Scott Baio is 45...and an Idiot!

I admit that I am a reality television junkie. If you want proof, read my 2002 essay written about the sleazy Alex Michel of early "The Bachelor" fame, which was anthologized in the new reader: Pop Perspective: Readings to Critique Contemporary Culture, edited by the wonderful Laura Gray-Rosendale (McGraw-Hill, 2008). I love the Gene Simmons and Kathy Griffin reality shows and my wife can't get enough of "So You Think You Can Dance."

What I do not like is the third generation ludicrous reality shows that now dominate much of the genre, such as the Flavor Flav show and its spin-offs and others that focus on getting b-list celebrities to do stupid things on camera. Therefore, you will never catch me watching an iteration of "The Surreal Life" or anything starring Poison front man Bret Michaels.

As lame and unwatchable as many of these lame show are -- let's call them "celeb faux-tainment" -- none of them seem as offensive to me as "Scott Baio is 45...and Single." After watching a handful of episodes, I can't help but get angry -- at myself for tuning in. [Has anyone figured out a way to get those wasted hours of life back?]

This isn't the place for a recap, but the premise is that Scott Baio wants to settle down, marry, and have a family after a life of celebrity singledom and he can't figure out why he has never been married. In an attempt to figure himself out, Baio hires a life coach (Doc Ali) to help him get to the bottom of the conundrum.

What unfolds is the portrait of a sitcom star as perpetual actor. Baio half-asses it through the assignments the life coach gives him and wonders why all the ex-girlfriends he's had basically hate him. [A clue: dude, you cheated on every one of them with some other high-profile celebrity] Baio is so caught up being "Scott Baio, celebrity bachelor" that he does not possess the basic humanity that exists somewhere deep in the hearts of most people. He has no idea what makes him tick because he is playing a role, rather than living a life.

Adding to Baio's "challenges" is a handful of hangers-on who perpetuate the worst parts of his personality for their own gain/amusement. What nebish 40-something nobody in Hollywood wouldn't want Baio as a friend and at least have the chance to catch some of his castoffs? From the episodes that have aired, it seems that he and his friend/groupies do little more each day than smoke cigars, play golf, and travel to Vegas for good times.

The most entertaining part of each show is watching Baio's look of shock as a different aspect of his personality is picked apart by an ex-girlfriend or Doc Ali. As a viewer, one sits there wondering, "this guy can't really be this obtuse, can he?" The second funniest clip is when he declares that he isn't a mean guy and didn't do anything "malicious" to any of the women from his past, that him cheating, being noncommittal, etc. was "just me being me." Maybe "train wreck television" is a better name for shows like the ones featuring Baio, Michaels, or any of Flavor Flav's "ladies."

The irony is that millions of people watch reality television each week to escape the real reality of day to day life in modern America. It is much easier to watch Scott Baio or "American Idol" than worry about American kids getting blown up in Iraq or starving people living under a freeway overpass.

When it comes to thinking about popular culture, the best bet is to look to the words of Ray B. Browne, professor emeritus of popular culture studies at Bowling Green State University, who has spent a lifetime examining the field. He says, "United States popular culture is ourselves and our country, and we, for better or worse, are our popular culture."

Perhaps this quote raises more questions than it answers, but it is a great jumping off point for deeper thinking about why we turn to pop culture in times of national crisis.

Rumsfeld a Fascist?

Finally! A mainstream journalist (Keith Olbermann) had the guts to call out Rumsfeld for his fear-mongering rhetoric and historical ineptitude.

For years I've been disgusted by the way the secretary of defense so arrogantly dismisses reporters or others who question him or disagree with his views. Olbermann (possibly the greatest sports anchor ever from his ESPN days) proves his chops as a journalist of high caliber by putting both Rumsfeld and the Bush administration in its place.

Perhaps Olbermann's remarks will set off a wave of thoughtful criticism of the Bush administration. Or, was Olbermann's critique the natural outcome after several weeks of depressing news from New Orleans and consistently bad news from Iraq?

Either way, see Olbermann's remarks...

Unspeakable Tragedy: Race and Katrina

I wrote this article, published today on PopMatters.com.

Under the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana Superdome -- the "crown jewel of the New Orleans skyline" -- quickly became a cesspool of waste, sewage, and most lurid of all, death. The city's poor who flocked there for relief had no food, running water or air conditioning. The ill-equipped emergency shelter, like the nearby Convention Center, became a symbol of the storm's devastation -- and the Bush administration's failure to aid the people suffering in the drowned city.

News programs scurried to broadcast the lurid tales of mayhem amid the flooded ruins. The plight of disadvantaged African Americans left behind to virtually fend for themselves in the wake elicited a national outcry. Millions of viewers sat spellbound as the news filtered out of the city. Rapper Kanye West summed up the private thoughts many dared not speak publicly, proclaiming that "George Bush doesn't care about black people" on a nationally televised hurricane-relief program. Clearly Katrina put race back on the national agenda.

Unfortunately, under ordinary circumstances, many Americans are quick to dismiss racism as simply a defective character trait or a sign of overt stupidity. But it runs deeper, straight to the heart of the country's national fabric. As historian John Hope Franklin recently told the Associated Press, "The New Orleans tragedy speaks in a loud but eloquent voice that racial inequities in the United States persist. As far as race in America is concerned, Katrina was just another example of the failure of the people of the United States to come to terms with a centuries-old problem…and make a forthright effort to solve it." Huffington Post columnist Rev. Byron Williams notes that "the Katrina response, or lack thereof, was in part society's inability to see the humanity of those stuck in the quagmire of the social underside." Simply being born an American, a person is infused with race and the legacy of slavery, and America's continued inability to solve the race issue is its most crippling defect and exacerbates most, if not all, societal ills.

The chaos in New Orleans revealed the depths of racism that exists in the United States, but many hoped the catastrophe would touch off a renewed national dialogue on racism and possibly eliminate it once and for all in the post-Katrina America. However, after the disaster triage and governmental finger-pointing devolved into a post-storm bureaucratic nightmare of red tape, and the sensationalist images and stories disappeared, so did the discussions of racism. It may be that Americans are so ashamed of the heritage of slavery and the current state of those living in poverty that they can only examine race if it comes from the mouths of cartoon characters (think of Token Black, the African American on South Park), standup comics like Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle, or rap musicians. But though West's audacious claim touched off an initial media frenzy, the frank dialogue never materialized, and today, America is no closer to solving its race problem.

Looking back, the failure of this dialogue to materialize seems to prove West's point yet again. Race slipped from the national agenda in part because George W. Bush did not keep the issue at the forefront. Of course, politicians going back to the Founding Fathers have failed to adequately address the race issue. Still, rather than initiate a national dialogue on race, Bush instead chose to make a feeble play for black voters, choosing, finally, to speak before the NAACP in late July, after declining its invitation the last five years. Bush gave a masterful performance in front of an unfriendly audience, taking the anger out of the room with witty self-deprecation, a nod to black history, and just enough owning up to past Republican errors to appease his auditors.

In this speech Bush summed up his thoughts on race in America: "In the century since the NAACP was founded, our nation has grown more prosperous and more powerful. It's also grown more equal and just. Yet this work is not finished. The history of America is one of constant renewal. And each generation has a responsibility to write a new chapter in the unfinished story of freedom." But has his presidency has taken up the challenge of assuming this responsibility? The answer is a resounding no.

Although the president is criticized for routinely flubbing multisyllabic words, he is a master of modern American corporate speak, in which a CEO is applauded for focusing on looking to the future without ever acknowledging current or past errors. For example, the president played up his post-Katrina discussions with NAACP CEO Bruce Gordon without conceding any slip-ups on the part of his administration: "We talked about the challenges facing the African American community after that storm. We talked about the response of the federal government. And most importantly, we talked about the way forward. We talked about what we can do working together to move forward."

At another point in the speech, he revealed the real reasons he finally addressed the organization: "You must understand I understand that racism still lingers in America. It's a lot easier to change a law than to change a human heart. And I understand that many African Americans distrust my political party. I consider it a tragedy that the party of Abraham Lincoln let go of its historic ties with the African American community. For too long my party wrote off the African American vote, and many African Americans wrote off the Republican Party."
As striking as the language is, especially coming from Bush, the key word in his statement is vote. The Republican Party probably sees little difference between its success at winning over former Democratic voters in strongholds like Western Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio and capturing the black vote. Republicans see an opportunity to win back black voters, which political strategists assert could be critical in the 2006 midterm elections and the 2008 presidential race. So the speech wasn't about healing wounds deep within the national fabric, the appearance was to win the African American vote.

Despite his lip service and political pandering in this speech, Bush has done little to help African Americans. According to NAACP statistics, blacks are twice as likely to be unemployed compared to whites, significantly less likely to own homes (75 percent for whites compared to 48 percent for blacks), and have an average median net worth of $10,000 versus $81,700 for whites. This didn't stop Bush from using his NAACP address to call for the repeal of the estate tax. The president invoked the name of his "friend" Bob Johnson, the billionaire founder of BET and owner of the NBA Charlotte Bobcats franchise, saying "He believes strongly, for example, that the death tax will prevent future African-American entrepreneurs from being able to pass their assets from one generation to the next. He and I also understand that the investor class shouldn't be just confined to the old definition of the investor class." Curiously, progressive economists have shown that only 59 African Americans (of approximately 38 million) will pay the estate tax this year.

A president who cares about African-Americans would look out on the nation and be disgusted by what is happening in black communities. He would place race on the national agenda. If the weight of the office can push terrorism and security to the top of the agenda, then it can do the same for racism. Though the Bush administration has czars for everything from cyberterrorism to AIDS, there's no czar for racism, no money behind completing the "unfinished story of freedom." The National Priorities Project estimates that the war in Iraq has cost more than $300 billion, yet poverty-stricken Americans at home slip further into despair.

But as easy as it is to blame the president for the current state of racism in America, the lack of leadership within the African American community must be cited as well. The fact that West -- a musician -- was the most significant black political figure to emerge from the devastation in New Orleans reveals the paucity of leadership among blacks. No black leader today wields enough influence to rise above the political fray and put racism on the national agenda. Leaders who immediately come to mind, such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, have put too much faith in the political process. Like the American labor movement, African Americans since the 1960s have been co-opted by the Democrats, virtually handing over power to an organization that is more concerned with winning office than standing up for ideals. There is merit in sustained voter registration drives and raising money for candidates, but these tactics have not brought the urgent need to confront racism to the forefront.

Because politicians are predominantly concerned with getting elected rather than defending principles, it seems unlikely that the leadership needed in today's conditions will come from an African American senator or congressperson, even the wildly popular Barack Obama. Is it pollyannaish to wonder when the next Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X will appear? Neither held political office or aligned too closely with a political party. They drew from religious backgrounds and followings but were able to bring their causes to the national stage. Ultimately, racism is more than a political issue that can be fixed through party affiliation.

For the good of the nation, racism must be quashed. The most important lesson lost after Katrina -- and repeatedly brought to light in Spike Lee's recent When the Levees Broke documentary -- is that building a better world means retaining our humanity. In today's polarized society, this may seem out of reach, but it is an attainable aspiration.

* * *

Bob Batchelor is an award-winning business writer and historian. He teaches Public Relations in the School of Mass Communications at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Visit him on the Web at www.bobbatchelor.com.

United States of Racism

America is racist.

Whether measured by important national crises such as the federal government’s sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina and the riots in Toledo, or by less dangerous subjects like the new NBA dress code and William Bennett’s ramblings about aborting black babies to reduce crime rates, no other plausible conclusion exists.

When stripped down to its core, every major societal issue has a racial component. The challenge is that most people are unwilling to face the specter of racism (particularly their own racism) on an individual level.

The same person who opens his wallet to the Red Cross for Katrina relief laughs loudest when Chris Rock says the N-word in a standup comedy routine. Many intelligent people rationalize their feelings about race, by simply reassuring themselves: “I’m not racist. I have Black/Hispanic/Asian friends.”

People see racism as a defective character trait or overt stupidity. A more philosophical and historical view, however, reveals that the notion runs deeper, straight to the heart of the country’s national fabric. Racism is not a political issue, one that can be “fixed” through party affiliation. Racism is not even necessarily a moral concern. Simply being born an American, a person is infused with race and the legacy of slavery.

Criticism of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and other American heroes continues to mount based on the fraud that slave owning white aristocrats could talk so boldly about freedom, liberty, and equality, but tiptoe around the slavery question. The Founding Fathers cemented racism into the country’s value system by not addressing the issue with the same resolve and willpower that they tackled the formation of a new republic.

From their perspective, race equaled slavery. That perception endures more than two centuries later. One doesn’t have to dig deep to find examples of racism’s hold on America. The news is filled with hate crime incidents everyday.

I live in a Florida county that is quickly growing into a commuter suburb of Tampa. One would imagine, based on a flourishing economy and emergent suburban population, that such an area would be filled with the kind of upper middle-class, progressive, individuals taking root in suburbs all across the nation. Right?

Wrong. A statue of a Confederate soldier looms over the front lawn of the courthouse. The county seal features a more menacing Confederate flag, which adorns every county work vehicle. The offensive logo is not a carryover from the Civil War era. The city adopted it in 1986.

In this part of Florida, the Confederate Flag is constantly on display. Seeing just one a day would be a challenge. Whether the rebel flag hangs from a pole, is on a tee shirt, or serves as a license plate holder on a jacked-up four wheel drive truck, the message is more than symbolic.

What astounds me is that in modern America, long after politically correct language has become the norm, people so proudly parade the ultimate representation of racism. If a person is willing to flaunt the Confederate Flag, then they might as well complete the uniform and get a white hooded robe out too.

The fiftieth anniversary of Rosa Parks’ valiant act of civil disobedience in Montgomery, Alabama, and her death provided an opportunity to reexamine America’s failure to solve the race problem. However the challenge is addressed, the real examination must begin on an intimate personal level, like Parks’ lone response to an illogical request to give up her seat after a tiring workday.

No public opinion poll is ever going to reveal the depths of racism in the United States. Respondents tell pollsters what they believe is socially acceptable.

Clues to the depths of racism in the United States are littered in mainstream popular culture. Adult-themed cartoons are insightful, because their creators skirt societal norms by putting dialogue in animated characters. For example, “The Simpson’s” features Arab convenience store clerk Apu, while the African-American student (ironically from the town’s wealthiest family) on “South Park” is named Token Black.

In a society that has confronted its racist past and dealt with it accordingly, we wouldn’t need satires like these to remind us of the dirty thoughts we harbor beneath the shine of education, social acceptability, and humanity. Like Rosa Parks, each person should confront racism individually. It is the only way to live up to the principles that guide this nation.

New Johnny Cash Book

My book, Literary Cash: Writings Inspired by the Legendary Johnny Cash, is scheduled for release in January 2007.

I view the book as a kind of tribute album on paper by a group of writers who love JC.

Here's the blurb from Amazon:
"The legendary lyrics of Johnny Cash are the inspiration for this collection of extraordinarily creative works that provides a new spin on this musical legend. For nearly five decades, Cash captivated audiences with his unique voice and candid portrayal of the gritty life of a working man, and his songs continue to strike a chord with listeners today. But it is the stories behind the music that remain with audiences and provide the inspiration for the work in this thoughtful compilation of fiction [and nonfiction] from contributors such as Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Don Cusic, Gretchen Moran Laskas, Amanda Nowlin, and Russell Rowland."

Love is in the Air, but not Online

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Miranda Levy
386.479.4629
mmlevy3@mail.usf.edu


LOVE IS IN THE AIR, BUT NOT ONLINE
In a fast-paced society, traditional letters are still at the heart of Valentine’s Day

Tampa, (Feb. 13) – While pursuing a career that took him to 88 different countries, reporter Robert St. John found time to write a hand-written love poem to his wife every day of a marriage that lasted more than 40 years, according to an NPR report.

On Valentine’s Day, 192 million cards will be exchanged, which shows how priceless love letters and poems from the heart really are as opposed to impersonal e-cards. Hand-written letters are an intimate way to show your significant other how much they mean to you.

“The best way to show affection on Valentine’s Day is by sitting down and composing a simple love letter that is heartfelt and comes from the soul,” said Bob Batchelor, author and teacher at the University of South Florida. “People get caught up in thinking that they have to buy expensive things, when actually, the greatest gift is free.”

Not many people know how to write a great love letter. And, a person doesn’t need to be an eminent writer to compose a great love letter. Here are a few guidelines to follow when writing the perfect love letter:

-- Nobody’s perfect; plan before you write
-- Express the two emotions that are most heartfelt. You are writing a note, not a novel
-- Write about specific loving moments in the relationship
-- Describe your hopes and dreams for the future

So remember, this Valentine’s Day over $424 million will be spent on flowers, $418 million will be spent on chocolate, $2.1 billion will be spent on jewelry. Yet, to many what really matters is what comes from the heart, not the wallet.

Bob Batchelor is an award-winning business writer and historian. He is Public Relations Instructor in the School of Mass Communications at the University of South Florida. Bob is the author of: The 1900s (Greenwood Press, 2002), editor of Basketball in America: From the Playgrounds to Jordan’s Game and Beyond (Haworth Press, 2005); and co-author of Kleenex, Kotex, and Huggies: Kimberly-Clark and the Consumer Revolution in American Business (The Ohio State University Press, 2004). Bob’s forthcoming books include The 1980s (Greenwood Press, 2006) and Literary Cash: Writing Inspired by the Songs of the Legendary Johnny Cash (BenBella Books, 2007). Bob graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and received an M.A. from Kent State University. As a historical consultant, Batchelor has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies, including BellSouth, International Paper, Kimberly-Clark, and Accenture. He has interviewed 250 CEOs and senior level executives across every industry in corporate America

END

"I Walk the Line" Special on CBS

Well, we're halfway through the CBS tribute to Johnny Cash and I don't think it could be much worse. For starters, let's not forget that the country music business completely turned its back on JC for the last 20 years of his life. That alone probably has him spinning in his grave.

First up was Brad Paisley with the most vanilla version of "Folsom Prison Blues" ever performed. Paisley's aw-shucks performance kind of sums up everything that is wrong with music today (country or not).

The duet between Jerry Lee Lewis and Kid Rock (Kid Rock...are you kidding me?!) sounded awful. As an aside, is there a reason that Kid Rock performs at every tribute/award show special? He's like the kid in the high school choir that cannot sing, but the teacher let's him in anyway because no one wants to hurt his feelings. Wasn't he a rapper at one point? When did he begin to believe that he could sing?

I'm not even going to say how bad U2 and Montgomer Jentry were. If there is anything beneficial out of this special, the poor performances show just how powerful JC was and remains. He had pipes and used them so well. And, he never gave a cardboard, stiff performance like the ones we're witnessing tonight.

The one saving grace so far has been Martina McBride. Her rendition of "I Still Miss Someone" blew away the other groups/singers.

Wow...let's hope it gets better.