June 27, 2011
The True Hollywood Story Of How the Left Took Over Your TV
FSM Interviews "Primetime Propaganda" Author
Ruth King
Ben Hecht (February 28, 1894 – April 18, 1964) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, and novelist. He became very successful in Hollywood where he authored or co-wrote stories or screenplays for more than 70 films. He was named one of the most successful screenwriters of his day and won the first Oscar presented for the category of screenwriter for the movie “Underworld” in 1927. The classic movies in his credits include Scarface (1932) Some Like It Hot, Wuthering Heights and Gone with the Wind (all 1939), Notorius and Spellbound (1945-1946) and Mutiny on the Bounty (1962).
Ben Hecht was a Zionist and desperate to rescue the imperiled Jewry of Europe. Although he enjoyed a lucrative career he began to loathe Hollywood for ignoring and evading the critical and “controversial” issues of the day and creating only “harmless entertainment.”
Ben Hecht died before television and cable became a 24/7 bounty of entertainment, education, news, and, as Shapiro so well documents, a vehicle for leftist indoctrination. The fount for that subliminal propaganda is the Hollywood once derided by Ben Hecht and its producers, screenwriters, performers and executives.
In his book Ben Shapiro shows how so many “harmless entertainment” shows were subtly changing our national culture and our mores. Programs that we watched and enjoyed were actually promoting serious challenges to our politics, our morals and our national pride. Conservatives, law enforcement, and businessmen were increasingly depicted as rubes, racist boors, and objects of scorn, while the counterculture was depicted as liberal, reasonable and superior even in seemingly apolitical sit-coms.
Read this marvelous book. You will be enlightened and surprised and furious.
But, who is Ben Shapiro? For starters he is the author of a book named “Brainwashed: How the Universities Indoctrinate America’s Youth” which describes how students and so many of the entertainment elite described in “Primetime Propaganda” got their leftist credentials. If I could use one word to describe Ben Shapiro, it is his intellectual “diversity”- a word hijacked by the “politically correct” to have a cultural definition that might give Shapiro hives.
In addition to his previous books “Porn Generation: Bad Hair and Botox on the Road to the White House” and “Porn Generation: How Social Liberalism is Corrupting Our Future” Ben Shapiro is author of hundreds of fabulous columns on a wide variety of issues. They range from critiques of President Obama, to scolding Jews who deride Israel, to scathing appraisals of the whining air-heads of “The View”, to toppling the faux environmentalist cult of “Earth-Day”, to the danger of appeasement of radical Moslems, to Obamacare death panels, to the economy and false jobs statistics, to an appraisal of Sarah Palin. I can’t name them all, but to my knowledge he has never written on the battle campaigns of the Peloponnesian War. However, given the breadth and scope of his knowledge and skill I will not swear to it.
I am delighted and honored by this opportunity to interview Ben Shapiro.
RK: In your book you accuse government and leftist interest groups of colluding to shut down all conservative programming. Could you give us an overview?
Ben Shapiro: In essence, the government uses proxy groups like GLAAD to serve as its functionaries in monitoring the television industry. Because politicians don't have time to follow the boob tube night in and night out -- they're too busy texting their genitals to random
women, apparently -- they rely on their political allies to do it. That serves two purposes. First, it keeps television left. Second, it keeps those groups happy, and those are the groups that get out the vote for the liberal politicians. It's what I call the "Celluloid Triangle," in which interest groups make payoffs to politicians and politicians encourage television to work with those groups to push an agenda.
RK: What did you think about Steven Spielberg’s movie “Munich?”….
Ben Shapiro: Horrific. It could have been great. But when you have a militant anti-Israel activist in Tony Kushner writing a story about how righteous Israel goes after evil Palestinians, you know he's going to reverse the morality.
RK: Speaking of “Munich” what do you make of the brouhaha over Tony Kushner and the controversy surrounding his honorary degree at CUNY? Have you seen or read his latest play?
Ben Shapiro:I haven't seen or read his latest play, so I hesitate to comment on it other than to say that it's called "The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism With a Key to the Scriptures." Pretty sure that ain't gonna be either fun or intelligent. As far as Kushner's award from CUNY, it was absurd to give him the award in the first place. But absurdity is the mark of liberal academia. The only thing more absurd, in fact, is the American Jewish community which stood by him even though he is an anti-Israel nut job. As I've written, too many Jews are Jews in name only, in that they don't care about anything except their liberal credentials. Kushner and his allies fall squarely within that category.
RK: David Mamet is an apostate from the liberal cult you write about. Any comments?
Ben Shapiro: David is a brave guy. I want him to come out and expose the liberal bias in Hollywood, and join the quest to end it. He's big enough and talented enough to do it.
RK: You have written about “earth day”….do you think environmentalism is another manifestation of far left indoctrination?
Ben Shapiro:It is the latest and most powerful incarnation of far left indoctrination, without a doubt. Deep green environmentalism is explicitly anti-human. Normal green environmentalism is far less anti-human -- it's just socialist. The whole premise of
environmentalism is that industrialization is bad, that human standards of living destroy the environment, and that the whole planet would be better off if we'd leave off the development and move backward. The result is a socialistic mindset that says in order to achieve the foregoing, we'd best redistribute wealth. Only one problem: the least developed countries are the places that are the most environmentally damaged (see India and China). And these people call themselves progressives?
RK: In your book you write about the Association of National Advertisers’ Alliance for Family Entertainment, and its stated mission. Tell us about it.
Ben Shapiro: They have spent time and money purchasing time from the major networks to air made-for-TV movies that are family friendly. It's a wonderful idea. Now they have to stop thinking about that as a charitable effort, and start thinking about it as a business effort.
The fact is that there is tons of money to be made by targeting families and older audiences. They need to create great sitcoms, great drama pilots. That's how they can turn that goodwill into an industry-wide shift.
RK: You wrote about Frank Rich and the outrageous accusations from the left. Any comments about the TV ad of granny getting pushed off a cliff or any other egregious examples?
Ben Shapiro:You see those egregious examples all the time: Glee ripping Sarah Palin or CSI attacking the Tea Party. Those aren't the really damaging elements of liberal TV. It's subtle liberal TV that actually accomplishes something. It's creating characters you like and want to hang out with, who then do things with which you don't agree. Then the left turns to you and says, "How can you be against unwed motherhood if you watch Friends? Or gay marriage if you watch Will & Grace?" That's the stuff that's tremendously effective.
RK: Do you think popular culture, the media and legislators deliberately avoid the issues of Jihad and terrorism and the threats to homeland security?
Ben Shapiro:Absolutely. Just look at what happened with 24, where the terrorist-connected Council on American-Islamic Relations basically leveraged Fox into having Kiefer Sutherland disown the entire show before each episode, just because the terrorists on the show happened to be Muslim (as are most of the terrorists across the world). When's the last time you saw a Muslim terrorist on TV who wasn't portrayed as a victim of Western imperialism? For that matter, when's the last time you saw a Muslim terrorist on TV?
RK: Can you tell us what are the qualities you would like in a presidential candidate? You have written about Marco Rubio and Sarah Palin. Is there anyone else?
Ben Shapiro:I love what I see in Rick Perry. I have two requirements: speak articulately about conservative principles, and don't be boring. That takes out almost everyone in the Republican field. The exceptions at this point: Perry and Bachmann. Romney is a disaster
area and no conservative should touch him. The Tea Party started around the issue of Obamacare, so it is astounding to me that so many Republican insiders want to nominate the ONLY candidate who cannot run against Obamacare.
RK: In April 2010 you wrote a letter to American Jews decrying their support for the Obama administration. In May of this year you wrote a column called “Jews in Name Only”. Both reminded me of the travails of Ben Hecht. Please elaborate.
Ben Shapiro: Everyone wants to lump all Jews together. But just because we're born Jewish doesn't mean all of us practice or even care about Judaism. Ben Hecht had to go through hell to defend Israel and the Jewish people. If I have to do the same, I will. I will not, however, allow the media to lump all Jews together, or portray Jews who do not give a damn about Israel or Judaism as the true advocates of Judaism. Obama is clearly an enemy of Israel, and of the Jews who inhabit it; any Jew who supports him in the next election cycle is a Jew in name only.
RK: You recently wrote a column about Thomas Friedman and the slanted reporting on the “Arab spring.” Is there any hope in that part of the world?
Ben Shapiro:Not at the moment. The hope has to come from within. Christianity moderated itself. So did Communism, with a lot of pressure from us. We can help fund and pick leaders in the Islamic world who will fix things, but we have to stop being so afraid of our own "imperialist" shadow and serve our interest -- which happen to coincide with the interests of the global community, if they'd get over their multicultural nonsense.
RK: Just for the record. Did you ever write about the Peloponnesian War?
Ben Shapiro: That may in fact be the only thing I've never written about!
RK: Ben Shapiro thank you for your book, your time, your talent and your passion.
Main stream Media has indeed been promoting a left wing agenda and Deviant behavior as normal.
posted by: Fernando
Monday, June 27, 2011 at 08:25 AM
wonderful interview, Ruth! I take heart when I find others of the same persuasion on these issues! Others who have credentials and are standing up to Liberals, esp. Leftist Jews, who promote such hate and discrimination against their own! I have Jewish heritage and would give everything I own to track it down and make aliyah to Israel!!
posted by: Mid
Monday, June 27, 2011 at 09:01 AM
Agree, Agree, Agree ! ! !
The network biggies and now the cable networks are directed to the masses of
people who have nothing else to do but follow what they believe to be what they see while they lead their "couch potato' lives.
With their 8th grade intelligence level, both network and cable tv has increased the commercials and program announcements to the point where at least 22 to 24 minutes of each hour is brain washing their minds.
Folks, that's ONE THIRD of the time spent on the couch with the rest of the time spent watching programs that are also ridiculous, mindless and geared to the "followers" or "sheep" that can't think for themselves. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO WAKE UP TO THIS MADNESS ? ? ?
posted by: RayK
Monday, June 27, 2011 at 11:41 AM
I don't watch TV much anymore
Liberal Socialists eat up
too too much AirTime
posted by: George Giltner
Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 06:13 AM
Stop watching regular programs for just a week or 2. You will then be surprised at the liberal agenda that just pops out at you. When you are totally wrapped up in it, you begin to not see the biases clearly. It is amazing the ground they have covered by brainwashing slowly and succinctly our youth!
Nothing appears to be off limits except belief in God and a desire for American Exceptionalism. Great interview!
posted by: K. Jackson
Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 08:55 AM
It matters not who controls the "programming" of the Idiot Box (TV) about 2 seconds after you disconnect it.
Any responsible family head will be remiss in their duty to protect spouse (significant other) and children if they do not disconnect the Idiot Box. Unplug it, disconnect the cable, then rent or download such programs that you deem healthy to view. However, to leave the idiot box connected to an unchecked stream of visual & auditory vomit is dangerous to you and your loved ones.
Indeed, the unrestricted flow of misinformation, predictive programming (they call it “programming†after all), sexual exploitation, unhindered violence, and political propaganda (drivel) is going to affect you in ways that will certainly be deleterious to your mental health and well being
Unplug and disconnect and stop participating in your own brainwashing.
Den
posted by: Den of the Chaldes
Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 11:04 PM
Full spectum dominance. The same elite run all sides. Its only left to destroy the values of the country and divide it. Unplug. Listen to alex jones, stan monteith, rense, deagle, joyce riley on the net. Truth over spin.
posted by: oswald
Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 11:11 PM
Well, guess thats why viewership is at an all time low.
posted by: Jim
Friday, July 1, 2011 at 00:06 AM
There is no 'left' in this country, which gets more like Nazi Germany every day. Is there anything easier than cutting off a TV if anything you don't like appears on the screen? Pick up a book or grab your favorite DVD. The guy in the interview sounds like an Israel Firster/rightwing kook combined.
posted by: Mister Jimmy
Friday, July 1, 2011 at 07:41 AM
Left wing ownership such as, General Electric and Rupert Murdoch. Now that's radical thinking baby!
posted by: profnasty
Friday, July 1, 2011 at 10:13 AM
Israel, Israel, Israel. I thought we are Americans.
Those who have this fixation on Israel should just pull up stakes and move there.
posted by: Kim
Friday, July 1, 2011 at 10:27 AM
The IDF and the US military are the terrorists. 911 was carried out by Israel and US traitors. This is fact not theory. Please wake up now. Hollywood is not liberal, its propaganda.
posted by: Jesse
Friday, July 1, 2011 at 12:25 AM
We quit watching TV completely. To much propaganda and wasted time. Now good brainwashing: growing food and playing guitar.
Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television is a great book on the topic. Available on pdf free online if you look around. It has good depth.
posted by: Marc
Friday, July 1, 2011 at 03:30 PM
The Left? Hoy! thats a good one. You kill me. We own the Left and Right, TV, newspapers, Hollywood you name it! HOY!
posted by: whodat
Friday, July 1, 2011 at 11:49 PM
And the news is fiction.
http://wellaware1.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/dallasgoldbug
As heard on the Joyce Riley show,
The Power Hour
posted by: B. H. D.
Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 00:49 AM
The "VULTURE" with two wings is the "JEWISH" hasbara/Cabal...behind Talmudvision, and the Currency printing ! FACT! See also An Empire of Their Own, by N.Gabler & Issa Nakhleh's Encyclopedia of The Palestine Problem[http://www.palestine-encyclopedia.com/EPP/TOC.htm] Some braindeadgoy find this hard to believe but there were never any so-called "JEWS" in the Old Testament..[http://www.israelect.com/reference/Willie-Martin/was_index.html] Make Aliyah to Common Sense and fact based reality based on truth and NOT JEWISH LIES...what a huge difference!!
posted by: Anthony Clifton
Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 03:18 PM
