Over Exposure

Posted: April 8, 2011 in The Hoffman Files

Just the other day I was at my local convenience store and was having a political conversation with the owner and cashier who most likely used to be a fan of Obama. When the time came for the President to come on stage and speak, on the television behind the desk stand, the proprietor seemed to turn away in revulsion as he muttered something under his breath.  We started talking again about politics as the hordes of people waiting behind me in line all seemed to agree that whatever that talking head spouted, we just didn’t seem to believe in it. This leads me to one of our favorite celebrities Charlie Sheen. Now we both know that celebrity status does something to people once they attain it. In Charlie Sheen’s case, he was born into it. Our President these days seems to not have enough political advisors to let him know when he’s pulling one of these. It’s called in the TV world jumping the shark. The more it seems he has a message for the people, the more the great society seems to yawn. Maybe it’s the the teleprompter. After all, it has been 2 years, and now people are used to the long drawn out speeches, where he seems to go off into some kind of tangent and eventually return at the viewers expense. At that point no one seems to care anymore. I’ve been watching the rantings of Charlie Sheen lately, and they were fun for the first 2 weeks or so, but soon afterwards, it became monotonous and boring. All this tiger blood and adonis DNA stuff became a mist that seemed to not carry the weight of his initial exciting persona that vowed of changing the world as we know it. To be honest, I never did believe either of them, but I’m starting to see the similarities. Sheen is starting his countrywide city tour to some it deems itself unwatchable:

Oh by the way, Obama should be heading to your town soon, looking for re-election.

here are some reviews:

As it happened, Mr. Sheen and Detroit proved to be a disastrous match. …You could say that Mr. Sheen and the audience failed each other. The ticket buyers did not show him the “love and gratitude” to which he felt entitled, and he did not give them the kind of entertainment they thought they had paid for. But you could also say that the performer and the audience deserved each other, and that their mutual contempt was its own kind of bond.”

While doing his best to cash in on his recent cult with the launch of his “My Violent Torpedo of Truth / Defeat Is Not an Option Show,” he tried to position himself as a folk hero of freedom. Unfortunately for him the audience that turned out at the Fox Theatre in Detroit took him at his word: They felt free to boo him off the stage.

Sheen…appears to have a method to his madness. Since launching his media blitzkrieg in his fight against Warner Bros. and Lorre, he has surprisingly dictated much of the media coverage. Despite a tabloid-ready past that includes drug addiction, three messy divorces, a penchant for prostitutes and accusations of violence toward women, Sheen has somehow been able to portray himself as a David battling evil corporate Goliaths.

http://www.stubhub.com/charlie-sheen-tickets/?gcid=C12289x486&keyword=21570037&creative=7568530640

Author Bio:

Tim Hoffman has joined BernardGoldberg.com in a quest for the truth. Hoffman has worked in the television, video game, and film industries for the past 20 years and brings a unique insight on the role the internet plays on media bias, political opinion, and conservative news. Hoffman is a new media political junkie. He is so "in tune" with the pulse of the internet that the bits and bytes sometimes talk to him in the middle of the night. Hoffman is a Media Studies and Anthropology graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo. He writes from a secure location within the confines of Halloween by the Sea. Tim loves email and can be contacted directly at hoffman@bernardgoldberg.com.
  • Cameron D. MacKay

    TIm: Your comments about Obama’s over exposure are certainly noticeable in Canada. Since the time of Pres. Eisenhower through to Pres. Geo. W. Bush, it was customary for our national news channels to announce a day or so in advance “That the President of the United States is going to speak to the American people from the Oval Office.” Canadians would adjust their daily routine to ensure they heard this broadcast because if the President was speaking to the American nation it was a matter of international importance.
    When Obama appeared on the scene, we were astonished to see him on the tube with about the same frequency as Oprah. Now that it has become evident that most of what he says is either meaningless or simply partisan bubble talk, the national news makes no such announcements. As for the Canadian general public, we have our priorities …… we watch the Blue Jays …. at least they “hit the ball” once in a while. Obama is either swinging at stuff that isn’t even close to the plate or he is “called out looking.”

    • Tim Hoffman

      Thanks Cameron. It’s great too hear that I’m not the only one that seems to be noticing this. I also am very glad that you’re seeing this in the Great White North also. Oh by the way, I almost consider myself an honorary Canadian as I grew up in Buffalo, and spent much of my early days in and around the great country of Canada. Wouldn’t trade that for the world.

  • CCNV

    Since Obama spends more time trying to get into show business than running the country (thank God), do you think they’ll tour together? I’d rather listen to Charlie ramble on, because he makes more sense than the ‘other’ guy on any given day!

    • Tim Hoffman

      I think they both suffer from a type of bi-polar syndrome. One is from excessive years of drug abuse and the other from a far too quick rise to power which tends to give delusions of grandeur. They both definitely are abominations that have risen from some twisted form of celebrity worship though.