Word: backgrounding
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Known as mainstreaming, the Gannett policy urges editors and reporters to include minorities in stories in which their race, sex or ethnic background are unrelated. For example, quoting a black professor in a story about Black History Month does not qualify, but citing a black economist in a story about the budget deficit does. "Mainstreaming," explains Overby, "is affirmative action in the news columns...
UNFORTUNATELY, this approach only hurts the play. Woody Allen doesn't write broad physical comedies, and he can't be performed like the Three Stooges or Laurel and Hardy, though this seems to be the Dunster House approach. Physical humor, which might play well in the background, is brought to center stage, detracting from the play itself. The audience is treated to such extended vignettes as Axel struggling with Scotch tape and the embassy priest struggling to free himself from a Houdiniesque magic trick. These antics are funny by themselves, but are not anywhere near enough to carry an entire...
...years ago, said his office awarded the grants of $300 to $500 last month to "build bridges to reduce isolation." He said teachers would use the money to bring in advocacy organizations for groups such as immigrants and the handicapped to talk with students about their background...
...also lacks the constant background patter of jokes that kept Airplane! going. There is a good deal of homophobic nastiness--the bad guy is gay, of course--and the occasional bathroom humor makes for some of the film's least appealing moments. Naked Gun's endless gags become more and more tedious, and the movie starts to fall apart during an incredibly long baseball sequence near the end. The threadbare plot, flimsy as it is, actually manages to bog the film down...
...Background: Intern in Reagan's California Governor's office, executive in Michael Deaver's P.R. firm, Cabinet coordinator in Reagan's first term, Bush chief of staff since...