 September 21, 2007: Dan Rather, OJ and the Culture of the Delusional Celebrity
Howard Kurtz's interview of Dan Rather in the WaPo this morning moved me to get quickly essayish.... My article begins this way:
It's very unfair, of course, to compare Dan Rather to OJ Simpson - Simpson killed people - but both reemerged at roughly the same time and represent extraordinary examples of a kind of sociopathic behavior created in part by our culture of celebrity.
OJ, as everyone knows was a huge sports, movie and media star. Rather was an anchorman of the most celebrated sort - the one to "interview" Saddam as if representing all of us, among other flak-jacketed, high profile activities. In fact, his demise helped put a stake in the heart of that particular occupation, the television anchor a la Cronkite. The idea that one individual has that much power over the public's view of the world now seems almost Neanderthal and certainly reactionary.
In the case of OJ, we see our television lives dominated once again by the bizarre saga of an unpunished celebrity murderer.
We have lived for some time in a society in which stardom seems to motivate people to lose contact with reality. The more attention they get - the crazier that get. And if they feel that attention diminishing, they act out to regain it. It’s like a drug - media crack cocaine....
The rest is at PJM.
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Great post of CBS news on Curmudgeonly and Skeptical. It was straight reporting of news. It was truly shocking.
After a lifetime of Cronkite and Rather, something interesting is happening for Couric. If the trend continues, I might find myself watching network news.
Posted by: OregonGuy at September 21, 2007 10:23 AM
Okay, now *that's* interesting. (I assume you were referring to this OG?)
You don't suppose that CBS has decided, as an utter last resort, to try being evenhanded, do you?
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) at September 21, 2007 11:27 AM
Correct link. Thanks.
In terms of CBS, when I was a CBS affiliate I was proud of our station's affiliation. When our story of Gerard d'Aboville's crossing of the Pacific went out over the network, it was one of my proudest moments. But that was back in 1991. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.
A return to fact-driven reporting and a turn away from agenda driven reporting would be a huge gain for CBS. While the numbers have gone down, most viewers still tend to watch ABC, NBC and CBS more than any other choice.
Posted by: OregonGuy at September 21, 2007 1:32 PM
"... One way to find out is to put people under oath," Rather said.
Oh yes please yes, I want Rather to repeat "fake but accurate" under oath myself.
If he didn't get it 20 years ago after his 6 minutes of dead air, he is definitely not going to get it now. I guess Rather not enjoy tennis?
Coincidently, the movie Broadcast News which came out 20 years ago has a memorable line that goes something like this "Wouldn't it be great if we lived in a world where insecurity and desperation made us more attractive?"
Dan is looking for HIS real killers ;)
Posted by: Lem at September 21, 2007 2:05 PM
Ok, I think the terrorists have attacked us, there is definately something in the water. I just watched Rather ranting on TV, ok babbling. This is such a weird day all around. Best of all the surrendercrats lost a war vote big.
Posted by: David at September 21, 2007 4:46 PM
You don't suppose that CBS has decided, as an utter last resort, to try being evenhanded, do you?
Haw --great line!
Posted by: Buddy Larsen at September 21, 2007 5:00 PM
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