Monthly Archives: August 2022

Those who accuse Bill Maher of drifting too far from his liberal roots must have been happy with the lineup for Fridays Real Time on HBO. From film director and author John Waters to Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar to director/actor and extreme liberal activist Rob Reiner, it was clearly a group that leans to the left side of the aisle.

Except Maher was not afraid to veer from the unstated script and call out one of his guests on a difficult issue: Hunter Bidens laptop and the apparent supression of that story in media..

Maher laid his trap early, giving his panelists ample rope to spout their views about abortion, Joe Biden, January 6th and the recent spending bills,

Maher grew tired of it at one point, mocking Reiner and Klobuchars glee at former President Donald Trumps Boxgate issues when they were brought up in walls are closing in fashion.

You know how often Ive heard that on MSNBC? Maher said about Reiners assertions that Trump would be indicted. Weve got him now!

A few beats later, Maher zoomed in for the kill when he brought up how the story of Hunter Bidens laptop and its influence peddlilng evidence was effectively squashed.

Maher turned the conversation on a recent statement by podcaster Sam Harris, who said that a conspiracy to silence that storyline before the 2020 election was fine, as it served the greater good of defeating Trump.

Maher asked if it was okay to engage in something like that suppression if the other side is so evil anything is justified.

Reiner seemed flummoxed and tried to change the subject back to the Jan. 6th uprising. Maher wouldnt let him escape. They buried the Hunter Biden story.

Reiner tried to recover by denying the premise. You know for a fact thats what they did? I dont know

Thats because you only watch MSNBC, Maher shot back.

Klobuchar tried to cover Reiner by allowing, I dont know that they all said this, adding, You have to make sure you are treating people fairly. She added that she was sitting back and letting the Justice Dept. do its job, which avoided the original question.

Earlier, John Waters came on to flog his new book, Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance. The conversation ranged from the different preferences on the sidewalks along Santa Monica Boulevard to what would be in the planned Waters exhibit at the Motion Pictures Academy Museum

Waters delighted in poking fun at himself, noting that his Hollywood Walk of Fame star was greeted by a friend with the note, Closer to the gutter than ever!

I make fun of myself and the rules that I live in, Waters said of his avoiding any cancellation during his controversial career. I make fun of political correctness.

Waters once worked with Johnny Depp, but graciously declined to discuss THAT CASE save for one point: I wish they would get back together and make everybody crazy.

Mahers New Rules editorial was a take on Straw Man arguments, complete with a real Straw Man brought out as a prop. Maher praised Silvana Fardos, the mother of Salman Rushdies stabber, saying she was an example of the courage we should all strive to attain.

Original post:

Bill Maher Asks A Question Even A Meathead Cant Answer On Real Time - Deadline

It has just been ten years since Pa Ranjith made his entry into Tamil cinema with Attakathi. Yet, it looks like the director has been a harbinger of change and achieved quite a lot in a decade. It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say Pa Ranjith has begun a movement of sorts in Tamil cinema. Films like Pariyerum Perumal or Seththumaan wouldnt exist had Ranjith not made Attakathi and Madras. In an hour-long conversation with the director, I probe whether he is aware of his contribution, his upcoming film Natchathiram Nagargiradhu, pan-Indian films, and political correctness.

Can you retrace your journey for us?

My entry into cinema is not a non-causal event. It was properly planned, and I can still remember the year I decided to become a filmmaker. It was the 2002 academic year when I was 20 years old. Before that, all I wanted was a job that would earn me an approximate sum of Rs 20,000 per month. So, I thought doing a Bachelors in fine arts would pave the way for a career in animation or art direction. However, I kept experiencing unease with the hypocrisy of society, and I found Ambedkar in that process. Parallelly, my exposure to world cinema through film festivals developed a desire to make films. Not any films, but ones that would talk about my politics.

How did you prepare to chase your dreams?

I watched the works of masters across the world. Instead of concentrating on the filmmaking aspects of the works, I learned how to approach a film and contextualize it. Back then, small Tamil magazines published many such pieces of world cinema and their politics. Watching City of God is a different experience from learning the backstory and contextualizing it with Rio de Janeiros politics, class strata, and economy. These magazines helped me understand that cinema is a complicated and layered art. I wanted to use that enormous potential to speak about my politics. However, I wanted to present cinema in its language. Thus, I started following filmmakers like Francois Truffaut and films of the French New Wave. Then, I found Alexander Innaritu and Spike Lee. Of course, I am not making movies similar to theirs, but I am inspired by how well these filmmakers handle the artform to convey their ideologies. I wanted to address the oppression Dalits face in our country and how their culture, food, and art forms are disregarded and ignored. I made it my purpose. It was a well-planned journey.

But was that easy?

I would be lying if I said it was a hard journey. I think my progress was smooth because of my initial successes with Attakathi and Madras. However, I wouldnt say it was entirely a cakewalk either. People were against its release as well, but Studio Green finally saw the film and released it to a good response. The success of Attakathi gave me the confidence to deal with the subject even more in Madras. That gave me the confidence to make Kabali the way I wanted, though Rajini sir was part of the film. Again with Kaala, I became even more confident and uncompromising with what I wanted to say. However, I would say my career till Kaala was different compared to what came later. I would say I had some inhibitions while making Kaala and second-guessed my decisions and added some elements as fan service. With Sarpatta Parambarai, the gloves came off. I made no compromise with the film, and I did what I wanted to do.

But dont you think even Kaala was a bit bold given how ambiguous the climax was for a Rajinikanth movie?

True. People raised red flags asking how I can kill Rajinikanth in the film. My point was, Kaala is the personification of an ideology. Something like a superpower, and I wanted everyone to have it. I dont like the idea of power residing in only a few places.

Questions were raised about whether Rajinikanth was fully aware of the politics of the film

I wouldnt cheat anyone. I will explain to everyone concerned about my film and its politics. Rajini sir knew what Kaala was about and he was onboard. If not, the film would have been stalled before the release, given that it was ready 20 days before the release.

Coming back to your plans and resolutions. Like direction, was film production also part of your goals?

I never really planned this. Yet, I realised it was a struggle to explain my vision to producers and make films the way I wanted. Thats why owning a production house sounded like a nice idea. The success of Pariyerum Perumal changed things and turned Neelam Production into a bigger venture than it was intended to be.

Tell us about Koogai cinema movement, Casteless Collective, and Margazhi Makkal Isai.

Not just cinema, I am interested in art as a whole, and I find it to be a powerful tool that has a special space in Indian politics. I wanted to work on those levels too, and thats why I started counter-culture music festivals like Makkal Isai and Casteless Collective. I want all of this to snowball into a movement of sorts. Recently, I was happy to learn that a group of boys in Vyasarpadi has started a group called Black Boys. Thats exactly how I would want this to progress; a movement that organizes itself.

Dont you think you have already started such a movement, at least in Tamil cinema?

An opening has been created and a precedent has been set. Yet, debates are still going on. It is also being said that only after Pa Ranjiths entry, Tamil cinema has become casteist, and that wasnt the case before.

So, why do you think your films, which stand against casteism, are criticized to be casteist themselves?

It is an angry reaction to the new rebellion against oppression. People responsible for the status quo cant readily accept change. It wont happen overnight. Its a process, and I know many non-Dalits who have agreed with my ideas and films. The debate will continue.

It was rumoured that the censor board had issues with Natchathiram Nagarkirathu. Is there any truth to such claims that your films face opposition even before their release?

Theres a lot of truth to such claims. When Kaala was released, it faced two issues. One was due to the comment Rajini sir made about the Sterlite protest in Thoothukudi. Second, a theatre owner told one of the distributors that he wont screen my film in his theatre even though it has Rajinikanth in the lead. Thats how casteist our state is. I wont be accepted that easily. Whats more saddening is that I face such opposition from certain sections of the censor board as well. It is shocking to see how they look at my films. Their requests sometimes feel very silly and make one wonder how such people could reach places of power. Whats more saddening is that they are omnipresent.

Does this frustrate you?

More than frustration, I am deeply worried. We call this a digital age; we take pride in saying our country is cultured and all that. But it beats me that people with such regressive ideas are in the front, occupying places of power. They are everywhere, not just censor boards. They play a vital role in all the OTT platforms with the power to approve and disapprove content.

You started with Attakathi, a romantic drama, and after a decade, you are back again to a film about love. Whats love for you then and now?

Back then, love was fun. I grew up watching films like Kadhalukku Mariyadhai. My friends and I were all die-hard Vijay fans. We did many stupid things back then. So, love was a jolly affair. Now, love is given different names especially if its of a Dalit guy. Several new terms are invented to disregard his love. Especially after the 2012 Dharmapuri violence, love in our state has been extremely politicized. I dont know why the same emotion is even termed badly when it comes from people of scheduled castes. Such politics is what Natchathiram Nagargiradhu is all about.

Tell us about your romances.

I am yet to share my love story with Anitha. Havent yet documented our journey, but a few dialogues in my films are inspired by our romance. Even before Anitha, I had a string of one-sided romances, you see all of that in Attakathi (laughs). To me, love is something very emotional. Something instinctive. Without it, I dont think humanity would have procreated and sustained itself.

Can you tell us more about Nathchathiram Nagargirathu?

Its not a romantic film, but one that discusses romance and love. It is about a group of people, who discuss love. The group has straight and queer couples, but the centre plot revolves around Rene (Dushara), Iniyan (Kalidas Jayaram), and Arjun (Kalaiyarasan). Arjun is the representation of a typical Indian male, who is shaped by societys casteism and other belief systems. On the other hand, Iniyan is someone with progressive thoughts, but he also has his limitations. Rene is a Dalit, who is unabashedly bold. I am constantly asked why I am an extremist. With Renes character, I have answered why.

Seeing the Natchathiram Nagargirathu trailer, I was reminded of Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larrains Ema

Oh, yes, I can see why you say so. Ema is also about a similar group but they are dancers. But, no, this film has nothing to do with that. However, I was inspired by Spike Lees Do The Right Thing. It is about a restaurant run by white people in a black neighborhood and highlights a confrontation between the extremists and moderates. I have just taken the essence of the film.

Are you still in touch with the ground reality or has the success of your films made you distant from people

As it is, I am a lonely person. I am weary of crowds. I think it is due to childhood trauma. In my youth, I could never participate in festivals. I remained only a spectator when the rest of the community was taking part in it. I ended up hating crowds because of this. I cant get along with the crowd. I will end up picking up fights for politically incorrect opinions about people.

But lately, the demand for political correctness is criticised as another form of thought policing and a hurdle for artistic expression.

In a society where inequality is the norm, I think theres a need for political correctness. For example, in Dhammam (part of Sony Livs anthology, Victim), there was this cuss word Nadharingala. I am not someone who writes such words, but I think it made it to the film through the actor. A friend called me and confronted me about the usage and asked me to remove it. I felt extremely bad and wondered how I let such a blunder make the final cut. This is what I am talking about: the normalization of vocabularies that are devised to discriminate against the oppressed. I think artists have the responsibility to be aware of this word politics.

After making films like Kaala and Sarpatta Parambarai, which are big in terms of star power and budget, why do something of a small scale like Natchathiram Nagargirathu

According to me, Natchathiram Nagarigiradhu is more powerful than my previous ventures. It will create more debates than Kaala or Sarapatta. I am looking forward to the ripples the film will create. I made this film with a lot of deliberation, and I dont look at movies through the lens of budget or scale.

Thoughts on pan-Indian cinema?

I think even Kabali is a pan-Indian film, which worked well across the country. But I dont like the idea of deliberately making a pan-Indian film. While making Kaala or Sarpatta Parambarai, I was not telling myself that I should make something that is on par with world cinema or something that will cater to all of India. All I wanted to do was to tell a story in a language that suits the content.

You are surrounded by books. Do you think reading will fix all our problems?

No. I have personally seen well-read people, who are highly knowledgeable in literature, purporting regressive ideas. Reading alone doesnt help. One should read from an ideological point of view. In Tamil Nadu, Periyarism, Ambedkarism, and Communism play vital roles. Reading them would help one understand this society. Personally, I profess Ambedkars ideas. Upper caste people should read Annihilation of Caste. Its for them, but we keep giving it to Dalits.

Read this article:

Exclusive | Pa Ranjith on 10 years in cinema, pan-Indian films, Natchathiram Nagargiradhu: 'I am waiting to see the ripples it creates' - The Indian...

The new kindergarten to Grade 6 curriculum will be implemented in Alberta schools, in staggered fashion, this fall.JONATHAN HAYWARD/The Canadian Press

Alberta students go back to class in a matter of days. But the question of what will make up the curriculum in elementary schools in the years ahead is far from certain. It all depends on the outcome of two key political races. This is a problem for teachers, parents and especially the youngest children in the province, whose early years of education are being used in a game of political football.

COVID-19 and waves of objections have slowed down, but not stopped, the governing United Conservative Partys ambitious push to create a new blueprint for education. The new kindergarten to Grade 6 curriculum will be implemented in Alberta schools, in staggered fashion, this fall.

This September, those students in kindergarten to Grade 3 will be taught the new English language arts and literature, and mathematics curriculum. And all students, K-6, will be taught under the new physical education and wellness curriculum. If schools boards so choose, they can pilot some programs, such as science and French immersion language arts for K-6.

All school boards are expected to implement the new curriculum, for all subjects, starting in September, 2024. At that time, teachers are also supposed to be teaching a new version of social studies, a subject punted from the early curriculum lineup amid promises for a major rework. Parents and teachers were vocal in their concerns about age appropriateness the social studies curriculum asked Grade 3 students to learn the clauses of Magna Carta, for instance. Critics also said it was overly focused on memorization over understanding, and not reflective of Albertas diversity.

But heres the rub. The entire curriculum schedule could be slowed down, or tossed out, depending on how the UCP leadership race and the next provincial election play out.

Alberta is on the verge of the constitutional abyss

First, the United Conservative Party could elect a leader who would slow down implementation. Candidate Brian Jean, for one, said he would give teachers autonomy to decide whether they teach it this year. Candidates Rajan Sawhney, Rebecca Schulz and Leela Aheer have called for a pause to implementation.

Ms. Schulz said the education system is still trying to catch up from the stress of the pandemic. We need to get kids caught up in reading and math. And I dont think its fair to ask teachers to also be giving a whole bunch of feedback on curriculum development, she said, speaking at a UCP leadership debate held by the Alberta Teachers Association earlier this month.

But leadership candidate Travis Toews, the former finance minister, has said he would continue with curriculum rollout and implementation, as currently outlined. And Danielle Smith, one of the leading contenders in the leadership race, would do to the issue of education what she has done to the issue of provincial autonomy ramp up the discussion to a whole other level. In the past, she has written about school curricula being overrun by social justice themes and political correctness, and defunding government-run, union-controlled public school more interested in indoctrinating students than teaching them critical-thinking skills.

More recently, shes expressed her desire to see that teaching in foundational subjects, such as literacy and math, improved and for the public system to be more attuned to parental concerns regarding negative messages about the provinces energy industry, or religion.

If we can find better ways to address that, so people can maintain their confidence in the public school system, I think thats in all of our interests to do, Ms. Smith told the ATA conference.

But heres the other twist in the story. Last year, the NDP said it would scrap the UCP curriculum in its entirety should they win the provincial election in May, 2023. Education critic Sarah Hoffman said the message from school boards was it belongs in the trash. The opposition party promised if they form government again, they will bring in a new curriculum by 2024.

Albertans should be tired of the tussling over curriculum. A major revamp of the provinces dated curriculum has been in the works since 2008, when then-premier Ed Stelmach asked the education department to come up with a long-term vision for education. The NDP continued the work, and developed a new curriculum kiboshed by the UCP in July, 2019, shortly after they took office.

The education of children has morphed into one of Albertas most contentious political subjects. And thats saying a lot.

The UCP curriculum that is now being partly implemented is supposed to be focused on literacy, numeracy, citizenship and practical skills. Education Minister Adriana LaGrange has said the prescriptive plan is designed to make sure our curriculum is taught without bias.

Of course, theres no such thing as no bias. And the UCP blueprint has been criticized for being political in itself. Teachers also feel their views werent taken into account as the UCP rushed the curriculum to completion even in the depths of the pandemic. (Originally the entire K-6 curriculum, announced in March, 2021, was supposed to be in place this fall).

The Kenney governments approach to the curriculum revamp also showed a misunderstanding of the regard in which many Albertans hold the education system, and the pride theyve felt that it had been respected outside the province. The NDP keeps bringing up that the Northwest Territories decided in 2021 it will no longer teach Albertas curriculum in its schools they know it still stings for many Albertans.

To its credit, the government has taken some steps to rectify the problems. For instance, it has made changes to address concerns about age appropriateness, wording clarity and First Nations, Mtis and Inuit content.

And it is possible to act and not dismiss often-heard concerns about children falling behind in certain subjects, or the way contentious matters such as the role of oil and gas development are framed. And to be sure, there are debates across North America about the value of traditional versus inquiry-based models of learning. Alberta isnt alone in that.

Politics will never not be some part of the process. But Alberta will see its seventh new premier in the span of 16 years this October, when the UCP selects its new leader. I cant be the only parent who is frustrated that the instability that has become part-and-parcel of Alberta politics is now invading the classroom.

Politicians need to find a way to step back, and create a system for curriculum development that is at least less politicized. The continuing uncertainty about what will be taught this year and next is the last thing students in the province need.

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Excerpt from:

Opinion: In Alberta, children's early years of education are being used in a game of political football - The Globe and Mail