Scabs In The News (UPDATED)

Let's not forget those who betrayed the people striking the fat cat studio execs for equitable pay (residuals), pensions and health care funds, in addition to not using AI to replace writers:

Bill Maher

...“It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work,” Maher tweeted. “The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns.” [snip]

“Bill Maher’s decision to go back on the air while his Guild is on strike is disappointing. If he goes forward with his plan, he needs to honor more than ‘the spirit of the strike’. Bill Maher is obligated as a WGA member to follow the strike rules and not perform any writing services. It is difficult to imagine how Real Time with Bill Maher can go forward without a violation of WGA strike rules taking place. WGA will be picketing this show,” the union said in a statement...

Drew Barrymore

As ticket-holders for The Drew Barrymore Show lined up along the CBS Broadcast Center entrance Tuesday, Writers Guild of America members and Barrymore’s three co-head writers circled the block chanting and cheering in protest. According to the WGA, the daytime talk show is “a WGA covered, struck show that is planning to return without its writers,” making Barrymore’s decision to resume filming her show amid the writers’ strike “in violation of WGA strike rules.” The Drew Barrymore Show plans to debut its fourth season on Sept. 18. 

Although other daytime talk shows have resumed production — The View has been airing new episodes amid the writers’ strike, and The Jennifer Hudson Show will also premiere Sept. 18 — Barrymore has found herself at the center of a PR firestorm over her decision to very publicly resume production of her show, announcing the decision to the media in a Sept. 6 press release, and defending the move on social media. Barrymore has subsequently been branded a “scab” by WGA members striking for fairer working conditions, and West Wing actor Bradley Whitford tweeted, “We’ll never forget it.” ...

Nor should we. What self- centered assholes.

A subsequent half-assed no-pology to the union from Barrymore (who is still going forward with her show) was roundly criticized by her fellow actors, WGA, and SAG/AFTRA.

UPDATE:  After facing a firestorm of criticism, Barrymore has now announced she's "paused" her show's new season.

UPDATE II:  Maher now says he will delay new episodes of his show until the strike is over.

(Image:  scabs forever/ Getty Images)

Late Night Looks At Giant Toddler Trump's Week And His Big Boy Trip Ahead

Bill Maher looks at the Giant Toddler's week and upcoming Asia trip, and Steven Colbert has Chief of Staff and Giant Toddler enabler John Kelly's trip itinerary for Asia:

Superheroes Vid of the Day

Last night, Bill Maher looked at America's fascination with superheroes and how we invest our hopes for our future in them, rather than in ourselves, especially when it comes to demagogic politicians who promise you "I alone can fix it." You know where this is going, right? Check out the hilarious clip below.

"What Would A Dick Do?"

Bill Maher zeroes in on the only consideration Republicans have in policy formulation (warning - "salty" language):

Quotes Of The Day -- Trump, Russians And The Media

Last night's Real Time With Bill Maher contained some insightful zingers on neo- fascist Giant Toddler* Donald "Rump" Trump and his relationships with Russia and the media.  Here are a few of our favorites:

"[Trumpers] met with the Russians more than the Olympic doping committee." -- Bill Maher.

"I can't believe Putin paid full price for this guy." -- Maher on Rump's typically ignorant comment that "Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated" (same link as above).

"Daddy didn’t come home drunk and beat us last night so he’s the best father ever!” -- conservative commentator Charlie Sykes on the media's "battered pundit syndrome" displayed in praise for Rump's big boy speech to Congress Tuesday.

"There's a desperate thirst for normal." -- MSNBC's Joy Reid on the media's willingness to constantly lower the bar for Rump and grant him "reset" moments over and over again (same link as above).

BONUS:  Steve Benen and Jeet Heer have good takes on media fawning over Rump's big boy speech.
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* h/t Quinn Cummings.

The Day After

Bill Maher is back and does a fine job of summarizing the inauguration of neo- fascist nitwit and man with the nuclear codes Donald "Rump" Trump:



Also, we've had presidents who played musical instruments (Truman and Nixon, the piano; Clinton, the sax). We had no idea Rump played an instrument until our Silver Spring Bureau Chief brought this to our attention:



Sad (but not sad trombone)!

BONUS: And speaking of sad, there's this photo of viewing stands from Rump's inauguration. H/t to Tengrain at Mock Paper Scissors.

Guess Whose Birthday It Is

[NSFW] A certain neo- fascist, narcissistic, bigoted, raging loon by the name of ...

Advice To Republicans In 2016: Punt!

Last night, Bill Maher offered suggestions to Republicans for the 2016 election:

Why We Need Years-Long Election Cycles In America

Let Bill Maher explain (starting at around 1:56):

Let Bill Maher Count The Ways Corporate News Media Sucks

"Me Want Banana..." And Other Prospective Republican Candidates' Working Book Titles

Here's Bill Maher on the working titles of prospective Republican presidential candidates' books:

Distracted Voters And The Pandering Media

Bill Maher (starting around 2:15) talks about the "easily distracted voters," combining with a "shameful, pandering media" (=cough=ChuckTodd=cough=) to make life easy for Republicans like Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (caution: language):



(h/t Crooks and Liars)

"Zombie Lies:" Republican Lies That Refuse To Die

Bill Maher on Republican lies that refuse to die ("like a plastic bag in a tree"):

"Democrats Need To Start Out-Luntzing Republicans"

In his "New Rules," Bill Maher suggests that Democrats emulate Republican "truth abuser" "wordsmith" Frank "Dunce" Luntz (via C&L):

Pope Donohue's Latest Crusade

It's been awhile since we've heard from hateful shitsack "Sweaty" Bill Donohue, self-appointed head of something called the "Catholic League."  Seems Sweaty Bill's up in a lather about a segment of "Real Time with Bill Maher" on HBO, specifically Maher's interview with columnist and gay rights activist Dan Savage.  Dan got Sweaty Bill's rosary in a twist when he vented his frustration at the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church and its obsession with peoples' sexy time, and specifically with a Catholic Bishop's statement that children of same sex parents were at greater risk of suicide (!).   Here are the relevant excerpts (C&L video at the link):

"Sorry, I am just done being lectured about children and their safety by Catholic-f*cking bishops, priests, cardinals.” he continued. “The pope, himself, has let it go. The new pope, who I kind of dig, has let it go."

Savage noted that Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas John Paprocki had recently performed an exorcism on the state of Illinois after Gov. Pat Quinn (D) signed a bill legalizing same sex marriage.

"To exorcise the state of gay people of having full civil equality!" Savage said. "No exorcism, exorcising the demons of, like, kiddie-f*cking Catholic priests. They never got around to that exorcism."

"They don't have moral high ground when they talk about the welfare and safety of children, they just don't," he added. "They have squandered that on the tips of their d*cks."

Sweaty Bill, of course, is now pressuring HBO to cancel "Real Time" (it must be fundraising time at the League).  Good luck with that.

Meanwhile, Savage's comments about the Church not having the moral high ground are even more appropriate when applied to Sweaty Bill and his den of homophobic right-wing god-botherers.  The "Catholic League", through Donohue, presumes to speak as an "anti-defamation" organization, but he seemingly spends most of his time defaming gays and Jews, while defending pedophile priests. Did we mention he runs the "Catholic League" like a Republican front organization, whose Board of Advisors reads like a wingnut directory (Kate O'Beirne? Brent Bozell?? Alan Keyes???).

Pope Francis, time to take back the Catholic brand from this bigot.

BONUS:   Let's see if Sweaty Bill will go after Oxycontin Rush Limbaugh for this... or Stuart Varney for this...  or Pammy Jugs for this... now that's a lot of defamation!

(Photo:   Bill Donohue - defender of the faith  hate.)

Bill Maher on Kennedy vs. Reagan

Enjoy.

No, No, No

We generally love HBO's Bill Maher. We count on him to skewer right-wing idiocy in his hilarious takes on "Real Time." But unfortunately Maher is, among other things, a misogynist, a serious failing he shares with Oxycontin Rush Limbaugh. He also seems to have a learning disability that keeps him from comprehending the meaning of certain spoken words, to wit his recent remarks on the Oxycontin Rush "slut" controversy:

"A guy made a bad joke."

No. No. No. Limbaugh didn't make a "bad joke." Any sensible person who saw the lengthy attack on Sandra Fluke by Oxycontin Rush would quickly discern there was no humor, no set-up, no punch line in any of the slurs that issued from Oxycontin's mouth over the course of 3 brutal days. A "bad joke?" You have to have not just tin ears but glass eyeballs -- and no judgment -- to say Limbaugh made a bad joke, Bill. Maher's friends need to have an intervention with the guy and make him watch and listen to the entirety of Limbaugh's tirade, and then see if he still thinks it was just a "bad joke."

The Rethug Agenda: "Useless Distractions"

Witness as Bill Maher hilariously rips the Rethugs several new ones (after closing the annoying ad):

Bill Maher on the Founding Fathers and Teabaggers

You gots ta love it (not the ads)!

We Need More Bill Maher

Too bad we can't pass a law requiring the public to watch Bill Maher a couple of hours a day. Bill's take on weak Dems, craven Rethugs and loopy teabaggers shows why he's one of the most incisive, witty and intelligent commentators out there. He has a line in here about the latest phony, flag-waving Rethug distraction -- American "exceptionalism" -- being "their room full of balls at Chuck E. Cheese." BWAHAHAHAHA!