Class #4: Real Time With Bill Maher, Class #4 of 5

(LINK: http://www.hbo.com/real-time-with-bill-maher#/real-time-with-bill-maher/episodes/0/249-episode/synopsis/quotes.html)

                                                                       

Mutanatia was now sitting at his desk, looking eagerly at his students. When his students sat down, he said, “Hello and welcome to Week #4 of Real Time with Bill Maher, also our second-to-last week of this unit. Before we begin, let’s get to the pre-class discussion: What did you find out about Mike Daisey? Does it make his ‘testimony,’ for lack of a better word more or less credible in your eyes?”

Our final Bill Maher Class will be on Friday, July 13^th, 2012. On the following Friday, we will begin an NPR unit on “It’s All Politics” with Ron Elving and Ken Rudin. The reason why I’ve chosen to stack it like this is because I don’t what will the be “best” (or “worst,” depending on whose side you’re on) for the year, and there is so much news guaranteed to come out between here and the end of the year.

Now, to the questions and homework:

1)    Find a statement you agree with and explain why. Discuss with others and be prepared to defend your viewpoint civilly. There may be nothing you agree with. Please state why this is the case.

2)    Find a statement you disagree with and explain why. Discuss with others and be prepared to defend your viewpoint civilly.

This episode originally aired on 5/18/2012. Topics included Billionaire Campaign donations, the Media, Masculinity, Wall Street, and Violence in Mexico.”

He then passed out the homework:

Homework:

1)    Fact-check one of the quotes found in the list (or on the overtime segment) and tell me why it is, or isn’t, accurate.

2)    What does Bill Maher think about the media?

3)    Evaluate Jeremy Scahill.