Glenn’s Pick – Glenn Webb, Director of Programs – I don’t think any of us think that the National Enquirer is really responsible for undermining our faith in the free press, but what surprised me about watching SCANDALOUS was the degree to which it has exercised political influence, and apparently increasingly so. And not just from the obvious smearing of reputations, but from the less obvious “catch and kill” of specific stories. This tactic goes way back in their history, having been deployed on the likes of Bob Hope in order to obtain access through him to many Hollywood elites. The fact that I. like many, judged this tabloid as trivial and harmless is all too akin to the assessment that a reality show host could never get a political party nomination, much less win a national election. The movie gives a begrudging admiration for the longevity and ubiquity of the publication. But it doesn’t soft-pedal the possible harm, in spite of gossipy fluff and alien-baby silliness. No matter how strong you are, stuff like spoiled mayonnaise can still kill you. And like the car-wreck curiosity that the paper elicits, you definitely want to see the extreme craziness of the stories told by folks who worked ther
