I Don't Eat Chick-fil-A, I Don't Shop at Hobby Lobby, And I No Longer Consume Rupert Murdoch's Media

"Hi. I used to be a respected journalist."

I used to think I could visit the New York Post website to indulge in the gossip of Page Six or check out my horoscope without feeling I was actually supporting Rupert Murdoch's evil media empire. But like sneaking the occasional Chick-fil-A sandwich when nobody's looking and, thus, actively supporting a right wing racket, I'm afraid my conscience has got the best of me. 

The Post and Fox News Channel are helping to destroy American democracy (or what's left of it) as they continue to give credence to Donald Trump's claims of widespread voter fraud. The latest example was yesterday's criminally dishonest interview with Trump by once-respected financial journalist Maria Bartiromo, one of Fox's stars. Actually, it wasn't so much an interview (Trump's first since Election Day) as it was blatant propaganda posing as journalism. Vox writer Aaron Rupar wrote on Twitter that Bartiromo is "basically a North Korean news anchor now." In fact, Bartiromo became a trending topic on the social media platform. Everybody's talking about her debacle, in which she supported every dubious statement to come out of Trump's lying mouth — and as usual, there were many, many of them.

The judgment among Bartiromo's peers has been especially harsh, and deservedly so. The media are expert at eating their own, and they wasted no time trashing her embarrassing performance. "Maria Bartiromo's phenomenal flop," went the headline in The Washington Post. "A smorgasbord of disinformation," reported Vox. "This is propaganda," tweeted a CNN personality. 

Of course, were Fox an actual news organization, Bartiromo would be dismissed at once for not only lobbing softballs at a lying liar of a president but for egging him on. "The facts are on your side," she told him — without actually reporting any facts — in what will no doubt become a defining line in Bartiromo's righteous ignominy. 

The thing is, I suppose we should all be used to the joke that is Murdoch's tabloid world by now. No serious person takes anything they read in the Post or that they see on Fox News seriously. I had convinced myself that tuning in on occasion, just for a glimpse of the trainwreck, was permissible, seeing, after all, that I am in the business of writing about advertisers and the media they support. 

But like a Chick-fil-A sandwich, I just can't stomach it anymore.

The writer, famous liberal and heroine of mine Fran Lebowitz once admitted to being a regular watcher of Fox News, noting the importance of keeping up with what the other side is saying. "And believe me," Fran said, "it's much worse than you think."

It simply cannot get any lower than Bartiromo's pathetic suck-up moment with Trump, which served to not only destroy whatever was left of her credibility (her move from CNBC to Fox was the first step) but to further poison the minds of gullible Americans who actually believe Trump when he claims the election was stolen from him. 

So, goodbye Page Six. So long, Bartiromo. I don't shop at Hobby Lobby, I don't admire the films of Leni Riefenstahl, and I will no longer consume any media owned by Murdoch — destroyer of democracies and of souls. You'll just have to get your news about his loathsome empire from some other source. 

So We're Not Traveling to Family This Thanksgiving, But the Real Question Is: What Time Do We Eat?

A new study suggests that while far fewer of us plan to fly on an airplane to see relatives this Thanksgiving because of the pandemic, many of us are still planning to go home — we're just driving there instead. 

Despite experts like CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta urging the public to sit out family gatherings this year as the Covid-19 virus spikes across much of the country, the number of us planning to travel altogether in the coming days is only about 10 percent lower than last year, according to a study for AAA as reported by Statista. While air travel is projected to be off by almost 50%, highway traffic is likely to be off by only about 4%. 

The data can be read, says Statista, as Americans "forgoing long-distance travel because of Covid-19 but still keen to visit friends and family who live short or medium distances away." Despite how you get there or who you're spending your holiday with, Thanksgiving gatherings carry "an inherent risk of infection," according to experts, who advise those who are planning events to keep them small and preferably keep them outdoors. And as sad as it sounds, keep grandma at home this year.

Anecdotally, I can share that among my friends, family and associates, those who have been cautious all along during this pandemic are (big surprise) also being judicious about Thanksgiving plans. Many people I've talked to are, as experts suggest, keeping their gatherings small or foregoing the holiday altogether this year. (Same goes for Christmas.) Of course, I try to not surround myself with people who aren't smart, well-informed and personally responsible. 

Some may debate skipping Thanksgiving or whether to risk inviting grandma, but one thing we can all agree on is, this is the one day of the year when it is socially acceptable to gorge oneself (come to think of it, in America that's any other day, too). The question: What time do you serve the traditional Thanksgiving feast, and when do you think most of your fellow Americans set the table? 

Statista reports that the overwhelming majority of households (42%) serve between 1-3 p.m., while the second most popular feeding time is late afternoon, or 4-5 p.m. (29%). 

What's for dinner? Turkey (duh) is served by 81% of consumers, with 64% whipping up mashed potatoes. 

(Putting on my eating pants now.)

Another White Christmas in the Marketing Department

A diversity reality check appears to be the perfect gift for corporate America this holiday season.

For years the industry has vowed to make marketing leadership ranks more representative, yet a mere 12 percent of top marketing jobs today are held by nonwhite executives, according to a new survey by the ANA. 

Progress continues to be made, the association announced during the first day of its annual Multicultural Marketing & Diversity Conference — just not enough.

While people of color continue to fight to achieve parity, women have fared far better — and in fact, now dominate top marketing jobs. According to ANA, of 870 member corporations, 52 percent of marketing bosses are female, up from 47 percent last year and 45 percent the year prior. "At the senior leadership level, female representation is now likely at an all-time high," the group said.

Some progress is being made among minority groups, as Ad Age reported, with companies including Coca-Cola Co., Citi, Kellogg, Calvin Klein, Peloton, Vice Media and Amazon Prime Video/Amazon Studios naming nonwhite execs to top marketing posts in recent months. 

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