The Fox Duality Conundrum

I'm at a loss to explain the disparity between the quality of the Fox Network's Entertainment division and the utter failure of the Fox Network's News division.

The Entertainment Division has brilliantly derisive comedy in the form of shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy, smart Sci-Fi like Fringe and progressive musical dramas like Glee; while the Fox News Division has regressive morons like Glen Beck, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly 'reporting' and commenting on current events.

I can only assume that Fox owner Rupert Murdoch is some sort of evil genius like Ernst Blofeld, Auric Goldfinger or Dr. Evil.

Honestly, it makes Uncle P crazier than he already is.

Lord knows I loves me some Family Guy and Fringe (even my mother adores Stewie Griffin), but just the sound of Bill O'Reilly's voice can send me into an almost epileptic fit. Fox News' anti-Obama, anti-gay and anti-progressive diatribes make me want to puke, while their mostly pro-gay, anti-establishment shows like Glee and Fringe make me want to shout "Yes!" every time I see them. Of course, this disparity between the two divisions makes my head want to explode in a dichotomous maelstrom of confusion. And how's that for a sentence that would cause a genius like Bill O'Reilly to run for his dictionary?

I can only imagine that the smarter folks working at the Fox Network hate their jobs, while "brainiacs" like Glen Beck and Greta Van Susteren must wonder how they became household names espousing ideals and principles left over from the 1950's.

I will continue to watch Fox's Entertainment programing, because it's usually quite good. But I will also feel guilty about it because their News programing is so crapulent. What kind of progressive gay man does that make me? I suppose a confused one, at best.

Help me, Anderson Cooper. You're my only hope!

More, anon.
Prospero

Compassionate Liberal Christians Really Do Exist!

This is probably old news, already and I seem to actually remember hearing a similar story last year. But, it's Sunday and I thought it a good day to run this post.

It seems that a group of five Metropolitan Community Churches in the Dallas/Fort Worth area have set up billboards that say things like "Jesus Affirmed a Gay Couple" and "Naomi loved Ruth as Adam loved Eve," with appropriate Bible passages to back up their statements. The coalition is WhyWouldWe.org and their question, both on the billboards and online is "WJD?" (Would Jesus Discriminate?).

I think we can all agree that the loving, rational, compassionate Lord the Christian faiths would have us believe in, would in fact, not discriminate. He would open His arms and welcome all to His table and bless everyone there, regardless of who else they loved. The Jesus portrayed in the New Testament, at least as I interpret it (and yes, I have actually read it, before you open your mouths about that), love was the whole point. There is only one emotion as powerful as love folks, and that's hate. And that's the eternal struggle for all of us - whether it's Good Vs Evil; Sin Vs Virtue; Yin-yang or Saints Vs Dragons. It's all the same. Because if "God" (or whatever term you may use to describe the Creator(s) of your faith's particular dogma) truly loves us, then can He/She/It/They ever want any more for us than to love one another just as much? The test isn't what you believe. The test is in the love in your heart. Love Vs Hate. I'm glad that Love seems to be slowly starting to win again.

Of course my own opinions about about Organized Religion can probably best be found in the clips below:

I had a bad day and needed to laugh.

The show opens Thursday. I'm still unhappy with what I'm doing and still struggling with lines; especially the shorter, repetitive ones, but in some of the monologues, too, which have odd non-sequiters (for me, at least) and opinions with which in my heart, I do not agree. I suppose therein lies the challenge of successfully playing this role. Ay, me. 3 rehearsals left... I'm waiting for my muse to hit me in the head and help me connect in some way to this show and this role. Ugh!

More, anon
Prospero