To: The Mainstream News Media
From: A reporter-turned-educator who is still a news junkie
Re: Barbara Walters
Some people, myself among them, believe Barbara Walters should have had her journalist tag revoked long ago. Sure, she "interviews" people but she has become more famous for making celebrities cry and asking inane questions.
As with Larry King, Walters asks celebrities softball questions to which they respond with pre-scripted answers and they enjoy some happy times together.
This is why both of them should not be treated any more seriously than, say,
Brangelina. At least Team Brangelina in recent weeks have used their collective celebrity and media attention for good causes, such as saying they will not marry until gays also have the right to marry.
Before you protest, "Who in their right mind considers Walters a journalist anyway?" consider that she was the first female to co-anchor the evening network evening news.
And what does Walters do with her celebrity? She makes a fool of herself on a regular basis on The View.
Today she hit a new low as she suggested - with a straight face, mind you - that her dog spoke to her.
She claims that when she told her dog she loved her, the dog responded: "I love you."
James Frey, memoirist/fictionwriter, and Jonathan Karr, who confessed to killings he did not actually do, are starting to look more credible in my mind than Walters.
You know, I read an excellent book about humans talking to their dogs. The book, Dogs of Babel, was by Carolyn Parkhurst. The premise was that a man wanted his dog, the only witness to his wife's death, to speak so he can find out what really happened.
Oh, wait, that was fiction. Methinks Walters' episode is also fictional.
Article comments
1 - Matthew Milam
Walters is looking worse considering she booted Star Jones (who I don't like). I'm glad Anderson Cooper hasn't gone wacko on us.
2 - Ann Hedderich
Perhaps Walters can take her talking dog to Australia and have it channel the spirit of Steve Irwin next week when she harrasses his poor widow and daughter. Since her claim to fame is making people cry, this should be like shooting fish in a bucket.
3 - STM
I just don't understand what the problem is here in relation to Walters' claim ...
My dog speaks to me, as well. I say to her: "Dinner time", and she responds with "Woof, woof, growl, woof."
I say to her: "Get off the fu.king bed you $800 mongrel, you stink after being out in the yard in the rain." She invariably replies with, "Growl, growl, woof, woof," before slinking off.
I have had these translated by a guy who also knows Klingon, and he says the first means "Stop farting around with the can opener, can't you see I'm starving" and the second means, "You arseh.le ... this is my spot. You might be here at night, but I sleep here all day and you've never known the difference. Sucker."
I don't know why anyone would doubt Barabara's integrity (or her sanity) on this one.
4 - Scott Butki
Very funny response.
I wonder what my fish are saying to me.