Charlie Fern's Ink

Do what you say. Say it in color.

My Photo
Name: Charlie Fern
Location: San Diego-Austin-Washington-London

Charlie Fern is a former White House speechwriter who runs a full-scale communications consulting, PR and speechwriting firm. Ms. Fern is also an adjunct professor who teaches public relations at St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Appy Hey Ather's Fay Day

"When I was a kid, I said to my father one afternoon, 'Daddy, will you take me to the zoo?' He answered, 'If the zoo wants you, let them come and get you.'"
--Jerry Lewis

Labels:

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Is you is, or is you ain't a journalist?

Writers of the world! Take a look at the second sentence of the last paragraph of the article excerpted below and tell me what's wrong with it. Then tell me how:

1. the Los Angeles Times could justify hiring a sub-literate celebrity commentator who doesn't know how to conjugate verbs.
2. such an appalling misuse of the English language could waltz across the Los Angeles Times copy desk, unnoticed, and land on the pages of a newspaper that's read by roughly one million people each day.

I used to scoff when my father complained about the "dumbing down of America." I believed the world was full of talented writers and journalists who passed third-grade grammar class. Now, I'm not so sure. Maybe they're a dying breed after all.

Hollywood rethinks chick flicks

By Rachel Abramowitz
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

June 11, 2008

What you see on the screen, big or little, is only part of the story. Rachel Abramowitz's new column, Hollywood Brief, gives the town's culture, personalities and power players the close-up they deserve -- but may not always want.

ARE YOU ready for "Desperate Housewives, the Movie"? "Grey's Anatomy: Bigger, Sappier" and filled with an array of new luscious boy toys ( Brad Pitt as Dr. McCreamy)? How about "Sex and the City: Cougars Live" edition? Personally I'd see "America's Next Top Model" the cinematic version, as long as Tyra brings her riding crop and commands the wannabe models to look fierce as they bungee jump off the Eiffel Tower in thongs and tiaras.

I'm being facetious, but I bet ya some genius out in Burbank is dreaming up ideas just like this. That's because I and half of Hollywood is trying to parse the lessons of the resounding success (unexpected to some) of the "Sex and the City" movie, the event film for women.

Labels: , , , , , , ,