Tom Wolfe Praises Print, Calls Dan Rather And Other TV Journalists "Idiots"

The New York Post's Page Six reports an interesting tidbit from last week's Charlie Rose show featuring Tom Wolfe: the legendary author praised the merits of print journalism and slammed TV journalists, Dan Rather in particular, proclaiming them, "Idiots!"

From Page Six:

"As newspapers are declining rapidly . . . I would just point out, all news today comes from newspapers. All of it," the "Bonfire of the Vanities" author told Charlie Rose the other night. "Television has never initiated a successful story in its life. When they have a big story, it's always wrong." He cited as an example Dan Rather's bogus story about George W. Bush's National Guard service and declared, "Idiots!"

Watch the video of Wolfe's appearance below (quotes above come about 7 minutes in), which includes, to be fair, Wolfe's admission that "60 Minutes" does do "some excellent reporting":

Comments

[ZadieSmith]

Tom Wolfe sucks and will be

4

got

ten

were it not for those movies.

[realpolitic]

Tom Wolfe is likely one of the 20% who does not think America is seriouly off course. He may think of himself as being incredibly astute at being in the minority of a very few, more likely he is seriously insulated and out-of-touch.

Wolfe may think that Bush just happened to get in the Air National Guard, although he scored the lowest possible passing school on the flight aptitude portion of his test. Wolfe may think Bush's military records just happened to get lost. Yea, sure!

[StrayTalk]

Funny thing. When I saw Tom Wolfe live a few years back and he started giving us his ill informed political views--That's exactly what I thought....What an idiot.

[nikto]

Tom Wolfe is not equal to the lumps in
Gore Vidal's stools.

Common knowledge.

[falco]

Of course TV is foolish. Unlike the Soviets, someone fhere in the US forgot to tell their citizens that TV is a propaganda tool and a great vehicle for brain washing. Noooo, you say, no way is that TV brainwashing me! Do the research. It brainwashes us all and will continue to do so until you keep it on the off position.

[DumbDad]

I haven't seen TV in 2 years but I read Huffpo daily and I don't feel less brainwashed, just washed with a higher quality shampoo. My brain begs to be crushed but springs back for more. Yay, Huffpo.

[provgrays]

Your comment was oddly self aggrandizing. Never brag about not watching TV. People are never impressed.

[DCtrain]

This is only true in the abscence of teleprompters

[JePense]

Yeah, but don't you agree that most of the "24-hour news cycle" on Cable tv is filled with chit-chat about what the personalities read on the Internet?

None of these folks -- including the overplayed Tim Russert - - successfully masquerade as journalists - nor generate original stories via sweat equity of their own. Usually these "tv news jockeys" interview local journalists to find out what's going on...

Journalism actually has a degree program, internships, handbooks, ethics panel, grammar/style guide*, etc. TV is just a bunch of "Q" rated spokesmodels blathering on and on and on....

*Here's an example. Any content that is NOT attributed (she said/he said), must be undebatable and observable facts, i.e., "it was raining" (OK) vs. "everyone knew she was lying" (NOT OK).

[bbbbmer]

If only Tom Wolfe drank something other than his own kool aid maybe he'd have more than several functional braincells. Always and forever an apologist for the right's friendly fascist face, the man is beyond senility and should be considering his place of honor in the Ronald Reagan hall of shame... good riddance...

[jubo]

This from a man who admires Bush. Tom Wolfe is quaint.

[Ddayv825]

Wolfe appears all a flush, like a little school girl, all giggly and confused at the attention. Give me Gore Vidal any day - he'll give a witty, inciteful synopsis of current American events of any topic.

[ibivi]

I agree. Mr Vidal is much more fun and he doesn't go ga-ga at all things American. I also think that Mr Rather was right about Bush. Too bad his people fed him bogus info.

[Durango]

I always assumed it was a Karl Rove initiated black operation.

[continental]

Ibivi, as I understand it, the information was correct. The problem was that since the original typewritten sheets were no longer available, new sheets were typed on a home computer (from memory) and because there were no home computers at the time the original report was typed the story was discredited.

[MadJeffersonian]

Does his praise extend to Judith Miller and her made-up garbage? What about Jeff Gannon, "the softball pitcher"?

[Raymondf]

this comment has not been already posted. Wolfe hit the nail on the head.

[GeorgeKaplan]

Tom Wolfe is a conservative... so...

[lizr]

talk about your arrogant elitists...the guy hasnt done anything interesting since Bonfire of the Vanities, and we all know what a great movie that was... not..

[woundedduck]

So if you only take advice from successful authors, you then you must hang on Tim LaHaye's every word.

[luckyoldson]

Tom Wolfe, has become a sad, sad person. He only surfaces when touting a new book or something else that lines his pockets.

And I'd love to hear him explain exactly who these TV journalists are...especially considering he throws out the charge while doing an interview with...a TV journalist.

[CMLA]

To HUFF POST: Now that you obviously have new rules for posting comments, how about letting us in on them?