anderson cooper

Murder Trials are Hilarious – CNN’s 360 and the George Zimmerman Trial

~ Wiberg
Anderson Cooper and panel share a laugh while discussing a murder trial.
Anderson Cooper and panel share a laugh while discussing a murder trial.

Watching CNN’s Anderson’s 360 lame news program and realized the obscene, never-ending circus-like manner in which Dr. Drew and Nancy Grace treat criminal trials has carried over with great efficiency to Silver Spoon’s program. The panel on Monday June 24th included: Sunny Hostin, Jeffrey Toobin, Mark Geragos, Marcia Cross.  I recognize three of those people – two of them, Geragos and Cross, lose big trials. Toobin has been a CNN stooge since the early 90s. No idea who Sunny Hostin is, but she would be advised to separate herself from this collection of legal experts.  My quick transcription of a segment of 360 where the legal experts host have a moment of levity because, of course, the trial of George Zimmerman has been going on for sooo long. It’s a game for these creeps, easy ratings. Meanwhile, it’s real life for the Martin and Zimmerman family, as well as the jurors.

Geragos: …”It may resonate with a bunch of trial watchers who are looking for a lot of pizzaz but remember, what we’re talking about here matters very little. It only matters what the six women in that jury box think. Given what I heard at last, and read, about the jurors that are in there, I’m just not so sure that the prosecutors tact here is an effective one.

Cooper: And ‘trial watchers looking for pizzaz’ I assume you’re referring to everyone else on this panel.

(laughter)

Geragos: I wasn’t going to say it’s 3 to 1,  ex-prosecutors, or versus the lonely defense lawyer.

Cooper: You know, Mark, we’re doing this all week. You’re starting off by pissing off everyone on the panel. That’s not the best way to start off the week, Mark.

Geragos: I’m kind of on the other coast. I’m safe.

and they go to break. There’s more laughter near the end of their discussion in a follow-up segment. Don’t worry, folks, your news media has a sense of humor!

Maybe someone should do a segment on Toobin’s baby mama drama and laugh it up. I’m not sure why reporters and panelists can’t provide information and commentary about a serious issue without the need to be funny. Not everyone can be a comedian.  There is a time and place for jokes (late night television or in your own home, off mic). We learned that rule today easily enough when Zimmerman’s stupid attorney began his opening with a knock-knock joke.  Whether you are in the courtroom or on television, it might serve one well to remember that no matter what your opinion is of this case, people’s lives and well-being are on the line: the defendant and his family, and the family of the young man who was shot.

If there is a Hell, there should be free parking for all these cable news talking heads.

Crazy prediction: Sarah Palin drops out

~ Wiberg ~ 3 Comments

While not funny and not photoshopped, I thought I’d share a possible scenario with this presidential campaign and election:

John McCain’s selection for Vice President, Sarah Palin, enjoys the spotlight for a few weeks, does the campaign thing, but eventually changes her mind and asks to be removed from the ticket, for whatever reason (kids, criticism, etc). Then, McCain selects someone with more experience, more age, and moves forward with campaign and wins the election. (Yeah, I know she just joined the campaign, but stranger things have happened!)

Why would this happen?

Her brief stint as a VP selection would serve to steal some of the media attention for a few days from Obama/Biden, following his historic speech, raise a lot of money from happy conservatives, and draw out the mean-spirited critiques of Sarah Palin, which might serve McCain’s to advantage as some may be turned off by Democratic attacks of the first Republican woman to be picked for the VP slot.

If this did happen, I don’t know if it would have been pre-planned, but it’s something to consider if one was cynical enough. I’m posting this so I can look prophetic. I am very impressed with this guy, who started a “Palin for VP” blog back in February 2007 – talk about being ahead of the pack. If Palin resigns, I want the media calling me.

UPDATED:

A portion of what I wrote in the Comments section re: this post:

When I wrote the post, I was only practicing cynicism, half-heartedly, following a phone call with a friend about why she was picked; I said it would be an unusually wild plan – to throw out bait in the form of Palin, as it were, to stir up both sides for different reasons to their advantage (ie, Obama? where’d he go? It’s all Palin, all the time now), and then pull her back and proceed with someone else. On purpose. Maybe Ashton Kutcher will hold a press conference with John McCain and yell “You’ve been punk’d!” Now, I don’t think this is true, but doing this ACCIDENTALLY isn’t out of the realm of possibilities!!

I’ll add this was posted before any of the idiotic smears showed up on the internet. I was just thinking of usual, expected political attacks that might allow for a big switch. Politics is mostly theater and this year it’s been amazing on both sides.

MORE UPDATE: Sunday evening, CNN’s Anderson Cooper blogs about a ‘what if’ Bobby Jindal had been selected – some of the comments relate to my own on this subject.

9/3/08 UPDATE:    Brief article on this possibility – the Prediction Market is taking bets on Palin withdrawing.

So, it is proven: I can write a few paragraphs without obvious and silly false statements and made-up photos afterall! (it’ll happen, the serious writing, but not often). — Mark