Fox News Anchors Have Sean Penn Envy?

Headlines (Scroll down for complete stories):
1. Fox News Anchors Have Sean Penn Envy?
2. Rahm Emanuel Flexing His Muscles
3. Stimulus Fear Factor — Obama Style
4. Backdoor Fairness Doctrine
5. Oscar Nominated Screenwriters Eye Sarah Palin Film
 

1. Fox News Anchors Have Sean Penn Envy?

Sean Penn picks his guest spots very carefully.

The “Milk” star recently appeared on PBS and was interviewed by Tavis Smiley. It could be that he was just Oscar hunting, but Penn seized the interview opportunity to take a shot at the Fox News Channel and an implicit poke at hosts Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, and Glenn Beck.

During the appearance, the dude who can’t seem to shake his Spicoli alter ego said, “For example, the criticism people get tend to be from failed actors. Like the Fox anchors who are just clearly very envious; the failed actors, and that kind of people. And what they don't know is that you're raised on resilience as an actor to that.”

Is Penn so wasted as to believe Fox anchors secretly desire to be movie idols?

In case he hadn’t noticed, they’re already bigger stars than most of Penn’s pals.

Eat your heart out, Hollywood.

2. Rahm Emanuel Flexing His Muscles

Rahm Emanuel, aka “Rahmbo,” is notorious for being a perpetrator of Saul Alinsky-style politics.

Reports have surfaced about Emanuel’s unique way of throwing his weight around.

Among the current chief of staff’s reported power plays are:

• Mailing a rotten fish to a former co-worker after the two parted ways
  
• Celebrating the night after the 1996 election by grabbing a steak knife, rattling off a list of enemies and shouting the words “Dead! . . . Dead! . . .   Dead!” while plunging the blade into the table after each name
  
• With Bill Clinton present, screaming “Don't f*** this up!” in Tony Blair's face prior to a Blair speech delivery
  
• Cracking his knuckles, and after repeatedly being asked by President Obama to stop, cracking his knuckles right into Obama’s ear (which took place at a meeting in the Cabinet room attended by Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, other Cabinet members, and senior White House staff)

The bare knuckles brand of Emanuel politics is all over the pork-a-plenty bill via paybacks. Other examples include the appointment of Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire to head the Commerce Department, which all but guarantees an additional Dem Senate seat in 2010, and the decision to place the U.S. Census Bureau under White House control to gerrymander House districts.

Back in 1996, HBO produced a biopic of the Russian monk Rasputin, which starred Alan Rickman and Greta Scacchi. The so-called mad monk is known for his extraordinary influence over Czar Nicholas II.

Looks like D.C.’s got a follow-up film taking shape, “Rasputin, the Sequel.”

3. Stimulus Fear Factor — Obama Style

The community organizer-turned-president apparently didn’t do a whole lot of organizing of House Dems when it came to the so-called stimulus bill.

President Obama seems to have relinquished his responsibility and let House Reeker Nancy Pelosi and Comrades go nuts with pork, payback, and government ballooning. The Senate deal fares no better even with the minor tummy tuck.

In speech after campaign speech, then-candidate Barry decried the “politics of fear,” a phrase with which he tagged then-President Bush and the GOP.

Now President Obama is doing his un-level best to terrify folks with predictions of “catastrophe” if his gargantuan-sized taxpayer stickup fails.

The mainstream media are willing allies in the president’s propaganda feed.

But the real catastrophe is going to happen if the entranced segment of the public doesn’t snap out of it before our beloved America has to change her name to USSA.

4. Backdoor Fairness Doctrine

Recently on the Bill Press radio show, the tens of people who make up the Air America listening audience were treated to Sen. Debbie Stabenow and her promise to hold hearings to restore “balance” to the airwaves.

After Press asked whether it was time to bring back the Fairness Doctrine, Stabenow replied, “I think it’s absolutely time to pass a standard. Now, whether it’s called the Fairness Standard, whether it’s called something else — I absolutely think it’s time to be bringing accountability to the airwaves.”

The Michigan senator then babbled about the new prez and his “accountability and transparency,” noting that “in this case, there needs to be some accountability and standards put in place.”

Press then pressed her about holding hearings in the U.S. Senate this year, to which she indicated that she would conduct hearings and have radio station owners subpoenaed to testify so that the Senate could determine why people tune in Rush Limbaugh and tune out Air America.

This is just a sneaky way of getting the old Fairness Doctrine back without Dems having to admit what they’re really up to.

Now Obama’s appointees to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) can, on their own, apply to the licenses of radio stations something called “localism” regulations.

The end result of localism will essentially be the same as the suppressive effect of the Fairness Doctrine. The FCC will have the power to revoke a station's license and will be able to use the strong-arm tactic to control a station’s content.

Stations that would fail to serve “needs of minority groups” in their communities (however selectively defined) would be in danger of license revocation.

To put even greater pressure on station owners, the Obama administration plans to alter the broadcast license renewal period, taking it down from eight years to two.

Obama is on record for being in favor of localism.

The individual in charge of FCC transition matters is Henry Rivera, former chairman of the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council, a known supporter of localism.

The insidious threat to free speech is coming our way. Get ready to let your voice be heard and grab a satellite radio just in case.

5. Oscar Nominated Screenwriters Eye Sarah Palin Film

It just might be coming soon to your local multiplex.

Some screenwriters who are nominated for Oscars this year and have an interest in politics would apparently like to pen a Sarah Palin flick.

According to Variety, Dustin Lance Black, the screenwriter of “Milk,” Sean Penn’s Oscar vehicle, is intrigued with the idea of Sarah Palin’s vice president candidacy serving as the basis for a film.

Don’t expect it to be flattering, though. “I'm always down for politics as humor,” Black said. “I'm also interested in great characters.”

Sarah’s kids aren’t off limits for Tinseltown scribes, either. Tom McCarthy, a Writers-Guild-of-America-nominated writer for “The Visitor,” would like to focus on Palin's future stepson, Levi Johnston.

“This young man gets his girlfriend pregnant and ends up on the Republican platform at the National Convention,” McCarthy said. “This 17-year-old kid from Alaska standing on the stage — there's a dark comedy in there somewhere. He was like a deer in headlights.”

Eric Roth, who is an Oscar nominee for his “Forrest Gump” played backwards, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” says he wants to do a screenplay about the “great relationship drama of our time.”

And who would that be — Brad and Angelina, Tom and Katie, Will and Jada, David and Courtney, Ashton and Demi?

No, it’s Bill and Hillary.

To attract an audience Roth may have to have them age, dance and sniffle in reverse.