Saturday, February 5, 2011

Anderson Cooper feels the heat in Egypt


A friend said she wanted to clutch Anderson Cooper's small grey head to her bosom, after seeing pictures of the CNN reporter being repeatedly punched by pro Mubarak supporters.

I am pleased to report I have no desire to clutch Anderson Cooper's head to my rather insignificant bosom, although you had to feel for Anderson and all of those other journalists who wre roughed up in Tahrir Square this week.

Maybe not anyone from Fox News. Well not too much anyway.

Anderson managed to keep his 'war correspondent cool' for the most part, even if he did look a bit startled like his gray alter ago, Groundhog Phil, when he was pulled into the daylight to give an improptu weather forecast.

Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, who strikes me as being a tad right wing, had some rather constructive comments about two New York Times journalists who were detained by Egyptian authorities this week.

I don't feel any anger over this. Do we feel happy? Well -- uh -- do we feel kind of going like, "neh-neh-neh-neh"?  he said.

Apparently Limbaugh became more serious about journalists being detained by thugs later in the show when the same thing happened to some reporters from Fox.

Limbaugh said nothing about wanting to clutch any journalists to his rather enormous right-wing man boobs, which sparked a tsunami of relief in the media world.

The events in Egypt gripped me one day this week. There were some rather far off live scenes of Molotov cocktails being thrown across bridges, cars being torched and the sinister sound of automatic gunfire into the Cairo night. The feeling of fear seemed to ooze from the television screen. It was like seeing history at its most frightening, the Paris Commune, the Russian revolution etc.

By Thursday night the streets had turned very ugly indeed and Anderson was broadcasting live from a secret location. He kept going on about it to embelish his bravado. Rumors that he was really hanging out in the basement his great auntie Betty's home in rural Georgia and pretending he was in Cairo, were probably inaccurate.

These are frightening times in Egypt and who in their right mind would want to be there?

Well actually I wouldn't mind.

This may seem like a strange statement but when you are a journalist part of you is addicted to the big story. The few times you have been involved in one, the adrenalin has pushed me forward to amazing feats of endurance. When it's removed, you can miss it like a drug.

As writers, there's always a part of us that's unhinged and obsessed with the danger. We are vulnerable to alcoholism and a number of other thrill seeking activities.

Admittedly we aren't as unhinged as painters who are apt to slice off the occasional ear when the going gets tough.

So if the call came to go to Egypt, of course, I would be on the next plane. I've actually only been sent to Egypt once, to find a guy who had kidnapped his son and was hanging out in a hotel in Hurghada. When I arrived there, I was appalled by the father's choice of sleazy friends and asked his girlfriend why he was hanging out with these sleazebags.

"They're the journalists from the nationals," she informed me.

As I'm unlikely to find myself in Tahrir Square any time soon, I'll have to content myself with the happenings at City Hall. I think a pawn shop is up for a use permit next week.

I'll sign off with my first attempt to post a YouTube video. When Anderson describes his attack he says:
"Suddenly a young man would come up to you, look at you and punch you in the face."

Sounds like any night club in the north of England when one of the locals has erroneously thought I'd called his pint a poof.



17 comments:

  1. In all honesty, who secretly, in their heart of hearts, does not want to cuddle A.C.?

    This domino effect/backlash is thrilling and exhilarating. I hope it comes right for everyone who needs it to.

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  2. 4 sure Mollie, well the domino theory rather than wanting to cuddle A.C. 360, of course.

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  3. I'm impressed and humoured by how calmly and factually he gives the recap. That's usually the case. Then again, there was the news anchor years ago who hid under her desk during an earthquake. (She was American, of course.)

    Your writing ever entertains. Love "tsunami of relief," pawn shop reference, and sleazebag journalists...I'm cheering on the protesters from afar. It's easy to do from a distance.

    Thanks for this relevant post.
    xoRobyn

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  4. You totally have ruined my fantasy when you had to mention Rush Limbaugh and his man boobs!

    On a serious note the events in Egypt have many of us ex pats (South Africans) formulating a game plan on how do we stay in contact with our family should a crisis of this proportion hit back in SA.

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  5. I know Robyn, I guess he's been in hurricanes etc. so is probably quite cool under pressure, whereas I'd probably be in hiding. Thanks for the comment. Yees how can anyone resist his floppy man boobs, Nubian (pause to vomit) - I would have thought SA would be different, it seems to be a middle eastern, north African thing.

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  6. It is all so sad and I hope they can come to some resolution soon.
    Anderson Cooper certainly looked like he would like to reconsider his chosen profession.

    I guess Egypt is off my bucket list now.

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  7. A different perspective. Thanks.

    I'm not inclined to clutch any journo's head to my chest. Sorry.

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  8. Honestly, Cooper in Egypt surprised me. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about that one.
    And a pawn shop permit? Well, you know those zoning board meetings can get pretty rough... ;)

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  9. Well, at least he didn't permanently damage that handsome face of his. Ha! :P

    Seriously though, I'm just so appalled at what is going on over there. The violence on the streets, the corruption, the lies, the threats. I can't imagine living through it all, actually being there. Cooper is brave...

    PS. I had NO idea you once reviewed films for a living!! That is really cool you got to attend press conferences with movie stars! I'm just in awe of you right now. :)

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  10. I don't believe he needs his head cradled in anyones bosom, he will be loving the attention he's getting.

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  11. A scary place in a very scary time. I want no part of it. I'm a coward and have no trouble admitting it. :D Just watching it on the news makes me nervous.

    Limbaugh-"a tad right wing." You think so? Really? HA HA HA! You make me laugh.

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  12. I'm not a journalist or anything but I have to say I've found myself longing to be there over the course of the demonstrations. It all just sees so exciting and being there for that history must just feel incredible.

    Says I from my comfy recliner.

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  13. for sure Laura, Egypt is off the bucket list for now. That's OK Roses, it isn't a requirement. Thanks Steve, am following. lol Jayne - I will be taking my flak jacket. I know, Jennifer. It is bad but may have calmed down. well I only covered a few, Angelina, Hugh Grant, Kate W, but wouldn't want to name drop. Anderson seeking attention Ryan - never. You are right Daisy, it was scary to watch. Absolutely Christopher, always seductive to see history being made.

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  14. Very interesting post (as has been said previously in the comments) from a different perspective. Good to learn a bit more about you too.

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  15. Rush limbaughs man-boobs. *shudder*.

    Anderson cooper, while very handsome, is prone to over-statement and sensationalizing... I guess all journalists are. I've been less impressed with the self-promoting Michael Yon type journalists the more I know about how they actually are when they're overseas.

    It's really scary. Something blew up... several miles from you. Clean up your shorts and move along.

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  16. Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, who strikes me as being a tad right wing . . .

    This is a good example of why I read every one of your posts!

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  17. Thanks Frog, glad you enjoyed it. Too funny K. Syrah and thanks for dropping by. Thanx Deborah - BTW - evidence has come to light that Rush Limbagh may have right wing tenancies - we'll update you when this is verified.

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