Virgie Bell's View: Time-Out

At a certain time in my life there were many magazines devoted to the movie stars. At that time in my life when we women were wearing hair pieces as a matter of fashion ethics and scratching our scalp with knitting needles, plus going to bed at night with a funny looking satin cap to protect this ridiculous style until the next appointment we had, all of these magazines that told us all the little juicy details of our loonies in Hollywood. I remember reading about the romance between Ricky Ricardo Jr. and Patty Duke for instance. The many loves of Anthony Quinn and his contribution to the world of illegitimate children outside his marriage. The Lovely Liz and Eddie Fisher and all of her other husbands. I think she finally had about eight or nine. Scandalous stuff and a half a dozen or so magazines in waiting rooms across the country, something to do as you set every week under that big blow dryer or waited to see the doctor. No one that I knew had subscriptions to these forerunners of the pulp fiction known and readily available at any checkout stand in the super stores. I did know many people who had subscribed to Life, Look Time, etc.

Life, Look, and Saturday Evening Post no longer exist. Time magazine still exists and I am sure I am one of the longest subscribers. I know most people like me spout off about how we like to see both sides of an issue. So do I. Ward Churchill is one such luminary. He’s been suspended from his job as teaching in an institution of higher learning. He still instructs those poor students who stand around and listen to his words of wisdom. You all know old Churchill. He is the one with the really ugly long dirty hair who said the attacks of 9/11 were justified because these victims were all just a bunch of little Eichmanns! Those head organizers of Hitler's death camps where 12,000,000 people were put to death in gas chambers and the stain of horrible shame that will go down in history as the worst disgrace this world has ever faced.

I have read about Professor Churchill in Time magazine. I read about this professor right after 9/11. This week in Time, I had the dubious privilege of reading about the same Colorado and one of its more famous students. I speak of Robert Redford. I speak of the shame he is to our country. Now Mr. Redford is not a graduate of any university anywhere. The article in Time magazine is about his new film which will be out soon and co-stars Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep, more of those who feel stardom equals intelligence. These are full length articles about masters of spin who wouldn't know the depth of truth if it bit them in the butt. I will say that Mr.Redford has not aged well and we all know just how much credit to attribute to Mr. Cruise who was fired by a major studio for being the male equivalent of Britney or dear little Paris. In other words pretty darn ignorant. Proven ignorant. Proven by their own record. Now Meryl Streep could have passed herself off as being above the fray, but no. Turns out she is just another aged pop tart. One would have to make allowances for these actors by realizing that they are on their way out...over the hill so to speak. Like Michael Moore, they share name recognition. Also big Al, as in Gore.

So why am I reading in Time magazine in a two page spread about these non-news people making news? To be honest, I can’t tell you. Last week in Time it was Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt what’s his name. Why am I paying big bucks to get this weekly news magazine when I can stand in line at Wal-Mart and get the dish on the stars for free? It is becoming more of a concern of mine all the time. Partly it is because it features some pretty good political analyzers. Some whose opinion I value, some whose opinion I scorn. I used to enjoy the one page spread that featured all movies, books, songs, etc, plus one or two questions from a celebrity all contained in about one half column, if that much. The rest of the magazine was devoted to real news. Hard news, good news and bad news. Time Magazine is quickly becoming the trash news that we can read for free. I have had really just about as much interest to read about the one who gives birth to the child of a Space Alien Monster or someone else with just about as much credibility as this spaced out Mother of the Space-Love-Child...someone like say.....Robert Redford who is a traitor and does not SUPPORT THE TROOPS!