Podcast appearances and mentions of sarah fluke

By Elisa Parker The legacy of Lily Tomlin: “I’m more than happy to know that there was a kid named Elisa who regaled her younger siblings with Edith Ann stories.  That’s as much as anything can be.” ~Lily Tomlin   We’ve all had our childhood heroes whether it was Superman, Wonder Woman or Evel Knievel (speaking from a child of the 70s).  Mine was Lily Tomlin.  As a young girl I would tell stories as Edith Ann (one of Lily’s most famous characters) to my younger brothers and sister in the back of our station wagon.  Through Lily’s work I was introduced to the art of imitation and comedy.  She also inspired one of my first moments of activism for women.  As an eight year old girl the film 9-5 left quite the impression on me.  I decided (in my 4th grade kind of way) to make copies of the 9-5 lyrics and hand them out to every kid in my school.  I was determined to spread the story of everyday women in the workforce, women who were taking matters into their own hands. In a successful career that spans over forty years Lily Tomlin has served as a power figure for women in the media.  She has received numerous awards including six Emmys, one Tony, one Grammy, two Peabody Awards and most recently she and partner Jane Wagner were honored with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Fame.  In addition to being an American icon she is an activist who puts her passion into action for women’s rights and animal protection.  Tomlin can be found on the website for women www.wowowow.com and participates with other celebrities to create an on-line community which is run by women for women.  She is also narrating the HBO documentary, An Apology to Elephants. My connection with Lily Tomlin came full circle as I recently interviewed her as part of See Jane Do.  Within the 60 minutes of our conversation Lily shared her greatest memories around her personal idols (like Lucille Ball and Ruth Draper) and fellow co-stars like Jane Fonda, Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen, Eve Ensler and Dolly Parton.  She talks about the War on Women and her response to Rush Limbagh’s attack on Sarah Fluke (as told through Ernestine).  We discussed what the movie 9-5 would look like now in 2012 and her current projects like a new Edith Ann game app and a TV pilot where she plays Reba McIntire’s mother.  I’m not sure my sense of connection to Lily Tomlin is because she exudes a sense of wonderment in characters like Edith Ann, the sassiness of Ernestine or the strength and wit of Violet in 9-5.  Perhaps it’s just because Lily Tomlin is the real deal.  She truly lives out her passion and as an award winning comedian and actress she’s obviously doing something right.  

Eric Deggans doesn’t just want to see the media transformed. He has his eye on something even more profound. “The goal is to transform the audience,” he said, “because the audience has the power.” Deggans, media critic for the Tampa Bay Times, is the author of Race-Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012). The title comes from a 2008 episode of Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor,” in which the host, Bill O’Reilly, called Deggan a race-baiter. At the urging of his friends and colleagues, Deggans began to explore divisive issues in media and how networks use them to drive ratings and increase their bottom line. “Race-Baiter” goes beyond race, also studying issues of gender and regional culture. Deggans had both the curse and the benefit of writing the book under a tight deadline, which allowed for a discussion of such recent events as the Trayvon Martin shooting and Sarah Fluke being thrust into the national spotlight by radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh. Deggans draws on his experience as a critic to look not just at news, but also network television, including scripted shows and reality TV. Although the bulk of the book highlights the outrageous exploitation committed by media, he ends Race-Baiter by pushing the conversation forward in the hopefully titled chapter, “Talking Across Difference.” Racial, gender, and cultural differences best serve society through discussion, says Deggans, not exploitation for financial gain. “Let’s fill Facebook pages, comment sections, and Twitter feeds with praise for outlets doing the right thing,” Deggans writes in his final chapter, “and scorn for those who choose another direction.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Deggans doesn’t just want to see the media transformed. He has his eye on something even more profound. “The goal is to transform the audience,” he said, “because the audience has the power.” Deggans, media critic for the Tampa Bay Times, is the author of Race-Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012). The title comes from a 2008 episode of Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor,” in which the host, Bill O’Reilly, called Deggan a race-baiter. At the urging of his friends and colleagues, Deggans began to explore divisive issues in media and how networks use them to drive ratings and increase their bottom line. “Race-Baiter” goes beyond race, also studying issues of gender and regional culture. Deggans had both the curse and the benefit of writing the book under a tight deadline, which allowed for a discussion of such recent events as the Trayvon Martin shooting and Sarah Fluke being thrust into the national spotlight by radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh. Deggans draws on his experience as a critic to look not just at news, but also network television, including scripted shows and reality TV. Although the bulk of the book highlights the outrageous exploitation committed by media, he ends Race-Baiter by pushing the conversation forward in the hopefully titled chapter, “Talking Across Difference.” Racial, gender, and cultural differences best serve society through discussion, says Deggans, not exploitation for financial gain. “Let’s fill Facebook pages, comment sections, and Twitter feeds with praise for outlets doing the right thing,” Deggans writes in his final chapter, “and scorn for those who choose another direction.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Deggans doesn’t just want to see the media transformed. He has his eye on something even more profound. “The goal is to transform the audience,” he said, “because the audience has the power.” Deggans, media critic for the Tampa Bay Times, is the author of Race-Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012). The title comes from a 2008 episode of Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor,” in which the host, Bill O’Reilly, called Deggan a race-baiter. At the urging of his friends and colleagues, Deggans began to explore divisive issues in media and how networks use them to drive ratings and increase their bottom line. “Race-Baiter” goes beyond race, also studying issues of gender and regional culture. Deggans had both the curse and the benefit of writing the book under a tight deadline, which allowed for a discussion of such recent events as the Trayvon Martin shooting and Sarah Fluke being thrust into the national spotlight by radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh. Deggans draws on his experience as a critic to look not just at news, but also network television, including scripted shows and reality TV. Although the bulk of the book highlights the outrageous exploitation committed by media, he ends Race-Baiter by pushing the conversation forward in the hopefully titled chapter, “Talking Across Difference.” Racial, gender, and cultural differences best serve society through discussion, says Deggans, not exploitation for financial gain. “Let’s fill Facebook pages, comment sections, and Twitter feeds with praise for outlets doing the right thing,” Deggans writes in his final chapter, “and scorn for those who choose another direction.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices