The Show Didn’t Benefit By Censors

Robert Hilburn, pop music critic of The Los Angeles Times, weighed in on Kanye West’s controversial remarks on NBC’s ‘A Concert for Hurricane Relief’ and the networks’ decision to censor “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” from the program’s west coast airing. Hilburn writes, “Whether we agree or disagree with West’s impassioned riff on media and government racism, the network’s relentless self-promotion was by far the more offensive part of the broadcast.” With more Katrina musical specials coming up, Hilburn suggests, “In planning these events, the executives should look at tapes of “America: A Tribute to Heroes,” the two-hour special that was carried by all the major television networks and dozens of cable channels shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The focus that night was entirely on the music: no commercials, no audience, not even introductions as the singers, including Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young, took their turns onstage. It was a night totally without showbiz ego.” The story at truthout.org has since been removed.