TBS broadcast the special "Earth to America", A Global Warming Comedy Special November 20th, 2005.
Here is a quote "I read the earth used to have 19% oxygen in its atmosphere but now it has 9%", Bill Maher.
A Hollywood celebrity said it so it must be true, NOT!
The normal level of oxygen in the atmosphere is 21%. Levels below 19.5% are considered Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH).
Either Bill Maher is an idiot or the person who scripted this line for him is an idiot. It wasn't delivered as a laugh line but as a statement of fact. Either way it is an example of why I have very little respect for Hollywood celebrities who speak out on issues.
I didn't watch the show so I don't know how many other "facts and figures" used during the show are bogus.
Here is the "Earth to America" Bill Maher video clip.
If a few rabid National Enquirer readers want to take Bill Maher's word as gospel on the oxygen content of the atmosphere, or think that Tom Cruise can tell them the secret of a happy marriage, or that they can have Jessica Simpson's figure if they just eat enough raw fish; well, then those few people will be mistaken too. So what?
On the other hand, when an elected official in a position of trust cites "mistaken" facts repeatedly over a period of years, thousands of people can die, billions of dollars can be misspent, and economies and nations can be destroyed.
Or, to put it another way, whose use of mistaken facts has hurt our country more?
Bill Maher's? Or Dick Cheney's?
Posted by David White on November 29, 2005 at 06:27 AM CST
Website: http://www.showmeblog.org/page/dwhite #