Washington Times
CBS‘ “Murphy Brown” took its jabs at the Trump administration to a new level this week with a story in which character Frank Fontana is beaten by a mob of MAGA-hat wearing thugs.
Rumors swirled this week that Candice Bergen’s show would not be renewed after its initial batch of 13 episodes aired, but the creators’ liberal stance was further solidified on Thursday with a story called “Beat the Press.”
"Actor Joe Regalbuto’s character is left battered and beaten after “President Trump” calls him out at a campaign event.
“ 'When Trump left the stage, I decided to leave the press pen and go interview some of the people. Next thing I know, I’m surrounded by a sea of red hats,” the character says at one point.
“ 'Oh, God,” replies the show’s lead, the media watchdog NewsBusters reported Thursday evening.
"The act was instigated after the fictional version of Mr. Trump lamented “Fibbin’ Frank Fontana” and suggested he deserved “a good body slam.”
"At a later point in the episode the victimized reporter likens America under Mr. Trump to Libya.
“ 'I filed [my Libya experience] away under ‘Bad stuff that can only happen in another country.’ But I’m home, Murph. This is America, and … I don’t feel safe here anymore.”
"The Hollywood Reporter noted Wednesday that CBS will not renew the show due to low ratings, although the show’s creator disputed such claims Thursday on Twitter.
“ 'No, we are not cancelled,” Diane English wrote. “But we will have to wait until spring to hear if we are renewed for another season of 13. Thank you for being such a loyal audience. We shoot episode 13 tomorrow. Meanwhile you have four more episodes to enjoy starting with tonight.”
Perhaps TV would consider a story about the assaults on pro-Trump people. Naaaah.
. . . “He had it coming,” the woman seethes. “He’s fake news. He’s the enemy of the people.”
“He’s a journalist,” the reporter replies. “He was just there to cover the rally. That is what the free press does. That’s what separates a democracy from a dictatorship. Or maybe a dictatorship is what you’d prefer.”
Then the woman punches him, too.
All this is quite a leap from real life. In reality, not one Trump supporter has physically assaulted any reporter anywhere, much less doing so right at a rally where all the press would be there to see it and cover it.
Indeed, the only political supporters who have been caught assaulting reporters have been members of the left-wing Antifa.
Just to name a few examples, in August of this year, members of Antifa attackedjournalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, and in another case, Asian-American journalist Andy C. Ngo was attacked by Antifa protesters in Portland.