Over the past few years, we've become known as the primary critic of the corporate porn-pushing gossip site TMZ.com and the immoral online exploits of its shaved bronzed midget frontman Harvey Levin, a tabloid pretender who combined the worst elements of local TV news coverage with a jealous confrontational hatred of a short person-- with a disdain for wit, literacy or context-- into a gossip site that makes the viewer feel dirty through the simple act of scrolling (and yes, we realize that "waxed" may be the proper description but we stuck Harvey with the monicker a while ago, so we're stuck with it as well).
Our problems with TMZ have to do with its poisoning of the celebrity culture and Hollywood coverage, its subliterate postings, bullying, lack of respect for great artists and talent, and dirty, slimy, megabucks-backed tactics. In other words, when we see happen to trawl by the TMZ trough and encounter a floating post that really disgusts us, we write about it. There's no real joy dealing with these criminals against journalism.
That's why we offer another tip of the Tabloid Baby hat to The Big Cheese and his (her?) minions over at Rumor Rat. On an almost daily basis, the Rumor Rat gang tweaks and pokes and ridicules TMZ for its everyday foolishness, embarrassments and offenses. And Rumor Rat does it with a witty, joyful hilarity that's helping turn Hollywood tabloid coverage into something smart and fun again.
This morning alone, we see Rumor reporting on how TMZ's website traffic has declined steadily as its oversaturation of the Michael Jackson story continues, and points the way to another report on the latest accusation that TMZ is using its corporate millions to pay for material that it legally should not be getting its hands on, let alone be publicizing for profit.
As Harvey, who know has been chasing his tail around the TMZ ofice in a search for the Big Cheese's identity night say: "Rats!"
Our problems with TMZ have to do with its poisoning of the celebrity culture and Hollywood coverage, its subliterate postings, bullying, lack of respect for great artists and talent, and dirty, slimy, megabucks-backed tactics. In other words, when we see happen to trawl by the TMZ trough and encounter a floating post that really disgusts us, we write about it. There's no real joy dealing with these criminals against journalism.
That's why we offer another tip of the Tabloid Baby hat to The Big Cheese and his (her?) minions over at Rumor Rat. On an almost daily basis, the Rumor Rat gang tweaks and pokes and ridicules TMZ for its everyday foolishness, embarrassments and offenses. And Rumor Rat does it with a witty, joyful hilarity that's helping turn Hollywood tabloid coverage into something smart and fun again.
This morning alone, we see Rumor reporting on how TMZ's website traffic has declined steadily as its oversaturation of the Michael Jackson story continues, and points the way to another report on the latest accusation that TMZ is using its corporate millions to pay for material that it legally should not be getting its hands on, let alone be publicizing for profit.As Harvey, who know has been chasing his tail around the TMZ ofice in a search for the Big Cheese's identity night say: "Rats!"
TMZ's website is suddenly redirecting to AOL this afternoon. Check it out!
ReplyDeleteAnd now they're back. Never mind.
ReplyDelete