Reporters bristle when they're accused of being manipulated by the White House. Like many others, I think that American reporters' failure to ask tough questions made our entry into the Iraq War inevitable. The important challenges to the administration's screwy rationale were never put forward. But it's a debatable point.
What's not debatable is that the press are absolute slaves to hot blondes. It's the Paris Hilton press effect. No matter how substance-free the subject, if she's got long blond hair, and she can be made up to look halfway decent, she can get as much attention as she wants, anytime. Paris herself may be an ingenious media critic: her interview with Larry King seemed willfully dull, as if she wanted to mock us all for tuning into an hour-long interview on a news network that ended up saying nothing.
Paris, Nicole, Britney, Tara Connor, the Olsen Twins, the list goes on. Even Lindsay Lohan went blond for a bit to maintain her profile. And now Miss New Jersey Amy Polumbo.
The story's pretty simple: An unnamed enemy of Amy's is threatening to publish photos of Amy ripped from her Facebook page, unless Amy relinquishes her title. But it seems like a non-story: Amy admits that the photos are no more racy than the shot of her in her red bikini from the pageant. They don't include nudity or show her drinking, she says.
And yet the press is going nuts over the story. (I'm not a reporter so I can blog about it with impunity.)
Of course I could be wrong. Maybe, just maybe, the photos are explosive...
Mo Rocca has appeared on a bunch of shows, including 'The Daily Show,' 'I Love the 80s,'...
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Mo Wants To Know ... What Is Miss New Jersey Hiding?
Posted Jul 10th 2007 9:52AM by Mo Rocca
Filed under: Pop Culture, Mo Wants To Know, Mo Rocca, Miss New Jersey
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Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 3)
1. tlI found real hot Britney Spears Nude video :) Enjoy..
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http://sexy-tube-world.net/view.php?Britney_Spears_Nude
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elhbgvusfp at 10:31AM on Jan 24th 2009
2. But wait - you forgot the possibility of these potential explosive photos . . .
Miss New Jersey burning a Bruce Springsteen album; or
Miss New Jersey wearing a "Bon Jovi SUCKS!" tee shirt; or
Miss New Jersey wearing an "Ottawa Senators" tee shirt at the Stanley Cup play-offs; or
Miss New Jersey throwing dice at Foxwoods!
Inky at 1:02PM on Jul 10th 2007
3. Mo!
I am just taking two seconds to state an obvious fact. You are one of my favorite journalists, observers, and bloggers out there today. We met last summer backstage at the Kennedy Center's production of MAME. It was quite refreshing to find out that the Mo I see and listen to concerning national and international issues is the same Mo that shook my hand and congratulated me on a performance well done. I just wanted to take a second and "cyberly" pat you on the back. Keep doing what you do! We need to hear what you have to say!
Thanks again,
Jeremy Benton
JBentour@aol.com
Jeremy at 12:58PM on Jul 10th 2007
4. But wait, there's even more photo possibilities . . .
It could be that one of the photos reveals that Miss New Jersey was a Bada Bing girl
Inky at 9:16PM on Jul 10th 2007
5. Inky-
I'm humbled. Your suggestions for the poll are hilarious. I love the image of Miss New Jersey desecrating all things Garden State.
Jeremy-
Back at ya once again. It was a really fun production. Keep breaking a leg!
Mo Rocca at 1:12PM on Jul 10th 2007
6. I'm going with the zit...just tragic...
Starkid at 1:27PM on Jul 10th 2007
7. I aim to please (and it was too fun to pass up)! And here's another (with a news headline). . .
Secret photos reveal Miss New Jersey IS actually the Jersey Devil!
I always wondered what those tiaras were hiding!
Inky at 1:47PM on Jul 10th 2007
8. It may show her driving an SUV, or voting for Bush!
Shmuel at 1:51PM on Jul 10th 2007
9. Mo, could you please endeavor to get your facts straight just every so often.
First, you claim Mary Magdalene as the erstwhile prostitute.
Now, you have Amy Columbo claiming that her facebook photos don't show her nude or drinking.
One would THINK that after you got Jesus and the hooker wrong you'd checking your facts. But NOOOO... For the record, Ms. Columbo has NOT claimed anything about the raciness of her photos or lack thereof. A news organization hypothesized about the possible nature of the photos and her ATTORNEY said, "no comment."
What Ms. Columbo DID say, was that the photos were allegedly on Facebook, for the perusal "friends and family" only. Of course, it does boggle the mind to wonder who would invite their family to look at photos of themselves in the buff... (shrug)
Sydney at 2:08PM on Jul 10th 2007
10. MO ROCCA has never said one thing even remotely humorous. What do you folks consider funny or even intelligent?? MO...you stammer and try to think of something brilliant in response to a host's softball question and fail miserably! I see you or hear your name and I'd rather watch Bing Crosby beat his boys!
Mitchell at 2:14PM on Jul 10th 2007
11. You never say I'm hilarious anymore Mo and I actually live in the center of the state of New Jersey, near Trenton itself! I have to suffer in the unruly armpit of America with the only redeeming factor being Princeton University but that's generally not visited (or attended) by Jersey residents.
Anyway I believe our dear Miss Jersey has been clubbing baby seals. You ever see that t-shirt that says "Club Seals" and it's got a bunch of little baby seals partying at a neon-lit bar? Hilarious! Or that other t-shirt that says "Friends don't let friends live in New Jersey." You have to get one of those Mo.
What do I care? Bush is trying to redeem himself for the war in Cleveland right now and CNN keeps breaking in with some half-wit news story about some nutjob who went the wrong way at an Oakland airport. The news is stupid. Hopefully a newer generation of journalists will make up for this nonsense and Miss Jersey will finally be able to post facebook photos justly and freely.
Your friend, Blayze 'Shaggy' O'Brien from the Bee
bobrien at 2:17PM on Jul 10th 2007
12. Of course the photos reveal Miss New Jersey:
a) Giving a perfectly innocent massage to a bible-thumping Southern Senator.
b) Giving birth to a talentless layabout she names K-Fed.
c) Beating down the local reporter who wrote, "Jersey's got way better-looking broads than this".
Mrs. Ally at 2:39PM on Jul 10th 2007
13. Sydney - I'm sorry if I got my facts wrong but this is the quote from her appearance on yesterday's Today Show:
"I'm not doing anything illegal, like I said, no nudity." (It's from the article I linked in my entry.) Of course the quote could be wrong.
Mitchell - Thanks for joining the discussion. Great to hear from you!
However it was never proven that Bing Crosby beat his sons. (We do know that the crooner could be a real jerk.) But if it's true, as you allege, and tape exists, then I don't want to see it.
Blayze - I'm afraid I've taken you for granted because you've been loyal. (Your suggestions for political endorsements are double hilarious, though I'm afraid the McCain Abrams tank is about to hit an IED.) This is inexcusable, and I'm sorry.
I do happen to be a fan of New Jersey. It's a beautiful state. (I once spent a summer out in Hunterdon County.)
Mo Rocca at 2:39PM on Jul 10th 2007
14. Mitchell,
I peg you as a closet Mo lover at heart. You are, after all, taking the time to respond to his blog...
I forgot to add to my post above that my favorite part of the entire Miss New Jersey article was where her attorney hilariously states that the pageant officials are right there with her, ready to defend her against those pesky black-mailers.
Oh Riiiiiiiiiight. You mean, right there behind her back, claws sharp and at the ready. Personally, I like Miss N.J. I don't REALLY think her life long dream was to be Miss America (even more to like). She's just a regular theater arts major (ok ok, as regular as a theater arts major can be) who entered, and to her astonishment, won.
Miss Next Door. And now one of those mean pageant regulars (probably the runner up) wants to hold a coupla naked pictures against her. Naked photos. Who Cares?
Or... And HERE'S a theory I like EVEN BETTER! She's Really smart and has engineered this herself in a machiavellian twist because she knows she'd get lost among the other contestants and wouldn't have a prayer of making Miss America but, she can get a LOT of publicity THIS WAY.
She's a theater arts major and she remembers how Vanessa Williams is the most famous Miss America ever. I've got about half my money on that theory. Or I would if anyone was taking odds.
Sydney at 4:55PM on Jul 10th 2007
15. A kiss is just a kiss unless the rules of the pagent call it an act of lesbianism. Before anyone can determine if this is "Blackmail" we need to see the pictures. If the rules disqualify the winner for lewd acts, then somebody believes the winner did something lewd. The media has taken sides in this dispute. They aren't asking for money. They don't want publicity. They are asking her to do an honorable thing. The media is demanding the person to come forward to be called out. The girl should know if she's done some things that could bite her. Let's see the pictures.
Cecil Jones at 4:39PM on Jul 10th 2007