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CBS Affiliate: ‘Cuomo Caught Lying About Voting for Bloomberg?’

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on CBS Affiliate: ‘Cuomo Caught Lying About Voting for Bloomberg?’

Flying Pigs Alert! The gubernatorial campaign of Andrew Cuomo has such a poor credibility problem that even the local New York City CBS affiliate is asking: “Cuomo Caught Lying About Voting for Bloomberg?” And what caused such an aspersion to be cast upon Cuomo’s veracity? Check out this video in which Cuomo asserted that he voted for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. However, as the CBS affiliate pointed out , it didn’t happen: But for all his actions as the state’s chief law enforcement officer, Cuomo did have a little problem with telling the truth about his election box support for Mayor Bloomberg. “Have I voted for the mayor? Yes,” Cuomo said. Actually, he didn’t. The Cuomo campaign had to issue a clarification, saying he was only registered to vote in New York City in 2005 when he endorsed Democrat Fernando Ferrer. And this problem with the truth (lying) is yet another problem that Cuomo is now facing. Suddenly his race with conservative Republican Carl Paladino has become much closer as this same CBS affiliate has reported: There has been a dramatic development in the race for New York governor. A new poll has Republican Carl Paladino within striking distance of Democrat Andrew Cuomo as voters say they want to elect someone who will stop the circus in Albany. Wednesday was supposed to be Cuomo’s day as he picked up the endorsement of New York City’s notoriously independent mayor, Michael Bloomberg, in the race for governor. But a new poll changed that because it turned Cuomo’s once comfortable front-runner status on its head. … Only six points separate Cuomo and Paladino in the Quinnipiac University poll. Cuomo now leads 49-43, with a plus or minus error of 3.6. The poll was certainly a stunner for Team Paladino. At the last minute he bailed out of a press conference to take calls from new donors. “Suddenly his phone lit up with offers of financial resources. We cancelled his schedule and he’s in Buffalo returning telephone calls and having meetings so that we are able to take advantage of this rainstorm,” Paladino spokesman Michael Caputo said. So why would normally liberal CBS refer to Cuomo as “lying?” The theory of your humble correspondent is that Andrew Cuomo’s personality is so odiously thuggish that even people and groups that would usually support a liberal are turned off by him.

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Matthews-Mitchell Admit: Military Doesn’t Trust Obama’s Political Advisers

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Matthews-Mitchell Admit: Military Doesn’t Trust Obama’s Political Advisers

Of all the revelations in Bob Woodwards’s new book , this could be the most devastating . . . On this evening’s Hardball, Chris Matthews and Andrea Mitchell admited that the military people in the Obama administration don’t trust Pres. Obama’s political advisers. That raises grave concerns for America’s security.  In purely political terms, consider the implications given that among Americans, by far the most trusted institution is . . . the military. View video here . ANDREA MITCHELL: This is a new president who had no relationship with the military. And what does come through loud and clear from this book is the distrust and the long knives that were out between the civilian side, the political aides, the former campaign aides, and the military brass . . . National Security Adviser Jim Jones is very clear that he feels ostracized, that he didn’t have access to the president on the president’s first European trip. He had to go to the president and complain. CHRIS MATTHEWS: Well is it true they don’t like each other?  Just bottom line here: is it true the military guys don’t trust the White House political people and the other way around?  Your thoughts first, Andrea, on that one. MITCHELL: I think that is true.  And I think in particular that Jim Jones, a Marine general, retired Marine general, feels very much at odds with some of the civilians on the national security team and is about to leave. I think that’s the next big announcement we’re going to have from the White House, is the shake-up on the foreign policy/national security team that mirrors what’s happened so far on the economic team.

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‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repeal Stalled By Senate Vote

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Despite Lady Gaga support, bill fails to pass. By Gil Kaufman Photo: Chris Hondros/ Getty Images Despite a last-minute push at a Monday rally in Maine and weeks of very public advocacy from Lady Gaga in favor of repealing the U.S. military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy barring gay and lesbian soldiers from openly serving in the armed forces, Senate Democrats were unable to get enough votes to begin debate Tuesday (September 21). Gaga rushed to Maine on Monday in an attempt to convince the state’s two swing-vote Republican senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, to support repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” But when the vote came to the floor Tuesday to begin debate on the massive defense spending bill, which includes a repeal of the policy, the Democratic majority fell short of the 60 votes needed to bring the bill to debate, losing out 56-43. The organization Gaga worked with to spearhead her two-week campaign to get the discussion started, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, issued a statement following the vote. “Today’s Senate vote was a frustrating blow to repeal this horrible law,” said Army veteran Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of SLDN, a national organization dedicated to ending “don’t ask, don’t tell.” “We lost because of the political maneuvering dictated by the mid-term elections. Let’s be clear: Opponents to repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ did not have the votes to strike those provisions from the bill. Instead, they had the votes for delay. Time is the enemy here.” The vote was done in thanks to a filibuster by Republican Senator and Vietnam veteran John McCain, who attempted to block the vote to begin debate on the National Defense Authorization Act over Republican claims that the Democrats were attempting to stifle debate on the bill and not allow the minority party to offer amendments to the massive spending package for the military. President Obama has long promised a repeal of the Clinton-era legislation, and the House has already passed a version of the spending bill that included the reversal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” But with the measure stalled in the Senate, hopes of passage have faded significantly. With the midterm elections less than six weeks away and Republicans expected to make gains in both the House and Senate, possibly even taking over leadership of one or both bodies, supporters of repeal were looking at Tuesday’s vote as their last, best chance for passage this year. “We now have no choice but to look to the lame duck session where we’ll have a slim shot,” Sarvis said of the already-packed legislative session following the November midterm elections. “The Senate absolutely must schedule a vote in December when cooler heads and common sense are more likely to prevail once mid-term elections are behind us.” Gaga’s very public efforts helped put the issue on front pages and screens from coast to coast, but CNN reported that both Collins and Snowe said the singer’s appearance at Monday’s rally in Maine had no effect on their crucial votes. Collins, in fact, supported the repeal but told the network she felt she had to stay in line with her colleagues and vote against debate for procedural reasons. Share your thoughts about the vote in the comments. Related Videos Lady Gaga Rallies Against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

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Lady Gaga ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Speech ‘Resonated’ With Maine Crowd

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘She wasn’t paid to come here and speak; she did it because she felt like she needed to,’ one supporter tells MTV News at rally. By James Montgomery Lady Gaga Photo: Cliff Kucine/ Getty Images PORTLAND, Maine — On Monday, thousands packed into Deering Oaks Park to witness Lady Gaga’s rather spur-of-the-moment speech in support of the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Many of them were students at the nearby University of Southern Maine, active in the school’s Center for Sexualities and Gender Diversity, and they were understandably amazed that one of the biggest pop stars on the planet had come to their town to speak on their behalf. But, as MTV News learned in speaking with some of them, the event had a much deeper meaning too. As it turns out, many of them also had a personal stake in the ongoing debate over “don’t ask” — which failed to get enough Senate votes on Tuesday (September 21) to spur a formal debate — and to have Gaga in their corner meant more than they could express. “Her speech really resonated with me because, actually, this summer, I thought about joining the military, but because I’m gay, I can’t,” USM student Kelly Golek said. “If it’s repealed, there’s a very good chance I will [enlist]. So I thought this whole event was amazing, because you really don’t see something like this. Like, what other pop star would come out and do this? She’s very brave, and I was totally moved by that speech.” “It really resonated with me, because I’ve actually been considering the military, because I took my ASVAB [military aptitude exam], and I got an incredibly high score, so I could basically do anything I wanted to in the Navy,” Ellen McDonald said. “But because I’m a lesbian, I’m not able to do that at the moment. So, [her speech] really touched me, because those are my hopes and dreams.” And even those who weren’t prohibited from serving openly still felt a personal connection to Gaga’s speech, because, the way they see it, she’s lending her voice to the voiceless. “She wasn’t paid to come here and speak; she did it because she felt like she needed to. [She said] ‘I’m coming to Maine … be there,’ ” Chris Johnson said. “It makes you feel like you have a voice, because she takes the issue and says, ‘I will be your voice, because I know you’re not being heard right now.’ She’s the voice of this generation that’s not old enough to vote, but we have different points of view from the generation that raised us.” “There are celebrities that do things to help humanity, but Lady Gaga really does things,” USM student Marepheen Berry said. “She has a way of putting forth her messages. She shocks people, and that’s what I like about her: She shocks people, and it really opens up their eyes and turns heads.” Of course, there were also those in the crowd who, while active in the fight to repeal “don’t ask,” were mainly there to see Lady Gaga. And, really, can you blame them? “I think it’s unbelievable. I was in shock when we first heard. I don’t even know how to describe it,” USM freshman Joseph Sibley laughed. “When we found out, I was like, ‘There’s no way, nobody ever comes to Maine, and nobody ever talks to us.’ … And I’m glad I came. It was awesome.” What do you think about Gaga’s rally against “don’t ask, don’t tell”? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Videos Lady Gaga Rallies Against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Related Artists Lady Gaga

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Did Lady Gaga Have Any Impact On ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Vote?

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

In spite of DADT vote stalling in Senate, supporters of repeal say Gaga’s tireless advocacy has garnered issue global recognition. By Gil Kaufman Lady Gaga speaks in in Portland, Maine on Monday Photo: Cliff Kucine/ Getty Images There are many different ways for celebrities to leverage their notoriety to help a cause. They can play a concert, write a check, make a PSA or, as in the case of actor Sean Penn, live in a meager tent in an earthquake-ravaged country for six months and run their own relief organization. But few stars have given as much in as short a time as Lady Gaga has to the cause of repealing the U.S. military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. “The reality is that on Saturday night we were looking at what we could do on Monday, knowing that even if we sent out an alert to our base of 80,000 supporters, we’d be talking to the same people,” said Trevor Thomas, spokesperson for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a national organization dedicated to ending DADT. “We wanted to expand our reach and reach more people nationally and, more than anything, the two swing senators [in Maine] who could give us a chance.” The SLDN quickly hatched a plan to organize a rally in Maine on Monday in an attempt to get swing-vote Republican Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins to possibly change their votes on the repeal. That’s where Lady Gaga came in. The pop icon had walked the white carpet at the VMAs with four SLDN members, shouted them out from the stage, turned her website over to the issue and posted public video pleas about the issue. When word came of this last-minute appeal, once again, she stepped up. According to Thomas, the singer finished a show in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Sunday night, hopped on a bus and took a 15-hour ride to Maine, personally writing her address on the way. “The dedication from her was amazing,” he said. “She wrote the speech, did the research and talked to people, and it did exactly what we need to do — highlight the issue to young people and others who might not have heard about this cause. But most importantly, we did it in this key area we needed it in.” The Gaga speech garnered massive local and national coverage for the issue, with stories in the Denver Post, USA Today and The New York Times, among others. “You can work for months to place one story in the Times’ print section, and even if politics prevail and we lose the vote, more people know about the DADT repeal than did yesterday,” Thomas said. And while Gaga’s mighty push to lock in the necessary votes didn’t save the day when the crucial Senate vote took place on Tuesday (September 21), Thomas said her help undoubtedly had a huge impact and put a global spotlight on the policy. From the night Gaga first spoke out on the repeal at the 2010 VMAs and redirected traffic from her official website to the SLDN site until 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning, Thomas said, 314,446 people clicked to the “take action” tab, which sent them to a site listing the phone numbers where U.S. senators could be reached about the vote. While it’s unknown how many of those clicks turned into actual phone calls, Thomas said he was “100 percent sure” that the site would not have gotten nearly that many visits without Gaga’s efforts. The total number of visitors was nearly four times the amount of supporters SLDN had gathered pre-Gaga, but Thomas pointed out an even more impressive number. During that same two-week period, the pages on the SLDN website with background information on DADT got 520,298 page views. In contrast, during the first two weeks of the month, the site had 13,000 visitors and 30,000 page views. “There are many people who are high-profile who speak out in a positive manner on LGBT issues,” Thomas said. “But the difference here is she asked, ‘What can I do?’ at a time when it was critically important for the passage of our bill. Not only did she say that, but she asked how and when to do it. When you look at the past couple of weeks, you see not just strategic tweets but the video address that hit days before the critical vote and which was driving many calls to the Senate switchboard. I don’t know of many entertainers who at the critical moment for a bill would stop their website and direct it to a ‘take action’ page for a relatively small group trying to push an issue crucially important to servicemembers and those who support them.” Before Tuesday’s vote, Jim Manley, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid — the Nevada senator exchanged DADT-related tweets last week with Gaga — said the Democratic boss welcomed Mother Monster’s advocacy. “We appreciate the support of Lady Gaga and her supporters,” Manley said. “Sometimes that can have an impact, especially when you are as apparently committed as she is to the cause.” Even with all of Gaga’s work, CNN reported that both Collins and Snowe said Gaga’s appearance at Monday’s rally in Maine had no effect on their crucial votes; the final 56-43 tally helped ensure that the Senate would not open a DADT repeal discussion during its current session. Collins, in fact, supported the repeal, but told the network she felt she had to stay in line with her colleagues and vote against debate for procedural reasons. What do you think about Gaga’s efforts in the fight to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell”? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Videos Lady Gaga Rallies Against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Related Artists Lady Gaga

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Lady Gaga’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Speech: The Full Transcript

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Singer titles her Maine rally address ‘The Prime Rib of America.’ By James Montgomery Lady Gaga speaks out against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ in Maine Monday Photo: Matt Harper/ MTV News Good afternoon. Can you all hear me? I wrote this speech, this address, myself, I’ve spent 48 hours trying to find the perfect thing to say. My address to you today is called “The Prime Rib of America.” I do, solemnly swear, or affirm, that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States, against all enemies foreign and domestic, and I will bear true faith and allegiance to do the same, and I will obey the orders of the president of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the uniform code of military justice, so help me God. Unless, there’s a gay soldier in my unit, sir. That is the oath taken every day by service members of the Armed Forces when they enlist to serve their country. Equality is the prime rib of America, but because I’m gay, I don’t get to enjoy the greatest cut of meat my country has to offer. There are amazing heroes here today, whose stories are more powerful that any story I could tell, any fight I’ve ever fought, and any song that I could tell. I’m here because they inspire me. I’m here because I believe in them. I’m here because “don’t ask, don’t tell” is wrong. … It’s unjust, and fundamentally, it is against all that we stand for as Americans. The Pentagon and senators such as John McCain have cited that the military is a unique institution, they have cited that homosexuals serving openly cause disruption to unit cohesion and morale. So what this means is, that they’re saying that straight soldiers feel uncomfortable around gay soldiers, and sometimes it causes tension, hostility and possible performance inadequacies for straight soldiers who are homophobic. And even though some studies have been done to show an overwhelming and remarkable lack of disruption to units with gay soldiers, I will, for a moment, entertain this debate. As I am less concerned with refuting the fact that, in the workplace, in any workplace, there are tensions, there is even more of a possibility to have tension when you’re fighting for your life. But I’m more concerned that John McCain and other Republican senators are using homophobia as a defense in their argument. As the nexus of this law, openly gay soldiers affect unit cohesion, like it’s OK to discriminate or discharge gay soldiers because we are homophobic, we are uncomfortable, and we do not agree with homosexuality, and I can’t focus on the field of duty when I am fighting. “We have a problem with you.” Wasn’t that the defense of Matthew Shepard’s murderers? When they left him to die on a fence in Laramie, they told the judge, ‘Oh, Matthew’s gay, and it made us uncomfortable, so we killed him.’ ‘Oh, he’s gay, it makes me uncomfortable, send him home.’ As a side note, both Matthew Shepard’s killers have life sentences in prison, and laws have since been passed that homophobia cannot be used as defense anymore in hate crimes in our judicial system. Doesn’t it seem to be that “don’t ask, don’t tell” is backwards? Doesn’t it seem to be that, based on the Constitution of the United States, that we’re penalizing the wrong soldier? Doesn’t it seem to you that we should send home the prejudiced, the straight soldier who hates the gay soldier, the straight soldier whose performance in the military is affected because he is homophobic, the straight soldier who has prejudice in his heart, in the space where the military asks him to hold our core American values, he instead holds and harbors hate, and he gets to stay and fight for our country? He gets the honor, but we gay soldiers, who harbor no hatred, no prejudice, no phobia, we’re sent home? I am here today because I would like to propose a new law; a law that sends home the soldier that has the problem. Our new law is called “if you don’t like it, go home.” A law that discharges the soldier with the issue, the law that discharges the soldier with the real problem, the homophobic soldier that has the real negative effect on unit cohesion. A law that sends home the homophobe, a law that sends home the prejudiced. A law that doesn’t prosecute the gay soldier who fights for equality with no problem, but prosecutes the straight soldier who fights against it. Or perhaps that was a bit spun. … To be fair, it sends home the straight soldier who fights for some freedoms, for some equalities, but not for the equality of the gay. He is the one — or she is the one — under this new proposition who will be discharged for disrupting the military. If you are not committed to perform with excellence as a United States soldier because you don’t believe in full equality, go home. If you are not honorable enough to fight without prejudice, go home. If you are not capable of keeping your oath to the Armed Forces to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic, and I will bear true faith and allegiance to do the same, unless there’s a gay soldier in my unit, then go home. Or, moreover, if you serve this country, is it acceptable to be a cafeteria American soldier? Can you choose some things from the Constitution to put on your plate, but not others? A buffet, perhaps. I’m not talking about citizens — we have a right to grieve, to protest, we have a right to this rally — but I’m talking about soldiers. Should the military be allowed to treat Constitutional rights like a cafeteria? In the military, is it acceptable to be a cafeteria American? What I mean to say is, should soldiers and the government be able to pick and choose what we are fighting for in the Constitution or who we are fighting for? I wasn’t aware of this ambiguity in our Constitution. I thought the Constitution was ultimate. I thought equality was non-negotiable. And, let’s say, if the government can pick and choose who they’re fighting for, as exemplified in laws like “don’t ask, don’t tell,” shouldn’t we as Americans be made aware of this imbalance? Shouldn’t it be made clear to the citizens of this country, before we go to war, shouldn’t I be made aware ahead of time that some of us are just not included in that fight? “We’re going to war for you and you and you and you, but not you, because you’re gay.” You can risk your life for this country, but in the end, you’re not fighting for yourself; you’re fighting for straight people. … You are not included. You are not included when we say “equal.” You are not even fully included when we say “freedom.” I’m here today in this park, in Maine, to say that, if the Senate and the president are not going to repeal this “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, perhaps they should be more clear with us about who the military is fighting for, who our tax dollars are supporting and, ultimately, how much does the prime rib cost? Because I thought this was an “all you can eat” buffet. This equality stuff, I thought equality meant everyone. But apparently, for certain value meals, for certain civil rights, I have to pay extra, because I’m gay. I’m allowed to stand in a line next to other men and women, I’m allowed to get shot at and shoot a gun to protect myself and my nation, but when it’s time to order my meal, when it’s time to benefit from the freedoms of the Constitution that I protect and fight for, I have to pay extra. I shouldn’t have to pay extra. I should have the ability, the opportunity, the right to enjoy the same rights — the same piece of meat — that my fellow soldiers, fellow straight soldiers, already have included in their Meal of Rights. It’s prime rib, it’s the same size, it’s the same grade, the same cost, at wholesale cost, and it’s in the Constitution. My name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. I am an American citizen, to the senate, to Americans, to Senator Olympia Snowe, Senator Susan Collins — both from Maine — and Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts. Equality is the prime rib of America. Equality is the prime rib of what we stand for as a nation. And I don’t get to enjoy the greatest cut of meat that my country has to offer. Are you listening? Shouldn’t everyone deserve the right to wear the same meat dress that I did? Repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell” or go home. Go home. Thank you. Share your thoughts on Gaga’s speech in the comments below. Related Artists Lady Gaga

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Kid Cudi Admits Past Cocaine Use

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I wasn’t prepared for a ’60 Minutes’ interview every time,’ Cudi tells Complex of using drugs to cope with fame. By Steven Roberts Kid Cudi Photo: MTV News Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager remains one of this year’s most anticipated albums. But Cudi recently made headlines for other reasons, when he was arrested in June on charges of felony criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance. Cudi opens up about his drug use, the arrest and more in a new magazine cover story. “People wanted to know a lot about my personal life and I wasn’t prepared for a “60 Minutes” interview every time,” Cudi told Complex. “Doing bumps [of cocaine], I was able to get through the day, but then I would smoke weed to calm me down — it was the only way I could get through the day without people noticing I was doing it.” Cudi has made no secret about his love of marijuana, but the rapper explained in the magazine’s October/November issue that he started using cocaine to help him get through interviews. While he claims he never thought it was a problem, he admitted his coke use was like “high-fiving death a couple of times.” It took a lot for him to open up about the substance abuse on his upcoming new album, but he wanted to be candid with fans. “I don’t feel like I need to explain myself to anyone besides the fans. My fans don’t believe sh– until they hear me say it, and those are true Kid Cudi fans. I want them to know the story.” Cudi revealed that he had a revelation as he was walked out of court. “It was really just like, ‘Man, you got it f—ing going on, and you were about to piss it all away for some bullsh–.’ Everywhere I go, people be looking at me like I’m some type of f—ing crackhead now. Nobody wants to have their f—ing name attached to a maniac, to a f—-up, so everyone distances themselves. Cudi also credited the birth of his daughter with helping him to turn things around. “She’s my best friend and she doesn’t even know it. That’s why I always told myself I’m going to make these songs for my kids, so they can follow along and know my story, if something was ever to happen to me.” The follow-up to Cudi’s debut will be a darker effort because it reflects where his life was at the time. When MTV News caught up with Cudi on the VMA White Carpet, he talked a little more about what he set out to do on Mr. Rager. “With Mr. Rager, I kind of wanted to try something different with the writing this time,” Cudi said. “It’s just me kind of telling my story, but in a different format, in a different way, just writing it in a poetic manner. I wanted to do more poetic raps, whether it’s just rhymes or stuff like that or sometimes just repeating things just to get certain lines across, just to get people thinking.” What do you think of Cudi’s admissions about his drug use? Share your thoughts in the comments. Related Artists Kid Cudi

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Lady Gaga’s Meat Dress Follows Other Flesh Fashion And Art

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘It is beautiful and grotesque at the same time,’ one artist tells MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga at the 2010 VMAs Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Lady Gaga had everyone talking Sunday when she accepted her award for Video of the Year in a Franc Fernandez-designed meat dress . While the daring design still has people abuzz nearly a week later, those who work in the world of art and fashion are quick to point out Gaga is certainly not the first person to use flesh to make a point. “It was quite a dress! The first thing I thought of — [because] a lot of what I do is an overlap of art and fashion — is I thought of [artist] Jana Sterbak. She, years and years ago, made a dress out of meat, and I think her dress was called ‘Dress for an Albino Anorectic,’ ” said Nancy Deihl, coordinator for the M.A. program in costume studies at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture. “Her dress still exists, and it’s all dried out [and] it’s already this kind of icon of meat fashion. It wasn’t fashion, it was an art piece, [but] I thought, ‘What a copycat!’ Because this thing is so well-known and everyone talks about this artist.” Diehl was also reminded of an equally out-of-this-world fashion plate. “My second thought is: She looks like Cher,” Diehl said of the pop icon, who happened to present Gaga with her award Sunday night. “I think she’s the new Cher, who just kept pushing it. … I really feel like it’s almost a raw version of one of Cher’s leather outfits. It’s obviously all about shock value.” Artist Mark Ryden, who has also used similar visuals in his own art, said he thinks the use of meat is just part of pop culture’s current zeitgeist. “Many people forget that meat was once part of a living creature. They can see it as simply a product you buy in a clean package at the grocery store. Seeing meat in the context of a dress is a bold reminder of what meat is and perhaps instill awareness of where the meat comes from. That awareness would hopefully be followed by respect and reverence and then would perhaps lead to the better treatment of the animals we use for food,” he said, referring to his own painting, “Incarnation.” “However, many of these things are simply in the air. There is a zeitgeist that drives these things to permeate our culture.” In “Incarnation,” his muse also wears a dress made of meat. “For me, it is about how we are all wearing ‘meat’ all the time. It is the physical substance that keeps our souls in this reality.” As for the Fernandez design, he praised it for its multilayered meaning. “It is beautiful and grotesque at the same time,” he said. “I believe this combination is why it is so engaging and has captured such attention.” In fact, as two judges from “America’s Next Top Model” were quick to point out, their show used meat as fashion years ago. “We already did that in cycle 10 of ‘America’s Next Top Model.’ Sorry, Gaga!” Jay Manuel told MTV News. “You know I love you. You know that you’re the true supreme artiste, but we did do a photo shoot with the girls.” What did you think of Gaga’s meat dress? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Photos VMA 2010: Lady Gaga Lookbook If Gaga’s Meat Dress Started A Celebrity Trend Related Artists Lady Gaga

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NBC Prefers to Put Limbaugh Rather Than Their Own Ed Schultz on the Chauvinist Pig Seat

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

On his national radio show Tuesday, Ed Schultz took a decidedly un-liberal view on the controversy over provocatively dressed Mexican sportscaster Ines Sainz being sexually harassed by players in the New York Jets locker room. Yeah, she’s going through jock strap heaven. She’s in the locker room! (Laughs) There’s been sexist comments in locker rooms since the day they started having sports! What does she expect?! But when Schultz’s own network, NBC, went looking for a soundbite for the “caveman” point of view on Wednesday’s Today, they turned to Rush Limbaugh for scolding instead. Matt Lauer singled out Limbaugh as the sexist pig: “Everyone from Rush Limbaugh to late-night comedians are weighing in. And much of the attention is on what Ines Sainz wears instead of the football player’s behavior. And is that fair? Does it matter what she had on? We’re going to have more on that just ahead.” When they began the story, NBC’s Peter Alexander put NFL running back Clinton Portis alongside Limbaugh in the insensitive camp: ALEXANDER: But another player, Clinton Portis of the Washington Redskins, may have revealed some of that locker room mentality, making inflammatory comments on a sports radio show Tuesday. PORTIS: You put a woman and you give her a choice of 53 athletes, somebody got to be appealing to her. You know, somebody got to spark her interest or she’s going to want somebody. ALEXANDER: Portis later apologized. And on his radio program, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh, who had a brief controversial stint as an NFL commentator, addressed the topic, too. RUSH LIMBAUGH: She knows that she has an asset, depending on that part of the country you’re from, boobylicious, bootylicous, whatever. She’s got it. She’s making no attempt to downplay it or hide it. None whatsoever. ALEXANDER: Sainz says what she wears is part of her on-air image. Both she and her network post provocative pictures of her on their Web sites. The 32-year-old is a celebrity back in Mexico where many female reporters dress far less conservatively than their American counterparts. It should be said that when Meredith Vieira and three female pundits began discussing Sainz (complete with lots of seductive Sainz photos), they verged on agreeing with Limbaugh that Sainz was clearly playing up her sexiness as part of her TV persona. Clearly, they agreed, Mexican media culture has a little more machismo behind it than America’s. But Limbaugh, not Schultz, still became NBC’s icon of insensitivity.

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NBC Prefers to Put Limbaugh Rather Than Their Own Ed Schultz on the Chauvinist Pig Seat

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Chris Matthews Bets Lib Guest Christine O’Donnell Will Win in November

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Chris Matthews on Wednesday departed from the liberal media conventional wisdom that Tea Party candidate Christine O’Donnell’s defeat of Republican favorite Mike Castle was good news for Democrats and President Obama. Quite the contrary, the “Hardball” host has become extremely pessimistic about Democrat chances to retain Congress in the upcoming midterm elections, so much so that he likened his Party to the Titanic. “The boat is sinking,” he told fellow liberal David Corn. “The establishment is sinking.” When Corn tried to push back on Matthews’ view, the devout liberal said, “I take O`Donnell. How many points are you going to give me?” (videos follow with transcripts and commentary):  DAVID CORN, MOTHER JONES: Two points. First, you have — we have to see how these Tea Partiers do with a general election audience. And the second point — CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Oh, you`re taking the – CORN: No, no, no. MATTHEWS: You are trying to deny — (CROSSTALK) CORN: See what happens. MATTHEWS: You`re still denying it. CORN: I was on last night. You know I`m not denying it. I think they`re major threats to the Democrats. But we got to see what happens. MATTHEWS: Well, let me get this straight. As the Titanic sinks and it`s all the way up to the top decks, and it`s already up to the top decks, well, let`s see how it affects the first class passengers. The boat is sinking. The establishment is sinking. CORN: Listen, Leonardo is still holding on tight. And we see how — what happens to him. (LAUGHTER) CORN: But the other point is, you know that presidential primaries are like family holiday gatherings. All of the internal dysfunctions get played out. And so, really what happens right now, whether the establishment comes and supports people like Christine O`Donnell or not, those passions are going to be really stirred up and if you see Karl Rove continuing to battle with the Tea Party forces, then I think it will put more pressure and create more anger on the far right that will turn into explosive. MATTHEWS: OK. CORN: You know — it will be explosive. MATTHEWS: You`re using a lot of words, David. Usually, you`re much more punchy. The reason you`re taking a lot of words — CORN: I`ll make it simple — (CROSSTALK) CORN: I think it`s still hard for the Republicans. MATTHEWS: I look at Rand Paul, that the guy is going to win. I look at Pat Toomey now and I hate to say, this is a guy who`s going to win. I think the right has got the upper hand now going into this general election. And I`m looking at these numbers — CORN: But they always — they always did. MATTHEWS: They have the upper hand. Your thoughts. Wow! Matthews now thinks Paul and Toomey are going to win. But it gets better: MICHELLE BERNARD, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: But if you look at the people who have been basically sent running from the Republican Party this year, we`ve got Crist, Arlen Specter, Lisa Murkowski — there is definitely a lot of dissension within the Republican Party, and, quote-unquote, “establishment people,” could literally see themselves completely knocked out of Republican politics by the time we get to 2012. CORN: But at the same time — but at the same — MATTHEWS: So, the establishment lost every one of these races, they`re at the bottom of the league. The people that are winning are all the challengers. And I just — every night it happens, I say, this can`t happen. Castle can`t lose. Specter can`t lose. They all lose. The establishment of the politics of America is playing defense now and they`re losing. CORN: The Republican establishment — all those Republicans who are beaten, most of them would probably have done very well in general election. What we`re worrying about now, what some people are worrying about is that — is that Castle would have done better than Christine O`Donnell. I mean, Murkowski would have an easy walk to re-election, right? Joe Miller probably will win, but he has a smaller chance of winning, at least that`s the constitution wisdom at the moment. MATTHEWS: I take O`Donnell. How many points are you going to give me? CORN: How many points will I give you? MATTHEWS: Yes, how many you give. Because you keep acting like this is all over, that she`s going to lose. CORN: No, but I don`t believe it`s all over. MATTHEWS: Right. CORN: But I do believe that the Republicans have this internal split — MATTHEWS: OK. OK. I get back to this. CORN: — that they still haven`t dealt with. MATTHEWS: I can`t see the Republican convention meeting, wherever they`re going to meet, in Tampa, right? They`re down there and they`re thundering in there with delegates, one of these Tea Partiers after another, storming the gates, all excited about they`re going to get rid of the 14th Amendment, get rid of, what, the 17th Amendment, energize the 10th Amendment, love the Second Amendment, and then they go pick Romney, Tim Pawlenty. CORN: But who`s the Tea Party candidate? MATTHEWS: I don`t see how it happens. CORN: But who`s the Tea Party candidate? Sarah Palin? Who else? MATTHEWS: Yes. CORN: Well, what if she doesn`t run? MATTHEWS: Well, I don`t know what happens. CORN: What happens to them? MATTHEWS: I don`t see what — I`m asking the question. BERNARD: I don`t — I don`t think this is the death now for, quote- unquote, “establishment people,” like Mitt Romney. He`s a good guy. I think — we just don`t know. I know you think it`s funny — (CROSSTALK) MATTHEWS: I think you like establishment-type Republicans. BERNARD: I do. CORN: He also knows — he knows how to change his skin. He already sent money to Christine O`Donnell. BERNARD: But he`s also never going to campaign like Christine O`Donnell. We are never going to see that type of a flip-flop, I hope, from Mitt Romney or others, I hope. (CROSSTALK) BERNARD: We`re not going to see someone like Christine O`Donnell — MATTHEWS: — abortion rights. CORN: These guys run the way they run and then they look to the vice president to sort of send that message. BERNARD: We will not see a Christine O`Donnell on the Republican ticket in 2012. (CROSSTALK) MATTHEWS: The tea point is boiling and steaming and it`s going to make that whistle sound when it`s ready to coffee. BERNARD: Absolutely. MATTHEWS: The whistle is making that sound. (CROSSTALK) MATTHEWS: You try to put a lid on that (INAUDIBLE). In the final segment of “Hardball,” Matthews really drove this point home: MATTHEWS: Let me finish tonight with a question. Just where do you think this explosion of voter anger we saw last night in Delaware and have seen growing in voters in Pennsylvania, Florida, Utah, Nevada, Kentucky, Colorado and in just about every poll across the country is going to take us? Last night, as the dust began to clear, I heard progressive glee that the anger was on the verge of burning itself out, that the victory of Christine O`Donnell in Delaware like that of Sharron Angle in Nevada, was throwing away the election. How could voters in the general election go so far as to elect one of these candidates the angry primary voters have kicked pup? I supposed I had my eyes on something different. While others were seeing dead people, the defeated Mike Castle, who was supposed to be strong this November, I saw the strength of the flames that consumed him and will consume many others this rapidly approaching election night. I have waited all my adult life for an election in which voters have the fire to reach up and burn those who have been running the show for decades. But I didn`t know it would come from the right and center. 2010 could be the first year in modern times when being in office in Washington and part of Washington is the worst possible credential when facing voters. I don`t know how far the fire will burn. Based upon last night`s returns, I expect it has a long way to go. It could topple the House and, yes, the U.S. Senate. It could bring the defeat of people who feel even now they are not endangered. It could produce an election night spectacle of name brand politicians standing before stance supporters saying their careers are kaput. Why is this happening? Because this economic system is failing to produce the security and opportunity people have come to expect in this country. In this middle-class country, the middle class are scared and when people are scared, they get angry. They sense a rot at the top and are ready to chop it off. If the plan of those in power to raise a ton of cash and run nasty TV ads saying you can`t vote for this new person, that he or she is flawed — I expect the voter will say, “Are you telling me I have no choice but to vote for you? Are you saying that I, this little voter out there, dare not take a chance on someone who has not yet let me down as you have? If that is what you`re telling me, that I have no choice, well, Mr. Big Stuff, you just have to wait — stay up late election night and see what I have done.” Wow! It appears Mr. Matthews is starting to understand just how strong this anti-Democrat, anti-big government movement is. The only question remaining is when will the rest of his liberal colleagues in the media? Will they get it before Election Day? Stay tuned. 

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Chris Matthews Bets Lib Guest Christine O’Donnell Will Win in November

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