Culture

Protesting Paris (and rightfully so)

Kudos to MSNBC reporter Mika Brzezinski who refused to talk about Paris Hilton on a morning news show (watch it here). Her producer repeatedly put the story in front of her as the lead, and each time she refused to report it, choosing instead to tear up the paper on which it was written. Way to go Mika!

10 Comments

  • dennyrburk

    Speaking of frivolous news coverage. Do you remember the “Summer of the Shark”? It was 2001, and all the news networks were cycling stories about shark attacks throughout the summer. All the attention made it seem as if the sharks were especially mad that summer.

    The network silliness ended on 9-11-01.

    I hope we don’t have to wait for a similar catastrophe before we see an end to this recent spate of silly reporting.

  • Luke Britt

    What about submission to authority?

    Where does that come in a situation like this? Obviously this was a matter of preference and opinion and not a moral issue.

  • jigawatt

    The youtube version:
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=6VdNcCcweL0

    Luke,

    If part of her job is do the stories her producer tells her to, then yes, she ought to have done it. But is she a believer? That makes all the difference.

    On the other hand, the show that this incident occured on seems to be a morning show with a fairly free format, which means that maybe her producer allows her to do things like this. If you believe in radical left-wing conspiracies, perhaps her producer is the one who came up with the idea! At any rate, if her actions generate such a positive response, her producer might listen up.

    I can’t speak for Denny, but I give mega kudos to Mika for speaking out. But I can’t give kudos to her decision to reject her producer’s wishes if (big if) it was sinful.

    I myself have taken vow of rejection of all Paris Hilton “news”. Whenever I am exposed to it, I will change the channel, turn it off, or leave the room.

  • Barry

    I couldn’t agree more, Denny. Why is this news? What has she done that is newsworthy? Who cares if she went to jail for a few weeks? I am sickened by our culture’s fascination with all things entertainment. They make little or no lasting contribution to the world, and more often than not leave a harmful and immoral legacy. This is just one symptom of our culture’s idolatry of all things amusement. This is NOT newsworthy, and I am glad that at least one reporter has seen that to be true.

    What is Hilton famous for? She is wealthy not because she invented something wonderful and helpful, but because she is an heiress. Her claim to fame was a sex tape and a reality show, for goodness’ sake.

    Now I regret giving these last 5 minutes to commenting about Hilton, because I’ll never get them back. She needs the gospel. Paris getting saved, that would be good news.

    Kudos to Mika!
    Barry

  • Chad

    Barry,

    It’s like watching a car wreck. For some reason people just can’t look away. They (I’ll include myself) feel the need to find out what is going to happen. The interview with Larry King was a joke – perhaps that is what makes it all the more interesting.

    Chad

  • Don F

    Woa! Paris was in jail? No way? You ar kidding me? being sarcastic of couse.

    BIG DITTO to what Bary said above. I have thought the same from day one of this riddiculous attention paid to a girl who couldn’t spell cat if you gave her the “c”. What would Paris be if she lost every dime she had tomorow…sad to say bur probably a suicide statistic. She wouldn’t know how to live any other way…who’s fault, her parenst of course, and us, the adoring public that, as you say Barry, can’t handle real news, but loves to gobble up junk food and pretend it is news.

    BIG KUDOD TO MIKA. I wish more journalists were as she.

    Larry King: So Paris, what is you favorite Bible passage?
    Paris: ummmmmm. hmmmmm. I like that story Jesus told about that glodie something girl and the three bears. That really had a lot of meaning me.
    Thank You Paris, you are know ready to be interviewed on TBN.
    I think Paul and Jan Crouch are looking for you as we speak.

  • Don F

    OK, my apologies if my previous remarks were too harsh or sarcastic. I must learn to control my sens of humor, especially in terms of sarcasm. God is still working on me.
    I shoul not have insulted Paris’ intelligence and of course I would take no pleasure in it if she were ever to become a suicide statistic. My point, of course, and I am sure anyone reading this understands, is rather than the adulation and admiration she recieves from her “fans”, or the curious interest in her that many have, she is really a figure to be pittied more than anything else.

    I was very happy a few years ago when my then girlfreind told me that her 16 year old daughter thought Paris was a total “goof-ball”.

    It is sad that many find it newsworthy that the sordid details of the soap opera lives of Paris, Brittny, Lindsy, Nichole, etc, should be of interest to anyone, and as Barry said, it says sometihg about our culture.

    I must say that I truly hoped that in her cell the Gideaon’s might have placed a Holy Bible and that Paris might actually read it, and the Word of God might shine into her heart. Jesus didn’t say it was impossible for a rich man to be saved, just extremley difficult for him.

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