On the "X" and "Team Hollywood"
Upon further reflection, I'm going to firm up my previous opinions on the whole "X" thing.
CNN says "glitch", Drudge says "staffers laughed". Who's right? I say both. My theory is that some control room guy put the X on one of the control room monitors to amuse himself and his coworkers. The malfunctioning switch allowed it to bleed over to the broadcast feed. Is such a glitch possible? I've been teaching electronics for over 13 years (and repairing the same for much longer), I've seen similar malfunctions, although I'll have to admit my expertise is in aviation and defense, not television studio gear.
As for Team Hollywood? Hoax. I was skeptical from the beginning, and said so. The mention of bloggers and trilateral commission set me off - I mean, why would a blogger run to a PR firm to inquire about CNN? Especially one that seems to have no clients but themselves (at least currently), and haven't updated their web site in over a year. This looks like an attention grabbing scheme to me. The trilateral commission is purely tin-foil hat stuff - anyone invoking that old canard should be regarded with a jaundiced eye. I'm sorry to say a few folks may have been snookered, though.
Unless something really compelling comes up to get me to change my mind, I'm gonna let it go. I'll still track blogger reaction is it remains interesting, though.
Update: It's just common sense, so I'm not surprised that someone else came to pretty much the same conclusion. It was just a matter of time.
Comments
I think it was a publicity ploy on the part of "Team Hollywood, Inc."...as you have noted they have not had any press releases in over a year (not a good sight for a PR company) and taking a look at their "kit" that their sister company, housed at the same Santa Monica address, is attempting to sell...pathetic.
But it is yet another attempt to smear the media by a Republican Operative
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20051119/pl_usnw/kevin_finn_recognized_by_national_republican_congressional_committee__international_business_leader_to_receive_reagan_medal062_
it was a technical glitch
http://thedanreport.blogspot.com/2005/11/cheney-x-revealed.html
Posted by: jillian johnson | November 23, 2005 2:56 PM
Thanks for the comment, Jillian,
I did take a look. It's one of the reasons (albeit minor) I determined that this was a hoax shortly after I first posted about it yesterday afternoon.
I don't buy that this comes from a Republican "operative", however. We do have a few that are way out on the fringe in the GOP, it doesn't mean that we are all that way any more than Cindy Sheehan is representative of all Dems. And being active in the GOP doesn't necessarily mean that your every action is for the Grand Old Party.
The wording of the press release, combined with the relatively slow (next day in this day and age is too late) timing supports that this was not a guided hand. Although Mr Finn is obviously savvy to the fact that what the blogosphere buzzes about will often make broadcast outlets, i.e. cable news, talk radio, etc., a coordinated attempt would have been quicker and far less clumsy.
If you had heard Preska Thomas gush about how wonderful bloggers were (as I did when I called yesterday), I suspect you'd have been on edge, too.
I'm sticking to my view that this is an opportunistic bunch seeking a few headlines to bolster their business.
Actually, aside from Team Hollywood's motives, we're on the same page on this.
By the way, I checked out your blog - I love the title!
Posted by: LB | November 23, 2005 3:45 PM
I spent a bit of time Googling the Team Hollywood principals and poking around their website. They're either participants in a folie a deux (a shared delusion), scammers without the stones to pull an actual swindle, performance artists or a wholly owned subsidiary of The Onion.
This press release is hilarious, as is the page for their book on Amazon.
Posted by: Pieter B | November 30, 2005 7:28 PM
I'll have to admit the press release is a riot - albeit a little creepy as well.
No matter what they are, I think this episode thoroughly discredited them.
Thanks!
Posted by: LB | November 30, 2005 8:59 PM