Essay 4205

Inconvenient truths in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Al Gore’s son (pictured above) was charged with possession of marijuana and drugs, in addition to driving at over 100 mph. If convicted, he could spend up to three years in prison. And that’s the inconvenient truth.

• Last Wednesday, eleven food and beverage companies promised to stop advertising junk food during children’s programming. But critics aren’t satisfied. “We shouldn’t be counting on the food industry to safeguard public health,” said a Harvard professor and co-founder of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. “Corporations are bound by law to increase shareholder profits, not to promote the well-being of children.” The corporations continue to defend themselves. “All of our products are wholesome and suitable for consumers of all ages,” said a spokeswoman for Coca-Cola. “It’s a question of balance.” Actually, it’s a question of scales. And proportions. Additionally, to argue Coke offerings “are wholesome and suitable for consumers of all ages” sounds like sublymonal advertising—i.e., sugar-coated bullshit.

• 50 Cent is gunning for an online advertiser who produced a “Shoot the Rapper” pop-up ad featuring the artist’s image. The rap star filed a $1 million lawsuit on Friday. “It was very disturbing to him, and it certainly wasn’t funny,” said Fiddy’s lawyer. Wonder if the advertiser’s defense will be insisting he was only hoping to get rich or die trying.

• Telemundo executives are deciding the fate of Mirthala Salinas, the TV news anchor who had a romantic affair with L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Salinas also allegedly dated Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez (D-Los Angeles) and former City Council President Alex Padilla, currently a state senator. Telemundo is probably debating whether to fire Salinas or let her star in a new telenovela.

• Italian-American activist groups are protesting the upcoming debut of Mob Candy magazine (pictured below). “This is an outrage,” said an official with the Italian-American Political Action Committee. “What signal are we sending to our children?” Somebody’s probably gonna whack the publisher.