As we reported last week, Michael Smerconish is now a regular fixture of the Inquirer’s Sunday Op-Ed page. Bully for him, we’re all for equal time and open debate. But as we have said before, it’s because of guys like Smerconish — Machiavellian media climbers that will say ANYTHING to ensure their butt space in the game of musical chairs that is the talking head puditocracy — that people don’t even expect to hear the truth anymore, let along demand it. Mr. Smerconish is a cunning fellow who likes to pass himself off as too guileless to have an agenda. […]
GRAMMYS: Free Speech Makes Comeback Of The Year
Connecting past and present, one-time folk protest queen Joan Baez introduced current freedom-of-speech fighters and five time Grammy nominees the Dixie Chicks, still “Not Ready to Make Nice” to the country conservatives and spineless radio programmers who totally abandoned them for criticizing (barely) the President’s pre-emptive war tactics. An hour later, the same tune was named Song of the Year, a recording industry affirmation that left the group’s usually outspoken Natalie Maines speechless “for the first time in my life,” she declared. But by the time the Chicks returned to take Best Country Album for “Taking the Long Way,” Maines […]
REVIEW: Inland Empire (Dir. by DAVID LYNCH, 2006)
BY MATT PRIGGE FILM CRITIC Inland Empire looks like ass. It is also one of the best films released last year — and yet, for reasons that continue to elude me, this film has yet to be booked into an area theater. Maybe it’s the three hour running time, incomprehensible plot or the fact that it’s shot on video and, again, looks like ass. You could almost hear one of Malcolm Gladwell’s fabled Tipping Points make a thud when David Lynch — one of celluloid’s all-time bestest friends — declared a few months ago that not only was his latest […]
Cover Wars: Whose Artfag Kung-Fu Is Stronger?
As if we needed further proof that the winter doldrums are officially upon us, here comes two alt-weekly covers that scream at the top of their lungs: Low tide at idea beach. If you guys aren’t gonna try, why should we? WINNER: City Paper
Freedom NOT Just Another Word For ‘Nothin’ Left To Lose’
BY JANE L. DALTON CHANCELLOR OF THE PHILADELPHIA BAR ASSOCIATION Many firms with Philadelphia offices are in fact providing pro bono services to Guantanomo detainees, and to dozens of other clients whom the average person might find offensive. They are to be commended. Lawyers who practice in this country are obligated to be mindful of deficiencies in the administration of justice, and that the poor and the near-poor cannot afford adequate legal assistance. Therefore, all lawyers are asked to devote time and resources and use civic influence to ensure equal access to our system of justice for all those who, […]
MEDIA: “I really don’t know whether we’ll be printing the Times in five years, and you know what? I don’t care, either.”–Arthur Sulzberger, Publisher, New York Times
[Source: Gawker] BELATED BIRTHDAY WISHES: Our Benevolent Founder turned 300 last month. Still looks good, too. Damn good.
Stephen A. Smith, Beacon of Clarity In A Fog Of Fools
Jesus H. Christ! If this is what passes for public discourse these days, may God have mercy on us all. [via Deadspin]
HOT DOCUMENT: A Letter From Steve Jobs
BY STEVE JOBS SPECIAL TO PHAWKER* February 6, 2007 With the stunning global success of Apple’s iPod music player and iTunes online music store, some have called for Apple to “open” the digital rights management (DRM) system that Apple uses to protect its music against theft, so that music purchased from iTunes can be played on digital devices purchased from other companies, and protected music purchased from other online music stores can play on iPods. Let’s examine the current situation and how we got here, then look at three possible alternatives for the future. To begin, it is useful to […]
Hello AOL NEWS Readers! If You Lived Here, You Would Be Home By Now! You Could Have It So Much Better With Phawker! Hello AOL NEWS Readers!
EDITOR’S NOTE: First, let me say we are positively flattered to rank up there with Monkeyfister and Daily Pulse — feels like we’ve arrived. Second, ordinarily we couldn’t care less if this guy fucked rocks, as long as the rocks were consenting adults. Whatever gets you through the night, man. But this guy runs with a pack of Christo-fascist Elmer Gantrys that used their considerable influence over their mega-church flocks to whip up a lot of misinformed and gullible people into a baseless hysteria about gay people, just so they could turn out the vote for their RNC taskmasters. We […]
SAD TO SAY: ‘Godfather Of Talk Radio’ Goes Silent
Veteran Philly talk host Irv Homer [pictured, middle] said goodbye Friday to WBCB (1490-AM), where he had been hosting afternoons for about five years. The former WWDB and WPHT talker told us yesterday it was his choice to leave and “the program had run its course.” Homer, 82, said he’ll spend his time working at the Sunshine Foundation, the children’s charity. He’s not planning to return to radio but says “if any station wants me, they know how to reach me.” Fans can visit irvhomer.com to keep in touch. DAN GROSS: To The Man Who Coined The Phrase ‘Boobus Americana’ […]
HOT DOCUMENT: Inquirer Hires Mr. Clean
TO: PHAWKER FROM: Michael Smerconish DATE: 2/6/07 SUBJECT: Me! I want you to be among the first to hear some personal/professional news. I’ve just agreed to write a weekly column for the Philadelphia Inquirer. No, hell has not frozen over. (Thank goodness for global warming or it might have.) While I’ve had plenty to say about the Inquirer over the years, I have never denied that it IS the newspaper of record for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. The invitation for me to come aboard suggests that the Inquirer truly wishes to broaden the blend of opinion offered in its […]