Ken Burns Baseball on...

[Brian-Chidester]

I liked hearing from the fans, the sportswriters and the poets. If it was just professional baseball players, you wouldn't have gotten the voice of the people who filled the seats and made the players heroes.

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by Brian-Chidester

I liked hearing from the fans, the sportswriters and the poets. If it was just professional baseball players, you wouldn't have gotten the voice of the people who filled the seats and made the players heroes.

The bias comes in because they're all of a particular political stripe, and not only that, but many are activists.

Probably the only reason he let George Will on the program is because he agreed to describe himself as a bitter conservative.

I'm sure you'd be less than impressed with Burns historical objectivity if his interviewee list included Pat Buchanan, Barry Goldwater, and William F. Buckley among other conservatives, then allowed Doris Goodwin on as long as she described herself as a bitter liberal.

[mintacular]

The bias comes in because they're all of a particular political stripe, and not only that, but many are activists.

Probably the only reason he let George Will on the program is because he agreed to describe himself as a bitter conservative.

I'm sure you'd be less than impressed with Burns historical objectivity if his interviewee list included Pat Buchanan, Barry Goldwater, and William F. Buckley among other conservatives, then allowed Doris Goodwin on as long as she described herself as a bitter liberal.

I think you are overplaying the "liberal bias" just a bit. Most of the movie avoids politicking and there are some great interviews and raw footage. In terms of the issue race, while it may have been a bit over the top, racism in baseball is a legitimate and important topic to delve into--better that than be glossed over IMO.

Racism is not a liberal vs. conservative issue. My parents are die-hard conservative Evangelical Republicans yet serve as missionaries in Africa. Abe Lincoln after all was a Republican. So drop the b.s. "liberal" posturing...

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by mintacular

[I] So drop the b.s. "liberal" posturing...

I agree with you on the race issue not necessarily being a liberal/conservative thing.

As far as pointing out who Ken Burns is, and the fact that his political views bleed over into his his documentaries at times, it is what it is.

If you don't want to know what people think about a topic, then you probably shouldn't start threads asking for opinions.

[E93]

Originally Posted by PolarBear

Probably the only reason he let George Will on the program is because he agreed to describe himself as a bitter conservative.

My guess is he interviewed him because he knows a ton about baseball.
JimB

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by E93

My guess is he interviewed him because he knows a ton about baseball.
JimB

I don't really doubt that, but it's funny that the only conservative interviewee describes himself as a bitter conservative and all his friends as happy liberals.

It was played tongue-in-cheek, and you probably wouldn't think much about it unless you notice, as I did, his other interviewees we're mostly activist liberals. I don't recall Mario Cuomo saying he became a bitter liberal when he failed at baseball.

Look, it not a big deal, and I like the documentary overall, and in fact, I think Burns Civil War documentary is one of the best ever, but the fact remains, Burns does let his political bias bleed into his documentaries, and it's not over the top or unreasonable to point that out.

[E93]

Originally Posted by PolarBear

I don't really doubt that, but it's funny that the only conservative interviewee describes himself as a bitter conservative and all his friends as happy liberals.

It was played tongue-in-cheek, and you probably wouldn't think much about it unless you notice, as I did, his other interviewees we're mostly activist liberals. I don't recall Mario Cuomo saying he became a bitter liberal when he failed at baseball.

Look, it not a big deal, and I like the documentary overall, and in fact, I think Burns Civil War documentary is one of the best ever, but the fact remains, Burns does let his political bias bleed into his documentaries, and it's not over the top or unreasonable to point that out.

I agree. And in Brian's defense, he noticed your perspective in a seemingly innocuous comment. We all have our perspectives and issues for which we are particularly sensitive.
Have a good weekend.
JimB

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by E93

I agree. And in Brian's defense, he noticed your perspective in a seemingly innocuous comment. We all have our perspectives and issues for which we are particularly sensitive.
Have a good weekend.
JimB

Thanks, and it was meant as an innocuous comment. I felt I had to defend it however after Brian went rabid.

No harm though. Have a good weekend as well!

[FrankWakefield]

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[Brian-Chidester]

Originally Posted by PolarBear

The bias comes in because they're all of a particular political stripe, and not only that, but many are activists.

Probably the only reason he let George Will on the program is because he agreed to describe himself as a bitter conservative.

I'm sure you'd be less than impressed with Burns historical objectivity if his interviewee list included Pat Buchanan, Barry Goldwater, and William F. Buckley among other conservatives, then allowed Doris Goodwin on as long as she described herself as a bitter liberal.

Barry Goldwater and William F. Buckley... both of them I respect, even if I disagreed with much of their politics. I don't personally care for much of anything from Buchanan politically, but I have no idea how he feels about baseball. And since most of the people in Burns's documentary talked exclusively about baseball, to me that was all that mattered.