TV REVIEW
TV review of Fox News's 'The Glenn Beck Program'By Hank Stuever
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 31, 2010 <snip>
On-screen, there was no beading sweat or chalkboard -- in fact, 40 minutes elapsed in Monday's show before the host even slightly raised his voice, and that, of course, was caused by newly decoded (by Beck) messages embedded in the Declaration of Independence, within the line "firm reliance on divine providence."
The rest of the show was a post-mortem report on his "8/28" amassing of believers, but it was also proof that the event was mostly about making TV.<snip>
It was all to Beck's greater good, giving him and the rest of Fox News enough to discuss, ruminate and refute for many hours to come. Even this review, I admit, is just another part of the depressing Moebius strip that guides the American news cycle. "The gates of hell will open," Beck calmly predicted, speaking of a backlash. Oh, how he hopes the gates open. How can he not?
<snip>
Beck gazed at the AP's aerial photo for a good part of his show Monday night. He had a copy of it blown up extra-big to give to Bill O'Reilly. ("For his wallet," he teased.) He told his viewers he had even better pictures coming, from the top of the Washington Monument, which would prove to us all that he is legion. Stay tuned. As always, stay tuned.
<snip>
In this mode, the purpose-driven Beck gave in to a sense of being exhausted, weary of having to do the Lord's work and explain himself over and over to the lamestream media who simply refuse to accurately spread his message. That you still are not clear on what the message is is not Glenn Beck's fault. It's everyone else's. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/30/AR2010083005565.html