Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Sitcom Idea: Kramer and The Juice as Wacky Roommates
Okay, so it’s no big surprise that O.J. Simpson, Judith Regan, and Rupert Murdoch are slimey bags of shit (if you’re reading this Ms. Regan – and I know you are – just jokes, please publish my next book).
For those who haven’t heard, The Juice had a book scheduled to be released called “If I did It” where he “imagines” what “could” have happened the night Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were viciously murdered “if” O.J. himself was the killer. What an active imagination O.J. must have.
In addition, Fox Television (owned by Rupert Murdoch, the genius who brings you… well… Fox News) was going to air a two part interview special with O.J. titled, can you guess?, “If I did It.”
Now, it’s hard to blame The Ol’ Juicester for this. I mean, who doesn’t like to “pretend” they’re a crazed knife-wielding murderer brutally hacking two people to death? Fun.
Well, both the book and TV special are off. After a firestorm of criticism, News. Corp. (the parent company of both Fox and the HarperCollins owned ReganBooks) said Monday that it has canceled the O.J. Simpson book and TV special "If I Did It."
Frankly, I’m against this.
Why? Do I think the world is a lesser place because it is going to be without this invaluable piece of “fiction” from Simpson?
No. In fact, I think it’s pretty clear that the publication of this book would have lowered the collective moral health of this entire country not to mention the torture it would bring to the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Add in the fact that all parties involved (O.J. Simpson, Judith Regan, and Rupert Murdoch) didn’t appear to give ethics a second thought in this money-printing scheme. Yes, karmically, it’s better for everyone this whole venture has gone away.
That being said, to remove a book purely on the basis of objectionable content is virtually unheard of and, I think, sets a bad precedent.
In America the marketplace is supposed to determine content. It is in no way a balanced system. That this book has outsold mine without even being released burns me a little. But it is all name recognition. Hell, very few people besides you two even know my book is out there. (But we’re going to change that aren’t we? And no, I’m not going to kill anybody. Stop suggesting it.)
There was an audience for this book – at one point it reached #20 on Amazon. Is that enough for the book to have made money? Hopefully not. Hopefully the TV special would have tanked, too. That’s the American way.
But to pull both just because they are horrible… I don’t know. What’s going to be too horrible for the public to handle next time?
It could be the Michael Richards comedy hour. The former "Seinfeld" co-star spewed racial epithets during a stand-up comedy routine because he was being heckled. The following is from the AP report and includes their censorship. (And yes, I kept the dashes because I don't want to print the N-word. Liberal guilt, what’re you gonna do?)
His Laugh Factory tirade began after the two clubgoers shouted at him that he wasn't funny. Video of the incident was posted on TMZ.com.
Richards retorted: "Shut up! Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f------ fork up your a--."
He then paced across the stage taunting the men for interrupting his show, peppering his speech with racial slurs and profanities.
"You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now mother------. Throw his a-- out. He's a n-----!" Richards shouts before repeating the racial epithet over and over again.
“Upside down with a fork in the ass,” is that possible? What does that even mean? Maybe Kramer forgot he was supposed to tell jokes. Maybe that was a joke. I don’t get it.
I’ll give you a good joke: "Education: If you make the most of it and you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq." - Senator John Kerry
See, now that’s… oh, yeah, that’s not funny either. Some people just can’t tell a joke.
I think Richards was just embracing his role as wacky neighbor. Seriously folks, what’s more likely: a neighbor who barges in without knocking and eats all your food, or one whose latent racism comes out after a few drinks or in a stressful situation?
A Los Angeles television station, KTLA, interviewed “comedian” George Lopez about the situation. He basically said the “can’t tell a joke” thing.
"The question is you have an actor who is trying to be a comedian who doesn't know what to do when an audience is disruptive," Lopez said.
That’s a damn fine quote, George. And kudos to KTLA, because when you think of a purveyor of good taste, you think George Lopez. Well, to be fair, O.J. was busy.
For those who haven’t heard, The Juice had a book scheduled to be released called “If I did It” where he “imagines” what “could” have happened the night Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were viciously murdered “if” O.J. himself was the killer. What an active imagination O.J. must have.
In addition, Fox Television (owned by Rupert Murdoch, the genius who brings you… well… Fox News) was going to air a two part interview special with O.J. titled, can you guess?, “If I did It.”
Now, it’s hard to blame The Ol’ Juicester for this. I mean, who doesn’t like to “pretend” they’re a crazed knife-wielding murderer brutally hacking two people to death? Fun.
Well, both the book and TV special are off. After a firestorm of criticism, News. Corp. (the parent company of both Fox and the HarperCollins owned ReganBooks) said Monday that it has canceled the O.J. Simpson book and TV special "If I Did It."
Frankly, I’m against this.
Why? Do I think the world is a lesser place because it is going to be without this invaluable piece of “fiction” from Simpson?
No. In fact, I think it’s pretty clear that the publication of this book would have lowered the collective moral health of this entire country not to mention the torture it would bring to the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Add in the fact that all parties involved (O.J. Simpson, Judith Regan, and Rupert Murdoch) didn’t appear to give ethics a second thought in this money-printing scheme. Yes, karmically, it’s better for everyone this whole venture has gone away.
That being said, to remove a book purely on the basis of objectionable content is virtually unheard of and, I think, sets a bad precedent.
In America the marketplace is supposed to determine content. It is in no way a balanced system. That this book has outsold mine without even being released burns me a little. But it is all name recognition. Hell, very few people besides you two even know my book is out there. (But we’re going to change that aren’t we? And no, I’m not going to kill anybody. Stop suggesting it.)
There was an audience for this book – at one point it reached #20 on Amazon. Is that enough for the book to have made money? Hopefully not. Hopefully the TV special would have tanked, too. That’s the American way.
But to pull both just because they are horrible… I don’t know. What’s going to be too horrible for the public to handle next time?
It could be the Michael Richards comedy hour. The former "Seinfeld" co-star spewed racial epithets during a stand-up comedy routine because he was being heckled. The following is from the AP report and includes their censorship. (And yes, I kept the dashes because I don't want to print the N-word. Liberal guilt, what’re you gonna do?)
His Laugh Factory tirade began after the two clubgoers shouted at him that he wasn't funny. Video of the incident was posted on TMZ.com.
Richards retorted: "Shut up! Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f------ fork up your a--."
He then paced across the stage taunting the men for interrupting his show, peppering his speech with racial slurs and profanities.
"You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now mother------. Throw his a-- out. He's a n-----!" Richards shouts before repeating the racial epithet over and over again.
“Upside down with a fork in the ass,” is that possible? What does that even mean? Maybe Kramer forgot he was supposed to tell jokes. Maybe that was a joke. I don’t get it.
I’ll give you a good joke: "Education: If you make the most of it and you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq." - Senator John Kerry
See, now that’s… oh, yeah, that’s not funny either. Some people just can’t tell a joke.
I think Richards was just embracing his role as wacky neighbor. Seriously folks, what’s more likely: a neighbor who barges in without knocking and eats all your food, or one whose latent racism comes out after a few drinks or in a stressful situation?
A Los Angeles television station, KTLA, interviewed “comedian” George Lopez about the situation. He basically said the “can’t tell a joke” thing.
"The question is you have an actor who is trying to be a comedian who doesn't know what to do when an audience is disruptive," Lopez said.
That’s a damn fine quote, George. And kudos to KTLA, because when you think of a purveyor of good taste, you think George Lopez. Well, to be fair, O.J. was busy.
