Can ‘Handrew’ Cuomo’s Second TV Spot Convince Us He’s Not a Creep?

Well the Doc opened up the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

There I was, minding my own business and thumbing through the New York Post when I came across this piece by Bernadette Hogan.

Disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo to address group of Hispanic ministers

Disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo released a second campaign style TV ad Monday as he’s set to speak to a group of Hispanic clergy this week in the Bronx in what some see as the latest steps toward launching a political comeback after resigning in August under threat of impeachment.

In the 30-second ad, titled “The Record,” the scandal-scarred former governor touts his accomplishments — including strengthening the state’s gun control laws and raising the minimum wage.

But he also claims credit for what many see as one of his greatest failings, saying he “led” the entire country during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it subsequently emerged he spent a good portion of that time promoting himself and his then-CNN host brother, Chris; writing a memoir about it mid-pandemic that may have used government resources and hiding the true death toll of senior citizens in nursing homes from the virus.

Not only that, Cuomo also says in the ad, “I haven’t been perfect. I’ve made mistakes, but I also made a difference.”

Whaddaya think, Doc – persuasive or pathetic, given Cuomo’s overall, er, hands-on tenure as governor?

– Cuomo No-No

Dear No-No,

First of all, Andrew Cuomo just might be the most delusional politician this side of Ted Cruz (R-Cancun).

A couple of weeks ago, the Doc documented Cuomo’s first TV spot attempting to rehabilitate his image. Now comes the former Empire State governor’s latest shot in the dark.

This is all performative penance by Cuomo, as the Post piece suggests: “Cuomo — who last week emerged to gripe about “cancel culture” during an address to a congregation in Brooklyn — will address a group run by controversial ex-Councilman Rubén Diaz Sr. on St. Patrick’s Day, the Pentecostal minister and former state senator announced.”

As for Cuomo’s claim that he “made a difference” – yeah, he made multiple women less emotionally secure, less personally confident, and less professionally successful.

That’s “The Record” Andrew Cuomo leaves in his wake.

Regardless, CNBC’s Brian Schwartz is reporting that all this media activity could be a prelude to a Cuomo comeback attempt.

Ex-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo considers running against Kathy Hochul despite opposition from his own party

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is considering a run against his replacement and fellow Democrat, Gov. Kathy Hochul, as part of an attempt at a comeback after resigning in disgrace amid multiple accusations of sexual harassment by former aides, according to people familiar with the matter.

Cuomo, who reluctantly left office last year after denying the harassment allegations, has been fielding calls from supporters about a possible run against his former lieutenant governor. His aides have been conducting their own internal voter polling on a potential matchup, these people explained. Those who declined to be named did so in order to speak freely about private matters.

After a recent public poll from Emerson College and The Hill showed Cuomo was a few points behind Hochul, the former governor received calls from allies encouraging him to run against Hochul, a person close to Cuomo said. That survey, which was published last week, showed Cuomo just four points behind Hochul with likely New York Democratic primary voters. It’s been one of the rare polls showing Cuomo that close to Hochul with primary voters.

That’s decidedly an understatement, as this New York Times piece by Nicholas Fandos and Katie Glueck indicates.

A Siena College poll released [in late February] showed that 80 percent of registered voters think Mr. Cuomo was right to resign, and 58 percent believe the allegations that he sexually harassed multiple aides. Only 25 percent of voters said that he had been vindicated by the disclosures that Mr. Cuomo’s lawyers have used to try to undermine several of his accusers.

The Doc’s prescription: When eight in ten voters say “good riddance,” it’s time to find another line of work.

What’s Up with the NYT ‘Philomena Gets Her Irish Up’ Ad?

DrAdsforProfileWell the Doc opened up the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

The new film Philomena has opened to great reviews, except maybe for one, as this New York Times movie ad noted on Thursday.

 

Screen Shot 2013-12-06 at 1.08.29 AM

 

Don’t you think it was incredibly brave for the moviemakers to highlight that critique, Doc?

Don’t you?

– Harvey W

Dear Harvey W,

For starters, here’s Kyle Smith’s New York Post review:

‘Philomena’ another hateful and boring attack on Catholics

Film Review Philomena

With “Philomena,” British producer-writer-star Steve Coogan and director Stephen Frears hit double blackjack, finding a true-life tale that would enable them to simultaneously attack Catholics and Republicans.

There’s no other purpose to the movie, so if 90 minutes of organized hate brings you joy, go and buy your ticket now.

For the rest of us, the film is a witless bore about a ninny and a jerk having one of those dire, heavily staged, only-in-movies odd-couple road trips.

Ouch.

But here’s the thing: That review ran two weeks ago.

So maybe the Times ad is more calculated than irritated.

From Wednesday’s Deadline Hollywood:

Weinsteins Decide ‘Philomena’-NY Post Dust-Up Makes For Great Ad Copy

Gotta hand it to Harvey: When he sees an angle to boost the profile of his movies, he goes for it. The Weinstein Company is placing an ad in tomorrow’s New York Times referencing the skirmish between NY Post reviewer Kyle Smith and the real-life Philomena philomena__130725102945-275x169Lee, the subject of the distributor’s Oscar-season pic Philomena directed by Stephen Frears and starring Judi Dench as Lee. That’s the rift Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr. told you about first last week by publishing Lee’s response to Smith’s review that called the pic among other things an attack on Catholics.  The NYT ad excerpts Lee’s letter to Smith that Fleming ran full and comes complete with a a call to action — “Decide For Yourself” — even though the movie’s been in the marketplace since the week before Thanksgiving.

Yeah – decide for yourself.

Yo.

What’s Up with the News Corpse – Er, News Corp – Ad?

Well the Doc opened the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.

Dear Dr. Ads,

Rupert Murdoch has just split his News Corp empire in two: 21st Century Fox, the entertainment division, and the new News Corp print/publishing division. Wall Street sort of loves it, the New York Post really hates it, but most important – what do you think?

– Pieface

Dear Pieface:

Well you’ve certainly come to the right place to find out what I think. But before we get to that, let’s take your other points in order.

First, the News Corp empire is indeed split, as was officially announced in a two-page newspaper ad this week. Here it is from Monday’s New York Times (must’ve killed Murdoch to fork over major six figures to his arch-nemesis, eh?):

Picture 7

 

So there you have it – print and publishing on the left, complete with a new News Corp logo; entertainment on the right, complete with the updated 21st Century Fox name.

(Also new: Murdoch’s beleaguered News International has been rebranded as News UK. As Mark Borkowski wrote in The Guardian, “[a]t News Corp we are now witnessing a methodical detoxification of the brand, to allow it to function at its best once again.”)

As for Wall Street . . . well, this Reuters headline says it all:

A sign is seen outside News Corporation building in New YorkFree of newspapers, 21st Century Fox shines

(Reuters) – Wall Street rewarded Rupert Murdoch’s move to create a separate entertainment company, giving 21st Century Fox one of the richest valuations in the media sector on its first day of trading.

Investors had waited for Murdoch to split News Corp, giving its cable, movie and equity stakes in pay-TV assets their own spotlight away from the publishing division.

In the first day of trading as separate entities, “[s]hares in the new 21st Century Fox entertainment operation gained over 2 percent on Monday, or $1.1 billion dollars in market value, from its opening price.”

Shares of News Corp, meanwhile, fell 3 percent.

That’s reason number one the New York Post hates the split.  Reason number two is that the tabloid will have to survive on its own without the entertainment division floating its clockwork annual losses, variously estimated at anywhere between $15 million and $110 million.

Finally, what does the old Doc think about all this?

Well, it’s possible the Murdoch just fell out of love with the print side of his medialith (just jettisoned wife #3 Wendi Deng knows the feeling).

It’s also possible that family and financial advisers finally prevailed upon Murdoch to kick the papers out of the nest to see which ones fly.

That sound you hear is the Post, flapping its arms frantically.

Yo.