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The FBI’s Greatest Hits: Inside 10 Musical Cases
Andrew Belonsky :: Monday, June 14th, 2010 4:00 pm
The FBI has its sticky fingers in all aspects of this American life: Wall Street, Main Street and, yes, even Hollywood. Especially Hollywood: the Bureau has a bevy of files on famous people. Here we look at some musicians like Michael Jackson, The Doors and Elvis, who have records in Washington. Did you know Dorothy Dandridge had an affair with Nat King Cole? J. Edgar Hoover was all over that one.
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When Sex is a Religious Experience
Andrew Belonsky :: Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 5:20 pm
Religion has a way of rearing its head in the most unwelcome of places, like the bedroom. Turn down the sheet, and there’s Jesus, Moses or whomever, staring you in the face. So what happens when religion pops up when you do? Should it come between you and your intercourse? MORE »
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When Voters Consume, Does Democracy Win?
Andrew Belonsky :: Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 11:00 am
With primaries well underway, and midterm campaigns heating up, Americans will soon be inundated with mass mailers, commercials, and a host of other politically minded marketing materials. Candidates advertise in much the same way as brands. We American citizens are not just voters: We’re consumers, ingesting civil servants the same way we do a favorite soda. And private businesses are making bundles in the process. This may not be a bad thing.
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The Amityville Horror House and American Demons
Andrew Belonsky :: Tuesday, May 25th, 2010 5:45 pm
Have you heard that The Amityville Horror house is on the market for $1.15 million? It seems every news site has a mention of it. Why does America, including myself, care so much? It’s not just the demons in the Long Island home’s basement.
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The Inverted “Gusher”
Andrew Belonsky :: Monday, May 24th, 2010 11:00 am
President Obama has finally started taking more administrative control in the Gulf oil spill by sending three cabinet officials to survey the BP-led cleanup. It’s unclear whether Obama’s action will help stem the criticism flowing his way. In fact, this story, like the oil itself, shows no idea of stopping and, as it continues to spread, “gusher,” a word once upheld as the pinnacle of oil-based success, will come to symbolize disaster, not dollar signs.
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We Need a (Super) Hero
Andrew Belonsky :: Friday, May 7th, 2010 10:30 am
Iron Man streaks into theaters again this weekend. Thor, The Green Lantern and Captain America will soon fight big screen injustice, while Superman, Spider-Man and Batman have long reaped Hollywood success. Clearly there’s a demand for super heroes and their cinematic adventures. They’re flashy, exciting and bulging with testosterone. They’re wonderfully entertaining, yes, but super hero movies can also be terribly depressing. MORE »
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Charlie Crist and the End of Incumbency
Andrew Belonsky :: Monday, April 26th, 2010 1:45 pm
Charlie Crist once held court as a Republican darling. The Florida Governor’s name had been bandied about as a potential running mate for John McCain, 2012 and just a few months ago looked like a shoe-in for the party’s Senatorial nomination. Now he may run as an independent. The Crist situation illustrates what may be the end of incumbency as we know it, and the Democrats best take notice.
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“Men’s Rights” Movement Doesn’t Belong On Top
Andrew Belonsky :: Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 3:40 pm
There’s something queer happening among men in America. As society moves toward a more integrated, gender-blind direction, a small yet potent group of men are looking to rise up and reclaim the nation’s reigns. And their mission involves a prescriptive masculinity that, frankly, seems like a step back. MORE »
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Education, Texas Style, Whitewashes Democratic Ideals
Andrew Belonsky :: Monday, March 15th, 2010 12:40 pm
Yee-haw! Texas conservatives prevailed in their academic culture war Friday, when the state’s education board approved a plethora of amendments that could alter curriculums across the nation. The move unabashedly injects some right-wing ideology into the nation’s collective syllabus, and, however unintentionally, runs counter to the very democratic ideals the board members celebrate. This episode provides quite the lesson in how to whitewash American history. Literally.
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American “Jihad Jane” Used Internet To Plot Swedish Artist’s Murder
Andrew Belonsky :: Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 12:30 pm
An American woman calling herself “Jihad Jane” has been charged with using the Internet to gather terrorists and plot Swedish artist Lars Vilks’ murder. Vilks drew jihadist ire — and a $100,000 bounty - for drawing a picture of Muhammad as a dog. The entire two-year story’s one for the books, and “Jihad Jane,” allegedly Pennsylvania woman Colleen LaRose, would be totally amazing and awesome — if she weren’t also so terribly awful, absurd and, you know, a terrorist. MORE »
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Yeah, Obama’s Radical, and The Right Should Be, Too
Andrew Belonsky :: Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 5:20 pm
The political lexicon relies in large part on buzzwords, like “patriot” or “socialist.” And then there’s “radical,” which the right wing applies more tenaciously to President Obama than almost any other term. The most recent usage stems from the word that Sean Hannity will soon publish a new book, Conservative Victory. Not surprisingly, it’s being billed as a guide to defeating Obama’s “radical agenda.” In light of this news, let’s take a moment to look at the myth of radicalism, which consistently misses the mark because every American, including Republicans, needs to be more radical, dude.
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The Salahis, Congress and the Celebrity-Industrial Complex
Andrew Belonsky :: Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 12:10 pm
It’s hard not to be disappointed in Washington these days. The health care debate’s dragging on. There’s an unemployment crisis. Scott Brown has won a seat on the Senate. As you can probably tell, there’s ample material for critical fodder. As if this weren’t enough, there’s Tareq and Michaele Salahi, who gained fame after crashing a state dinner at 1600. Everyone under the sun, from officials to the public, was absolutely furious, of course, and the Secret Service launched an official investigation into the matter. Apparently, that wasn’t enough, because Congress also launched its own review. Already, some of the stylists involved with the Salahis, arriving in a stretch SUV limo, have faced a grand jury, and today the Salahis themselves will plead the fifth before the House Subcommittee on Homeland Security. The appearance won’t amount to much. It does, however, mark the final thrust in Washington and Hollywood’s tawdry affair.
