Gabler: '24' Creator 'Right-Wing Fanatic'; Hall: Show Plays to 'Paranoia' [Video]

Interesting panel discussion about "24" on last evening's Fox News Watch. On the one hand, lefty Neal Gabler actually defended the show. Mentioning that he likes Keith Olbermann "very much," Gabler continued:

"I disagree with Keith Olbermann in this situation. I look at '24' as being like a 527 [tax-exempt groups that engage in political activity]. It's bringing up that issue about terrorism, it certainly serves the Bush administration. But unlike the 9-11 show that was on ABC which specifically cited Bush as a great hero, this does not do that. It is entertainment, and I don't think it ought to be censored, or pulled off the air, or anything like that."

At the same time, Gabler later claimed: "I had dinner with the creator of '24' [note: IMDB lists Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran as co-creators. A well-positioned source informs me Gabler was referring to Surnow], and let me say, he was a right-wing fanatic. Let's not pretend that he isn't."

Joshed Cal Thomas: "My kind of guy!"

Jane Hall considers it paranoid to be concerned about the threat of nuclear terrorism: "They're playing to the paranoia of this age, and conservative people are picking up on it and saying 'this could happen here. Mushroom cloud if you don't let Bush do what we think Bush should be doing.'"

Jim Pinkerton offered an ominous closing take: "An attack like that is coming, and we all know it."

View edited video clip here.

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net