Have you ever watched a book-based TV segment in which the hosts never mentioned the book's title? Fox & Friends Weekend pulled off the feat this morning -- presumably because the title of the cookbook in question was a bit too spicy for Fox's taste.With Valentine's Day looming, Martha Hopkins was in to suggest some sensual dishes to share with one's sweetie. Her claim to expertise? She is co-author of a book entitled . . . "Inter Courses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook." Hopkins treated the Fox hosts to two of her recipes: artichoke hearts and strawberries and whipped cream.
But while the camera flashed on her book sitting on the buffet, items were artfully arranged to obscure its full title. I'm providing a larger-than-normal screencap so readers can see the careful camouflaging. The book title once appeared briefly at the bottom of the screen, and a full image of the book was flashed at the end of the segment. But the two Fox hosts, Kelly Wright and Brigitte Quinn, managed to avoid ever mentioning its title. Even the story on the segment at FNC's website dared not speak the book's name.
At the end of the segment, Brigitte congratulated Hopkins "on the 10th anniversary of your cookbook." But rather than referring to it by its title, "Inter Courses," Quinn mentioned only its sub-title: "the Aphrodisiac Cookbook."
So, good "taste" by Fox . . . or a bit of pre-Valentine's prudery?
Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Call me an old fuddy duddy
February 10, 2007 - 09:02 ET by w0tmCall me an old fuddy duddy but it is refreshing to see ANY of our media show ANY restraint at all much less an expression of good taste as Fox News did. If this same interview had occurred on a cable channel outside the jurisdiction of the F.C.C. there would have been interviewers engaged in intercourse as "artistic expression" as they asked the writer questions whenever they came up for air. OK -- let's see how many will now call me an old fuddy duddy in the next 24 hours. Stop watch just started.
Mark-This little incident bri
February 10, 2007 - 10:04 ET by CaringwhiteguyMark-This little incident brings out the libertarian in me. If you are indeed going to have the author of a book on, then not providing the title of the book is foolish. It's not much different than CNN or MSNBC failing to disclose the political affiliations or think tank leanings of their "expert" guests that criticize the administration. Questions . . . How did this author get on the program to begin with? Did a publicist set this up? Was there a deal struck between the publisher and Fox to not mention the full title of the book? Furthermore, is the book publisher part of Newscorp, Fox's parent? (if that were the case Newscorp would be censoring itself and promoting itself at the same time . . . and not disclosing the relationship).
Food
February 10, 2007 - 10:17 ET by BBallleaperAt least now we know how to "...bring out the libertarian" in someone! I've got a million recipe titles I could mention, but Mark warned me once, so I'll refrain! LOL!
I get the impression that a c
February 10, 2007 - 11:18 ET by Mark FinkelsteinI get the impression that a certain amount of negotiation went into this between FNC and the author's publicist. On the one hand, the hosts never mentioned the book's full title, and the title on the copy of the book placed on the set was obscured. On the other hand, "Inter Courses" was briefly displayed in a graphic at the bottom of the screen at one point, and a full-screen image of the book was displayed at the end of the segment. Really sounds as if a number of details were agreed upon.
Thanks Mark. Every time Gen
February 10, 2007 - 12:01 ET by CaringwhiteguyThanks Mark. Every time General Electric is mentioned in a CNBC piece it is identified (ad infinitum) as the parent of CNBC. Is the cookbook publisher part of NEWSCORP and should this be disclosed (conflicts real or conflicts perceived) on Fox & Friends?
Full disclosure
February 10, 2007 - 18:39 ET by nkviking75From what I've seen, Fox is very careful to identify its corporate relatives, especially the NY Post, whenever they are mentioned.
Caring, if the title of the b
February 10, 2007 - 12:14 ET by MikeBCaring, if the title of the book is not given, but you know the author, you can go to the bookstore, or online to amazon, and find titles by that author. No problem.
"A communist is someone who reads Marx. An anti-communist is someone who understands Marx." Ronald Reagan
Mike-I realize that. My poi
February 10, 2007 - 14:28 ET by CaringwhiteguyMike-I realize that. My point was that if the publisher and Fox share the same ownership that should have been disclosed. Since then I've done my own checking and it appears the publisher is Terrace Partners, of whom the author is one of the partners. I suppose you could say this book is self-published.
Well, of course the title o
February 10, 2007 - 14:01 ET by motherbeltWell, of course the title of the book was meant to be titillating. And having it "censored" of course creates more publicity for it. Does anyone think the title didn't have a lot to do with the book getting on TV?
If they didn't approve of the
February 10, 2007 - 10:58 ET by balboaIf they didn't approve of the title, they shouldn't have had her on. There are surely dozens of cookbooks that could count as similar, or approriate for Valentine's Day.
boa...I think she (the author
February 10, 2007 - 14:55 ET by bigtimerboa...
I think she (the author) very well knew what the agreement would be beforehand...don't you?
All people need to know is her name...the author and cooking/recipe books helps..which they said.
Fox probably gets more viewers that most stations in this form on Sat. morning most likely... that she the author knows that, it will generate plenty for her, that is of those that are even mildly interested.
In other words...once again....don't you think this author knew full well what she was doing?
I'm sure the author knew what
February 10, 2007 - 21:18 ET by balboaI'm sure the author knew what was going on ahead of time. But I still don't know why Fox would have her on if they couldn't show the title of her book.
Was the artichokes hearts, st
February 10, 2007 - 11:32 ET by Roger the ShrubberWas the artichokes hearts, strawberries and whipped one recipe or two? :p
Silly for Fox to do this, though. WTF, people, this is America!
Thankfully, the artichokes
February 10, 2007 - 12:05 ET by Mark FinkelsteinThankfully, the artichokes and the strawberries and cream were separate dishes!
RTS - My play
February 10, 2007 - 12:58 ET by misterbillRTS - My play I am working on is "The Penis Soliloquies". I am doing this because I believe in equal opportunity. Whereas women have held men back for centuries, forcing them to leave the home to earn the sustenance for said home.
This is a hard driving play. There are no flaccid arguments. I ask all men to assign a name to their genitalia. I ask men to remain rigid in their position on this issue. There are no issues that will arouse suspicion. Some soliloquies are draining and will leave you limp.
All puns intended!
"Truth exists, only falsehoods must be invented."
PS
February 10, 2007 - 13:00 ET by misterbillPS With reference to the cookbook aspect of this blog, I also include a recipe for "Love Mussels".
"Truth exists, only falsehoods must be invented."
Punning
February 11, 2007 - 00:25 ET by UnsaneMy, what penetrating punning!
"HAV3 TH3 BRIDG3S OF INSANITY B33N CROSS3D AND FOR3V3R R3TRACT3D???." - Meshuggah, "3ntrapm3nt", from Catch Thirty Thr33 (2005)
one for sure
February 10, 2007 - 14:43 ET by tumbler_2007it's clear Jack Bauer is now lookin to see if Jack Johnson is taken already.
"The Mr. Happy Soliloqui
February 10, 2007 - 21:03 ET by Roger the Shrubber"The Mr. Happy Soliloquies"?
Man, that would be a hard act to follow, to be sure, Mr B. Thx for filling my head with bad penis puns!
RTS Now there's--
February 11, 2007 - 00:30 ET by misterbillRTS Now there's--one "Thx for filling my head with bad penis puns!" that nobody will touch!!! LOL
"Truth exists, only falsehoods must be invented."
Ha Ha, I am selling G__t___n'
February 10, 2007 - 12:40 ET by old croHa Ha, I am selling G__t___n's for half price this week. Come on down to Qu___d___l___e Square in P____port on Tuesday and get them.....Idiots
All I can say is if the peo
February 10, 2007 - 17:04 ET by ckc1227All I can say is if the people in this country shudder in horror because of the word "Inter-Courses" being used in the title of a recipe book, it's no wonder we don't have the stomach to fight the war on terror in this country. And the irony here is this is something the Taliban and other Islamo-fascist groups would have a problem with.
If this was intentional on Fox's part, it's total nonsense, especially since they used the word "aphrodisiac".
Liberalism is the philosophy of the stupid.
Who does Murdoch think he is
February 11, 2007 - 00:15 ET byWho does Murdoch think he is kidding?