Another day, another full-blown tantrum at the media and the First Amendment by our Toddler-in-Chief

by Therese Odell, posted in Uncategorized

In case you have been living in a hole for the past week, Trump’s National Security Advisor, Mike Flynn, resigned after it was leaked that last month, acting Attorney General Sally Yates (the one Trump fired) informed the White House that there were transcripts of Flynn’s multiple calls with the Russian Ambassador on the day the Obama administration imposed sanctions on Russia for interfering with our election, and in those transcripts, Flynn discussed possibly lifting those same sanctions. This is illegal for a number of reasons and some might even consider it treasonous. However, Mike Flynn lied to Mike Pence’s face about these same phone calls, and on January 15th he went on Meet the Press and said that no such conversations took place.

OOPSIE.

Flynn, like I said, resigned. A resignation that Trump claims he asked for. And so who did our President blame for this mess? The media and intelligence agencies, obviously.

First of all, we can agree that these are not the tweets of a stable, confident man. But second of all, the logic here is that Trump’s man is caught breaking the law and lying to the Vice President but the only reason he’s asked to resign is because it was leaked to the press that Yates told the White House about it weeks ago. Oh, and somehow all of this is the media’s fault.

Additionally, in the last few press conferences, Trump has only been calling on conservative press for questions, prompting CNN’s Jim Acosta — the guy Trump had a screaming match with last month — to note that the “fix is in.”

Acosta said that the White House and Trump do “not want to answer questions about his associates, his aide’s contacts with the Russians” during the presidential campaign.

“They may think this is being cute or strategic in terms of trying to shield the president from questions, but those questions can only be shielded for so long,” Acosta said.

As I am typing this, Trump is holding another press conference to announce his new Labor Secretary nominee but he is spending most of his time talking about the “dishonest media” that is doing a “tremendous disservice to the American people.” “The level of dishonesty is out of control,” so he is going to “take [his] message straight to the people.” His administration, which he just claimed is “running like a fine-tuned machine,” is being misrepresented by the media as being in “chaos.”

Oh, and just so you know, according to our Megalomaniac-in-Chief, he can “handle a bad story better than anybody.”

amy-poehler-blinking-incredulous-what-shock

This is not a man who respects the fourth column. This is not a man who understands that his power is not absolute. This is a man who is a danger to the Constitution, our institutions and our country.

Kellyanne Conway has been banned from Morning Joe for being a lying liar who lies — but also for losing credibility as to her actual access thanks to her disastrous comments about Mike Flynn having the full confidence of Trump, hours before Flynn resigned.

Bill Maher has booked human shitpile Milo Yiannopoulos as a guest for Real Time, prompting another guest, Jeremy Scahill, to drop out of the show. On the one hand, monsters probably shouldn’t be given a platform to spew their hatred, but on the other hand, Bill Maher is an advocate of unfettered free speech — and I also doubt he’s bringing him on to treat him with kid gloves. There is a place for debate, and shows like Real Time, where Yiannopoulos will be directly confronted, is one of those places.

Oprah Winfrey, time-traveling American hero.

Reportedly Trump was particularly upset by Saturday Night Live‘s sketch portraying Steve Bannon as the “real” president and dressed as the Grim Reaper. And now that SNL knows that, Rosie O’Donnell will never be invited to play Steve Bannon. Can one sketch comedy show topple a Presidency?

Fox News is now being investigated by the Feds for hiding sexual harassment payouts as compensation.

“I like news, this is exhausting though.” — Jake Tapper, with whom I sympathize.

Wait, Jake Tapper has written a novel?

In other TV News

Ryan Murphy knows what the scariest thing in the world is — the 2016 Election — and he is, no joke, using it as the theme of American Horror Story next season. Will there be a Donald Trump character? “Maybe.” (YES, OBVIOUSLY.)

Other news Ryan broke on WWHL: he wants Sarah Paulson to play Linda Tripp in the American Crime Story based on the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal, and they’ve cast Versace: American Crime Story (see below).

And here is a nice piece about Murphy’s upcoming series, Feud: Bette and Joan.

Regis Philbin claims that Kelly Ripa was “very offended” when he left, and that he’s never been invited back to Live! as a guest. (I suspect that Kelly Ripa was not offended by Regis retiring, per se, but that she wasn’t told about it until the last second, kinda like what happened with Michael Strahan. But OK, you goofy old coot.)

Hey, they are doing a mini Love, Actually reunion for that Red Nose Day thing. Have I ever mentioned that I hate Love, Actually? Because I actually do.

A look back at 14 television shows that broke ground in representing gay and transgender characters.

Look at Arrow getting all political on gun issues…

Like Riverdale? Because the “Archie” universe is probably going to be expanded beyond Riverdale.

Yes, Nina Dobrev is returning for the series finale of Vampire Diaries. Of course she is.

In Development

E! is turning the movie Jawbreaker into a series.

Amazon is developing Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams, a sci-fi anthology series produced by (among others) Bryan Cranston.

Benedict Cumberbatch is producing and will star in the BBC movie The Child in Time.

The Notorious B.I.G. has an authorized biographical documentary in the works. (It’s unclear if this will be a theatrical or television release, but these days, such distinctions rarely matter.)

HBO is working on a documentary about Andre the Giant.

Love & Money: Protecting Yourself from Angry Exes, Wacky Relatives, Con Artists and Inner Demons, is, improbably, being turned into an unscripted series.

BuzzFeed is working on a true crime series in conjunction with NBCU.

Starz is joining the BBC adaptation of Howards End which will star Hayley Atwell and Tracey Ullman.

Jerry Bruckheimer and Sports Illustrated are working on a true crime series. Wait, what?

The minds behind Zero Dark Thirty and Hurt Locker are going to turn the 2016 election into a miniseries.

Renewals

The Royals has been renewed for a fourth season on E!

Amazon has renewed Goliath for a second season.

Disney Channel has renewed Elena of Avalor.

The Big Bang Theory is thisclose to being renewed for two more seasons.

Premiere Dates

Outlander is not returning until September, guys.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks will debut on HBO on April 22.

First Dates, a documentary series produced by Ellen and narrated by Drew Barrymore, will debut on NBC on April 7.

Hand of God will return on March 10 for its final season on Amazon.

Ratings

Pilot Casting News

R.I.P.

Bruce Lansbury, producer on Wonder Woman, Knight Rider, and Murder She Wrote and brother of Angela

WATCH THIS

The History of Comedy: A look at funny ladies, which, contrary to some nonsense out there, do exist. 9 p.m., CNN

Supernatural: Mary is double-crossed by those British dudes, whoda thunk. 7 p.m., The CW

Scandal: I’m just trying to fill out the list here. I don’t know what is going to happen on Scandal. Something scandalous, I assume. 8 p.m., ABC

Late Night: Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Ethan Hawke, Ricky Martin, Robert Irwin, Rag’n’Bone Man Late Night with Seth Meyers: Tracy Morgan, Abigail Spencer, Bebe Rexha, Brann Dailor The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Sally Field, Maggie Siff, Lady Antebellum The Late Late Show with James Corden: Matt Damon, Will Arnett, Bibi Bourelly Jimmy Kimmel Live: Viola Davis, Jordan Peele, Fat Joe & Remy Ma The Daily Show: Ezra Edelman Watch What Happens Live: Chrissy Metz, Adam Lambert

THURS 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30
ABC Grey’s Anatomy
(new)		 Scandal
(new)		 How to Get Away With Murder
(new)
CBS The Big Bang Theory
(new)		 The Great Indoors
(new)		 Mom
(new)		 Life in Pieces
(new)		 Training Day
(new)
CW Supernatural
(new)		 Riverdale
(new)		 News/Local
FOX MasterChef Junior
(new)		 My Kitchen Rules
(new)		 News/Local
NBC Superstore
(new)		 Powerless
(new)		 Chicago Med
(new)		 The Blacklist
(new)

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