Killing Dubya for the UK's Viewing Pleasure
While mock documentaries about the assassination of George W. Bush probably wouldn't get made in the U.S., the British have no such reservations. Broadcaster Channel 4 will air a "shockingly real" film about the fictional sniper death of President Bush.
Death of a President, shot in the form of a documentary examining the assassination, will use a blend of archival footage and computer-generated special effects to portray Bush in October 2007 arriving in Chicago during an anti-war rally.
In the film, Bush is killed by a sniper, and the investigation quickly focuses on a Syrian-born man.
The White House hasnt commented on the film, but critics are already taking the bait, calling the movie tasteless and appalling.
...A senior Republican Party official said: "It sounds like its in very poor taste and in keeping with the tactics of liberal groups who have frequently tried to compare the president to Hitler and his policies to those of fascism.
Channel 4 executive Peter Dale defends the movie, saying its a thought-provoking, sophisticated work that is meant to spur debate.
Death of a President will debut at the Toronto Film Festival before airing on Channel 4 in October. Director Gabriel Range says he hopes the film will eventually air in the U.S. Good luck with that.
Someone wants me dead? Bummer.
Don't Touch That Dial! People Are Touching Themselves
Forget Shark Week. In what could be the best programming stunt ever, Channel 4 in the U.K. is planning a weeklong series of shows dedicated to... masturbation.
"Wank Week" will celebrate the favorite activity of many (most?) of us. The highlight of the week will be a documentary on the U.K.'s first "masturbate-a-thon" competition.
In what must surely be one of the summer's more bizarre events, hundreds of people are expected to gather in a hall in central London on August 5 to pleasure themselves in aid of charity.
Prizes will be on offer for those who clock up the most orgasms and those who can masturbate the longest - the current record, according to the organisers, is a chafing eight-and-a-half hours.
The wank-a-thon is organized by the San Francisco-based Center for Sex and Culture, which is using the event to raise money for safe sex groups.
Channel 4 executive Andrew MacKenzie seems confident this will be a ratings-grabber.
"Following on from the success of 'Penis week', we feel this is exactly the type of provocative and mischievous programming that Channel 4 should be covering in the 11pm slot."
Right now someone at Fox is taking notes.
Official wank-a-thon logo