The Anger of Compassion

No media bias here

Not at the San Francisco Examiner, oh no.

According to Google News Alerts, the following item ran at sfexaminer.com the other day, under "City Spotlight" in its Features section:

Architecture and the City Film Series

The San Francisco Public Library presents a special screening of "The Fountainhead," a cult classic based on Ayn Rand's best-selling book about controversial downtown architect Howard Roark, who designed Manhattan's Wynand Building.

"Cult classic?" Let's see: it's based on a novel even the Examiner admits was (and remains) a best-selling book. It was directed by King Vidor and starred Gary Cooper, a major Hollywood star. Patricia Neal became a star as a result of her role in this picture. The movie is popular enough that it is still shown and may still be purchased by private individuals.

But for all that, it's a "cult classic," according to our cultural guardians at the Examiner. Good thing they have their objectivity, their professional standards, the better to avoid left-wing bias with, my dear.

We speak with contempt of a newspaper when we refer to it as a rag, as fishwrap. We need an analogous digital term.

UPDATE: Memo 1 September 2004 to the San Francisco Examiner: This is a cult classic.

Posted by Craig Ceely at August 31, 2004 07:41 AM