Right Wing Crank Brent Bozell Turns Out to be a Fraud

Yes, he always looks like that. Image from source, RawStory

Brent Bozell makes himself out to be the watchdog of the "liberal media," with his "Media Research Center" and its cranky blog, NewsBusters. Bozell has written about every hard-right topic, railed against the faintest whiff of liberal bias, complained about the gays and abortion and sexy times on the teevee machine. He's a prolific writer, with books and a newspaper column.

But then again, maybe not. Because it would seem that Bozell is something of a fraud. Much, most or maybe even all of Bozell's writings have actually been written by someone else. For years. How do you suppose NewsBusters will cover this one?

[Excerpt]

Papers dropping Brent Bozell after conservative media critic admits he didn’t write his columns
 
A longtime arch conservative crusader against feminism, secularism, marriage equality and other LGBT rights has been exposed as a figurehead whose books and columns were all written by an uncredited underling. According to Talking Points Memo, one widely-read Iowa newspaper dropped media commentator Brent Bozell’s column in the wake of his exposure and received not a single protest from any reader. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Does Anybody take NewsBusters Seriously?

NewsBusters is an outlet of the "Media Research Council." Sounds legit.

When I scroll through the headlines at NewsBusters, I'm often a really bad audience for them. Far from being outraged, my response to most of them is, "Yeah. So?!?"

NewsBusters is a "media watchdog"-type website, but unlike a left-leaning counterpart like Media Matters for America, this right-leaning outfit is all about editorializing and faux outrage. They bristle at any perceived slight against conservatism, Republicans, or Christianity. And they get particularly riled if a news report is favorable to abortion rights, gay people or gun control. But it doesn't have to be from an actual news source. They get all up in the business of sex columnists like Dan Savage, talk show hosts like Stephanie Miller and Randi Rhodes, and virtually anyone who makes a big enough splash to get their notice.

Most liberals would consider a rip from NB to be a badge of honor. Because the write-ups are so drenched in right-wing-world bias, it's hilarious that the site is supposed to be ferreting out bias.

Just for fun, here are just a few headlines from this goofy site, with my comments.

Grammy Award-Winner Michael Bolton: 'I'd Walk Across the Country to Get Hillary Into Office'

This one shows the hilarity of what NewsBusters thinks is a news bias item. Michael Bolton is an entertainer. A largely non-influential entertainer at that. Who cares who Bolton supports politically, besides people interested in reading about it? What news was busted here?

Global Warming Skeptics Rebut Face the Nation Segment on Climate Change and Moore Tornado

In this item, NewsBusters provides a forum to "global warming skeptics"--known to most of us as crackpots--since Face the Nation didn't provide one for them. Which sounds a lot less like "news busting" to me, than trying to make your own news. And on this, they should be busted.

Brit Hume Hammers Juan Williams for Saying Eric Holder's the 'Exact Right Person' to Probe His Own Department

This is a weird one. NewsBusters is spending its "media watchdog" time to keep tabs on the opinion portion (not that it isn't all opinion) of FOX "News" Sunday, a decidedly conservative media outpost. This isn't news busting, it's highlighting the side of an argument they agree with! Talk about goofy.

NYT Feminists Still Giddy About Hillary's Chances In 2016: Any Gender Problems Have Been 'Wiped Out'

This is just one of those "yeah, so?" ones. Not at all controversial. Who cares?

NPR’s On the Media Show Mocks Glenn Beck and TheBlaze

First, On the Media sounds like less than a "hard news" show in the first place, but mocking Glenn Beck and his internet presence, The Blaze is the only rational thing you can do with the subject matter. It isn't just mock-worthy, it is itself a mockery.

So, I hereby prounonce NewsBusters busted. Their site is unworthy of notice.

Brent Bozell, Right-Wing Crank, Hates Family Guy

Image from source, "News"Busters

I'm still playing a bit of catch-up after my trip. Here's a hysterical take on Family Guy by right-wing nutcase, Brent Bozell. And I mean "hysterical" in both senses of the word. There is no reasoning with Bozell, but it is worth pointing out that there is a parental advisory before each episode of Family Guy (and American Dad! for that matter). Oh, and while I don't find everything about the show the greatest thing ever on TV, it does have inspired moments, and picks on everything and everybody fairly equally. Oh, and Seth MacFarlane is a genius.

[Excerpt]

Bozell Column: Fox's 'Comedic Genius'

Our cosmopolitan elites have embraced the smutty Fox cartoon "Family Guy." A month ago, oh-so-sophisticated National Public Radio used their parody song "Everybody Poops" to report on Julius Genachowski, the incoming chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Perhaps it was NPR’s way of welcoming in an Obama appointee who everyone expects will "lighten up" at the FCC and let Hollywood go wild with its "poetic license. . ."

Read more (if you dare) at: "News"Busters

Coulter: Republican Leader!

Photo from Donklephant.com

We thought so all along. Though many (sane) conservatives will tell you that Ann Coulter doesn't speak for them, their ideology or party, the fact is, she clearly does. She routinely releases books that are sold dirt cheap on right-wing websites, raising her to the top of Amazon's and the New York Times best seller lists. She's plopped before the FOX "News" and MSNBC cameras (in her ever-present little black cocktail dress) as an "expert" on virtually any topic, several times a week. And she always has her talons sharpened for Democrats/liberals, even for their most tangential connection to that topic. The right wing eats her up (and according to Kathy Griffin, uses her as fantasy material).

It's one of those "obviously true but constantly denied" trueisms (like the fact that FOX "News" is not fair or balanced). Ann Coulter is a right-wing/conservative/Repbulican (take your pick) LEADER.

But it's good to see someone who is an acknowledged right wing leader himself, declare Ann for what she is. Brent Bozell, seasoned conservative activist, writer and think-tank member had this to say:

“But Ann Coulter is owed an apology from those outlets, including NBC’s
Nightly News, The Washington Post and CNN’s American Morning, which have
mis-reported her comments. And conservatives, take note: Today it’s Coulter,
tomorrow it may be you. The left has demonstrated that it will stop
at nothing, including flat-out dishonesty, to undermine our leaders.” More at: TPMCafe.com