself and Lewinsky regarding the Clinton affair.

These tapes fueled the fire that consumed the lives of Clinton and Lewinsky over the next several months. Starr set out to convict both Clinton and Lewinsky of perjury. News of the scandal hit airwaves of January 17, 1998. A few days later, on January 26, Clinton told the American people in a nationwide broadcast that he never had sexual relations with Lewinsky.

Over the course of the next several months, the scandal between Clinton and Lewinsky remained stagnate because neither party chose to divulge the press’s inquiries. However, on July 28, 1998, Lewinsky received immunity in exchange for a grand jury testimony and turned over a semen-stained dress with Clinton’s DNA on it. On August 17, 1998, Clinton admitted he had inappropriate relations with the White House intern. Clinton did not include oral sex as part of the broader term, “sexual relations.”

After admitting to his actions, Clinton’s license to practice law was suspended in Arkansas and later by the United States Supreme Court. He was also fined $90,000. On December 19, 1998, the House of Representatives charged Clinton with impeachment. The crimes Clinton committed according to the House included perjury and obstruction of justice.

The impeachment trial lasted 21 days and on February 12, 1999, Clinton was acquitted of the charges. The Senate vote fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for conviction and removal from office as per Constitutional guidelines. Clinton was a free man.

The Clinton/Lewinsky scandal is a much different case when compared to Nixon’s Watergate Scandal, yet they are very similar. Both Clinton and Nixon lied to the American public about actions committed to protect their dignity. However, Nixon’s popularity with the American public plummeted whereas Clinton’s approval ratings rose. The American public did not want to see Clinton impeached. Nixon escaped an impeachment trial simply because of his resignation.

When we look back at the history books, I think it is apparent that both Nixon and Clinton are guilty of lying to the American public, which is a big no-no” Nevertheless, both men escaped formal punishment. Nixon and Clinton were subjected to humiliation and the exhibition of personal and private information, but they were not convicted or indicted for their crimes.

Ford’s pardon of Nixon was very unpopular in 1974. The American public disapproved of the pardon. They felt betrayed by Nixon and more so because he ran away from his actions by resigning from office. With Clinton, the American public stood by the current president, perhaps only because he chose to face his actions and the possible consequences. Was Clinton’s bravery and honesty rewarded while Nixon’s lack thereof punished?

The discussion of government officials and crime is a delicate territory to explore. As we have seen, presidents do not tend to be convicted of crimes. More often than not, these trials and scandals are the center of media attention and entertainment for the greater public. So, all in all, I guess the point here is that in order for one to survive what could be a detrimental scandal, one needs to have a whole lot of power. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for me and it probably isn’t for anyone reading this. All I can say then, is good luck.

A Blog Series: Public Figures & Breaking the Law

On April 13 2007, Governor Jon Corzine of New Jersey was involved in an almost-fatal car crash, leaving the 60-year-old governor with a flailing chest and broken femur. How did this crash happen?

News outlets have been reporting on the event and have discovered Governor Corzine’s vehicle was traveling 91 miles per hour, 26 miles above the speed limit, when it was hit by a red pickup truck. It has also been released that Governor Corzine was not wearing his seatbelt at the time (he was in the front seat of the Chevy Suburban).

As it turns out, New Jersey has strict laws about seat belt safety. The official website of the New Jersey Government (http://www.nj.gov/lps/hts/seatbelts.html#2) summarizes the law as such:

“Applies to all passenger vehicles including vans, pickup trucks and SUV’s, that are required to be equipped with seat belts. Applies to all passengers who are at least 8 years of age but less than 18 year of age, and each driver and front seat passenger of a passenger automobile….All occupants are required to wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt system.”

New Jersey state officials are trying to locate the driver of the pickup truck who supposedly caused the accident. The drive could face charges of reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. Governor Corzine’s driver, state trooper Robert Rasinski, could face charges for disobeying the speeding limit. And Governor Corzine himself be cited and fined for disobeying his own seatbelt law (a minimal fine of $46.00).

However, the current issue of investigation revolves around the fact that no one can interview the governor because his respiration is currently being facilitated by a breathing tube. Furthermore, doctors and officials worry that the Governor won’t be able to remember the details of the accident. The doctors at Cooper University Hospital have constantly stated that the governor is very lucky to be alive.

Tom Shea, chief-of-state to Governor Corzine believes the governor should be cited if he was indeed not wearing a seatbelt. As far as citing Governor Corzine is concerned, he probably won’t face any fines. He has certainly suffered enough since the accident.

The only question that remains is: why would a government official break a law they have promised to uphold? The answer to this question is debatable. Furthermore, if a government official, or in fact, any public figure breaks the law, should they be punished accordingly?

Over the next few weeks, I will be debating these topics and I plan to look at several public figures from different walks of life. These people include government officials, actors and other celebrities, as well as athletes.

In my opinion, I believe that public figures should be treated like everyday citizens when it comes to the law. Nevertheless, I understand that public figures are entitled to special privileges whether it’s a matter of who they know or how much money they have or bring in for an organization.

In any case, I do wish Governor Corzine a speedy recovery and hope to see him back to work in the near future. As for the citation, I think it should be given as a matter of principle.

The Greed Generation

If you had the opportunity to walk away with a guaranteed $100,000 or more, would you take it?

I certainly would, but it seems like more and more people are willing to call that kind of cash “chump change.” The hit game show, Deal or No Deal, is the personification of greed in America. Contestant after contestant shouts “NO DEAL!” hoping that the case they’ve chosen holds one million dollars. Deal or No Deal and game shows of the same nature have deemed the current generation of Americans, young and old, “The Greed Generation.”

Deal or No Deal has been around for some time. The show aired on NBC on December 19, 2005. The show has gained international acclaim and several versions have taken off in other countries including Canada and France. The show is hosted by comedian Howie Mandel.

Deal or No Deal is probably one of the simplest game shows in television history. Prior to the show, a third party randomly places monetary amounts ranging from $0.01 to $1,000,000 in a total of 26 cases. Contestants, who are chosen through an application process, are then asked to choose a case. Once the contestant has his/her case, he/she begins to narrow down what could be in the case by opening the remaining cases.

The show operates in rounds (a total of nine) and each round requires the contestant to open a set number of cases. If the top amounts, which range from $100,000 to $1,000,000 stay in play, the Banker, will offer the contestant larger sums of money to buy the case from the contestant. The Banker’s goal is to buy the contestant’s case for as little as possible. If the top amounts are revealed as not being in the contestant’s case, the Banker’s offer decreases.

Since the game show’s induction in 2005, many have attempted to deduce the chances of a contestant picking the case with $1,000,000. Of course, the chances are very slim. To be exact, US Today crunched the numbers and revealed there’s only a 3.8% chance of a contestant choosing the top case. Meanwhile, there’s over a 50% chance a contestant’s case will hold less than $5,000. Seven contestants have chosen the million-dollar case, but all of them have taken a deal prior to knowing that their case held a million dollars.

One interesting piece of trivia is that one of these unlucky contestants, Dave Atherton, sold his case at the third offer for $81,000 when his case actually held $1,000,000. Atherton is the only contestant to sell a case that early in the game. More often than not, contestants play the game through the end and stick with their case. The biggest winning contestant was Michele Falco on September 22, 2006 who took home $750,000. She stuck with her case until the end.

It kills me to sit there and watch people turn down six digit figures when their case probably only holds $500 bucks. I sit there, glued to the television screen thinking that the six digit figure that was just turned down would pay for Masters three times over! Alas, I don’t know what I would do in the situation. I say that I would walk away. Yet, every time I’m at the casino, I can’t help but slip another $20 bill into the slot machine hoping to strike three sevens and hit the jackpot.

Is the phenomenon of greed cultural or compulsive?

Culturally, Americans celebrate prosperity. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is another game show that encourages greed by pushing contestants to try to answer just one more question. Game shows like Deal or No Deal and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire along with other popular shows including Wheel of Fortune set a cultural tone inciting that anyone can win “big money.” These life-changing prizes are a new and more current version of The American Dream. Anyone can have it. But, can they?

Some critics who believe this is a cultural phenomenon say that these game shows promote a “pornography of wealth.” As Joshua Gamson points out in his article, “Other People’s Money” back in January of 2000 in The American Prospect, game shows are a cheerleader for capitalism encouraging consumers and could-be contestants that they could get something for nothing.

Gambling is and can be a compulsive activity. Gamblers tend to forgo logic hoping to get their big payday. The compulsion for Deal or No Deal contestants could simply be the urge to beat the system and pick the million-dollar case. I have seen many contestants claim to know which case holds the top prize (none of them have had it). So, the Banker wins in the same way that “the house always wins” when it comes to casinos.

Is there a lesson in all of this? Taking chances and striving to win are very large parts of culture and can lead to great prosperity or utter downfall. The danger “The Greed Generation” is subject to is potentially great, but in the meantime, it will continue to very entertaining.

The Tudors: History Has Never Been So Much Fun

Sex, power, and lust are perfect ingredients when making a breakthrough television series. The Tudors on Showtime combines and utilizes these elements to tantalize viewers as they are thrust into the 16th Century. A history lesson has never been so much fun.

The Tudors first aired on Sunday, April 1 at 10 p.m. on Showtime. Currently, the first two episodes of the series are available on Showtime’s website (www.sho.com). The series is written and produced by Michael Hirst with cinematography provided by Ousama Rawi. Together, Hirst and Rawi have created a perfect balance of words and images to please the viewers’ ears and eyes.

But you may ask, how is this possible? How can history be compelling and exciting? When one thinks of the reign of Henry VIII—an image of an old, fat, and excessively married man comes to mind. The Tudors proves, however, this was not the case. Rather, Henry was a fierce and provoking youth. This period in European history brought tumult and excitement at every turn as the fate of a nation relied on the hand of one ruler.

The Tudors takes viewers back to the delicious 1500s with decadent costumes and savory scenery. It is not hard to understand why King Henry VIII lusts not only for power, but the women that surround him. Within the first two episodes of the series, there has been sex, adultery, mistrust, treason, death, birth, and rivalry. It is no surprise this series has already gathered such a huge following with critics claiming it to be one of the best cable series since The Sopranos.

The dialogue in The Tudors is powerful and provocative. Hirst also recently published his book, The Tudors: It’s Good to be King. (It is currently on sale with a list price of $14.95.) Hirst’s extensive knowledge of Henry VIII provides the series with accurate historic details although The Tudors has only focused on the aristocrats and royalty of the time.

The star of the series, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, gives a commanding performance as King Henry VIII. His portrayal of Henry propels the series forward. Henry VIII is handsome, charming, and ruthless. His character easily flip-flops between passionate lover to cold husband to fearless ruler. Henry’s yearning for a male heir is one major plotline in the series thus far. It is also made clear that Henry wants to be immortalized in the pages of history.

Another character of notoriety in The Tudors is Sam Neill who plays Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Cardinal Wolsey, like Henry, always finds a way to benefit from the situation. Secondary characters in the series look to Cardinal Wolsey for guidance and support. They also have, on several occasions, asked him to handle Henry. Cardinal Wolsey also acts as Henry’s confidant and helps to conceal the illegitimate pregnancy of Elizabeth Blount. Together, Henry and Cardinal Thomas strategically plot and map out the best routes to attain power.

Maria Doyle Kennedy plays Katherine of Aragon, daughter Spain’s King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Katherine originally married Arthur, Henry's brother, but he died sixth months into the marriage. In 1509, she married Henry VIII. In the series, Katherine is portrayed as strong and confidant woman and faithful wife. She wants her marriage to Henry to be a partnership and she tries to advise him in his rule during the first episode, but is reprimanded for interfering in political affairs.

Katherine of Aragon plays an integral role is in the plotline of the production of a male heir for the throne. Henry has grown impatient as each child produced by Katherine has been short lived, stillborn, or a girl. Katherine prays to the Madonna for a boy and her femininity and fragility are well-portrayed in the series.

Sir Thomas More, played by Jeremy Northam, has made brief appearances since the series began. More is known for his book, Utopia, which means “paradise.” For Henry, utopias don’t exist and he much prefers the powerful philosophy of Machiavelli’s The Prince.

Hirst has done well in foreshadowing future events in the life of Henry. Sir Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire, played by Nick Dunning, tries to position his two daughters to win the affection of Henry VIII. His first daughter, Mary, is unsuccessful in keeping the attention of Henry. In the second episode, Sir Thomas coaxes Anne to win the attention of Henry through the sexual skills she obtained while living in France.

The character of Anne Boleyn is played by Perdita Weeks. Natalie Dormer plays Anne Boleyn who will become Henry’s second wife. Dormer plays Anne as a seductress capable of giving men, particularly Henry, anything he wants. She is physically appealing as Anne.

Throughout the first two episodes, the viewer can smell the faint scent of the events that are to come. There are mentions of Martin Luther, who will eventually pen his “100 Theses.” The viewer will also notice Henry’s ruthlessness to obtain his desires. As Hirst’s book title suggests, the character of Henry knows the power he possesses as king. He knows such power is great, but has no regard for the consequences such power has.

In the second episode, Henry proves his power by having Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham (Steven Waddington) beheaded on the charge of treason—a crime that was never truly committed. This event, which coincides with the birth of Henry’s son by Elizabeth Blount illustrates to the viewer that Henry will break rules at all costs to attain what he wants.

The notion of power and fear are forever present in every decision and action Henry takes as King. This fear of higher power (in the form of religion) and his drive to obtain power will lead Henry to become King of the Church of England through the Act of Supremacy (which “legalized” his divorce from Katherine). The notion of religious ideology and philosophy is a constant source of discussion for characters in the series and will most likely continue to drive them.

The Tudors is a series that is promoted on the opposite pole of religion. Rather than promoting the series through inherently good virtues, Showtime has decided to vest its advertising campaign in what are more commonly known as the Seven Deadly Sins. This move is probably wise as the history does not label Henry VIII’s reign as virtuous or good. When entering The Tudors webpage on Sho.com, the viewer sees several of the deadly sins flash across the screen including envy, greed, gluttony, pride, and lust. These sins are the full embodiment of Henry VIII.

Thus far, there are several themes that are playing out in The Tudors. The first them is fear versus love. Henry admires the question Machiavelli brings forth in The Prince, which asks if a ruler should be feared or loved? Henry struggles with physical and emotional love because he continuously grows tired with his wife (later wives) and mistresses. The pursuit of power is less difficult for Henry, but his reckless use of it may be dangerous as his reign continues.

A second theme of masculinity versus femininity can be found in the series. The character of Henry is the ultimate portrayal of a man: thirsty for sex, war, and power. His opposite, Katherine of Aragon, is the paradigm of womanhood through her loyalty and dedication to her husband. These traits of masculinity and femininity continue to blur from character to character as the plotlines thicken in The Tudors. For example, Anne Boleyn, is the ultimate woman physically. She is beautiful and tempting, her figure is well-rounded. Her personality, on the other hand, can be conniving. She seeks to boost herself through her actions.

Finally, the theme of humanity versus mercilessness is present in The Tudors. When speaking with Sir Thomas More, Henry prides himself as being a humanist, but disagrees with More’s peaceful path because he is king and is blinded by war. The script when combined with the cinematography visualizes this theme. The beauty and softness of the Renaissance architecture and dress when contrasted with the sharp and cunning dialogue of the characters provides a drastic and powerful element in the series.

The Tudors will most definitely succeed as a cable series although it would also succeed as a network series. However, the show would lose one powerful component—nudity and sex scenes. In every aspect, The Tudors is a primetime delight with superb acting (especially Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Sam Neill), excellent dialogue (Michael Hirst), and tantalizing scenery (Ousama Rawi).

The fourth installment of The Tudors will air on Sunday, April 22 at 10 p.m. on Showtime. This episode is currently available on demand. With such a strong start, The Tudors will certainly have a long reign on the Showtime network. Tune in to the show, you won’t be disappointed.

Should Chocolate Jesus be Offensive?

Is it art or blasphemy? Artist Cosimo Cavallaro has created a life-size, anatomically correct, chocolate version of Jesus for display in mid-town Manhattan during the last week of Lent.

The sculpture, "My Sweet Lord" is made of 200 pounds of chocolate. Cavallaro's project was sponsored by LAB, an art studio. The sculpture is scheduled to move to the display window of mid-town hotel next week, but currently hotel staff are questioning their decision as many people have had adverse reactions to the sculpture.

The realm of art is open for interpretation, but many Christians believe the statue is derogatory. 1010 Wins has been reporting on the situation and quotes Cavallaro as describing his motivation to create the statue was not to offend. Rather, he wanted to be able to taste his devotion to religion.

This is not the first time Cavallaro has ventured into creating artwork with food. His most well-known medium is in sculpting cheese into and onto various objects such as chairs, coats, and even an entire bedroom. One of his works also includes ham. Cavallaro's artwork is to some pure genius and to others completely unartistic.

After visiting his website at www.cosimocavallaro.com, I found some of the photographs of his work somewhat offensive, especially one of mice being snapped in mouse-traps or the one of dead fish in toilet bowls.

However, I do beleive that artists have a right to express themselves. They have First Amendment rights like anyone else. Cavallaro's work is certainly different, but can it qualify as obscene? Obscenity is something that does not have clearly defined boundaries in American culture and is handled differently on a case by case basis. Should artwork like "My Sweet Lord" be censored?

The answer to that question should be "no," in my opinion. The chocolate sculpture of Jesus is art and it should be displayed on whatever stage chooses to host it. Not to mention, chocolate is something that is big around this time of year whether in the form of bunnies, chicks, and even crosses. Why can't Jesus be made of chocolate too?

I suppose the bigger issue in Cavallaro's sculpture is the fact that Jesus is sculpted to be anatomically correct. Traditionally, icons of Jesus do not portray him nude and this could be why Christians feel offended by the art. Cavallaro has stated that he wanted to portray Jesus as he truly was---not only a Savior, but a man.

Ultimately, the sculpture will mean something different to everyone. That is the beauty of art, it's meaning changes for each viewer because we each have our own unique perspective on life. Art comes from life and should be celebrated.

To see a picture of "My Sweet Lord" you can visit Cavallaro's website (the link is above). You will also find pictures of his other pieces as well as his biography.

Enough is Enough: Sanjaya on IDOL

Now he's part of the top nine? Sanjaya Malakar, 17, has succeeded to slip through the cracks and remain a finalist on the fifth season of American Idol. How has this happened? The latest season of American Idol is proving to be sub-standard to previous seasons. America votes off the half-decent contestants and leaves the ones who can't really sing?

From the beginning of the season, Sanjaya has proved to be a friendly, warm, and loveable person. Paula Abdul is correct when she says Sanjaya has a warm soul. It was heartwarming to see his joys and challenges since auditions when his sister did not make it into the top 20. Sanjaya does have a nice smile, he certainly knows how to do his hair, and he's easy to like. However, once he starts singing, all that charm, charisma, and couture goes right out the window.

Sanjaya seems to be the Idol contestant with one of the largest and most unusual fan bases. Fans have created websites dedicated to keeping the teen on the show. He even has some votes that are being rallied by Howard Stern at votefortheworst.com. The plant in last week's episode, Ashley Ferl, bordered on the edge of ridiculous. She swooned over Sanjaya and cried real tears to prove it, reminding viewers of the 1950s and the Elvis phenomenon. The difference: Elvis was a good singer and great performer. Sanjaya lacks power and stage presence, but makes up for it in popularity (even if it's because he's the worst on Idol).

Critics agree that Sanjaya's stay in the competition will be detrimental to American Idol on a larger scale. Click here for an AOL News story on this. There is superior talent on the show and it would be a travesty to see Sanjaya win. Critics do concur that Sanjaya could still be marketable and create a record with success.

Like any new pop culture icon, Sanjaya has his own web page at http://www.sanjayafans.com/ and even Wikipedia has created an article for him. How long will his fame last? Will he be the next American Idol?

I, for one, hope not. There are many other talented contestants including Melinda Doolittle, LaKisha Jones, Blake Lewis, and even Phil Stacey. I suppose that only time will tell as the latest season treks onward.

Tomorrow morning at work I will be ranting with my friend about the Sanjaya phenomenon. Even though I don’t think Sanjaya should win the contest, I can’t help but enjoy the fact that he has continued to stay in the competition. Once the season is over and we know the results, it could make for an interesting case study on pop culture and interactive entertainment. Until then…I can only beg America…choose a real idol.

The Penny Press Reporter and The Blogger

Now, more than ever, people have the ability to become a published writer with a viable audience. The medium that has made this possible is the Internet. Of course, prior to the World Wide Web, writers could publish their thoughts in books or magazines or newspapers or personal journals/diaries. However, the Internet rivals these traditional publications because its access and proximity to the public are immediate and widely available. The penny press revolution of the 1830s allowed citizens to publish their thoughts and have them read in letters to the editor. Today’s penny presses, so to speak, are the weblogs (blogs) on the Internet where one’s thoughts, opinions, and ideas can be accessed. Bloggers emulate what early penny press journalists did and therefore should enjoy the same legal protection as journalists.

In Discovering the News: A Social History of American Newspapers, Michael Schudson attempts to tell the shaky history of objectivity. Schudson argues that objectivity is traditionally a hallmark of good, factual journalism. However, over the course of history the notion of objectivity has decreased, if not vanished. The penny papers were prior to the true adoption of objectivity in journalism and many penny papers expressed political/partisan opinions. It was not until the 1920s when the notion of public opinion reemerged in journalism. Schudson discusses the theories of Walter Lippmann and writes, “So Lippmann tried to reserve a place in his analysis for public opinion; he tried to cut a pragmatic middle road between a democratic fantasy and a democratic despair,” (Schudson 124). The notion of objectivity was in question and the ideals of public opinion were once again becoming an important part of journalism in the mid 20th century. During this time in history, change was plentiful. Technology was changing the face of life in cities across the nation. To say the least, questioning objectivity came naturally in a time of drastic changes.

Lippmann’s argument was to bring forth public and individual opinion as he described the average citizen as feeling “‘…rather like a deaf spectator in the back row, who ought to keep his mind on the mystery off there, but cannot quite manage to keep awake’,” (Schudson 123). In other words, journalism was too dull and needed some color. During the age of the penny press and its evolution into traditional journalism, journalists enjoyed the limelight of the public eye. As long as reporters in the penny press system could write material that sold papers, their positions were protected. Penny press reporters had an indispensable right to express their opinions as do journalists today. The same protection should be afforded to bloggers on the Internet.

The profession of journalism, some might argue, is hardly a profession at all. One can attend journalism school and get a degree, but anyone can qualify to work for a newspaper or other publication. The Internet is one large publication for anyone and everyone. Nicholas Lehmann writes in his article, “Amateur Hour” in The New Yorker, that “Citizen journalists are supposedly inspired amateurs who find out what’s going on in the places where they live and work, and who bring us a fuller, richer picture of the world than we get from familiar news organizations, while sparing us pomposity and preening that journalists often display,” (Lemann 10). Bloggers take journalism back to its roots and describe the day to day in frank, forthright language. Blogs provide a different outlook on culture, news, entertainment, and even the day to day rhythm of life. Blogs provide news from a different perspective. Of course, there is a difference between The New York Times and a blog, such as this one. However, both pieces of literature examine a subject in an effort to provide the reader with new or advanced knowledge.

To say that a blogger is a full-fledged journalist would be unfair to professional journalists. As Lehmann points out, “…Internet journalism has to meet high standards both conceptually and practically: the medium has to be revolutionary, and the journalism has to be good.” Many newspapers, magazines, etc. are published both in print and online and the same standards of journalism apply to both media. Bloggers enjoy more independence and freedom in the realm of blogs because they are not surrounded by the rules of a particular publication. The New York Times standard of journalism does not apply to a blogger unless that person chooses to blog according to Times style guidelines.

In either the world of professional journalism or the world of blogging, both writers should enjoy legal protection for their work. The intellectual property of each individual deserves to be protected. One of the original notions of copyright protection of one’s work was to encourage more citizens to make their thoughts known. This protection should not be denied to anyone. The thoughts and intellectual property of individuals need to be protected whether professional journalist or citizen journalist.

Blogging may indeed be the beginning to a new form of journalism in the same way the penny presses evolved into many of the credible newspapers read today. Lehmann describes, “At least in part, Internet journalism will surely repeat the cycle, and will begin to differentiate itself tonally, by trying to sound responsible and trustworthy in the hope of building a larger, possibly paying audience,” (Lehmann 12). It would not be surprising to see that in a few years many bloggers with large audiences have become authorities in the world of journalism and public opinion. Until society and culture reach that point, however, the work whether professional or amateur deserves the same legal protection because both types of journalist afford the same right to freedom of expression.

Josh Wolf: Journalist or Activist?

The arrest and jailing of Josh Wolf may permanently change the face of journalism.

On February 7, 2007, Wolf became the longest journalist held in jail for contempt. The 24-year-old freelance journalist has continually refused to hand over a videotape of a violent demonstration in San Francisco to authorities.

The history of Wolf’s case dates back to July 8, 2005 during an anti-G8 (Group of Eight) demonstration. Protestors at the demonstrations wore masks. Wolf’s video recordings may illustrate police brutality against protestors as well as damage to public property.

Wolf sold an edited piece from his footage to a local broadcast station, KRON, a day after the protest. Wolf’s materials were then subpoenaed by the FBI. However, Wolf refused to comply with the demands of the federal government. On August 1, 2006, Wolf was arrested and jailed for his refusal to cooperate. Wolf is being held for contempt of court.

For a short period in September 2006, Wolf was released on bail. His bail was revoked on September 22, 2006 and he was returned to jail. He has remained there since. His case has not been accepted for appeal. Currently, a Grand Jury is looking into criminal charges.

The case against Wolf has raised many legal and ethical questions for journalists. Journalists are among the few professionals who are entitled to an expanded version of privacy. The Privacy Protection Act provides a small group of people with privacy so long as they can prove themselves as journalists or publishers.

Wolf, as a freelance journalist, should have been protected not only by the Privacy Protection Act, but also by California’s Shield Law which is supposed to protect the privacy of its journalists. Wolf has not been granted asylum as a journalist because federal authorities suspect that damage to federal property (a police car) has been recorded on Wolf’s tape.

Many critics have debated Wolf’s status as a journalist as he has no affiliation with any major or minor broadcast network or newspaper whether on or offline. Today’s bloggosphere successfully enables any person with access to the Internet, the ability to become a freelance journalist. After all, it is the responsibility of United States citizens to inform, be informed, and keep guard of their entitled civil liberties.

All journalists and U.S. citizens are supposedly afforded Freedom of Speech under the First Amendment. If Wolf is not a considered a journalist by profession, shouldn’t he be entitled to free speech? There is no shield law to free speech, but it needs to exist for the sake of information. The purpose of Wolf’s tape is to inform the public about the demonstration that occurred on July 8, 2005.

The protestors at the anti-G8 demonstration are also entitled to freedom of speech. Wolf’s action in refusing to turn over his tape is an effort to protect the civil liberties of the protestors. Peaceful protests are protected by the First Amendment. The G8 protest turned violent when a San Francisco police officer, Peter Shields suffered a fractured skull after a protestor hit him in the head with a blunt object. This, according to some critics, is the reason why the federal government has continued to hold Wolf in jail.

Why won’t Wolf release the tape? Is it a question of personal ethics? Wolf has stated to the press the reason he refuses to hand the tape over to authorities is because he wishes to protect the confidentiality of protestors. As an activist and anarchist, Wolf seeks not only to inform but to spark change. So far, his refusal to turn over his materials about the G8 demonstration has not changed anything.

Wolf has been praised for his chivalrous actions and defense of the First Amendment. He was named Journalist of the Year by the Society of Professional Journalists in 2006 for upholding the First Amendment.

To this day, Wolf remains uncharged with a crime. Why is this? Perhaps, the answer to that question is simple: he did not commit a crime. Rather, the protestors in the tape are considered the criminals. Wolf is the middle-man.

“Professional” journalists (i.e. network news reporters or major newspaper reporters) are unsettled by the Wolf case because it hits so close to home. Judith Miller, a former New York Times reporter understands this completely as she was jailed for 85 days for refusing to identify a source in the Valerie Plame case.

The notion of protection of source confidentiality is a major one for journalists. Journalists follow a code of ethics in reporting. Each publication or network may have their own ethics code. However, there is a general Code of Ethics published by the Society for Professional Journalists (the same organization that awarded Wolf as Journalist of the Year).

Part of the Code of Ethics as published by the SPJ is to minimize harm. This section advises journalists to be judicious about naming criminal suspects prior to formal charges. In Wolf’s case, his reason for repudiating the request of the FBI was to possibly protect those committing a crime.

On the other hand, Wolf’s actions are in conflict with the Code of Ethics because although he is a freelance journalist and blogger, he was associated with the protestors as a fellow activist. The Code states that journalists should avoid associating with organizations that may damage credibility. Wolf’s involvement with Indybay Independent Media also supports Wolf’s stance as an activist which most likely influences the footage he shoots and events he covers.

This case has caused many to debate and discuss the difference between journalism and activism. Wolf openly stated after the G8 incident he is an activist, anarchist, and archivist. Is his refusal to release his materials to the government a shining example of journalism or one of activism?

I think the answer to that question is both. At first, Wolf’s case seemed to be a cut-and-dried example of the federal government impeding on a citizen’s right to privacy and freedom of speech. Now, over 200 days after his imprisonment, Wolf might just be trying to make a point.

I believe the real tell-all answer to whether Wolf’s case is one that will change the face of journalism has yet to be told. This may happen when the Grand Jury delegating over Wolf’s case reaches a decision, which is slated to be made in July 2007. Until then, journalists and citizens alike will need to decide for themselves on why Wolf remains in jail: to make a valiant stance for Free Speech or to prove a point as an activist?