I've heard for years and years how the MSM lets the most outrageous claims be presented unchecked on air. In only the most extreme, and potentially earth-shattering cases do they ever follow-up after an interview to find out if comments made were accurate. And even then we hardly ever hear about it until days later. To factcheck an interview, and then make the public aware in the course of that particular article, that the information presented in it was wrong, is so unheard of that when it does happen I think it deserves a special mention.
Whether it's new management, or a level of disgust, I don't know. But CNN did yeoman's work in not only fact-checking potentially life-saving information in this story (for real!) but in devoting the digital space in the article to alert the public to the mis-information being spread by their guest.
View would disagree that obesity is one of the major health issues facing American's today. Proper nutrition, understanding what we're eating, and how it affects us, is key to a healthy life. This is a fact that has not escaped the likes of noted teen heartthrob, and modern-day pretend vampire, Robert Pattinson.
Pattinson, it turns out, was on Good Morning America (GMA) allegedly to discuss his new movie (insert title here). But George Stephanopoulis was having none of it, and wanted to nail Pattinson down on the details of his ex-girlfriend's recent break-up with him.
"And what do you want your fans to know about your personal life?"
Pattinson took a fortifying sip from his mug before giving his answer: "You know, they seem pretty excited about... whatever," he said with a grin,
With a grin! HA! Well, never trust a grinning vampire. Is that all?
"I'd like my fans to know that...
Here it comes, will he come out and profess his love for Taylor Lautner? Will we learn that this is all a ruse, and he and (insert random female name here) secretly got married?
Cinnamon Toast Crunch only has 30 calories a bowl in it, for instance," he continued.
Huh. That seems pretty irrelevant.
"Pretty much everything that comes out of my mouth is irrelevant."
Oh. OK, well if you insist. You know, it seems ridiculous that we follow the lives of someone like Pattinson so closely given that the lives of so many other people, most of whom we've never heard of, have the potential to affect us in more tangible, and even harmful, ways.
Pattinson, who doesn't have a publicist, said "The world would be a much better place, I think, if all these bankers and billionaires were followed by paparazzi and studied as carefully."
"The weird thing is, I can't really tell you what's interesting about actors either," he said. "People don't find the personal lives of people with much, much more power than any celebrity would have — don't find their personal lives interesting. I think if you put the lives of people who controlled billions of dollars on the front news of every single paper, the world would be a better place. It's the spin culture. If you took away publicists and things and people spoke for themselves, then they'd have to be responsible for their words."
Wow. That's pretty insightful, not to mention accurate. So CNN. What have you to say about these words of caution from the great seer of knowledge from the world of fake vampires and hot, shirtless werewolves?
For the record: Cinnamon Toast Crunch is 130 calories per serving. Each bowl does, however, contain just 30 calories from fat.
And the world can breathe sigh of relief knowing the fourth estate is alive and well.