Racketeering Case Re-Created With Puppets After TV News Program Aren't Allowed In Court

[Brendon Connelly]

Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora was indicted in September 2010 on 26 corruption charges, and is now undergoing trial in federal court. Because the cameras of the local program, 19 Action News, are not allowed in the court room, they've taken imaginative measures to bring details of the case to the viewing public.

Instead of the chalk or pastel illustrations that I remember filling up the news programs of my youth, these wags have opted for puppet reproductions. As you might expect, the following is more Avenue Q than Sesame Street:



The station has justified their approach to Time:

Now, the station actually provides serious coverage of developments in Dimora?s trial at the beginning of the 11 p.m. newscast, but [Cleveland?s WOIO-TV news director Dan] Salamone said the puppets are a way to take a satirical look at a trial that has exhausted the Cleveland area and shed a negative light on local government.

Yeah - satire, and saving the audience from the tedium of this exhausting story.

And the viral factor.

And the ratings.

Here are a couple more clips:





They've sure worded that intro carefully.

Sometimes I really miss Cleveland. Not necessarily now, but sometimes.

[Blackfist]

Puppets are great

[Cpt. Juan Langosta]

Puppets are great

Indeed. A few years ago, my lovely wife planned our trip to London around the Punch & Judy Festival. And we got to see SOCK PUPPET SHOWGIRLS here in Chicago. All kinds of awesome . . . .

We can only hope that more news outlets will take puppet approach to their telecasts. The stuffed heads and vacant stares have more credibility than the botoxed and over-coiffed knobs jabbering on most channels.

[Lou]

All TV news should be delivered by puppets!