Everything you need to know about our airhead media is in this excerpt from the Today show Q&A of Andrew Meyer, the student tasered for asking pointed questions of our rulers:
TODAYshow.com: What is your biggest criticism of the media in covering your story?
Meyer: I haven’t seen any mainstream news outlet once dissect the questions I asked the Senator. Everything is about me personally or the taser. This is the type of tabloid journalism prevalent in America today. When my story is over, they won’t start covering Blackwater or Ron Paul. It’ll be Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, business as usual.
Without missing a beat, the TODAY interviewer responds:
TODAYshow.com: “Don’t Tase me, bro” has been printed on T-shirts, coffee mugs, parodied on YouTube. It’s even a ring tone. Do you own any of these items? What’s your general reaction? Do you think the message on these commercial items sends a good reminder to people, or do you feel it merely represents people trying to profit off of your situation?
Meyer: I have not profited from my catch phrase at all. The YouTube music videos and the ring tones and such, sometimes it amuses me, sometimes it saddens me. I think “Don’t Tase me, bro” genuinely makes some people think about the growing threat to American rights. But I think most people are having a laugh, disregarding the seriousness of the situation. Thank you Jon Stewart.
Private individuals: 1
Media airheads: 0
I still haven't seen Today's interview with Meyer but I note that NBC introduces the clip online with a big headline about him "apologizing" and saying the police were doing their job in Tasing him. I didn't read that anywhere in Today's email interview with him so it's either a gotcha moment from TeeVee or they just made it up to affirm the status quo that private individuals must never question the security state.