Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are: Matt Drudge & Shepard Smith

"Inside baseball" is what they call it when you discuss something that is a "you had to be there" kind of situation. But I think this translates just fine. There have been calls from the right wing for FOX "News"

host Shepard Smith to come
out of the closet. I have no personal knowledge that Smith is gay, but the rumor is on the level of a Tom Cruise/John Travolta-level, which is to say, high. So, the question can be posed, if the right is going to demand that Smith comes out, what about a nearer-and-dearer closet case? Should Matt Drudge be dragged out, kicking and screaming, from his glass closet?

One of my favorite bloggers, Joe.My.God. has asked that very question. And gotten an answer!

Read more at: Joe.My.God.

Conspiracy Corner: The Right-Wing Media Food Chain

This clip from Martin Bashir is an excellent deconstruction of how a crazy conspiracy theory goes from an ultra-fringe blog, to the bigger right-wing sites, to The Drudge Report, onto FOX "News," to crazy-ass questions at important press conferences, and sometimes--sadly--all the way up to and from Capital Hill. Kudos to Bashir, and his guests Ryan Grim of Huffington Post, and Jonathan Alter, who I've liked since his days on The Al Franken Show.

Out Magazine Ranks "Power" Top 50

Images from source, Out

Well, another year that I didn't make the list, what shall I do? Heh. No, but seriously, several well known LGBTetc people didn't make the list, Chris Colfer, Jesse Tyler-Ferguson, Adam Lambert, Andrew Rannells, Matt Bomer, Don Lemon, Thomas Roberts, Steve Kornacki, lots of others. But hey, it's a top 50, and I didn't make it. Somebody please tell that to the commenters on Out's web page. Mercy! It's broken out into a cat fight. People! It's a world where everyone is the media. Make your own lists!

Hello, boys!

Most surprising to me was the inclusion of FOX "News" host Shepard Smith and right-wing muck raker Matt Drudge. I wasn't aware either of them were really--you know--out. But I guess they used to include Anderson Cooper when it wasn't official. Still, I wonder what Right Wing World thinks about Shep and Matt? The mind wobbles.

Out - The Power List 2013

Drudge Report Compares Obama to Hitler, Stalin

Actual screen capture from January 9, 2013 Drudge Report

Ok, gun enthusiasts: it's time for the sane among you to speak out against the crazies, who are coming out of the woodwork and becoming the mainstream, public face of your movement. You're losing people like me who were formerly Switzerland on the issue, and turning us against you. When you turn freakazoid nutbags like Alex Jones into right-wing, gun rights heroes? When you start making the ridiculous, above (very shaky) comparisons between President Obama and murderous dictators? You start to look absolutely out of your gourds, and impossible to take seriously.

SIDEBAR #1: I can't help but notice when I visit some right-wing sites, how unusually ugly they are. I'm not talking about their subject matter (though it qualifies), I'm talking about the mid-1990s designs of the things. The Drudge Report is one of the least attractive-looking sites on the web, and yet it is still (unbelievably) one of the most popular sites in the world. FreeRepublic.com might be even worse (in every conceivable way). I'll be the first to say that some modern designs, with too much animated, tiled, abbreviated or self-running content can really blow as well, but these sites are just irredeemably ugly.

SIDEBAR #2: How is it that The Drudge Report manages to remain one of the web's most popular sites anyway. I know that Drudge gives his readers a menu that they love to order from. But it's just a menu! Does Drudge actually write anything besides salacious headlines? He's an aggregator who occassionally inflames with his (brief) words, and his choice of images. How does that translate in to web superstardom? I don't get it.

Right Wing World: Faux Outrage Over Obama on Daily Show

In the previous post, I put up the two-part President Obama interview on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. I watched the interview as it aired (and the Late Show with David Letterman one right after), and found the Prez to be very thoughtful, smart and funny. He also showed the appropriate level of seriousness when the conversation called for it. I saw nothing particularly controversial.

Image from source, The Wrap

But then, I don't live in Right Wing World. Word must have come from on high, presumably from Mount Limbaugh or Drudge Hill that the thing to focus on on Friday would be the word "optimal." As in, what happened in Benghazi was "not optimal." If that sounds like simplistic overstatement for what happened there, that's what the right is going for in their faux outrage. Watched in context--please click the link above if you don't believe me--was a very serious moment, with Obama merely echoing Stewart's word choice. To take it as cavalier or dismissive would be quite simply to lie. But lying seems to be de rigueur in Right Wing World.

[Excerpt]

'Daily Show': Obama's 'Not Optimal' Answer Rallies Conservatives

President Obama's appearance on "The Daily Show" was supposed to be a chance to rally his liberal base in front of a supportive crowd in a comfortable setting. But he may have gotten too comfortable. . .

Read more of this silliness at: The Wrap


UPDATE: The Daily Show has posted a note on their Facebook page in response to the poutrage:

ALERT! SIREN SPINNING ALERT! Obama calls Benghazi attack a "tragic event" on The Daily Showhttp://on.cc.com/PfCpJH

Out Names Gay "Power 50" Shepard Smith, Anderson Cooper, Matt Drudge

Image from source, Out

My eyes just about bugged out of my head when I saw a post about this on AmericaBlog. Of course they popped out when Anderson Cooper and Matt Drudge made the list in years past. Maybe since the word "gay" isn't in the official top 50 list, they can't get sued? But then, the truth is a defense in a libel case, and telling the truth really can't be defamation either, right? And I'd have to think that Out Magazine must be pretty sure about the orientation of the people they picked. And Shepard placed sixth! Welcome to the club, Shep.

[Excerpt]

The Fifth Annual [Out] Power 50

In times of upheaval, power changes hands fast. It's no surprise, then, that two of our 10 10 names this year are new entries. Or that one -- Apple's Tim Cook -- rockets to the top of the list. TV and the internet remain fertile ground for LGBT talent and power to flourish, with five more of our group coming from talk shows, news programs, or tablet launches (Ellen DeGeneres, Anderson Cooper, Rachel Maddow, new entry Shepard Smith and Barry Diller). . .

Read more at: Out

Photo of the Day: Bush League

I found this shot at the Drudge Report. I'm only posting it because former President George W. Bush looks kinda goofy. Similar pictures of President Obama engaged in the same activity have been a mainstay of conservative blogs. So, turnabout is fair play.

Politics of Fear: The Drudge Report

Oh, come on!  This is just naked fear mongering. Screenshot taken at 5:40 edst, from DrudgeReport.com.

Has The Drudge Report Jumped the Shark?

Photo from source, Raw Story

I've only been at this blogging thing for a year and a half. And in that time, my readership has never even approached one hour's worth of Matt Drudge's The Drudge Report. Drudge's site is the go-to news source for a lot of right-wingers, and apparently also some in the mainstream (cough) liberal mainstream press.

The site got its reputation for uncovering and pushing the Monica Lewinsky story back in the 90s. But I've never really gotten the attraction. It's basically a news aggregator site, with links to the most shocking, titillating and splashy news items of the day--with a heavy tilt to the right. The thing is, lots of sites do that these days (left, right and center), and usually with tons of original content to go with it. As far as I can tell, Drudge doesn't have any original content. And it still looks like it did back in the 90s. . .very "Web 1.0." And recently, Drudge pushed the phony "McCain supporter mutilated by Obama supporter" story, enraging and then embarrassing right-wing bloggers.

So the time has come to wonder, has The Drudge Report jumped the shark?

[Excerpt]

Critics argue if Drudge 'jumped the shark' or not

In the week since Senator Obama's stunning victory, many political pundits have been postulating that it wasn't just Senator John McCain who went down in flames this election season. They believe that internet sensation Matt Drudge was burned too much during the long campaign season, and that he too may never recover his onetime powerhouse status. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Matt Drudge, Prince Harry and Blogging in General

Photo from source, Times Online

As you probably know by now, internet star Matt Drudge "outed" Prince Harry of England's role in the conflict in Afghanistan. The whole of the British media had a pact, apparently, not to report the story, to protect the safety of Harry and his compatriots.

Was Drudge wrong to blow Harry's cover on The Drudge Report (an site akin to a blog, but not a blog), in order to put another feather in his cap? My gut reaction is, "yes, he was wrong," but that's not really what this post is about.

What I don't understand is Drudge's popularity in general. As far as I understand it, The Drudge Report is a news aggregator, culling stories of (far-) right interest, and posting links and photos to those stories. Nothing wrong with that. But I don't find actual content at the site, though maybe I'm not navigating it properly or something.

What I'm getting at, is that in most news reports of this story, and others regarding Drudge, he is painted as a journalist, investigative reporter, a writer, etc. But does he write? Or is he basically doing what I'm doing, only without the commentary? Is he merely skilled at sniffing out where the stories are, or is he actually a talented writer? Because I can't ever find anything but links there. As I said, maybe I'm missing something.

[Excerpt]

Someone blabbed, and Drudge pounced

For a man whose notoriety is based on the speed with which he vacuums up sensational information and immediately regurgitates it upon an unsuspecting world, the question can only be: what took him so long?

Read more at: Times Online

Now see what I did there? I wrote editorial commentary, posted an excerpt of a story, and then a link to the site. Maybe I should just simplify, and run pages and pages of links. Maybe then my site meter would register hits like Drudge, who probably gets my 9-month total in about 15 minutes. Y'think?

Matt Drudge Leaving Radio?

Photo from source, RadioEqualizer.blogspot.com

Even as a blogger, I do not understand the continued success of The Drudge Report. It is continuously one of the highest-viewed right-wing web sites, in fact one of the biggest sites period.

Though it ostensibly a blog, it is more of a round-up of the big news stories of the day, with an extra-special focus on stories that boost Republicans or tear down Democrats. It also features a heavy helping of celebrity and tabloid items. The strangest thing about it to me, is that other than providing links to these stories, there doesn't seem to be much more to the site.

Maybe I'm missing something, but where is the content? I too provide links to other sites, and excerpts and photos. But I'd like to think I show some personality. Some other reason for blogging than to provide a shot in the arm to a political party.

Anyway, Matt Drudge, the site's proprietor, is also a talk radio host on weekends. Or at least he was. It looks like those days might be over.

[Excerpt]

DRUDGE CANCELLED?

After a decade- long run, Matt Drudge's syndicated radio talk show is about to end, according to an industry trade report and a regional media blogger based in Ohio. These sources have 30 September pegged as his final program date.

Created at the peak of Drudge's Monica Lewinsky- fuelled fame, the show was confined to Sunday evenings, apparently at his insistence. At the time, the Internet star said he had been offered a weekday show, but chose the weekend slot instead. . .

Read the rest at: RadioEqualizer.blogspot.com

Drudge Turning on Bush?

I don't know if Matt Drudge is turning on Bush with this top story, or if it is just unintentionally funny. You decide.