LATEST U.S. TV/MOVIE ICONS UNDER SCRUTINY

Viewers of the blockbuster Matrix Reloaded are now wondering about Hollywood politics in the movie after seeing Hitler and President(s) Bush displayed as representatives of evil flashed large on a screen together when discussing the history of evil. Not coincidentally, I'm sure, the writer/director Warchowski brothers are huge Prof. Cornel West fans, and they gave him a role as an actor -- and philosophical consultant -- in the movie. Cornel West also happens to be a political consultant to presidential candidates -- currently Al Sharpton, but formerly Ralph Nadar and Bill Bradley (for whom he co-chaired the Massachusetts campaign in 2000).

It's no big deal in one sense, but then you have to wonder how truly evil they must think the Bush family is to risk their Matrix movie and merchandising franchise with leftist politics and petty "Bush=Hitler" statements. You have to know everything in that movie is carefully arranged for philosophical meaning, so it wasn't like Mother Teresa could have shown up with Hitler.

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The creators of American Idol are also under fire. They're being sued for ripping off the show concept, while Drudge is splashing A.I.'s Florida-style dead-heat voting controversy and upcoming recount. Maybe Simon Cowell shouldn't have said things like this:

“We have a problem,” Cowell is overheard carping outside the soundstage later. “I want Ruben to be in the final two, and Kimberley just had a great rehearsal.”

[Kimberly tells Newsweek] “I believe they want Ruben. Simon says that every opportunity he gets.”

...Cowell admits. “What you’re trying to do, if you can, is to tell the audience who you want to be in the final. You’re not getting accurate judging. You’re not.”

Then again, the controversy might just be a publicity tactic for CD sales.