O'Reilled Up

It seems that Fox News is pissed off again. An episode of Sesame Street that aired 2 years ago and seemingly poked fun at the network was rebroadcast recently. Sesame Street has long featured Oscar the Grouch and assorted muppet news anchors on the "Grouch News Network," or GNN. In this particular episode, however, a muppet viewer calls in to complain that she will no longer watch GNN because it's not as trashy as the Pox News network. Naturally, a remark like this could shatter the ironclad reputation of Fox News, and send its' ratings as the number 1 watched news channel plummeting into oblivion. Plus Bill O'Reilly's feelings were hurt.

Bill O'Reilly saying that he has to "get involved" in a Sesame Street debate is one of the best things I've ever seen. He was basically defending the honor of his network, and claiming discrimination while completely ignoring the fact that CNN was also being mocked, and that he was talking to a muppet. Also entertaining is contrasting this with every other guest appearance, ever, on The O'Reilly Factor, and realize that he treated a puppet with more respect than any other guest he's had on his show.

And the Oscar goes to...

By some absurd twist of fate, or maybe just some really clever scheduling, the Iraqi elections and the Oscars perfectly coincided. Just imagine, two mind-blowingly important voting sprees in the same day! The only difference is that one was plagued by explosions that impacted voter turnout, while the only bombs on the red carpet were fashion related. Actually, there are a few more differences. The Oscars have come and gone, the winners have been chosen, and the water cooler talk has pretty much died down, though I imagine that Netflix will have a great weekend.
Meanwhile, the Iraqi election rages on and the Prime Minister has yet to be chosen. The results are still on lockdown, and officials are not calling the election in favor of either incumbent Nuri Kamal al-Maliki or former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. Even today, the results of the parliamentary election are not fully conclusive.

Many American officials and Iraqi citizens are frustrated at the slow tallying. There have been accusations of fraud, and all in all tempers are flared. Which is pretty understandable when you live in a country that hasn't ever experienced fully realized free elections and voting carries the possibility of death. The fact that Iraqis were willing to go to the polls despite trading bullets for ballots is a testament to a dedication that can only be equaled by the viewers that increased the Oscars' ratings by 14% from last year.
Speaking of which, I'm sure you're tired of all the fashianalysis of Best and Worst Dressed from the Academy Awards, and besides, it's so rare for election coverage to focus on what the voters are wearing. With that, I present a "Who Wore It Better" moment for the Iraqi election. And the hot accessory that everyone's talking about? Why, a purple finger of course!

NY Times reader who submitted a photo

Incumbent al-Maliki

Dude in Fallujah

And as a side note, if I may take something that has absolutely no political significance and politicize it, I would like to discuss the place of the film The Blind Side at the Oscars. It's not customary for me to get all worked up about shit like that, but I can not abide Sandra Bullock winning an Oscar for a film (a film that was also nominated for Best Picture) that was arguably more racist and idiotic than her racist and idiotic character in Crash. It is insulting, firstly, that a ghetto-colonialist, patronizing white hero piece of fuck movie got so much return at the box office. It's disgusting that that sack of shit movie got nominated for anything other than an epic fail of displaying values, or perhaps Best Picture That Makes Ignorant White People Feel Great About Themselves. That's all.