So That Was It?

Saw the Focus on the Family ad with Tim Tebow...and the only thing I have to say is "that's it?"

All this uproar over that? Hell, I wouldn't have really had a clue as to the whole point of the commercial if I wasn't already expecting to see it. I actually missed the first few seconds of it because it was so nondescript in nature.

The ad seemed harmless enough to me. Didn't even really touch anything controversial, just highlighted the fact that Tim Tebow is a good guy and seems to love his mother. Unless there was something really controversial said in those first few seconds, I don't quite know why this ad was so controversial...unless the idea of giving a link to Focus On The Family's website is somehow subsersive and evil in and of itself.

Meh, seems like it was really much ado about nothing.

Oh yeah, and congrats to the Saints for winning the Super Bowl. A solid enough game that really had to wondering who would win until late in the 4th quarter. I know I enjoyed it.

Palin Signs to Fox News

In a move that will surely delight down-home conservatives and bring out infuriation and bitter sarcasm from liberals, Fox News has signed Sarah Palin to serve as a commentator and analyst (kind of like Juan Williams does now). She will also be part of a rotation of hosts for the new show "Real American Stories".

If Palin wants to show doubters that she has policy knowledge and intellectual muscle, this would be the place to do it...as she will be able to provide a regular dose of her views and thoughts.

The anger and vitrol that will come from the left, and the replies from Palin defenders, will be VERY interesting (and probably amusing) to say the least.

Going Left...ABC to Replace Stephanopoulos with Koppel?

ABC wants Ted Koppel to come back to the company and host This Week. No mention of what would happen to George Stephanopoulos. I'm assuming the cover will be his Good Morning America duties.

However, I figure it is because he is too moderate for a lot of the liberal media. He caught a lot of hell during the 2008 primary season for asking tough questions during a debate, and the left has not been fond of him since (conservatives don't like him, either, but there is a level of respect that I feel he has earned from them).

I've always preferred George to most other hosts on the Sunday morning political talk shows, as he tries to maintain an independent sense about him and ask tougher questions. However, if they are going to replace George, could they get Jake Tapper to do it instead?

Transparancy My @$$!

The White House is only allowing C-SPAN 1 hour of coverage of the health care debate that is currently being done behind closed doors in committee. So much for that "most transparent government ever" line we heard in 2006 from Pelosi and company, and echoed in 2008 by Barry from D.C.

Goodbye Mr. Monk

I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the series finale of "Monk". It was an example of how one can make a very good and intriguing show without always having to find new envelopes to push. Hats off to Tony Shalhoub for his wonderful performance as the title character over the past 8 seasons.

Speaking of "Monk"-related items. Today is the birthday of my favorite football player of all time, Redskins Hall-of-Famer Art Monk. :)

The Heart of the World Skipped a Beat

With tensions between Iran and the U.S. getting even more strained, a blowout turnout in New Hampshire for the presidential primaries, and the price of oil continuing to put a strain on American wallets, one story has made the world pause and pay attention for 5 seconds...

Hannah Montana uses a body double in concert. *gasp!*

Well, OK, Miley Cyrus only uses the body double for about a minute or two between switching from her "Hannah Montana" image/persona to her real self as Miley Cyrus. However, this has suddenly become an "all the rage" news item.

Glad to see the world has things in perspective...

Anyway, New Hampshire results should start coming in within the next hour or so, I'll get some early returns and thoughts up as soon as possible.

When Senators Have Nothing Else To Do

Sen. John Kerry wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner regarding the fact that the game between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants will be shown on NFL Network on Sunday evening, instead of on NBC where it can be seen by many more people without having to subscribe to the NFL network. Both teams have clinched playoff spots, but the game is notable as the Patriots look to become the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to go undefeated in a regular season, and the first team to go undefeated since the schedule was expanded to 16 games in 1978.

In fact, Sen. Kerry is threatening to hold Senate hearings against the NFL if they don't make this broadcast more available.

"I remain deeply troubled that today as many as 250,000 Massachusetts households, and millions of Patriots fans nationwide, may be denied access to this historic sporting event," Kerry wrote.

Err, deeply troubled? We've got military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, rumblings about the economy, a Senate that will be back in session full-time in a few weeks, divisive feelings across the political spectrum, Russia selling a missile defense shield to Iran, and we're coming up on an election year.

With all of that going on in the world, what "deeply troubles" John Kerry is that not enough people will see the New England Patriots (who also happen to play in Foxborough, Massachusetts...the same state from which Kerry hails) finish an undefeated season.

Now, tell me Sen. Kerry, would you be as troubled if it was...oh, let's say, the Washington Redskins that were on the cusp of an undefeated season?

Yeah, I didn't think so...

Sacha Baron Cohen No Longer to Play Borat or Ali G.

This is really disappointing, to be honest. I always liked both characters. I used to watch "Da Ali G. Show" reruns with my buddies in college. "Borat" was one of the funniest movies to come around in a decade.

Cohen says that their time has come and passed, and he's moving on. I'm sure he'll one day revisit those now-legendary comedic characters, but I think that Cohen should also be applauded for moving on and pushing forward with his career.

Cohen is quickly becoming part of the top ranks of comedic actors. I thought he was really hilarious in "Talladega Nights" as Jean Girard, the homosexual French rival of Ricky Bobby. I have also heard that he is a riot playing the character of Pirelli in "Sweeney Todd", nearly stealing the movie from Johnny Depp.

Now I Understand Why G.I. Joe Will Be De-Americanized...

Apparently, George Clooney is in talks to star in this movie. I seriously doubt a single soul who knows anything about G.I. Joe will buy into his pacifist persona as G.I. Joe. Don't get me wrong, Clooney is a great actor...but no, this is one product I can't buy.

This is the plot outline from IMDb...

"A European-based military unit known as Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity (G.I.J.O.E.), a hi-tech, international force of special operatives takes on an evil organization led by a notorious arms dealer."

European-based??? G.I. Joe is a Real American Hero...a U.S. Marine! There are certain symbols you shouldn't tamper with, and the proud depiction of a U.S. Marine fighting for freedom and democracy against terrorists is not one of them. Talk about degrading the American armed forces for a generation of kids in our country...

Have Symbols of America Been Reduced to This?

They're turning G.I. Joe from a "Real American Hero" to a UN Peacekeeping Officer for next year's live-action adaptation of G.I. Joe.

You've GOT to be freaking kidding me. They name claim that G.I. Joe stands for "Global Integrated Joint Operation Entity". WTF is THAT supposed to mean? It definitely does not mean "Real American Hero".

Lest we forget, the whole G.I. Joe character, story, phenomenon...it's all based upon a real-life U.S. Marine from World War II, Sgt. Mitchell Paige. Paige was a recipient of the Medal of Honor...he single-handedly held off a Japanese assault on the hill his platoon was defending after every other man in his platoon was killed.

It's Mitchell Paige's face that is the face of the G.I. Joe action figure. His only request when he allowed them to use his face was that G.I. Joe ALWAYS remain a United States Marine. Now they want to paint him as some kind of United Nations lackey!?!?!?

When I was a kid, I had a G.I. Joe lunchbox...and they definitely were not wearing UN colors.

Oh, that means that he cannot shoot at the Cobra Commander unless Cobra shoots at him first. Hasbro is attempting to backtrack and say "oh, that's not what we're really trying to do with G.I. Joe". However, I highly doubt that.

Here's a transcript from Glenn Beck's satire and discussion of this.

First they make Captain America look weak and then kill him off, now G.I. Joe has to answer to someone other than America...how much longer can we sit back and watch these characters, which were once icons of patriotism and American pride for generations of children, be turned into symbols of weakness and subservience to international bureaucratic organizations that have been miserable failures and whose existence has a tendency to usurp the sovereignty of our nation?

Many of you, mostly liberals, will think I'm making too big of a deal of this. However, this definitely symbolizes something bigger than just the change in a storyline for a fictional character. It's a change in the attitude towards how our country is portrayed to children.

(h/t Podium contributor Paul Cave for passing this along to me)

Any Reason...Any Reason At All

(h/t UCV)

So now "activists" are claiming that somehow the Geico Cavemen are racist against black people. All the commercials do is lampoon "moral outrage" over stereotypes (and promote supposedly cheaper auto insurance rates).

Looks like some people can't take the joke.

The Podium In Your Living Room!

Well, if you're in the Shenandoah Valley area, at least.

I will be a guest on "Virginia Viewpoints", hosted by Chris Graham of The New Dominion, to bring my perspective to this month's topic. What that topic is...I'll keep that a secret, but it shouldn't be too hard for you guys to figure out. Tune in the find out!

Virginia Viewpoints will air June 12th at 7:30 and 10:30 pm, on WVPT. Click here to find WVPT in your area. After the show, check for further reaction and discussion at the Virginia Viewpoints blog.