If Britney Spears wants to launch her grand return with a trite and tacky rough-sex pantomime, I suppose that's her business. She's not known as a pop tart for nothing. What I do find noteworthy is the way GMA celebrated that bit of rough stuff, featuring it in its opening minutes. Even there, it's not ABC's descent into schlock that jumps out so much as the double standard. Can you imagine the dutifully feminist ABC applauding such junk if the gender tables had been turned? Me neither.
Diane Sawyer, uh, teased things during the show opening.
DIANE SAWYER: The concert event of the season: Britney Spears turns 27 today, and performs live under the Big Top, live, only on GMA!A bit later, it was Robin Roberts's turn to enthuse.
ROBIN ROBERTS: And it's big, big, big, big: huge! It is B-Day! Britney Spears, live, this morning, and so we're going to start our countdown clock to her concert at the Big Top at the Big Apple Circus. Her new CD out today is entitled "Circus."
As Roberts spoke, a clip rolled of Spears's shtick: rubbing her shoulders provocatively, shaking her hair, crawling across the floor to grab, in a bit of hackneyed symbolism, the guy by his tie. She turns him on his back and proceeds to administer a lusty below-the-belt kick worthy of Adam Vinatieri. Close-ups of guy grimacing in agony as he tumbles down the stairs.
Cut to crowd of mainly young girls laughing and applauding.
Yes, we know it's all in good dirty fun. No harm no foul. But we also know ABC would never have aired this in a million years had the sex roles had been reversed—unless it was to launch an investigation into misogyny and violence against women. But consciously or not, we all—even the good feminists of the MSM—realize there are differences.
Note: NewsBuster Noel Sheppard notes that the clip comes from the video of Britney's hit song, "Womanizer." The guy is getting his comeuppance for his roving ways.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Feminist?
December 2, 2008 - 09:52 ET by AJBThe feminist movement is DEAD... as evidenced by the liberals' treatment of Hillary and Sarah and the total absence of any attempt to repel the liberal media assult on either.
Thank goodness! We men can finally go back to saying BACK TO THE KITCHEN WOMAN AND BAKE ME SOME PIE!
Which do you prefer,
December 2, 2008 - 09:53 ET by choselife3xCrow or humble? ;-)
In order to be pro-choice, one must first be born. Ah, the irony.
Apparently this is
December 2, 2008 - 09:51 ET by motherbeltApparently this is considered feminine "power."
Ah the classic crotch shot...
December 2, 2008 - 10:03 ET by HeavyChevyalways a favorite amongst the TV, Hollywood elite, and prime time animation folks (Simpsons, family guy etc...). What's a good laugh if you can't see a man writhing in pain from being kicked in the testicles.
I had a female friend ask me one time why do I get upset over that because it just comedy and in fact funny as hell. So I asked her politely could I slap her in the upper region (I did not say upper region but showing respect on this blog) that I needed a good laugh. Her tune quickly changed and told me I did not think of it that way. I replied no one ever until you are on the receiving end of the joke.
Pathetic.
Feminists didn't have a
December 2, 2008 - 10:25 ET by motherbeltFeminists didn't have a problem with Bill Clinton grabbing (albeit not slapping) Kathleen Willey there (the "one free grope" rule)...so it all depends on who's doing the grabbing.
"Feminists" are such hypocrites. They forced Lawrence Summers to resign because of "sexist" remarks regarding women and science, but now they are silent when Obama names him Treasury Secretary.
And not a single "journalist" has brought up Summers' past ignominy, which you just know would be front and center if he were a Republican selection.
nor did they...
December 2, 2008 - 10:55 ET by AJBThey sure didn't care either about him hanging out little Willie for Paula Jones. In fact, didn't some of the news-babes say they would gladly get on their knees for Bill Clinton???
Which is my point.
December 2, 2008 - 11:22 ET by HeavyChevyNo one should be doing anything to degrade or humiliate another human being. whether its a woman getting groped or a man getting kicked in his crotch.
old school
December 2, 2008 - 12:07 ET by AJBThat thinking is now so OLD SCHOOL. Get with the times. Its now OK to bash women, attack them for no reason, humiliate them with subersive questions during hit-and-run interviews. No, my friend. Its a new world out there. BACK TO THE KITCHEN WOMEN. I WANT MY PIE!
"Liberals"
December 2, 2008 - 10:27 ET by iveseenitallJust another example of modern "liberalism". So right, if this had been reversed, the "liberals" would be screaming "misogyny" and "sexism". But here, they praise the crap. And who is this idiot's audience? Kids, of course. The first things anyone must learn about "liberals" is their hypocrisy and dishonesty. Don't listen to a word they say-- 99.9% of the time, they are lying.
BTW, Notice all the "change" in Washington politics with Barry's appointments? Liar and hypocrite. Oh, and there's a $30,000 ring on the way to the finger of "never-so-proud". What about the "poor" on Chicago streets, Barry? Hypocrite.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
How does GMA get to be an
December 2, 2008 - 14:48 ET by mattmHow does GMA get to be an opinion leader on politics and other serious topics when they sink into the gutter with his trash?
How low we have sunk in America when tarts like Britney get coverage on supposedly legitimate journalistic media.