Subject:
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Re: John Leo's opinion of "The West Wing"
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Wed, 2 Oct 2002 17:47:41 GMT
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Viewed:
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624 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, James Brown writes:
> > Dr. Laura is another fine example of fictional programming that is
> > distressingly perceived as real or true or accurate. I know you're
> > referring to a Laura-esque character, but the point remains that people do
> > indeed believe fictional shows to equate to reality.
> Hmm. I trust you're not claiming that the Dr. Laura Show is fictional as in
> "written and acted out". She does host a radio show, people do call in, and
> she does respond to them as presented.
I was unclear--my bad. You're 100% correct that there's no real script
for her show, so I should have been more precise in my accusation.
It's been documented that the Rush Limbaugh radio show, for example,
screens its callers, and I believe I've read that Dr. Laura does the same.
Some screening is appropriate, lest you get an endless string of phony
phonecalls, but when a program screens its callers for purposes of deception
and misrepresentation, that's when it enters the realm of fiction. Have you
ever heard a caller with an actual degree in psychology call into Ms.
Schlessinger (who is, by the way, no moral authority herself, which is
another reason why "Dr." Laura is a fictional character) who actually
refuted any of Laura's views or observations? Or has there ever been a
successful on-air refutation of any of Limbaugh's wackier views? I'd be
surprised if it happened often or at all. This kind of directed screening
serves to create a false (ie, fictional) portrait of the character's wisdom
or correctness.
> The relative merits of said show are of course debateable.
In "Howard Stern's Private Parts," and frequently on his daily radio
program, the point is made that the on-air version of Howard is a fictional
character or persona, as opposed to his real personality. The same is true
of Dr. Laura et al, but they don't seem to want to admit it.
Dave!
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: John Leo's opinion of "The West Wing"
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| (...) Hmm. I trust you're not claiming that the Dr. Laura Show is fictional as in "written and acted out". She does host a radio show, people do call in, and she does respond to them as presented. The relative merits of said show are of course (...) (22 years ago, 2-Oct-02, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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