Not That There's Anything Wrong With That

The shy retiring leftwing talk radio host Bill Press is playing rather coy with his thoughts on Jon Stewart’s rally tomorrow.

Oh wait, who am I kidding?

“Bill Press Denounces Jon Stewart Rally as a ‘Big Masturbation Festival’ Where Liberals Get Drunk,” Tim Graham writes at Newsbusters:

Mark down liberal radio host Bill Press as someone who really despises the timing of the liberal Jon Stewart-Stephen Colbert rally — so much he called it “a big masturbation festival on the national mall” that will divert liberals from working for Democrat candidates when the stakes are so high. “Instead of getting out there and working their ass off…they’re going to be out the mall yukkin’ in up and then going out and getting drunk.”

Press began his lecture on his show Wednesday morning by saying “Maybe it’s time someone rained on Jon Stewart’s parade.” He didn’t scream like Ed Schultz — he sounded like he spoke in regret more than anger — but the words were rough.

Graham adds:

Press insisted that he felt Stewart and Colbert are “the most talented two people on television,” but that rally — “I’m not against it. I just wish it weren’t happening this Saturday.” He closed the segment by declaring “I find that the Rally to Restore Sanity is driving me freaking insane.”

Of course, that’s a short enough drive that even a Nissan Leaf can make the trip.

Meanwhile, from Press’s PC provocations to simply petitioning for press passes:

Interacting with Comedy Central over the upcoming Jon Stewart Rally to Restore Sanity, or the March to Keep Fear Alive, or the This Is Not a Political Rally rally is much like trying to communicate with North Korea’s late leader Kim Il Jung.

I have been conducting a long-distance email relationship with Steve Albani, Comedy Central’s vice president for corporate communications. I am trying to get press credentials to cover the event for PJTV. Here are my unedited email conversations with Mr. Albani:

Me: Hope all is going well with your planning for the D.C. rallies. Could you please give us any updated information concerning pre-rally press conferences and avails for next week? Will there be press avails prior to or after Jon Stewart’s interview with the president?

Albani: Jon will not be doing any press prior to the October 30 rallies.

Me: I also understand Jon will be broadcasting his show from D.C. next week. What rules will you have governing outside broadcast camera access, sprays and shooting for Jon’s show here?

Albani: we are not allowing crews inside the studio during the week of tapings in Washington

Me: We will be bringing correspondent Alfonzo Rachel to cover the rally. Could you please have one of your staff add him to your list of participating press?

Albani: did she apply for a credential on our online application site? If not, a credential is TBD, since the deadline to apply was yesterday.

Just a note that Alfonzo is a he, which Albani might have noted from where I referred to Alfonzo with the masculine “him.”