It’s a little early to know exactly what we can learn from social media metrics. I think the way we’ll be looking at this stuff will be very different in four years, in eight years, in twelve years. For right now, we’re kind of in an awkward adolescent age … we’re out of the classical innocent era of our youth where you could just call someone on the phone. But we’re not sure what the substitute for that is yet.With all the recent brewhaha about Nate Silver’s controversial projections for tonight’s outcome, and while we’re all waiting for some legit data to come back from the polls, it seems like a good time to revisit our exclusive interview with Mr. Silver back in September. Enjoy! (via election)
Oprah interviews the Romneys: Miss Winfrey took a trip to Massachusetts this weekend to talk with the Republican presidential candidate and his wife. The interview will run in her “O” Magazine. She remains a strong Obama supporter — an endorsement she first made in 2008, after years of keeping her political views of her media empire. Why haven’t we seen her campaign as hard as she did four years ago? “I will not be out there because I’m trying to fix a network.” source
Stop attacking The Weather Girls, they’re one of my favorite groups. … yeah, I love them.Bill O’Reilly • In the process of a highly entertaining verbal spar with “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart, O’Reilly let this bit of info slip. It’s worth mentioning that Stewart wasn’t attacking The Weather Girls so much as using “It’s Raining Men” as an example of non-literal songwriting, but let’s be honest, that’s of less interest than imagining Bill O’Reilly jamming out to the high energy, synthesized tones of their hit single. Big ups to Martha Wash! Down with C+C Music Factory! source (via • follow)
I’m sure other people in the business have considered reasons why they’re doing what they’re doing, but I do think that if you’re gay you have a responsibility to come out.Rachel Maddow • Talking about closeted people working in the TV news business, in a profile and interview with British newspaper The Guardian. The paper asked Maddow whether she felt frustration towards an “equally well-known news presenter who is widely assumed to be gay but has never come out,” which prompted the above response. (Are they referring to CNN’s Anderson Cooper, a common is-he-or-isn’t-he target of celebrity gossip sites?) While the right to not divulge one’s sexual identity is (we would argue) an absolute one, Maddow’s argument is a classic advocate’s stance — that the importance (solidarity, mainstream appeal, and inspiration) of an uber-successful media professional coming out of the closet ought to trump that person’s reluctance to admit it. What do you all think? (EDIT: Maddow clarified her comments; she didn’t mean Anderson Cooper.) source (via • follow)
Hats off to Scott Brown: Discussing traumatic events from one’s life is never easy, especially to a large, disparate public. Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown is doing just that. An upcoming 60 Minutes interview will touch on his sexual abuse at the hands of a camp counselor when he was ten, as well as physical abuse by multiple stepfathers. Brown, a moderate GOP senator who has earned much respect during his year in office, deserves an immense amount of credit for this, hopefully giving an example to youth in the same position to report abuse. source
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