"The Sideshow," a Rollicking Alternative to the DNC's Pomp and Pompous Speeches
Boston, Mass. — July 26, 2004 — As a special event to complement all the big top action at the Democratic National Convention, The Video Underground and Boston’s Weekly Dig present The Sideshow, a multimedia political art exhibition to raise awareness about the integral voice of independent media at the DNC. The progressive multimedia art/political event will be held Wednesday, July 28, at the Jorge Hernandez Cultural Center (85 W. Newton St., Boston).
The highlight will be a 9:30 p.m. screening of the film “Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism” (www.outfoxed.org), the new documentary of the moment currently being promoted by MoveOn. “Outfoxed” examines how media empires, led by Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News, have been running a “race to the bottom” in television news. This film provides an in-depth look at Fox News and the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public’s right to know.
Director/producer Robert Greenwald has produced and/or directed 53 television movies, miniseries’ and features. He is the director of “Uncovered” and the executive producer of the UN series’ “Unprecedented,” “Uncovered” and the soon to be released “Unconstitutional.”
The evening will kick off with a screening of the documentary film “Horns and Halos” (www.hornsandhalos.com), a compelling, award-winning documentary about the battle to publish J.H. Hatfield’s book, “Fortunate Son: An Unauthorized Biography of George W. Bush,” that first brought up allegations of cocaine use and presented a controversial portrait of the then candidate for president. The film follows punk-rock indie publisher Sander Hicks, founder of Soft Skull Press, in his attempt to publish the book after St. Martin’s Press pulled (and burned) the release — due to claims made against its author, J.H. Hatfield, of a shady past. Filmmakers Michael Galinksy and Suki Hawley will follow the showing with a Q & A about the film.
Internationally acclaimed journalist Amy Goodman, host of the national radio/TV program “Democracy Now!” will deliver a keynote address between the films and will discuss the importance of an indepedent media voice. Goodman has just completed her first book, “The Exception to the Rulers: Exposing Oily Politicians, War Profiteers, and the Media That Love Them.”
Sander Hicks will discuss his role in INN News Report, a two-year-old news network that produces informative interviews with newsmakers — such as James Bamford, Dennis Kucinich, Scott Ritter, Michael Meacher, Greg Palast, Richard Ben-Veniste and Janeane Garofalo — and reaches about 250,000 viewers weekly. Boston’s own progressive hip-hop group The Foundation will finish up the program.
Also in attendance will be Billionaires for Bush, an activist performance art group that satirizes Bush’s special connections with the privileged class by holding forth and berating the great-unwashed masses (www.billionairesforbush.com).
In addition, there will be a special exhibition by political cartoonists (Ted Rall, Peter Kuper, Eric Wolfson, Andy Singer) of their work, including a book signing for the short “Loving the Cheney Within.”
The Sideshow begins at 6 p.m. and will include an open bar from 6 to 7 (full cash bar follows through midnight). Admission is $10 ($5 with student ID). Proceeds will cover production costs, and any additional money will be donated to a Boston IndyMedia (www.boston.indymedia.org).
