Sometimes there is justice in this world. Big karma comes around and bites where it hurts most.
Such is the case with northern Nevada’s Public Broadcasting System affiliate, KNPB TV-5. I’ve been protesting (and on one occasion, reversing) Channel 5 censorship since 1997.
I’ve criticized current GM Kurt Mische for not airing Bill Moyers in this market and for being the only station outside Mississippi to black out the Hillary Clinton-Bernie Sanders debate. (Barbwire 3-1-2016)
Karmic chickens came home to roost last week. On the 11:00 p.m. May 11 Charlie Rose show, John Heilemann of Bloomberg Politics described how Donald Trump’s campaign “fxxxed-up.” He later noted some of the “sxxt” they caused.
The closed-captioning computer censored his comments exactly as you just read. However, whomever or whatever was in charge of bleeping the great George Carlin’s notorious Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television – well, somebody “fxxxed up.”
Zounds.
The dirty words got heard – guts, feathers and all.
There was a time (c. 1988-92) when the feisty Daily Sparks Tribune would not censor. Randy Frisch and Christopher Smith ran it raw, no-holds-barred, no-shirt-no-shoes-no-problem. People lined up at newsracks all over the region to buy what us crazy bastards were writing.
In the waning days of the deregulatory Reagan administration, the Federal Communications Commission even began allowing Carlin’s Magnificent Seven.
Uptight America soon came full circle. At the 2004 Super Bowl halftime, singer Janet Jackson’s nano-second of nipple cost CBS a cosmetic $500,000 fine.
I’ve done several Internet searches, including TV-5’s website, for any mention or apology to delicate and sensitive viewers. Nada.
Rose’s show usually re-runs at 4:00 p.m. the following day. Not this time. TV-5 once again censored itself.
On what would have been George Carlin’s 79th birthday.
BARBWIRE TO EDITOR: Please feel free to modify this text by correcting all above exes.
NAKED FOLLYTIX. Political campaigns put their strategy on the street every day.
Recent actions by the gambling-industrial complex indicate that Republican Lisa Krasner is apparently whipping fellow GOP lawyer Jason Guinasso in southwest Reno/Incline Village Assembly District 26.
The bailywick was polled two weeks ago and apparently juice lobbyist Peter Ernaut panicked. The man who created Brian Sandoval had his governor endorse Guinasso. The Reno Gazette-Journal printed the press release on May 10 without including any comment from Mrs. Krasner.
The next day, columnist Jon Ralston echoed with a thousand-word hatchet job which probably brought Ernaut to the edge of ecstasy. Again, Mrs. Krasner was not interviewed. In last Sunday’s RGJ, yesteryear candidate Orrin Johnson turned the hat trick.
It’s an instant replay of 2014 when Ernaut pulled out all stops to save incumbent Randy Kirner who beat Krasner by only 11 votes. Guinasso was just endorsed by the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce after promising he would continue Kirner’s quest to dismantle the Public Employees Retirement System.
HALL OF FAME former Assemblymember Bob Price, D-North Las Vegas, remains bedridden. He’s been moved to ManorCare, 2350 Wingfield Hills Rd., Sparks 89436.
Send well-wishes and flowers to the longtime Sparks resident. Nancy Price encourages visits to cheer up the legendary warrior.
Be well. Raise hell. / Esté bien. Haga infierno.
Andrew Barbano is a 47-year Nevadan and editor of NevadaLabor.com. E-mail <barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us> Barbwire by Barbano has originated in the Tribune since 1988.
Leave a Reply