Mireya Navarro of The New York Times took 32 paragraphs in her June 10 Fashion & Style section article to tell you what I'm about to in one sentence. (h/t Clay Waters of NB sister publication TimesWatch)
Liberal Hollywood doesn't feature women having abortions in TV and movies very often because it's bad to alienate a sizable chunk, if not an outright majority, of your audience who are pro-life.
Of course, you can't fault Hollywood for being pro-choice where it counts to them most. Choosing plotlines and conventional stories that boost the bottom line. That is, unless you're an artiste who is forever battling the crass capitalistic forces of banality, like say, Christopher Keyser. You know, the cinematic Michelangelo that gave us the late-1990s Fox drama 'Party of Five.' Navarro thought it important that we hear from him and other liberals in the industry who lament this one area where Hollywood remains mostly conservative, if only because they feel the heat rather than see the light.
Keyser complained to Navarro that the Fox network nixed one 'Party' plotline where a 16-year-old character was going to have an abortion. Instead the network prevailed on the show's writers to have the character "miscarry before she goes in for the procedure," for fear of sponsors pulling their commercial spots.
"It was a cop-out... It was an attempt to avoid the issue but it was the best we could figure out under the circumstances," Keyser told Navarro.
And if it wasn't enough to indulge us with the fine whine of Navarro and other filmmakers, Navarro couldn't help but adhere clumsily to the left-wing lexicon as she described how some conservatives are celebrating the movie.:
Many conservative bloggers have claimed "Knocked Up" as an anti-choice movie, in part because the movie never presents abortion as a serious option.
I'm still scratching my head as to how a film about a woman making and sticking to a choice -- for life -- is an "anti-choice" movie.
Related post by Warner Todd Huston here.
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So, you are confirming that w
June 11, 2007 - 11:32 ET by kathleenirishSo, you are confirming that when you talk about 'choice', you really mean, 'abortion', and NOT choice, that is, if you 'choose' to let your unborn child live, it's somehow the wrong choice?
Liberal double-speak.
Anyone who says they support the troops but not the mission is a liar.
I'm for the baby's choice - a
June 11, 2007 - 11:43 ET by TruthMongerI'm for the baby's choice - along with the mothers...
Choice is good...
This movie's character made a great choice...
"Anti-choice" is funny - OK anti-lifers, whatever you say:)!
To add to that.. abortion s
June 12, 2007 - 07:57 ET by Sergeant ROCKTo add to that.. abortion should always be an option when the convenience of the mother is at stake.
A comedy about a woman who h
June 11, 2007 - 11:38 ET by Hero SquadA comedy about a woman who has an abortion? Yeah, that'd be a huge hit, Mireya.
*****
"Was it a millionaire who said 'Imagine no possessions?'" - Elvis Costello
That's right. I've never se
June 11, 2007 - 11:50 ET by radiofitz34That's right. I've never seen an abortion based comedy. But then, I've never heard any genocide jokes either. My conclusion is: The New York Times editorial page is a place where you can freely talk out of yer butt. Because nobody would expect otherwise.
"But then, I've never he
June 11, 2007 - 12:20 ET by AtheistRepublican"But then, I've never heard any genocide jokes either."
Wait, what? Really? I have a million.
Hero, There's genuine humor
June 11, 2007 - 12:20 ET by Chris NormanHero,
There's genuine humor frequently found in having a baby. That's why so many movie comedies are made on the subject. Abortion is no laughing matter - not even among pro-abortion rights Hollywood crowd - which makes one wonder, if, deep down, even they know it's wrong.
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
- Arabian Proverb
Cognitive dissonance
June 11, 2007 - 12:35 ET by vrwc13One of the few terms I remember from college...cognitive dissonance.
I think this helps explain why you are right that "deep down" they know it's wrong. But in todays PC world and "Just Do It", and "if it feels good..." rationalizations it is easy to justify just about anything.
"Cognitive dissonance is a psychological term which describes the uncomfortable tension that may or may not come from having two conflicting thoughts at the same time, or from engaging in behavior that conflicts with one's beliefs. More precisely, it is the perception of incompatibility between two cognitions, where "cognition" is defined as any element of knowledge, including attitude, emotion, belief, or behavior. The theory of cognitive dissonance states that contradicting cognitions serve as a driving force that compels the mind to acquire or invent new thoughts or beliefs, or to modify existing beliefs, so as to reduce the amount of dissonance (conflict) between cognitions. Experiments have attempted to quantify this hypothetical drive. Some of these examined how beliefs often change to match behavior when beliefs and behavior are in conflict." Wiki
Isaiah warned us about this many years ago...
Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
and clever in their own sight.
Yeah, logic, reason, facts play less of a role now in the way we make decisions in America. – Al Gore
Thanks man! Now I'm having an
June 11, 2007 - 12:42 ET by TruthMongerThanks man! Now I'm having an epiphany...it's been a while...
Yeah me too, for 16 years aft
June 11, 2007 - 13:00 ET by vrwc13Yeah me too, for 16 years after learning the term "CD" I lived that kind of life. Than I "saw the light" and have spent the next 16 years on the other side, TG.
Yeah, logic, reason, facts play less of a role now in the way we make decisions in America. – Al Gore
Brick
June 11, 2007 - 12:49 ET by Hero SquadMatters like this remind me of the Ben Folds Five song "Brick" - a true story about his girlfriend having an abortion.
It took me awhile to fully grasp what this song was about, but when I looked at it closely, I realized that this is a guy who had no say in whether or not his child lived or died, although it seems he was prepared to accept his responsibility. What about the father's "choice"?
Truly heartbreaking.
*****
"Was it a millionaire who said 'Imagine no possessions?'" - Elvis Costello
Ben has talked about that son
June 11, 2007 - 14:56 ET by balboaBen has talked about that song in concert often. He always says that he didn't want to make a statement either way, that he just wanted to write a song about what the whole experience was like. He's my fav.
I'm not going to go into deta
June 11, 2007 - 15:24 ET by Challenger GrimI'm not going to go into details but anyone who says that abortion does not affect men is an idiot.
Even when the woman does not have a real choice.
Abortion affects grandparents
June 11, 2007 - 15:28 ET by TruthMongerAbortion affects grandparents too, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends...
Over 3000 abortions a day in the US...libs don't care...
3000 US Soldiers killed in Iraq...libs are "furious..."
Interesting...
Don't confuse them with logic
June 11, 2007 - 15:42 ET by vrwc13Don't confuse them with logic, reason, and facts. Yep Al was right on this one...
Yeah, logic, reason, facts play less of a role now in the way we make decisions in America. – Al Gore
It seems to me, (I have not s
June 11, 2007 - 11:45 ET by RESTLESS 1It seems to me, (I have not seen the movie, only trailers), that if abortion was an option, it would go against the premise of the movie. It seems to be a movie about a man coming of age in the face of becoming a father. Btw, isn't the unprotected promiscuous sex enough for the Hollywood liberals to feast on with this movie?
They originally wrote it to be exactly that
June 11, 2007 - 11:46 ET by c5thenThe problem was that the title "The Terminator" was already taken and it was only 15 minutes long. Oh, yeah, and no one would produce it or act for it.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic
(note: the following is a run
June 11, 2007 - 12:46 ET by Challenger Grim(note: the following is a running phrase between my friends and me)
That was wrong c5then.
FUNNY. It was funny.
But wrong.
I salute you. ;-)
Be sure to get your daily Fred Thompson Fact!
I'll bet my last penny that d
June 11, 2007 - 13:34 ET by TEI'll bet my last penny that dingbat Navarro would denounce as "inflammatory" "divisive" "propaganda" any TV show or movie that showed the remains of the children killed by abortion. I'll be waiting for dingbat Navarro to plead with Hollywood to produce a TV show or movie that shows an actual partial birth abortion and the dead child's remains. Navarro doesn't want abortion shown. Navarro only wants abortion advocated, celebrated and worshipped as the religious sacrament that Navarro celebrates.
Abortion is not "serious
June 11, 2007 - 14:55 ET by balboaAbortion is not "seriously considered" in the movie because that's a path that would have slowed down the plot from reaching its ultimate destination: the guy and the girl trying to work together as a couple to raise this kid. There is a funny scene where one of the guy's friends says "Don't even bring it up!" and another guy says something like "Oh, OK, for your delicate ears we won't talk about schma-schmortion."
There was a scene in the movi
June 11, 2007 - 17:46 ET by The PresbyterThere was a scene in the movie where they made the girl's mother (the to-be grammy) look like a complete b*tch for advocating abortion. From what I recall it went something like this:
Grams: "Your step-sister had an abortion and she's done wonderful with her life... now she has a real baby."
By the way, the movie was absolutely hilarious and I loved the feeling I got when I left the movie of not feeling beaten over the head by liberalism . I'm going to go see it a second time with my girlfriend.
Hilarious movie that was surp
June 11, 2007 - 18:22 ET by balboaHilarious movie that was surprisingly heartwarming, too. Paul Rudd was great.
Yeah, it really was. It'
June 11, 2007 - 19:57 ET by The PresbyterYeah, it really was. It's that combo that will make it one of the greatest comedies ever.
Rudd was awesome, as was Regan.
TV screwed up twice with Judd
June 11, 2007 - 19:59 ET by balboaTV screwed up twice with Judd Apatow shows, canceled them both, so he finally said "Screw you guys" and switched to movies.
Oh, really? Which shows? T
June 11, 2007 - 21:08 ET by The PresbyterOh, really? Which shows? The problem with TV is that too many people would rather just watch crap like American Idol or other reality stuff. I got over reality TV after the first season of Survivor. Plus, I think the rating system is crap, how could shows like Scrubs or BattleStar Galactica forever be on the chopping block?!
"Freaks and Geeks" and "Undec
June 11, 2007 - 21:13 ET by balboa"Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclard." They were both Apatow's.
I know what you mean about ratings. "Friday Night Lights" is a GREAT show, and it barely made it to a second season. I'm huge into Scrubs, too.
I'm still disappointed that A
June 12, 2007 - 07:44 ET by Hero SquadI'm still disappointed that Arrested Development didn't survive past 3 seasons. Taste my sad.
*****
"Was it a millionaire who said 'Imagine no possessions?'" - Elvis Costello