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San Francisco, 6:15 PM
Sat Nov 7
12 posts in the last 24 hours
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06:09 PM
Of COURSE people are going to draw similarities to Americas new administration, that's the genius of Sci Fi. It is by nature an allegorical medium. But you can't separate the lumps in the Cream of Wheat so easily, it has to be taken as one package. If the V's represent Obama or Reagen or whoever, then by proxy, they represent the entire administration of modern politics and government. Who is more alien to the common citizen than the overpaid, benevolent, false-promising, insured stuffed shirt politician? Politicians, like the freakish aliens of V, are a macabre joke. And you can apply that logic to any organization that pretends to be something that it isn't, or that appears to be doing one thing while it's actually doing another.
It's the classic To Serve Man idea, and I love it because I think it rings so true especially in this day and age where people are so used to be taken advantage of by their fellow man and by people who have been sworn to protect and help them, we just accept it as an ordinary part of life. #v
03:56 PM
And as an archaeologist, I have to say--if history has taught us anything, it's this: when the invaders show up, kill them all, and burn their ships. Don't mistake them for gods, don't listen to anything they say, don't worship them. Kill them, burn their ships, repeat as necessary. #v
04:17 PM
Fetch the electrodes.
I've got one that can see! #v
03:31 PM
Of course he has, but he's in a bad situation. He can't acknowledge he's heard of it because that would acknowledge the fact that presidents have legitimate criticizers, and the job of a press secretary is to make any criticism sound laughable and ridiculous. Thus, equating V to Spongebob, without acknowledging V even exists. Like since he didn't see it, it must not be there.
But one thing I learned is that Gibbs watches a little bit of football on saturday, and a little football on sunday, and news every other time.
02:15 PM
02:40 PM
03:41 PM
This show could become event television for people who want to send a "ratings message" to Washington and others who just want to see what the fuss is all about.
This show has potential to be an enormous hit and the comparisons could get even larger and brought up more and more in the national dialogue.
And once again, I highly doubt the show is actually ABOUT Obama, and if I could predict hit shows I would have a high paying job in Hollywood.
But, it could happen. I wouldn't discredit a cultural phenomena that just happens to come along at the right time.
Anyway, here's the actual reporter talking about what happened:
[www.mediaite.com]
04:14 PM
04:21 PM
Corzine's been a dead man walking for a year, no one anywhere thought otherwise. Governorships are one thing, but the Democrats got two reps and kicked out their Republicans, including the one in NY-23 (traditionally Republican) that can be pretty directly attributed to the schism and carpetbagging by the Republican party.
That being said, I bring it up only to show there's no sweeping change. I also doubt that V is going to be any kind of cultural bellwether and if I were the White House I'd ignore it as well. Possibility I'm wrong on it, but I don't think so. #v
05:12 PM
05:15 PM
The schism is republicans want real conservatives, not wishy-washy-moderates who have no real core values. Same thing is happening to the democrats, with groups like media matters looking to defeat all democrats who don't like Obama's healthcare proposal. People want their representatives to represent THEM.
There is a sweeping change. Can't predict V though, but my scenario is definitely a possibility.
05:28 PM
05:49 PM
12:41 PM
01:46 PM
03:36 PM
12:36 PM
Obama is the President of the United States. He's not an alien, he's not part of a foreign government, he's not an outsider. #v
11:53 AM
Even if it is an attempt to comment on the Obama administration, so what? ABC and the producers of this show have that right. Does Christopher ask him to comment on all pop culture references to Obama?
Also Christopher's point of "14 million people watched it..." so he's implying that Gibbs should care. A little math: Gibbs is one of the 290 million Americans who hasn't seen this show that has aired all of one episode. I think "get a life" is an appropriate comment when this line of questioning is brought up. #v
12:13 PM
12:15 PM
Neocons aren't the ones with the biggest problem with Obama (in fact, he agrees with them on several points). You're thinking of teabaggers/libertarians/states-right activists. That's an entirely different faction of the Republican party.
Neocons are about "spreading democracy" and exerting American influence on other states. The libertarians are the ones who are frightened of the health care program. The two groups sometimes overlap, but they don't always.
In other words neocon =/= umbrella term for conservatives. #v
03:46 PM
11:27 AM
Perhaps I've just misread their voices, though.
11:56 AM
12:40 PM
01:13 PM
11/05/09
11/06/09
11/06/09
11/05/09
Yeah. I have to say I was unimpressed.
I could get the "Obama bashing" ref, I suppose. Seemed a little ham-handed, especially when they interposed alien-Anna's calm message with crazy resistance guy's ramblings.
I found the dialog pretty bad. The characters were pretty difficult for me to like, especially the teenagers. I especially couldn't understand the priest and his deal with God and aliens.
The narrative felt rushed and choppy. There didn't feel like there was any real chemistry between the actors and it made the human race (at least the representatives of the human race in New York) seem pretty gullible and stupid.
Can't say I'm tempted to watch more of this.
Oh, and our secret weapon? That line alone made me taste bile. Saaaaaapppy....
11/05/09
It's not "Obama bashing" per say it's just pointing out how willingly humans will follow any leader that promises them the moon and the stars. For the dems it's Obama right now (whom I still have hope for but admit am deeply disappointed in that nothing has really changed) and in the 80's it was Regan for the conservatives. Regan's campaigns were all about hope and change and all that.
They used UHC because it's topical. That's all. And it wasn't the Vee who said it it was the "talking head" reporter who spun it that way.
Anyways, the show was way rushed and I had a hard time with everyone buying the aliens as purveyors of awesomeness so quickly.
I also didn't get the priest's assertions that "this is the perfect time to come with all of us in turmoil." Ugh, humans are ALWAYS in turmoil and it's ALWAYS the perfect time to come. We're always divided and in fact I'd say this isn't as terrible a time as it was, say, 5 years ago or any other time. I just hate when people get all melodramatic with the "this is the worst place we've been in yet!" stuff without stepping back at other times in history.
11/05/09
Nope, it's just bad TV.
Not only that, it can't be propaganda unless the government does it.
-Kle. #v
11/05/09
11/05/09
11/05/09
He's pretty, and charismatic. It worked for JFK and, you know, Hollywood.
-Kle. #v
11/05/09
11/06/09
11/04/09
I'm also rather glad that the male lead is a Catholic priest, thus, hopefully we'll be spared tiresome romantic tension between Erica and Father Jack. (Unless he starts reconsidering his vows...at which point I'll start pounding my head on my set.) #v
11/04/09
11/04/09
So, no I don't think it's intentionally about Obama. We're just reading into it. But, there were references to GWB in tons of movies and tv shows over the last 8 years, so there's a chance that someday the great Obama will be criticized, but I predict it will be in the loving way that "The Rock Obama" skits SNL do, they playfully punch your arm then give you a hug afterwards.
Answer: No. It is not anti-Obama propaganda.
And, I really enjoyed it.
11/04/09
Thank you for speaking for them en masse Cylon Conspiracy. #v
11/04/09
11/04/09
So actually you're the one exaggerating. You completely mis-characterized what I said.
All that other stuff is just your prejudice of what a liberal is. None of the liberals I know are like that, they just really don't like republicans, and they worship Obama. That doesn't mean they act like weirdos.
What are some shows you think I should watch that have a conservative slant to them? I'm always up for a new show or movie for my Netflix account.
And BTW, Berkeley is in one of the most beautiful and cool parts of the entire country. Absolutely love it up there.
11/04/09
Also Obama is hardly the savior he promoted himself as. He is just as bad as any other American President only more charming and eloquent, which is actually scarier. #v
11/04/09
But I don't see the correlation. The actual programming is very "liberal" slanted. I'm talking about the stuff that gets on the air/screen.
But, I agree that Obama is not the savior he promoted himself as, and I also agree that his charm and eloquence can mask his real motives (which I take as being not in our best interest).
Obviously charm and eloquence aren't bad things, but they sure can misdirect someone. And that is sad because those are genuine gifts for someone to have.
11/04/09
Most US programing seems to be quite filtered (to use Choamsky/Hermans idea) and creates an ideal identity of conservatism. The American Dream of financial success and Celebrity; of the white picket fence and friendly policemen; of the evil poor people who infect citys... I feel more inclined to see Hollywood as being less liberal than it likes to promote itself. It is still a completely biased industry in gender race and economy. #v
11/04/09
Meanwhile your proclamations that liberals worship Obama is some serious stereotyping. I've heard from a number of people who would describe themselves as liberal who've had some problems or at least misgivings with him of late. It's a tough job and you can't please everyone on either side, including his own.
Also, all liberals don't hate Republicans. Some do, the partisan ones. But it's also vice versa for Republicans. Some are partisan and hate anything and everything liberal and some don't. Again, you are making grand sweeping statements about some liberal Nazi state in Hollywood that forces conservatives to go underground. It sounds like paranoia to me which is probably why you like this show.
re: "But, I agree that Obama is not the savior he promoted himself as, and I also agree that his charm and eloquence can mask his real motives"
He's an EVIL lizard, doncha know? #v
11/04/09
11/05/09
Thanks for the personal attacks. Those are always helpful.
All that stuff you said about liberals is foolish, I know you were being sarcastic but I don't think liberals act that way. Don't transfer your own misconceptions and stereotypes onto me. I'd hate to hear your "sarcastic" view of how conservatives are.
And I never made the assertion that V was about Obama, so I take it your comment about him being an evil lizard was your own thing.
I like V because I like science fiction. I was a kid when the original miniseries was on and was a fan for that reason. I still remember being a kid in my grandmother's living room watching that first "away shuttle" leaving the mothership to meet the humans. That's why I like it. Not because I'm paranoid.
I assume you are a sci-fi fan too and your interest in genre entertainment is not the result of some character defect.
I spent 8 years hearing about how evil Bush was and how he was a dictator. You're just going to have to adjust to the shoe being on the other foot, unless of course every time Bush was criticized you came to his defense. From what you've said to me so far, I doubt that was the case.
11/05/09
If you can't tell the difference there is nothing I can do to help that.
For what it's worth, while I was no fan of George W. Bush, I wouldn't automatically dismiss or criticize everything he said or did either.
At very first I supported the war in Iraq because I felt that those people deserve a better leader than Saddam Hussein.
But then I realized George, like Ronald Moore's cylons, really had no plan at all. #v
11/05/09
I didn't figure you were a fan of GWB, I just wonder if when people made negative comments about him, you got just as upset with them over it as any of my comments about Obama.
11/05/09
I'm not upset about George Bush or Obama. They are adults and can take care of themselves. I am sure they will both be just fine and are well used to being criticized.
I don't really care, I just don't want to be slapped in the face with over the top blatantly obvious political allegory from EITHER side (I wasn't a fan of the Battlestar Iraqtica story ark on BSG either and that was anti-Bush). For one it ruins my suspension of disbelief and for another if I want to hear that I will watch the news.
I'd rather draw my own parallels than having them force fed to me, even yes ones I agree with.
I also think it's a ridiculous over generalization to say everyone associated with entertainment media is uber liberal and would never produce an anti-liberal allegory piece. There's all types out there. Including yes in the entertainment business.
Now go on and have the last word. You clearly need to have it. #v
11/05/09
I keep pointing out what my original words were, and you keep saying that I said "all". Read it again until it sinks in that I never said what you keep saying.
I don't trust Obama. You are free to. Not trusting a president does not mean you think they are out to destroy the world. I sure don't think he has America's best interests at heart though. But, he is the freaking president of the United States, yes he can handle the criticism, and I don't think comments on a sci-fi message board are going to bother him all that much.
This thread is called "Is V Anti-Obama Propaganda?"
People are going to be talking about Obama in the context of whatever they think the show is about. That's the point of the thread.