TCA Stunners: Michael Feinstein Calls American Idol "Sad and Dangerous." Plus 'Anarchy' Stars Diss Emmys - Ed Martin - MediaBizBloggers

Fearful that they39ll never eat lunch in this town again it39s rare that people in the entertainment industry really speak their minds But celebrity guests at the Summer 2010 Television Critics Association tour this week have let fly with a few refreshingly blunt comments that have endeared them to more than one reporterConsider the following critique from acclaimed performer and recording artist Michael Feinstein who during his appearance here Wednesday night to promote the upcoming threepart PBS special Michael Feinstein39s American Songbook dared to criticize the most popular program on television when asked his opinion of American IdolEd Martin is also reporting from the Television Critics Association tour on individual networks39 presentations exclusively for Jack Myers Media Business Report subscribers at wwwJackMyerscomquotI have problems with American Idol because I think that we live in a time when it is essential to connect with other people in a way of kindnessquot he began quotTo see the bashing of young souls on television for the sake of sport and ratings and a witty line is I think unconscionable I think of how generations of kids are watching this program and are gaining permission to treat other people that way to judge them and to say nasty things to them I think that39s a terrible thing As my life has evolved I39ve tried to be less judgmental and to try and see something positive in people And to see a show where souls are dismissed wholesale in that way is a very sad and dangerous thingquotAn accomplished musical entertainer dissing the mighty American Idol BlasphemyEarlier in the week there were these words from the creator and cast members of FX39s gritty biker drama Sons of Anarchy when asked during their panel about this year39s egregious Emmy snubbing The show did not receive any nominations despite being the highest rated series in the network39s history and receiving all kinds of critical acclaim including nominations for the show itself and for star Katey Sagal in this year39s prestigious Television Critics Association AwardsquotEvery year when the Emmys are announced half the stories that come out are about the nominations and the other half are about the absurdity of the nominations and the snubsquot said Sons creator and executive producer Kurt Sutter quotSo to me perhaps that suggests that the system is somewhat flawedquotHis actors were less diplomaticquotEmmyshmemmyquot dismissed Tommy Flanagan who plays Irish toughguy ChibsquotFuck 39emquot cussed Ron Perlman who plays motorcycle club leader ClayquotI39m sure I39ll garner a little bit of disappointment or confusion from my colleagues but I personally was really happyquot admitted Charlie Hunnam who plays Clay39s stepson Jax quotI don39t subscribe to Emmys or awards or any of that shit I think it39s all a crock of shit I think it39s corrupting I was happy that we weren39t on the receiving end of a force that could change the dynamic that we have because I think it39s working and it39s an environment where we39re able to do good work and feel fulfilled as artists All of that crap I just think is secondary and completely unimportant but it does have the potential to ruin a good thingquotSo like he said fuck 39emquot he added pointing toward PerlmanActors trashing the Academy of Television Arts ampamp Sciences ShockingBefore all of this refreshingly salty talk from the Sons crew I thought the most outspoken person of the week had been Martha Plimpton who stars in Fox39s upcoming white trash comedy Raising Hope the title character of which is a baby being raised by her somewhat dimwitted young father Lucas and his spectacularly flawed family Plimpton plays Lucas39 motherWhen series creator Greg Garcia My Name is Earl on Monday was asked how far he could take the family39s bizarre behavior given that a baby is involved Garcia replied quotThis baby39s going to bring up issues Lucas39 character is going to discover how his parents did certain things and that39s going to bring up some presentday issues between them And it39s not always going to be about just trying to keep this baby alive I know we do a lot of jokes about that in the pilot but it39s not like we39re going to have scenes with people juggling chainsaws over the babyquotOnce the critics stopped laughing Plimpton God love her dared to suggest that Americans are out of control when it comes to fretting and fussing and carrying on about their childrenquotI think Raising Hope shows a nice antidote to our sort of infantchild 39fetishistic39 obsession that we have in our country where you know everything becomes about the babyquot she said quotYou know the baby comes in and everybody adjusts themselves and their behavior and their world to the baby I prefer to live in a world where children are here to adjust to mequotYou39re here to get to know how to do it the way I do itquot she continued speaking to an imaginary baby quotI39m not here to do it the way you do itquotA woman suggesting that American parents have gone bananas over their babies Outrageous Can39t you imagine the ladies of The View melting down over that one

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TCA Stunners: Michael Feinstein Calls American Idol "Sad and Dangerous." Plus 'Anarchy' Stars Diss Emmys - Ed Martin - MediaBizBloggers

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Empowering Women in Media: Insights from Industry Leaders (Video) - By E.B. Moss

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