Tracy Morgan: Anti-Gay

Tracy Morgan, comedian, says outrageous things.

During an appearance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Morgan said some shocking things.

Kevin Rogers was at Morgan's performance on June 3rd and provides the following account:

WARNING * OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE AND CONTENT * WARNING

So tonight was the night, Tracy Morgan in the hallowed halls of the Ryman Auditorium.

... I have very thick skin when it comes to humor; I can dish and I can take. What I can't take is when Mr. Morgan took it upon himself to mention about how he feels all this gay s--t was crazy and that women are a gift from God and that "Born this Way" is bulls--t, gay is a choice, and the reason he knows this is exactly because "God don't make no mistakes" (referring to God not making someone gay cause that would be a mistake). He said that there is no way a woman could love and have sexual desire for another woman, that's just a woman pretending because she hates a f---ing man. He took time to visit the bulls--t of this bullying stuff and informed us that the gays needed to quit being pussies and not be whining about something as insignificant as bullying. He mentioned that gay was something kids learn from the media and programming, and that bullied kids should just bust some ass and beat those other little f---ers that bully them, not whine about it. He said if his son that was gay he better come home and talk to him like a man and not [he mimicked a gay, high pitched voice] or he would pull out a knife and stab that little N (one word I refuse to use) to death. He mentioned that Barack Obama needed to man up and quit being all down with this just because he has a wife and two daughters. All of this being followed by thunderous cheer and "You go Tracys". Tracy then said he didn't f---ng care if he pissed off some gays, because if they can take a f---ing d--k up their ass... they can take a f--ing joke.

The sad thing is that none of this rant was a joke. His entire demeanor changed during that portion of the night. He was truly filled with some hate towards us. As far as I could see 10 to 15 people walked out. I had to fight myself to stay seated, but I knew if I got up... he won. He wanted to piss people off and get a rise. I didn't let him win by chasing me off, he surely didn't get any applause or laughter from me after that point - mainly because he was no longer funny to me. I wasn't holding back, it just wasn't funny. I won't even get started on his rant about how women should be home cooking him a f---ing meal and not becoming CEOs or him talking about f---ing the moms of retards.

So, did Morgan deliver an evening of humor or hate speech?

Is it funny to say that he would stab his son to death if he were gay?

I don't think so.

Apparently, some people found Morgan's comments so offensive that they walked out. This reaction was by far the exception.

I wonder what Morgan was trying to accomplish. What was the point?

Not having personally witnessed his performance, it's hard to judge. I don't want to be unfair.

However, if Rogers' account is remotely accurate, I'm surprised people didn't boo and/or walk out en masse, rather than allegedly responding with "thunderous cheers."

The audience was warned in advance that Morgan would be delivering adult entertainment:

Tracy Morgan isn’t the first comedian to play The Ryman — Jon Stewart, Jim Gaffigan and Brian Regan have all performed in the Mother Church in recent years — but by a wide margin he’s the filthiest. Morgan has cultivated a reputation for being explicitly vulgar on stage, to the point that walkouts have been reported in multiple cities. Late last year, a comedy club in Denver issued a warning to ticketholders in advance of Morgan’s show, saying that it’s “very, very dirty” and is “the most extreme in nature that we can possibly express.” In short, don’t expect Astronaut Jones or Brian Fellow’s Safari Planet — or even Tracy Jordan, Morgan’s not-so-veiled stand-in on 30 Rock. This is Tracy Morgan, unrestrained and earning that ever-so-rare Ryman “mature audience only” title.

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UPDATE: Tracy Morgan apologizes for homophobic rant

Shortly after his on-stage rant went viral, Morgan issued a mea culpa for his actions.

"I want to apologize to my fans and the gay & lesbian community for my choice of words at my recent stand-up act in Nashville," the "30 Rock" star said in a statement to Gossip Cop. "I'm not a hateful person and don't condone any kind of violence against others."

"While I am an equal opportunity jokester, and my friends know what is in my heart, even in a comedy club this clearly went too far and was not funny in any context," he added.

...But Morgan's apology wasn't enough for GLAAD, whose president said Morgan needs to "assure us that this won't happen again and send a clear message to Americans that anti-gay violence is no joke."

Jarrett Barrios said his organization invited Morgan to meet with families who have lost children to anti-gay violence.

"If Tracy Morgan is sincere, he should take us up on meeting these families who have lost loved ones to the type of violence that he is mocking," Barrios said. "Perhaps by hearing their stories, he will learn that while we all love humor, this is no laughing matter."

Rea Carey, the executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, said that "hateful, homophobic language is not only hurtful and unfunny, it is also dangerous and inexcusable."

"It should not and will not be tolerated," she added.

SNL: Bin Laden's Will (Video)

Saturday Night Live began with Osama bin Laden giving his last will and testament.

OSAMA BIN LADEN (Fred Armisen): Allah be praised. I, Osama bin Laden, being at present in good health, and of sound mind and memory, thanks be to Allah, hereby declare the following to be my last will and testament.

First, as to my funeral arrangements, it is my wish that they be conducted in strict accordance with Islamic law.

As pallbearers, I designate my 5 oldest sons, and Dakota Fanning. If Dakota Fanning is positively unavailable, my executors may replace her with a Dakota Fanning look-alike, although I do ask that they try to get the real Dakota Fanning, if that is at all possible. If, by the time of my death, Dakota Fanning is over 12 years of age, or is no longer a virgin, my executors are to replace her with her younger sister, if she has one. Although again, a 12-year-old, virgin Dakota Fanning is my absolute first choice.

Second, as to my place of burial, I leave the decision to my executors, provided that, wherever it is, they do not bury me at sea. As my family well knows, I have a deathly fear of being eaten by fish, so I am very serious about this. Do not bury me at sea.

Third, as executors to this my last will and testament, I name my dear friends at the Pakistani Intelligence Services. They are solid, reliable people, and, may I add, among the few individuals a person can still trust in this corrupt, cynical world we live in.

Fourth, as a special bequest, to my devoted human shield, Fatima, I leave an autographed picture, along with the bulletproof vest she always asks about.

Finally, before I discuss the disposition of my worldly estate, consisting of cash, stocks, bonds, annuities, and certificates of deposit, my heirs need to understand the following points:

First, the size of my personal fortune has always been greatly exaggerated by the media. Frankly, I have no idea where they get some of their numbers.

Second, bear in mind that my investment portfolio was badly hurt by the market downturn in 2008, plus the subsequent Flash Crash, and has not fully recovered. In addition, I have incurred a number of major expenses in the last few years: building my compound, paying bodyguards and couriers, training and equipping Jihadists, medical expenses, laundry, office supplies, sandals, and so on. So that should be factored in as well.

Also, with 115 children, 750 grandchildren, and 11,000 nieces and nephews, each individual's share may not be as large as he or she might have anticipated. So, all that having been said, I hereby leave to my heirs, to be divided among them equally, my entire personal estate, currently valued at 3,600,000 Pakistani rupees, or 708 dollars 61 cents U.S.

Obviously, this is not as much as you or I would have hoped for, but there you have it. It is what it is.

Also, some of this, I imagine, will go to probate fees.

Now, I know that many of you must be disappointed at the size of the estate, and I suppose that now I'm suddenly some kind of bad person. Do I wish the estate were larger? Of course. I wish a lot of things. I wish we had outdoor air-conditioning. I wish Mecca had better restaurants. I wish camel poop tasted like spicy hummus. But guess what? It doesn't.

So I leave you with this:

Instead of complaining about what we don't have, let's just be thankful for what we do: Our health, each other, and best of all, the knowledge that, try as they might, the Americans will never catch me. Isn't that the most important thing?

I hereby declare the above to be my last will and testament.

And live from New York, it's Saturday Night!!!

Video.

Chris Dodd and Laser Cats

The strangest thing about the latest installment of Laser Cats on Saturday Night Live was Chris Dodd's appearance.

Chris Dodd? Why?

Truly bizarre.

Breaking News from Saturday Night Live: John McCain is Old

Saturday Night Live has found its John McCain -- Darrell Hammond.

In a skit that skewered NBC News as much as John McCain, Will Forte played NBC anchor Brian Williams breaking into programming with a special report.

He reported that after an exhaustive investigation, NBC discovered that John McCain is old.

Evidence: McCain was spotted at a Bob Evans Restaurant. Video surveillance tape was timestamped 4:30 PM.

The matter of his age was referred to as a scandal, "Senior-gate."

Funny.

Tracy Morgan and Barack Obama

Saturday Night Live former cast member Tracy Morgan returned to make an appearance at the Weekend Update desk.

After three weeks of skits that skewed pro-Hillary, Barack Obama got equal time.

Morgan ended his pro-Obama appeal by referring to Tina Fey's pro-Hillary appeal and her comment that "Bitch is the new black."

Morgan professed his love for Fey, but countered her with this:

"Bitch may be the new black, but black is the new president, bitch."

Funny.

Hillary Clinton's Unfair and Deceptive Message

For the third week in a row, Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton and Fred Armisen as Barack Obama were featured in the opening skit of Saturday Night Live.

Although Obama is president in the skit, he's depicted as having problems dealing with the demands of the job.

Who ya gonna call?

HILLARY!

Rudy Giuliani on SNL

Rudy Giuliani made an appearance at the Weekend Update desk.

When Seth Meyers asked him how his campaign fell apart, Giuliani blamed the time he hosted Saturday Night Live in 1997 and appeared in a dress. (It was a Thanksgiving skit. He played the mother of Cheri Oteri's Mrs. Delvecchio character. He was very convincing in the part.)


Giuliani said his Florida plan was solid. His downfall had nothing to do with that. It was all about the dress.

Giuliani likened his failed campaign to an SNL skit. You start out strong, but you really don't have an ending.

Hillary on SNL

Saturday Night Live started out with another Democrat debate skit.



Once again, Fred Armisen was Barack Obama and Amy Poehler was Hillary Clinton.

Darrell Hammond did a great Tim Russert and Will Forte played the too well-tanned Brian Williams.

Obama was treated with kid gloves by Russert and Williams. The moderators treated Hillary with hostility. In other words, it was quite true to life.

After the debate concluded, there was an "editorial response."

It was delivered by the real Hillary Clinton. The audience responded with enthusiastic cheers and applause.



Hillary began, "The scenes you just saw were a reenactment, sort of."

She also said, "I simply adore Amy's impression of me."

Hillary was speaking when Amy Poehler walked in. They exchanged compliments on each other's outfits. They were dressed alike.

Hillary told her, "I do want my earrings back."

When Poehler did the Hillary cackle, Hillary said, "Do I really laugh like that?"

Poehler hemmed and hawed.

Hillary said she was happy to be in New York. Naturally, she had the honor of saying, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night."

The politics didn't stop there.

Watch "The Obama Files."



Robert Smigel's cartoon featured Barack Obama. Obama was shown working to keep Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton at a distance. He had Jesse Jackson holed up in a broom closet and sent him off on a mission to Africa. Obama fitted Al Sharpton with a shock dog collar to keep him away.

After Jackson and Sharpton realized that Obama had "bamboozled" them, they plotted to get near Obama's podium by disguising themselves as podiums.

Although they failed and ended up going on Spring Break with Bill Clinton and Chuck Norris, they sold their story to the Wayans brothers. It was made into a movie, Podiums.

"Bitch is the New Black"

Saturday Night Live is live again.

With no new episodes for months due to the Writers' strike, it was good to have the show back.

Fred Armisen was unveiled as SNL's Barack Obama. He looked good. He captured that furrowed brow/serious/confused expression that Obama so often has during debates. Armisen looked better than he sounded, but the skit didn't give him the opportunity to say much as Obama.

Yes, Mike Huckabee was on the show. He was on briefly during "Weekend Update." He's a pretty good actor, I think.

The bit was funny enough, with Seth Meyers explaining to him that it was mathematically impossible for him to amass enough delegates to win the nomination.

Huckabee said he wasn't a math guy, that he's more of a miracle guy; but he would bow out of the race with class and grace when the time came. He said he wouldn't overstay his welcome.

At that point, the segment was over and Huckabee should have left the Update desk. Instead, he very ungracefully remained. After a few attempts at saying goodbye, Huckabee finally did move along.

Although it was a comedy bit, I'm thinking that's the real Huckabee.

Later, host Tina Fey returned to her old place at the Update desk. She did the women's news.

She did a few jokes on a few stories, and then went into her Hillary Clinton appeal. Fey made the case to elect a woman and vote for Hillary.

She talked about how far women have come. They are so empowered that they don't feel obligated to vote for a woman.

Fey said, "Women today feel perfectly free to make whatever choice Oprah tells them to.

"Which raises the question: Why are people abandoning Hillary for Obama?"

She brought up the bitch issue. Fey said that being a bitch, like Hillary, is good because "bitches get things done."

Fey said, "It's not too late, Texas and Ohio. Get on board. Bitch is the new black."

Fey's endorsement was the most positive press Hillary has had in a while, even though it came from the comedy press.
____________

From YouTube, clips of Huckabee and Fey's Hillary pep rally.
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Happy 90th Birthday, Don Pardo!

Obama on SNL --- AGAIN!

The writer's strike may be nearing an end.

Hollywood writers got their first look Saturday at details of a tentative agreement with studios that could put the strike-crippled entertainment industry back to work, an offer the union's East Coast president said he was endorsing.

A summary of the proposed deal crafted this week was posted on the Writers Guild of America's Web site hours before members attended meetings in New York and Los Angeles.

Compensation for projects delivered via digital media was the central issue in the 3-month-old walkout, which idled thousands of workers, disrupted the TV season and moviemaking and took the shine off Hollywood's awards season.

"I believe it is a good deal. I am going to be recommending this deal to our membership," Michael Winship, president of the Writers Guild of America, East, told reporters before the New York meeting at a Times Square hotel.

Winship said afterward that he was encouraged by the membership's response.

"We had a very lively discussion. I'm happy with what happened. ... At the moment, I feel strongly it (the proposed deal) has a strong chance of going through," he said.

I hope this thing is resolved as soon as possible.

I can't watch Brian Williams hosting Saturday Night Live one more time. Is tonight the third or fourth airing of that episode?

Last weekend, NBC pulled out the nearly 3-year-old SNL episode with Tom Brady as host. That was fitting for Super Bowl Eve.

Saturday Night Live has been on the air for over 30 years, but we get yet another airing of the Brian Williams episode.

That show's opening segment is the one when Barack Obama makes an appearance as himself.

The skit was of a post-debate Halloween party for the Democrat candidates at the Clintons' home.

As usual, Amy Poehler played Hillary. She was dressed as a bride, but everyone kept telling her she makes a great witch.

As usual, Darrell Hammond played Bill Clinton. He was dressed as Mystery from The Pick-up Artist on VH1.

One party guest came in wearing a Barack Obama mask.

He removed the mask and...

You guessed it.

It was Barack Obama.

He said that he didn't need to wear a costume or change. He's comfortable just being himself.

Obama complimented Hillary on her bride costume and Bill said, "She's a witch."

Then, Obama had the honor of looking into the camera and saying, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night."

It's like a recurring nightmare!

Could this rerun be NBC's way of sticking it to Hillary, just one more time?

If the strike ends, so should this repeated airing of the Brian Williams SNL, with the anti-Hillary pro-Obama opening.
_____________________

On a related note, a Barack Obama commercial just aired. I guess the Obama camp thought buying time during SNL would be worthwhile.

The ad was about ending the war and definitely was geared to younger people, and the Baby Boomer 1960s retreads, I suppose.

I've seen the health care Obama ad a lot. This is the first time I've seen the "end the war" ad.

I haven't seen any Hillary ads at all. Zero. Southeastern Wisconsin seems to be a Hillary-free zone.

Barack Obama on SNL

It's the opening bit on Saturday Night Live.

It's a post-debate Halloween party for the Democrat candidates at the Clintons' home.

As usual, Amy Poehler played Hillary. She was dressed as a bride, but everyone kept telling her she makes a great witch.

As usual, Darrell Hammond played Bill Clinton. He was dressed as Mystery from The Pick-up Artist on VH1.

One party guest comes in wearing a Barack Obama mask.

He removes the mask and...

You guessed it.

It's Barack Obama.

He said that he didn't need to wear a costume or change. He's comfortable just being himself.

Obama complimented Hillary on her bride costume and Bill said, "She's a witch."

Then, Obama had the honor of looking into the camera and saying, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night."

I guess that puts to rest any questions about whether it's appropriate for Brian Williams to be hosting SNL.

If a presidential candidate can take part in a skit, an anchorman can.

Brian Williams on SNL

Brian Williams is going to be the host of the next new Saturday Night Live, with musical guest Feist.

I guess if Rudy Giuliani could host when he was mayor of New York City, anchorman Williams can do it without risking his credibility.

I wonder if Williams will dress up like a woman.

Chris Rock on SNL

Michelle Cottle believes that Vice President Dick Cheney is mentally ill. She argues with all sincerity that his heart disease has resulted in dementia.

I'm going to make a diagnosis of my own. If Cottle is qualified to make judgments about Cheney's mental state, I'm certainly qualified to pass judgment on Rock.

Chris Rock appears to suffer from a disorder similar to Tourette's Syndrome.

I've been aware of it since last Tuesday.

Rock keeps blurting out that President Bush is retarded.

I first heard him say it on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

He repeated it in an interview that appeared in Life.

Now on Saturday Night Live, Rock said it again.

SNL alum Rock was given the opening segment. Sitting behind a desk, he analyzed the 2008 presidential field, commenting on some Republican and Democrat candidates.

After predicting that Barack Obama would become the next president, he once again displayed his troubling disorder.

Rock can't control himself.

Rock said:

And for those doubters out there who keep asking the question is America ready for a black president-- I say, why not? We just had a retarded one.

The crowd erupted in laughter and applause.

Then, Rock screamed:

By the way, Live from New York, it's Saturday Night.

He just can't stop saying that President Bush is retarded.

It's so stupid. He sounds like a 2nd grader hurling insults on the school playground.

I think Rock is in dire need of an intervention.

The guy needs help.

At the very least, he needs some new material, something actually funny.

Al Franken Hates Homosexuals

Is Al Franken U.S. Senate material?

Does character matter?

Will the people of Minnesota excuse the slimy trail of Franken's past?

I think they will. Libs will excuse anything, literally anything, as long as the individual in question is a fellow lib.

Here's some creepy stuff that appeared in The Harvard Crimson, published on April 16, 1976.

Richard S. Lee did a piece on Franken when Saturday Night Live was in its first season.

He writes:

"My advice to Harvard students," Al Franken said soberly, "is to drop out."

It was hard to tell whether Franken was serious or not. His round, plump face certainly looked sincere, and with the aura of innocence radiating from his big, thick glasses and curly hair, who would have doubted him? He was, after all, a 1973 Harvard alumnus himself, so he should have known something about the value of his Psych and Soc Rel degree.

But something wasn't quite right. Franken was sitting in his writing office for "NBC's Saturday Night," a new, New York-based television comedy show. And that chair Franken was sitting in--that was the chair he is paid to sit in and make jokes.

A few yards away, another writer was playing a joke on Jane Curtain, an attractive "Saturday Night" actress. The writer had taken a surgical glove and stretched it tightly across the top of a quarter. The coin stuck to the underside of the glove, but the rubber was so thin that the quarter appeared to be sitting upon it. He walked over to Curtain's desk and pressed the top of the quarter, which fell magically to the desk, and the writer walked away giggling, leaving Curtain to try to find a nonexistent hole in the glove. "Stupid trick," Curtain shouted as she poked the coin at the rubber. "What a stupid trick."

Something was rotten on the 17th floor of Rockefeller Center.

Finally, Franken's stoic expression collapsed and he broke into laughter. "I'd like to see something like that in The Crimson," he said. "But seriously, if anyone wants to make it in show business, well, it doesn't help at all to go to Harvard--not at all."

He learned back in his plush chair and grinned because he knew he had made it, for a while at least, despite his four years at Harvard. Nine months ago he had his big break, when "Saturday Night" producer Lorned Michaels discovered Franken and his partner, Tom Davis, in a Los Angeles nightclub and hired them to write for the live, 90-minute comedy.

...He recalled writing a skit called "Seamen on Broadway" that was rejected from the Hasty Pudding show "by some preppie so they could take some other preppie's skit." Franken started to smile again, but his tone was serious, too serious. "It's not preppies, cause I'm a preppie myself. I just don't like homosexuals. If you ask me, they're all homosexuals in the Pudding. Hey, I was glad when that Pudding homosexual got killed in Philadelphia." The smile became so broad it pushed his eyes shut. He couldn't stand it any longer. "Put that in, put that in," Franken laughed, leaning over the desk. "I'd love to see that in The Crimson."

It sounds like Franken really creeped Lee out.

Franken started to smile again, but his tone was serious, too serious.

Yes, definitely creeped out.

But Franken was just joking.

He doesn't really hate homosexuals.

He wasn't really glad that "Pudding homosexual got killed in Philadelphia."

Franken was being funny!


Isn't he funny?

What a sense of humor!

I'm sure Franken's cocaine use kept his creative juices flowing and enabled that incredible wit.

Besides, who cares about what Franken said or did in 1976? That was so long ago.

His past is irrelevant, right?

Drug use/abuse, bizarre "jokes" -- None of that matters. Franken is a lib.

Picture Franken's place in the history books:

Quotes from the honorable Minnesota Senator Alan Stuart "Al" Franken

"I just don't like homosexuals. If you ask me, they're all homosexuals in the Pudding. Hey, I was glad when that Pudding homosexual got killed in Philadelphia."

What a legacy!

Al Franken: Cokehead Senator?

Delusional: "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!"



The 2008 campaign lineup is taking shape.

It looks like past pothead and cokehead candidates will figure prominently.

One high profile former drug-using/abusing lib is that storybook character Barack Obama, the "first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," according to Joe Biden anyway.

Another candidate has thrown his paraphernalia in the ring -- the far Leftist, former Air America host Al Franken.

WASHINGTON -- Comedian Al Franken has decided to run for the U.S. Senate from Minnesota in 2008, a senior Democratic official from Minnesota said Wednesday.

Franken told the official, who did not want to be identified because Franken has not made an announcement, that he had decided to run in a recent conversation.

...The news was not unexpected. Franken has been calling members of the Minnesota congressional delegation to get their input on a run, and he announced this week that he would be leaving his show on Air America Radio on Feb. 14. He told listeners he would be making a decision on a race soon.

...Franken, 55, was born in New York City, like Coleman, but grew up in St. Louis Park, a suburb of Minneapolis. He was a performer and writer on television's "Saturday Night Live" before writing best-selling books combining humor and politics.

What a nice write up from the Associated Press!

Very kind.

In addition to his Air America stint, he's a best-selling author.

Impressive.

Franken was a performer and writer on Saturday Night Live.

Also impressive.

Yes, Franken worked on the show in its infancy, during its especially creative but devastatingly destructive drug-crazed years.

He reminisces fondly:

NBC brass were consumed with nervousness about the content of the show - about giving ninety minutes of network time a week to Lorne Michaels and his left-wing loonies.

So, who is this Al Franken, besides being a left-wing loon as he calls himself?

He's a man with a plan.

It seems that his decision to run for the Senate has been well thought out. He's been laying the groundwork for some time.

For instance, Franken may be anti-war and anti-Bush, but he can claim to support the troops.

Few celebrities have made the trip to the war zone with the USO. However, Franken has gone on a few tours to entertain our military personnel.

Certainly, that's a plus. Franken has shown that he's not just talk when it comes to supporting the troops. But it's not that simple.

Sure, Franken has done more than other celebrities. But he also has no qualms about bashing the Commander-in-Chief day in and day out on Air America. He doesn't have a problem with undermining the troops' mission and coddling the enemy. Basically, Franken is a Bush-hater.

It's hard to make the case that Franken is for the troops when he doesn't at all support what they're doing, as if they're mindless robots and victims of the evil, oil-loving, imperialist, terrorist Bush. Kind of condescending.

Franken also has a closet packed with skeletons. Actually, they're not in the closet. His less than honorable past is well-documented.

Some excerpts from Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live by Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller reveal that wannabe Senator Franken has a history of illicit drug use.

DICK EBERSOL: My office was on the fourth floor. The writers basically never got there before one o'clock in the afternoon - ever. We had so little space. Herb Sargent was back in a corner. In the hallway to Herb's office were like Franken and Davis and Alan Zweibel, the three apprentice writers. Al and Tom had bought their first-ever cocaine, and they had it all out on the desk. First time they were ever able to buy any. As apprentice writers, their pay was, I think, $325 a week. So they have the cocaine on the desk, they're like literally staring at it. I'm off in the distance. I'm in a tough place because I'm supposedly the executive, but I decided it wasn't my job to play the policeman. Suddenly this figure comes roaring through the room. Unbeknownst to us at the time, he had a straw in his hand. He gets to the table, and he has half of that stuff up his nose by the time they knew who it was: Belushi. They didn't know whether to be thrilled that Belushi had just done this to their coke or be absolutely decimated, because that represented about half the money they had in the world at that time. The drugs didn't bother me, yet I knew they could be the end of the world for the show.

NEIL LEVY: Franken and Davis I think shared an apartment, and they threw a party so we could get together to watch Howard Cosell's Saturday Night Live. It came on before us, which is why we weren't allowed to call our show Saturday Night Live at first. We wanted to see this other Saturday Night. All the writers showed up, Michael O'Donoghue, Dan Aykroyd. They were passing around these joints. I had never smoked before, or not really gotten stoned, and I didn't want to seem like "the kid," so I started smoking. This pot was from Africa or something. You didn't even have to smoke it; you just looked at the joint and you were unconscious.

The book is 566 pages.

There's A LOT more.

I assume that Franken will have to address his drug use/abuse.

Frankly, I doubt that his base will care. They probably find Franken's past endearing. I don't think it will be a factor in the race.

If Franken was going to run as a Republican, it would be a completely different matter. The standards are so different. Character counts with conservatives.

The Dems, on the other hand, will welcome Franken with open arms.

Al Franken a U.S. senator?

Pathetic.



"I'm not good enough, I'm not smart enough, and doggone it, people don't like me!"


DON'T DO THIS TO AMERICA, MINNESOTA!

NBC Contributes to Coarsening the Culture

Last week Monday, Bright Eyes blasted President Bush on the Tonight Show, with Conor Oberst singing "When the President Talks to God." The week ended with another musical attack on the President, this one loaded with profanity.

Explain to me how the performance of a song riddled with the f-word would be given the greenlight as suitable for a live broadcast.

I didn't see SNL on Saturday, because I was off enjoying the artistry of U2. I did see the performance on tape. All but one of the f-bombs were muted. The one that wasn't silenced was loud and clear and seen in a close-up shot.

In "B.Y.O.B.," metal group System of a Down characterizes members of the military as victims of evil leaders. It not only employs foul language; it inaccurately describes the many brave men and women who volunteer to bravely serve and protect our nation.

(LYRICS)

"B.Y.O.B."

WHY DO THEY ALWAYS SEND THE POOR!
My god is of spiteful blood with morbid eels.
Victorious, victorious, steel,
Can you stand and kneel?
Marching forward hypocritic
and hypnotic computers.
You depend on our protection,

Yet you feed us lies from the table cloth.
la la la la la la la la la,
Everybody's going to the party have a real good time.
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine.

kneeling roses disappearing,
into Moses' dry mouth,
breaking into Fort Knox,
stealing our intentions,
every city gripped in oil,
Crying FREEDOM!

Handed to obsoletion,
Still you feed us lies from the table cloth.
La la la la la la la la la,
Everybody's going to the party have a real good time.
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine.
Everybody's going to the party have a real good time.
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine.

Blast off, its Party time,
And we all live in a fascist nation,
Blast off , its party time,
And where the f--- are you?
….. Yeah
Where the f--- are you?
Where the f--- are you?

Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor? [X4]

Kneeling roses disappearing,
into Moses' dry mouth,
breaking into Fort Knox,
stealing our intentions,
every city gripped in oil,
Crying FREEDOM!

Handed to obsoletion,
Still you feed us lies from the tablecloth.
la la la la la la la la la,
Everybody's going to the party have a real good time.
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine.
Everybody's going to the party have a real good time.
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine.

Where the f--- are you!
Where the f--- are you!

Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor? [X3]
Why, do, they always send the poor [X3]
They only send the poor [x2]
________________________________

From the New York Daily News:

By BILL HUTCHINSON
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Heavy Metal Band System of a Down got one over on "Saturday Night Live" last night.

When the group performed "B.Y.O.B" from their new album "Mezmerize," the show repeatedly muted the F-word in the line, "Where the f--- are you?" But it missed guitarist Daron Malakian's screeched, "F--- yeah!" toward the end of the number. The camera even focused on him as he said it.

Fans of the group immediately hailed the move on System of a Down's Web site, with one noting, "The censors missed at least one 'f--- you.' Which was nice."
______________________________

NBC is thumbing its nose at FCC regulations. Two musical performances within a week bashed the President and use unacceptable language.

The Tonight Show successfully bleeped Oberst singing, "bulls---." So what? Anyone could read his lips.

The SNL case really crosses the line. A band screaming "f---" throughout a song during a live broadcast, without a tape delay, is ridiculous.

NBC is responsible for allowing the group to perform this song on SNL. They are at fault.

The network seems to be easing up on the demands of standards and practices for May sweeps. What was NBC thinking? Ratings, ratings, ratings. Money, money, money.

It's probably only a matter of time before broadcast TV becomes indistinguishable from cable in terms of language and content.

The coarsening of the culture continues unabated.