The entertainment media’s treatment of Sarah Palin and her family has been abhorrent. Like their biased and unjust hard news media brethren, entertainment outlets have gone out of their way to tarnish Palin’s image. While tabloids, semi-legitimate entertainment programs and celebrities issue incessant praise for President Obama and his leftist policies, Palin is showered with insults and inappropriate slurs. And let’s not forget the ongoing insensitive questioning about the birth of her special needs son, Trig.
Levi Johnston and reality star Kathy Griffin
Since the end of the 2008 campaign, some of the most glaring examples of the entertainment media’s obsession with anti-Palin coverage have centered on Levi Johnston, the father of Bristol Palin’s baby. Levi, a guy who would be better suited to appear on Tool Academy than he would on any legitimate hard or entertainment news program, has been reaping the benefits from his connection to Palin. In addition to his highly-publicized Playgirl shoot, Levi has been circulating entertainment shows in an attempt to pass off his melba-esque persona as something less than bland.
And, surprise! Since breaking up with Bristol, Levi has had a more-than-warm welcome from entertainment media who are anxious to find dirt on the former Alaska governor. While there is no contestant shortage for 2009’s “Most Idiotic Entertainment News Outlet” category, CBS’s The Insider takes the cake. Described as a program that “…reports on the dynamic world of breaking celebrity news and offers viewers opposing views on everything …Hollywood!” The Insider touts coverage that is a half-step above highlighting a covert meeting between President Obama and friendly extraterrestrials.
This begs the question: Since when is Sarah Palin “Hollywood?” One could argue that it all started with Kathy Griffin’s antics. In what commenced as yet another plea for attention, Griffin brought Levi to The 2009 Teen Choice Awards. Clearly, this was little more than a publicity stunt for Griffin, who would likely sell her left kidney if it yielded a decent photo-op. However, in the grander scheme, this was a clear statement to young people: Go ahead and laugh at Sarah Palin. Hollywood’s doing it, so you should too!
For what other purposes would it be appropriate to elevate and promote Levi for all of young America to see if not to embarrass a Republican politician? Of course, Griffin garnered the attention she wanted and Levi was portrayed as a bizarro teen heart throb of sorts. You know you’re in Hollywood when…[insert moment of inhumanity and/or insanity]. The Huffington Post penned the play-by-play back in August:
“Dressed in a pinstripe suit and pink striped tie, the Alaskan teen and father of Sarah Palin’s grandson Tripp arrived hand-in-hand with Griffin, planted a kiss on her cheek for the cameras and did some solo posing as well.”
Gag me.
Anyway, let’s move back to 2009 champion of idiocy: The Insider. This fall, the show decided to reunite Levi and Griffin. During what host Lara Spencer probably mistook as a very riveting and thought-provoking interview, she asked Levi fair-minded questions in the vein of, “Is Sarah Palin really Trig’s mother?” and “Why do you think Sarah Palin is afraid of you?” Following the liberally-driven wingnuttery that ensued during the 2008 presidential campaign, the question about Trig’s birth is breathtakingly cruel and sense-retardant. Spencer’s questioning screamed ratings desperation and showed just how far entertainment media will go to make Palin look idiotic while turning a profit.
Now, let’s jump to Andrew Sullivan’s recent appearance on Joy Behar’s HLN show. According to Sullivan,
“I don`t think [Palin] has much relationship with reality…And I think at some point, if journalists do their job and if brave people stand up and tell the truth, we will find out who Sarah Palin really is. And we currently don`t know.”
These would be the same journalists who did such an excellent job researching the man who currently leads the free world. Insane. And here, too, the story about Trig’s birth is brought into question. Detached from reality? Maybe Sullivan should explore the mental capacity of his interviewer. After all, who can ignore Behar’s detached-from-reality commentary about people who favor Sarah Palin:
“Well her people are evil and nasty. They are not nice people. They send me nasty mail and everybody else who talks about it. Anything negative about Sarah Palin, they get hit with this stuff. You know.”
Ironic that Behar wouldn’t consider her own nastiness as a potential catalyst for negative feedback. Behar has openly called Palin stupid, among other nasally-delivered complements. And the list goes on and on. The entertainment media (which, by my calculation, includes the now theoretically deficient Andrew Sullivan) are intent on making Palin out to be: stupid, evil, incompetent, a mere “Barbie” and insolent, in no particular order.
Get over it, Hollywood. Sarah Palin doesn’t share your values. She’s pro-life, pro-capitalism and pro-rationality. Rather than wasting all of your time lambasting her, promoting Levi and attempting to debunk her very existence, why not divert even a portion of your energy towards examining the man you’ve placed America’s very existence in the hands of. We’ve all got personal dirt. Since you’ll never let up, why not shovel a little less of Palin’s and a little more of Obama’s?
A little fair-mindedness is all we’re asking for. Can you deliver?
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