Censorship at Huffington Post and ESPN

Over the last couple days, I have had most of my comments censored even though none of them violated the site's posting guidelines. I know, everybody has had that experience and it is the main thing that makes Al-Arianna so frustrating.

Anyway, everyone knows about HuffPo's product placement relationship with the Orange County hegemons at Disney and one of my deleted comments had to do with who I wanted to see go at ESPN. So I present them here and I am sure you will agree with me.

Jettisoning Stephen A. Smith was a good start, as his George Jefferson act got old real fast. But they also need to drop that brown nosing blowhard, Dick Vitale, who makes me change channels everytime he is on. Vitale, who had a short stint at Detroit University as a basketabll coach, is now in the Basketball Hall of Fame only because his tongue has rimmed the right folks. He has about as much right to be enshrined as Chuck Cottier does in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Next on the chopping block should be whoever the blithering idiot they make the excellent Pam Ward put up with on their collegiate softball broadcasts. Not only does this bimbo talk too much, she often doesn't know what she's talking about and seems to be there to be a cheerleader more than an analyst. Compared to her, Fernando Vina is Vin Scully.

And speaking of "Mr. I Can't Criticize Anyone" and steroid abuser Vina, he has to go, too, as does Eric "I can't string two words together coherently" Young. How in God's name anyone could decide to hire these two spluttering bozos is beyond any rational contemplation.

Next to receive a pink slip should be sideline stroke queen Erin Andrews, who is notoriously (and unprofessionally) touchy and huggy with players in the locker room. She sets the cause of women in broadcasting back 40 years.

And can anyone, and I mean anyone, tolerate Chris Berman and his cloying nicknaming of players, his general pomposity and assholiness as well as his pathetically overweening constant attempts to prove that he's hip? I didn't think so. This guy's style is as dated as faux wood paneling.

Tales Too Ticklish to Tell

Among the stories missed by Huffington Post Friday:

Uh Oh: FBI Agent in Synagogue Bombing Plot Investigation Has Sketchy Record.

Mary Kay LeTourneau Hosting "Hot for Teacher Night" at Seattle Club. This is Not a Drill.

Agribusiness Gets Book Banned at Washington State University.

Judge Judy Backed NYC DA Candidate Got Bamboozled by Mafia.

Corporate Jets Becoming an Object of Shame for Companies in Tough Times.

From State Prosecutor to Death Row Inmate.

What Hath Hannity Wrought: Connecticut Rep Says Bush Should Volunteer to be Waterboarded for Charity.

How Much of a Bitch is it to be Poor? Check This Out.

Former New England Patriot Indicted for Murder for Hire Plot.

Arianna Continues Slobberfest Over Katie Couric

I have long asked this question in the comments section of Huffington Post and have yet to see anyone from that site respond to it, but why is Arianna so invested in pumping up Katie Couric, one of the most prominent pin ups of how mediocrity has driven down the credibility of the news business.

Thursday, HuffPo ran a screaming headline with a photo of Couric wearing a commando helmet that blithered, "COMMANDER COURIC!" The article that was attached to is here under a different headline now.

The piece also basically uses the conflict that is killing American soldiers and innocent local civilians as a backdrop for Couric to play celebrity monkeyshine games against, an act of such bald callousness and fakery that it boggles the mind.

Several commenters got shots at Couric through the snotty and politically correct moderating staff. Here are some excerpts:

"The thought that comes to my mind when I see pictures and read articles like this is that we need to end the embed program. It is a disgrace" (WarSkeptic)

"SPARE U.S.

"Martha Stewart's guest, Katy Couric demonstrates MRE preparation, NEXT! Stay tuned-you don't want to miss THIS!" (mommadona)

"That kind of picture got us President H.W. Bush" (Uosdwis)

"Mission Accomplished" (mikefina)

There had been others that had initially shown up, but the censors then deleted them because we can't have anyone dissing Arianna's beloved Katie.

This is all just gauche. Both Arianna and Couric ought to be ashamed of themselves. However, being a celebrity means having the shame gene excised from one's DNA. And this article proves that the procedure was a success.