Monday, February 10, 2003

Total Triumph? There's a very real possibility that Michael Jackson has pulled one of the most daring P.R. coups of the decade. Reports from witnesses say his children never wear those masks. A Las Vegas paper says he neither bought nor paid for all the ormolu and gold sprayed faux Venetian junk he picked out in the "shopping" segment of the show. The Brit press was tipped off that he and the children were going to the zoo and at one point, when reporter Bashir noticed yet another silk face mask in Jackson's hand and was quizzical, was told by a smiling Jackson, "Razzle dazzle 'em." We think we've been not only razzle dazzled by a slick pedophile with some very clever lawyers and flacks but completely had. It's an old Hillary trick. Permit a story then scream "foul." The whole scam may have back fired however, as it unearthed the following.

Slowly, Slowly, Bit by Bit: Here are two small examples that the liberal strangle hold on the media may be loosening up. Howie Kurtz of the establishment WaPo does a more than respectful profile on Fox's Man You Love To Hate, Bill O'Reilly. There was a time O'Reilly was dismissed as a raging, agenda lugging and angry wacko. He still may be to many but he's clearly here to stay. Then, for possibly the first time in print, Page Six refers to Matt Drudge as a newsman with no quotes.

Rudy to the Rescue: Rudy Giuliani's ringing endorsement of Miguel Estrada this morning probably won't change the entrenched minds trying to "bork" the brilliant young lawyer but it is comforting to read. With his judicial nomination delayed for two years one wonders how he could still want the job. Yesterday, George Will, on ABC Sunday morning snooze, all but begged the dems to filibuster.

Glub, Glub: What is it with the Kennedys and water? Here's a group in the Solomon Islands (where things are slow) that will reenact JFK's legendary PT 109 swim. Some years ago reporters recreated Teddy's Chappaquidick swim and then...well, we all know where JFK, Jr. is.

-Your Monday Challenged LComStaff