When war with Iraq seemed imminent regardless of what happened with the UN weapon's inspections back in October/November of 2002, I noticed that comedian Dennis Miller began to make frequent guest appearances on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. How frequent? Well I can't be exactly sure since I don't watch this program every night but I can tell you this much -- He appeared at least two times closely spaced during these two months and then again on these dates: About January 29, 2003, again on February 25, 2003, again on April 3, 2003, and May 6, 2003. He also appeared at least once on Conan O'Brien's Show on April 10, 2003. These are the programs I know about because I saw them. I can only imagine how many there could have been that I missed.

Why is this significant? Because each time he appeared on the above programs, he immediately started right in heaping undo praise on Bush and hawking the war against Iraq. It was most obvious on February 25th on the Tonight Show when only a few sentences and greetings had been exchanged when Jay asked him for his views on the war. Dennis then grabbed the spotlight and began to shamelessly and venomously bash the Germans, the French, and by association, anyone else who opposed this war. He appeared to be in orgasmic ecstasy, displaying a gleeful expression when describing the satisfaction he would feel watching our military destroy Saddam and his evil minions--of course never mentioning the countless innocent Iraqi civilians and troops and our own troops who might also perish in this war and the countless other US soldiers, who will come back from the war forever scarred with serious medical problems from exposure to depleted uranium, the effects of vaccines with known side effects and health risks, or severe psychological problems. I doubt one would have ever seen Dennis Miller lining up for his smallpox and anthrax vaccinations to serve his country in a war like this. War is the most serious business humanity faces -- murdering people for an unknown outcome. I'm not clear what exactly Dennis found so pleasureable about this!

I could never figure out why Dennis Miller was showing up so frequently on the Tonight Show during this period as he didn't seem to be promoting any movies or significant TV gigs...only menial stand-up appearances at small clubs. The primary thing he was promoting was Bush and the War. That's it! Since his Tonight Show appearance on May 6, 2003, where he took delight in the way the US military seized control of Iraq, including the destruction of the museum there and the theft of irreplacible artifacts and blasted the Democratic candidates for president, I haven't seen him on Leno's show since. This doesn't mean he hasn't been on again, only that he can't be showing up with nearly the frequency he was while the war was dominating the headlines. It's almost as if his mission as a spokesperson for Bush's war ended when Bush stupidly declared the war over in that disgraceful photo op carrier landing.

But maybe the answer to the above question is partly related to these questions and their answers: Who does have control or the ultimate say-so over which guests get to appear on these NBC late night programs? Especially guests not hawking their latest movie, TV program, or CD? Who can get certain guests booked on these programs bypassing normal channels if they really want to? Certainly the studios and publicists would have an inside track getting their people on the show. But what about GE, the parent company of NBC? A company that makes billions of dollars from government defense contracts and would have a vested economic interest in the war business. Is GE with ties to the Bush administration the real reason Dennis Miller has been able to appear on the Tonight Show so many times recently? I can't name another guest who has appeared this frequently in such short time spans on the Tonight Show. Is Dennis being paid by GE to promote their war mongering interests on the Tonight Show? Or has the far right also taken over NBC just like they have Fox and MSNBC? It should also be noted that NBC's cable news affiliate MSNBC cancelled Phil Donahue [one of the few liberal talk show hosts on television] right when the war with Iraq was about to begin and hired conservative talk radio personality Michael Savage Nation as a regular host, while also adding former House Majority Leader Dick Armey R-Texas, and former U.S. Rep. Joe Scarborough, R-Florida, as regular contributors. Donahue's show despite rising numbers and better numbers than Chris Matthew's Hardball, was replaced temporarily with Countdown: Iraq hosted by Lester Holt. Thus leaving no viable forums for anti-war protests on this network.

In the past, Dennis Miller always seemed very liberal, hip, and too smart to believe all of the lies, misinformation and other propaganda being put out by the "snake oil" salesmen in the Bush administration. Anyone with his "apparent" intelligence couldn't say what he does with a straight face. In light of what we know about the aftermath of this war, who could even claim we were victorious like he did? But maybe Dennis could if he were getting paid enough? On his list of rants on the Middle East on HBO's web site for his show, Dennis Miller Live, I couldn't find him stating any pro war views or pro-Bush views at all, so what has changed and why now? Why did he become a one trick pony and a mouthpiece for the Bush Administration? Was his ego tackled when he was kicked off Monday Night Football?

I think Dennis Miller was recruited by the Bush administration acting in conjunction with someone at GE/NBC to promote Bush and the war. Nothing else makes as much sense when you consider the facts presented here. Wasn't it was bad enough that Rupert Murdoch and Fox News were shills for the Bush Administration and their "pro war, big tax breaks for the rich" views? But at least Fox pretends to be a news program.

On May 23, 2003 a big ad for DirectTV appeared in at least one major newspaper: The Detroit Free Press, with Dennis' mug plastered at the top shilling for this satellite provider of programming. In case you didn't know, DirectTV was recently bought out by Rupert Murdoch, who also owns several ultra conservative media outlets, including Fox TV. In all the years prior to Murdoch's ownership, I never once noticed Dennis Miller being associated with Direct TV.

On July 3, 2003, a column ran in my local newspaper proclaiming Dennis Miller a big supporter of Bush, whacking Democrats with biting humor (Detroit Free Press, 2D). Citing yahoo.com, it went on to state that Dennis Miller recently flew from San Francisco to Los Angeles with the president where he gave a stand-up routine at a fund raiser. The fund raiser drew $3.5 million from about 1,600 people. It went on to state that Miller likened the nine Democratic candidates running for president in 2004 to the 1962 NY Mets--baseball's foremost losers--and called them an "empty-headed scrum."

Well to Dennis Milller I say this: It is you and your war mongering, ultra conservative new found "creepy" pals who are "empty-headed scum." We send you our deepest condolences and hope you get over your upper class white male mid-life crisis soon.

If you would like to voice your complaints about Dennis Miller's all too frequent appearances on The Tonight Show, you can use this link: http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/feedback/ or better yet, we have created a prepared form you can submit right from our website.

R. J. Crane, columnist for topplebush.com

Brief addendum July 12, 2003: After publication of this article Dennis Miller appeared on Fox's Hannity & Colmes on July 11, 2003. He bashed the Democratic candidates running for President. Dennis, what's the deal? Many of the Democratic candidates are not only much better educated than you but all have done way more with their lives than just entertaining people! And what's with the overdyed hair and that silly looking hair piece? Did you also have a little plastic surgery done on your face? Working as a weekly guest commentator on Hannity & Colmes? Have you lost your mind? Have you no shame? You have just lowered everyone's expectations of your intelligence by at least half.

© 2003 Topplebush.com
July 10, 2003