A dramatic and fictional depiction of the cell phone interruption that might have convinced the City Council to take a hard stance on electronic communication devices, with Hugh Jackman as Councilor-at-large Tom Jones and Daniel Craig as Ward 2 Councilor Greg Earls (only because he sits next to Jones in the chamber.)
For those who haven't read about or watched the scene, Jackman and Craig plead with a cell phone owner to pick up their phone when the device keeps ringing during their performance of "A Steady Rain." I picked it up off TMZ.com.
Great response by the two actors.
BTW, it should be noted that the scene was recorded by someone who most likely held another cell phone. See, these things aren't disruptive at all if their ringers are off.
A bit of a correction here. I rewatched the city council meeting during which they discussed the lap top ban. It appears to me that the council did intend to exempt the media from the restriction, as the Daily News editorial suggested, suggesting the writing of news article is part of council business.
I still don't see how that exemption is fair given that any citizen or public official could be working on council business by taking notes on council debates and votes. On top of that, reporters are just folks like you and me. They hold no offical standing or privileges in the eyes of the law.
Anyway, enjoy.
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11 comments:
Nice head of hair on Tom Jones.
Aren't "press passes" special privilege ?
Of course they are. Concert promoters, political parties, conference organizations, sports teams and many, many other PRIVATE entities are free to issue press passes as an attempt to get free promotional material (in the form of press coverage) for their event.
But that has nothing to do with laws or government rules and regulation.
The City Council can't grant special privileges to reporters at public meetings.
They may designate a space for reporters to sit (although only one local government body I know actually did that, the Groveland Board of Selectmen. Used to have a lot of fund yammering with the Daily News and Tribune reporters when I worked at the Gazette.)
They may even grant exclusive access to reporters in the form of phone call and individual interviews.
But once they get in the same room baby, they belong to all of us, even you Bubba.
Oh, as for press badges, those things are worth exactly nothing unless the gatekeeper--be it a cop at a crime scene or a locker room attendent--doesn't want to let that person in.
Wow, even me ? Yes, re-reading your post it appears that you are trying to qualify it within the context of a public meeting.
Trying and suceeding my mysterious friend...
Then why did Tom Jones turn to me and say, "Sorry, Gillian?" You saw that bit, right?
Katie Farrell (can't recall married name right off) told me she went up to Jones after the (previous) meeting and asked him for a clarification. She said he said - and he said it to me on Monday, too - that reporters are conducting council business so it's allowed.
I think I'm conducting Current business, but hey, who am I to argue with a rule that does not affect me in any way, shape or form?
Good question. Perhaps he said it to your blogger half?
Here's how I heard it the second time. Donna Holaday smartly asked if reporters would be exempt because they're filing articles on council business.
Tom Jones contemplated the question and then said yes.
I can't believe I'm going Zapruder on this thing.
This is why I watch from the comfort of my own home, where I'm free to sip a nice bordeaux, yell or mute the sound, and control my sonic devices in a manner worthy of the great and powerful Oz.
Same here Bubba.
Here's how it went down.
Tom Jones, in response to an amendment by Greg Earls (played by Daniel Craic) offered the following amendment.
"Computers for the use of council documents would be expressly excluded from this rule."
Donna Holaday stood and asked:
"Does that mean if one of our local reporters comes with a notebook to type or take minutes and get a report done which is a little more efficient in terms in being able to take minutes as opposed to long hand and make a deadline they are going to be excluded too?"
Tom Jones: Yes.
(laughter)
He turns...and says
"Sorry Gillian."
Well, in any case, Katie F-L had a laptop with her Monday night and it was totally silent. Must have a much better battery than mine has, too. I would have run out of juice halfway through the executive session.
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