What constitutes a scandal?

Evil Chris · 07-01-2003, 09:46 AM

What kind of story makes you sit up and pay attention?
There are so many television shows out there now that try to play on the "scandals" of celebrities, and I could care less in most cases.

I'm always up for a good political scandal. It's funny to see these elected officials get thrown out of office by the the people after they have majorly messed up.

baddog · 07-01-2003, 09:54 AM

when it is my name in the paper or on the evening news. otherwise, I could care less.

Bree · 07-01-2003, 09:55 AM

Yanno, I love a good scandal.. not that I scour the news for it when it's happening.. but scandal is much fun!!

I don't recall the name of the book.. but years ago, I read a book about scandal in the White House .. almost every administration throughout history had some kind of scandal associated with it.. romantic, real estate (not just Hillary and Bill), financial.. It was a great book, I wish I could recall the name?!?!?!

BTW, Hi to Evil Chris, FB, and baby

It's been a while!!

wsjb78 · 07-01-2003, 10:02 AM

I think it's a shame how one's personal life is treated to get rid of them in the public. Let's take as an example Bill Clinton...
Whatever he did with Monica it's none of our business. It's his personal life and as long as his affair didn't mess with his political decisions and course I could care less for it!

Another example is ex-ambassador Borer. What do I care whom he's got an affair with and where? I don't care at all as long as he satisfactory complies to his duties...

It's all a shame on how peoples' personal lifes are turned to public. It's none of their business!!!
It is a shame for the reporters and news agencies that do so... it's a shame for those people who are interested in this sort of gossip and build their opinion on a person's private life instead of a person's action!

McSpike · 07-01-2003, 10:03 AM

Chris, I love that ones most myself too. Who cares what happens to celebs. Celeb scandals exist only because of the yellow press and because of bored people reading that stories.

When celebs fuck up, in most of the cases they fuck up their own relationships and waste their own money, they hurt themselves, if even, because in many cases that just means more publicity and more money for them on the end. When politicians fuck up, they fuck with our money and fuck with us, that's why I love seeing their asses burned when they get caught.

LeeNoga · 07-01-2003, 10:06 AM

What constititues a scandal?

ME! LOL.

What makes me pay attention? A thread that has serious ramifications and the disbelief somebody actually took it to that level. We are all governed by oour own political glass ceilings which prevents us from always saying what we really want to say.....

Yup, even I don't always say what I want if you can believe that.

McSpike · 07-01-2003, 10:11 AM

wsjb78, very well said.

Bruno Dickman · 07-01-2003, 10:14 AM

I have to admit that I am a little crazy about political scandals and conspiracy related stuff...!

On the other hand I try to stay away from business scandals... its hell... you dont wanna be part of one nor be around when people are pissing on each other...

Take care,

Bruno

pornJester · 07-01-2003, 10:24 AM

Political scandals have never really interested me nor celeb scandals. I'm more interested in drama focused around people like you and me. That's why I think reality TV has done so well, people like to see just what can happen with a group of relatively normal people (i use this loosely!). But I'll have to admit i do like watching the Osbournes, it's good comedy :-) Also I just saw an episode of The Greenlight Project, i think it was on Showtime, that was pretty interesting.

lol, forgot to answer the question! I think "what constitutes a scandal" can be a range of things. Some people think the president getting a bj is a scandal. I think a real scandal is something more along the lines of Watergate or Enron.

Seska · 07-01-2003, 10:29 AM

I like being in the know. I hate being out of the loop. So when gossip comes my way, I am all ears.

However, I hate hearing bad news about anyone - even when they are not my favourite people in the world or I feel that their actions warrent negative consequences. It just makes me feel sad for them and especially sad for anyone they may have hurt with their decisions.

So I have a love-hate relationships with gossip and scandals.

Evil Chris · 07-01-2003, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wsjb78
It's all a shame on how peoples' personal lifes are turned to public. It's none of their business!!!
It is a shame for the reporters and news agencies that do so... it's a shame for those people who are interested in this sort of gossip and build their opinion on a person's private life instead of a person's action!

I'd only agree half with you on this.... Remember that a politician leads a PUBLIC life, and his or her life needs to reflect the values of the society that they are politically leading. There can't be a "do as I say, not as I do" life going on. When they take their oath of office, they are also opening themselves up for public scrutiny.

Celebrities on the other hand, create scandal to bring attention to themselves. Which to me, is meaningless...

LeeNoga · 07-01-2003, 10:51 AM

Oops, I was talking about scandals within our industry [like on message boards].

When it comes to politics and real life scandals in real life the media tends to beat it into the ground, analyze it on every other cable station and I lose interest. Then when thats not enough, the famous book comes out which is a big paycheck for the celeb and BS on the inside, they never deliver as promised.

I think the US for the most part is based on media hence the drama and its so routine its not often I take up and notice.

Bill Clinton amazed me, and I did follow the IRAQ war just because I am not sure if I like Bush or not and his tactics.

But back on topic, I am a drama queen and still subscribe to the National Enquirer which beats the NY Times any day :-)

Ramster · 07-01-2003, 10:53 AM

You know for the most part I agree on the issue of Who Cares!

However celebs and politicians are different. It really is unfair that celebrities have their personal life dragged through the media all the time when it has no bearing on anything they do professionally.

Politicians do lead a public life and I think it is their personal life that should stay that way...in some instances. HOWEVER, if they are committing adultry then that leads to their character and the fact that they may be willing to do other unethical things that could effect their political standing. Make sense? LOL

Cyndalie · 07-01-2003, 11:13 AM

I love stories where "important" leaders are caught acting or saying something extremely stupid. W Bush is great for this!

Also like stories of survival, like when that climber cut off his own arm to save his life, or situations of good triumphing over bad that kinda makes you think about how strong you are. But you know the old cliche "I'm a survivor!" As Carlin says "Be sure to tell everyone at your funeral that you're a fucking survivor" LOL

AdultLegal-Jim · 07-01-2003, 11:29 AM

I hate to say it but I like stories that are good heroes and such and maybe a little off beat, like I remember one a couple years back about a mother cat who kept going back into a burning building to save her kittens or the Rottweiler who's owner had buried her puppies and she dug them up (yes I'm a animal lover.)

I'm really not into scandal because nowadays the press turns everything into a scandal to get ratings, sell papers etc....

Evil Chris · 07-01-2003, 03:26 PM

There was a story up here not too long ago about one of our provincial politicians who went way overboard with his powers. Holidays, lunches, and complete abuse of authority while he was actually working at the office. Numerous petitions finally forced him to resign. It's just too bad that he won't have to officially answer for all the crap and abuse.

Those are the kind of scandals I like to hear about. The ones where the bad guy is exposed and kicked in the ass.

oystein · 07-01-2003, 06:45 PM

The biggest scandal right now is the fact that we have a man called Bush "in power" in this country.

taboo_gal · 07-02-2003, 11:13 AM

I agree that the media can make ANYTHING a scandal. It is all in how they present the information.

As for what makes me sit up and pay attention, anything on the news channels. Of course, the headlines on the National Enquirer and the like are still massively entertaining.

AdultLegal-Jim · 07-02-2003, 11:27 AM

"Mom why do you refer to the Weekly World News as the Paper?"

Mike Meyers - So I married an Axe Murderer

I do pick that up every once ina while for a good laugh