Joseph Planta's Commentary - thecommentary.ca

Monday, 27 December 2004

2004, the year that was

By Joseph Planta

VANCOUVER -- Observing the year that was, 2004, the culture wars seem the predominant theme from which most of the notable events in the United States (hence the world) emanate. Iraq was still very prominent in the events of the year and either side in the culture wars staked out ground on the issue. Those on one side opposed the American involvement, and of course, the other side still believe it is right to be in Iraq. Abu Grahib, that prison where the extraordinary photos of American soldiers mugging for cameras, was disturbing as it was foolish. Lyndie England with a Pall Mall drooping from her lip pointing to prisoners' genitals proved Andy Rooney estimation, having himself served in World War II, that not all servicemen and women are heroes.

The culture wars, this fascinating rubric through which the polarity of the American culture and political life is best evidenced, were alive and well in 2004. The Presidential election was the real culmination of the battle between left and right, but throughout the year the dichotomy within the population was reinforced rather than bridged.

The Super Bowl halftime show, which saw Janet Jackson's breast exposed, triggered a fierce battle between first amendment champions and the Federal Communications Commission headed by Michael Powell, who was criticised for being too much of a suck to the right. The same right who claimed they were appalled and shocked at the boob busting out, yet who happened to say very little about the egregious examples of poor taste such as the horrendous amount of erectile dysfunction commercials during the Super Bowl telecast. Cialis and Levitra replaced Viagra as the word oft mentioned that would gain an automatic giggle.

The FCC's struggle against indecency saw Howard Stern so frustrated by his persecution at the hands of over zealous regulators that he made himself to be a pariah for the first amendment. He supported Kerry and railed against the right. He announced his impending departure from commercial radio, by announcing that once his contract is up at Viacom, he's off to satellite radio and Sirius. Mel Karmazin, who ran Viacom, left it after a struggle with Sumner Redstone, announced he was off to head Sirius. Predictions are that if Karmazin does for Sirius what he did with Infinity, literally saving AM, just imagine the future as heard through satellite radio.

Michael Powell got to meet Howard Stern, albeit over the phone. It was a heated discussion on some talk show in California. It was the least of his troubles. On Veterans Day, ABC stations across the country were refusing to show Saving Private Ryan unedited lest they are levied by fines for the swearing and violence in the Stephen Spielberg picture. People tend to forget network television aired it before, and that Powell's father, Colin Powell, actually made an appearance at the 1999 Academy Awards to introduce the film as a best picture nominee. Hypocrisy reigned supreme in 2004.

The election was the crux through which the culture war was played. Emotions between the left and right ran high. A look at the box office receipts see that the year was dominated by two movies from both ends of the spectrum. Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ was offensive to some, probably those who thought Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 was gospel, and vice versa. Both films did well, and heightened emotions on all sides. The left thought Fahrenheit 9/11's success would signal George W. Bush's ouster. Alas, as Imus put it best, more Americans thought Jesus Christ was a better role model than Michael Moore. Other culture war hits included the CBS News flap over Dan Rather's 60 Minutes report about President Bush's National Guard service that was based on supposedly fake documents. The blog nation exposed Rather and uncharacteristically soon after announced his retirement from the CBS Evening News.

Bush won re-election. The evangelicals thought it was God's doing. The left was apoplectic and dejected at the thought of four more years. John Kerry's back bottling ketchup in Boston, and the neo-cons have seized the administration. Gone is Colin Powell; still in are the hawks like Condoleezza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. But before the actual campaign, there was a somewhat exciting primary race within the Democratic Party. Kerry won that sweepstakes, but it was full of entertainment from Al Sharpton, and the entire exercise was punctuated by Howard Dean's rise then fall with his infamous 'I have a scream' speech the night of the Iowa primary which he lost. Bush's nominee for Homeland Security chief, Bernard Kerik, was destined to go through Senate confirmations unscathed. Alas, not. The guy who was supposed to keep terrorists and illegal immigrants from the United States couldn't keep an illegal immigrant from his own house, and from taking care of his children. Rudy Giuliani lost a bit of his political capital, when details of Kerik's colourful life and connections made the rounds.

Ronald Reagan died and it gave all sides time to pause and consider the passing of this giant. He may not have been the giant that say Lincoln was, but his impact echoes throughout the present political culture. The Reagan Revolution is certainly alive and well. Look at the Bush administration and you'll see that machine in power, and look at the media and the commentators therein. Their professional lives were inspired, shaped and galvanised by the Reagan era, whether they supported the Gipper or not.

Hurricanes plagued the United States. Oil hit $50.00 a barrel. Martha Stewart went to jail. Baseball players like Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, and sprinter Marion Jones were implicated in the BALCO doping scandal. What their connection to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative was fodder for much speculation and discussion not only in the press, but also in court.

Sticking with sports for sec, there was an Olympiad in Athens. It wasn't the great disaster that many had predicted. The NHL locked out its players and the season was a bust. Todd Bertuzzi in the season prior slugged a guy, went to court and pleaded guilty. Violence in sport wasn't confined to the ice. Drunken fat guys swilling beer at basketball games provoked a player brawl or two. Ron Artest slugged a guy, but all he wanted to do was hump his CD. All Kobe Bryant wanted to do was hump . . . no, no, that was a couple of years ago, but his trial fizzled when charges were dropped. The trial went far enough that publicity was had all around. The Red Sox won the World Series. Bostonians were so happy one of them ended up killed during all of the celebration.

There was a bombing in Madrid. March 11th, 3/11, was their 9/11. Conrad Black had a bad year. Peter C. Newman wrote about Barbara Amiel's outlandish sexuality, while three other major book releases this fall, had as their subject Black and his ignominious fall from grace. In Canada, the Avian Flu made the rounds, while the Auditor General lambasted government spending all around, and cronyism and all that nonsense. Stephen Harper won the leadership of the newly founded Conservative Party besting Belinda Stronach and Tony Clement. They went on to run in the June federal election. Harper did well, but not as well as the polls and pundits thought he would have. Stronach and Clement ran too for Ontario seats, however only Stronach managed to win a seat. Paul Martin squandered the Liberal's three majorities and snuck through with a minority government. Carolyn Parrish was a thorn in his side, as was Sheila Copps who taunted him still. Svend Robinson took a ring and thus ended a colourful and very public political career. Ralph Klein was re-elected in Alberta, and Judy Sgro, the Immigration Minister was at last check still being hounded for allowing a stripper to stay in the country. Same-sex marriage became a big issue thanks to the Supreme Court's ruling paving the way for the government to introduce legislation enshrining gay marriage. That won't happen to next year, and I suspect the debate will be loud enough that same-sex marriage will be the story in the 2005 year in review.

Whom to watch in 2005? Desperate Housewives and Barack Obama. The former was a surprise hit for the moribund ABC television network, as well as a battleground for culture war enthusiasts yet again, who seized upon Nicolette Sheridan's lurid Monday Night Football opener that starred her stark naked, a towel and Terrell Owens. The latter was much more of a dignified a splash with his speech at the Democratic Convention; he's bound to big things thanks to his Senate sweep in Illinois. Moreover, maybe watch Jeopardy! because there might just be another Ken Jennings, unlikely though that may be.

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