Demand A Plan? Demand Celebrities Go F--- Themselves (Extended Cut)

Actors who glorify guns and butchery demand a vague "plan" to stop the same violence and killing that they glamorize in film and television...

Hypocrisy in Action: Celebs 'Demand a Plan'

Jan. 1, 2013 - Hollywood is a culture of violence. Big stars make big bucks portraying psychotic killers, shooting people in orgies of bloody gore.  

These actors glorify guns and killing, but they want you to "demand a plan" to stop real-life killings.

Look, we're all for stopping the violence. The real issue here is the hypocrisy and stupidity of the celebrities who appeared in a video called "Demand a Plan to Gun Violence." (Watch it below.)

In response to that video, a video titled "Demand a Plan? Demand Celebrities Go F*** Themselves" points out the double standard and hypocrisy of those celebrities. The response video was posted by "Mike Hunt" (hey, maybe that's his real name) on YouTube on Dec. 25, 2012.

The celebrities' plea to "demand a plan" is vague at best; they suggest no plan themselves. The video was put out by a group called "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" (MAIG) as a response to the Dec. 14, 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. 28 people died in that horrific attack, including gunman Adam Lanza. At the MAIG website, there is a proposal for action, but no part of their "plan" would prevent another Adam Lanza from stealing his mother's guns and going on a killing spree. SEE THE VIDEOS BELOW.

RIP, Gerry Anderson, Creator of Thunderbirds, UFO and Space 1999

Dec. 26, 2012 - Gerry Anderson, creator of 1960s sci-fi hit TV show "Thunderbirds" died at the age of 83 today. Thunderbirds became a cult classic, as did his other creations "UFO" and "Space: 1999." The death of Anderson, a British citizen, was announced by his son Jamie in a blog post today:

"I’m very sad to announce the death of my father, Thunderbirds creator, Gerry Anderson. He died peacefully in his sleep at midday today (26th December 2012), having suffered with mixed dementia for the past few years. He was 83. Please make donations in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Society via justgiving.com/RememberingGerryAnderson"

Anderson was a driving force behind many other sci-fi television shows, too. "Supercar," "Fireball XL5," "Stingray," and "The Protectors" are just a few. See his full filmology at IMDb and read more about Gerry Anderson at UFO Pundit....

RIP, Charles Durning. War Hero, Actor Dead at 89

Charles Durning, 1923-2012

Dec. 25, 2012 - Actor Charles Durning, star of stage and screen, died yesterday in his New York City home at the age of 89. The Hollywood Reporter says that his agent "told The Associated Press that he died Dec. 24 of natural causes."

Durning was one of the greats of Hollywood, equally commanding in both comedic or dramatic roles. Durning's 50-year acting career included roles in film, television and Broadway. He played supporting roles in memorable movies such as "Tootsie," "Dog Day Afternoon," "The Hudsucker Proxy," "Home for the Holidays," "Dick Tracy" and more.

"Durning also was an accomplished stage actor and once said he preferred doing plays because of the immediacy they offered," reports Reuters. "He gained his first substantial acting experience through the New York Shakespeare Festival starting in the early 1960s and won a Tony Award for playing Big Daddy in a 1990 Broadway revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

Military Hero: Acting was not the most impressive aspect of Charles Durning. He was also a highly-decorated soldier in World War II. In real life, Durning's is a story of incredible heroism. For his service during World War II, notes Military Money Matters, "Charles Durning was awarded the Silver Star Medal and three Purple Hearts."

Durning's death came on the same day as that of another great actor, Jack Klugman, who died of natural causes in his home in Northridge, CA.

Related:

• RIP Charles Durning and Jack Klugman: 2 actors we loved knowing St. Louis Today 
• Charles Durning, Oscar-Nominated Character Actor, Dies at 89 Hollywood Reporter
• Charles Durning Filmography StarPulse.com
• Charles Durning Filmography Fandango.com

RIP: Actor Jack Klugman Dead at 90 (Updated)

Dec. 24, 2012 - Legendary film and television actor Jack Klugman died today in his Northridge, CA home at the age of 90 of unknown - but apparently natural - causes.

"Adam Klugman said he was spending Christmas with his brother, David," reports ABC News, "and their families. Their father had been convalescing for some time but had apparently died suddenly and they were not sure of the exact cause."

Klugman is best known for his role as Oscar Madison in the sitcom The Odd Couple, playing opposite Tony Randall, and as a medical examiner in the drama Quincy, M.E.

Jack Klugman, Rest In Peace (AP Photo)

Another great actor, Charles Durning, died on the same day in New York at the age of 89.

Related:

• RIP Charles Durning and Jack Klugman: 2 actors we loved knowing St. Louis Today 
• Charles Durning, Oscar-Nominated Character Actor, Dies at 89 Hollywood Reporter
• Jack Klugman Filmography StarPulse.com
• Jack Klugman Filmography Fandango.com

Video: Don Cornelius Interviews Al Sharpton on Soul Train, 1974

Don and wife Victoria Cornelius (zimbio.com)

February 2, 2012 - Sherman Oaks CA - The entertainment world lost another legend. There is sad news today that the legendary Don Cornelius, 75, died this morning of a gunshot wound that might have been self-inflicted.

Cornelius created and then hosted the "Soul Train" TV show for many years, which showcased many popular music acts. Both black and white acts were featured on Soul Train, and many went on to become superstars. As we see in the video below, however, Cornelius was about more than music.

In 1974, singing legend James Brown was a guest and Cornelius chatted with him about the civil rights movement. What Brown said will surprise some of you, and it's worth watching. The real departure from music comes at 2:05 in the video, when Cornelius introduces 19-year old Al Sharpton, "an astounding young brother." This, of course, was many years before Shaprton helped perpetuate the  Tawana Brawley false rape accusations against white police officers.(Story continues after video)


Cornelius and Soul Train quickly became cultural icons and influencers of the music industry, particularly with the young black audience, but many white kids loved the show too. I was one of those white kids, who enjoyed the music and pageantry of Soul Train as much as I enjoyed other shows of the day, such as "American Bandstand" with Dick Clark.

Here is a typical "line dance" segment, one of the most popular features of Soul Train (story continues after video):


Don Cornelius's life took a sad turn in his later years. ABC News notes that in 2008, Cornelius was arrested for felony domestic violence "against his estranged wife, Victoria Avila-Cornelius. In 2009, he plead no contest to one count of “corporal injury resulting in traumatic condition of a spouse,” was put on probation for 36 months, and ordered to pay over $1,000 in fines. She also filed multiple restraining orders against him."

ABC also noted that Quincy Jones said, “Before MTV there was Soul Train, that will be the great legacy of Don Cornelius,” and, “His contributions to television, music and our culture as a whole will never be matched.  My heart goes out to Don’s family and loved ones.”

Check out "The Official Page of Victoria Cornelius" for more news and information.

Related articles

• Don Cornelius, Soul Train Mastermind, Dead in Apparent Suicide (eonline.com)
• Don Cornelius Dies at 75 (theatlanticwire.com)
• David Wild: "Love Train": A Playlist for Don Cornelius & "Soul Train" (huffingtonpost.com)
• New Yorkers React With Shock To Apparent Suicide Of Don Cornelius, Founder Of 'Soul Train' (newyork.cbslocal.com)
• RIP Don Cornelius of Soul Train (dangerousminds.net)

Obama's Assault on Broadcasters

Fairness Doctrine? Might happen, but what is already happening, however, is far more dangerous, as we see in the video below. Mark Lloyd is the FCC's new Chief Diversity Officer. Lloyd started his new job on July 29 and is already busy trying to figure out how to tax radio stations out of business. It's not a joke. That's what Lloyd is up to. Lloyd and Obama hope to destroy privately operated radio stations, eventually to bring them under government control - if not literally, then effectively. It's just one more step in Obama's march toward dictatorship. Crazy? Consider: Why else would a national leader be so eager to take away our guns, limit our free speech and bring banks, industry and health care under his control? It's as though Obama is a master sleeper agent from an enemy nation, finally fulfilling the secret mission he was given decades ago. Watch the video - it should scare the bejeezuz out of you. Get ready for state-controlled radio - and television. See related items below the video. RELATED: History: Canada Debates Radio's Future Obama sets the definition of “excessive” SmallGovTimes.com Economic performance under Khrushchev in power Liberal Fascism Explained Do YOU have a Commie-Bama Tee Shirt and Cap? Leave a Comment... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed We're on Twitter...

ER Shoots Last Chicago Episode in Uptown

The television show "ER" is filming its last Chicago episode today. Chicago News Bench caught up with them on location at W. Leland, between N. Winthrop and N. Broadway in Uptown. Trucks, vans, trailers and equipment were parked at the Aragon's parking lot at W. Lawrence and N. Winthrop. Crew told CNB that the hit show "might shoot three more episodes," but they would not be done in Chicago. The long running show is in its 15th season. Enjoy our exclusive photos, below. RELATED: ER given three more episodes (tv.com)

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Truth at Your Fingertips

A line from this CNN story sums it up well: "...most big-city newspapers....[report] only the most 'newsworthy' cases." Ah, but "newsworthy" to whom? To the publisher or editors of any particular big newspaper (or magazine or television, for that matter)? A story about a corrupt alderman, for example, may be considered to be very newsworthy to the residents of his ward - but not newsworthy to a big newspaper editor because it does not have "citywide appeal." In Los Angeles, the CNN story goes, "Two or three people are killed each day by others in Los Angeles County. Most of them died anonymously until Jill Leovy and her blog, The Homicide Report, came along." Leovy, a blogger, is bringing information to the fore that would otherwise have essentially disappeared - or never appeared at all. Here's a recent, real-life example. In Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood, an old school was recently torn down a few yards from the shoreline of Lake Michigan. The story had many elements: A rush to stop the demolition, a question of developer money influencing the alderman, nostalgia for the school, and the presence of asbestos in the rubble. An editor from CBS-2 in Chicago emailed me. I won't name him; it's not important. The editor called to get more information from a local perspective. I asked him if they were going to run with the story. His response was not unexpected. "It doesn't have citywide appeal yet," he said. The primary reason he was following up on the story: He was an alumnus of the school, so he had a personal interest. Channel Two had more important stories to cover, such as "Truck Dumps Dung All Over Road In Indiana" or "Mayor Names New Aviation Commissioner." You know, stories that are of vital importance to everybody in Chicago, and therefore have "citywide appeal." Hmmmph. Back to CNN: For more than a year, Leovy made it her job to document every homicide in Los Angeles County. It had never been done before. Like most big-city newspapers, the one Leovy works for -- The Los Angeles Times -- reports only the most "newsworthy" cases. But those killings, elementary school drive-bys and celebrity murders only account for 10 percent of the county's homicides, Leovy found. FULL STORY at CNN... Finally, thanks to Leovy, neighbors will have a little more information about real people in their real neighborhoods - people no longer with us but who really counted to other real people. Keeping it real. That's what many bloggers strive to do every day, in spite of harsh criticism by local politicians and other powers that be. RELATED: Until Bloggers Came Along Blogs and Blogging Wired 10.05: Must Read Blogging Tips for Beginners Blogs Will Change Your Business Digging Deeper:Your Guide to Blogging PBS