Book Review: 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America (And Al Franken Is #37)

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Over at the main site you can read my extensive analysis of Bernard Goldberg's latest book 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America (And Al Franken is #37). I actually took the time (a little less with each analysis) to write out all 100 people who Bernard Goldberg thinks are screwing up America.

I did this not just because I'm a masochist but because 100 People is one of the most pointless books I have ever read and I want to save whoever reads my review some money. To be sure, I have little in common with the mostly liberals who are described in Goldberg's tome, but I certainly don't think just because someone supports affirmative action that he is necessarily screwing up America.

I believe the book was written just to make east money (why else would the title point out Al Franken as #37?) and I'm ashamed so many of my conservative colleagues are eating it up, literally. Captain Ed of Captain's Quarters went so far as to say "In essence, the book serves its main course in that first 54 pages, and offers the reader 100 servings of dessert afterwards."

Dessert? Are you kidding me? Maybe if Goldberg had a funny bone in his body, but he doesn't. He learned the hard way on The Daily Show when he could hardly muster a laugh with his sarcasm as Jon Stewart noted comedy isn't an easy thing to do.

And now Goldberg is being hailed as a "courageous truth teller" because he took on gangsta rap and other unconventional issues for while men to tackle. Frankly, there's nothing courageous about reprinting rap lyrics in a book saying some (like old white men) would find it offensive.

America is a great country. Rap music isn't screwing it up. Grand Theft Auto isn't screwing it up. Feminists (as annoying as they can be) aren't screwing it up. Ann Coulter isn't screwing up America…oops, she of course isn't listed.

We're all entitled to our opinions, and when someone disagrees with you there's no reason to accuse them of being something they're not. Speaking specifically to Bernard Goldberg, there's no reason to write a book on such people. As a result you're making a lot of people angry, but at least your bank account is satisfied.

Ironically, Goldberg stated in many interviews that he wrote the book because our culture has gotten "mean" and reasonable discourse is no longer an option. Meanwhile, page after page of his dry book is nothing more than attacks on people in ways that can be best described as "mean."

What will the casual reader take with them after reading this book? Courtney Love is a "ho" and Paris Hilton is a "vapid, empty-headed, inane, hollow, vain, tasteless, self-centered, useless twerp."

Even the guy who created the harmless show Fear Factor is somehow screwing up America despite the fact his show is one of the most popular among American audiences.

Take it from someone who is no friend of the liberal establishment, 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America (And Al Franken is #37), valued at almost $30, is one of the worst purchasing decisions you can make this summer.