Classic Candymen

Did President Bush actually consider bombing a TV news
network as part of his global war on criticism -- er, terrorism?

Seems a bit drastic, don’t you think?

Then again, I can think of a few talking heads I wouldn’t mind
seeing blown to tiny bits -- or at least beaten senseless with
a giant, inflatable, corporate trademark -- whilst delivering
their latest piece of hard-hitting journalism.

NBC did not interrupt its broadcast of the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade [thursday]
to bring viewers the news that an M&M
balloon had crashed into a light pole, injuring
two sisters.

In fact, when the time came in the tightly
scripted three-hour program for the M&Ms'
appearance, NBC weaved in tape of the balloon
crossing the finish line at last year's parade -
even as the damaged balloon itself was being
dragged from the accident scene. At 11:47
a.m., as an 11-year-old girl and her 26-year-
old sister were being treated for injuries, the
parade's on-air announcers - Katie Couric, Matt
Lauer and Al Roker - kept up their light-hearted
repartee from Herald Square, where the parade
ends.

"Will these classic candymen get out of this
delicious dilemma?" Mr. Roker asked, referring
not to the accident but to the premise of the
attraction, a red M&M's attempt to save his
yellow counterpart, who had been blown from
the basket of a hot-air balloon.