This ought to get the Wie Warriors up in arms for sure Chris. Especially since that illegal drop should be dead and buried by now. Shouldn't we all just start focusing our energy someplace else now? There's so much good golf to be had who cares what Hollywood or anyone else thinks about her game, her character and her ability. Can't we just all agree we're seriously tired of all things Wie. You're a great writer Chris, cover something else now. Please.

Chris
Your last three columns garnered a combined "1" comment. Bamberger has a new book to peddle, and has lost his credibility with millions of SI readers (his former mealticket).Shyamalan Has a new movie to hype after his last one tanked. Solution? Roll out another attack on Wie.

Also a big fan of Shyamalan. The Village was good, but not quite as good as Signs or Unbreakable - one of the most underrated movies of the last decade.

The following three paragraphs are excerpts from an article on Shyamalan. Of particular interest are his alleged “hoax” (perhaps fraud is a better word) and allegations of his plagiarizing other works:

“The New York Post wrote that the film [Lady in the Water] was "dead in the water", criticizing Shyamalan as a "crackpot with messianic delusions".

In recent years, M. Night Shyamalan has been accused of plagiarism. [2] The Sixth Sense resembles the Orson Scott Card novel Lost Boys, and The Village has strong elements found in the Margaret Peterson Haddix novel Running Out of Time. Plots and elements from these books can be found in both movies.

In 2004, Shyamalan was involved in a media hoax with the Sci Fi Channel, which when eventually uncovered by the press prompted Sci Fi's parent company, NBC-Universal, to denounce the undertaking as "not consistent with our policy at NBC. We would never intend to offend the public or the press and value our relationship with both". [24]”

Nice source Bamberger!

Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Night_Shyamalan

These people have character flaws too. Absolute stupidity and greed.

Absolute stupidity in thinking that Wie and her caddie deilberately did something while the whole world watched, that would get her disqualified

Greed in trying to create headlines and peddling whatever it is they're peddling, just like Baldwin

Baldwin,

Does anyone support you more than Ronnie?
Does anyone else like Creamer the way you do apart from Ronnie?

You are a very intelligent man and write some great articles, but why bring up the drop again?
It's old news.

Please bring some new material that your fans can admire.
Wie will be playing the Omega Masters soon. Perhaps there will be something there.

Or how about her new caddie, perhaps you could dig up some dirt there.

Harping back to the Samsung gives you a very low grade. Please do better in your next blog. Come on.

It's reasonable to question, if not wonder about character development and its process as a young person is growing in a sport that demands personal integrity. It would be better to change or at least recognize the tendency to avoid personal responsibilities unless being caught.

Is Ronnie's real name Ronnie Monnnie?

You people are screwy? Look inward before looking outward. Should any of us really care about Michelle Wie's character? Are we going to point to her as a character role model? She is a model of athletic achievement, nothing more nor less. Any other attachment of virtues to her, or other athletes, is misguided.

More on The Sham Shaman's hoax - he claimed to be dead (drowned) as a child for a half-hour (never happened) which helped him "speak to the spirit world (sure). He then produced a fake "documentary" on the non-event. Excerpts from above link:

“2004, Shyamalan was involved in a media hoax with the Sci Fi Channel… Sci Fi claimed in its "documentary" special — The Buried Secret of M. Night Shyamalan, shot on the set of The Village [too good]— that Shyamalan was legally dead for nearly a half-hour while drowned in a frozen pond in a childhood accident, and that upon being rescued he had experiences of communicating with spirits, fueling an obsession with the supernatural…The hoax included a non-existent Sci Fi publicist, "David Westover", whose name appeared on press releases regarding the special. Sci Fi also fed false news stories to the Associated Press …

After an AP reporter confronted Sci Fi Channel president Bonnie Hammer at a press conference, Hammer admitted the hoax, saying it was part of a guerrilla marketing campaign to generate pre-release publicity for The Village. Despite his office's disclosure-agreement requirement and approvals of each marketing step, Shymalan told the AP, "I was, of course, involved in the production of the special but had nothing to do with the marketing of it. If the Sci Fi Channel erred in their marketing strategy, it was totally out of enthusiasm." “

More charges of plagerism!:
Simon & Schuster Inc's announcement it is reviewing its legal options against the company and Shyamalan. Last week, reports circulated that The Village's plot and surprise ending were parallel to Margaret Peterson Haddix's first book Running Out Of Time, published in 1995. Haddix says she heard about the similarities last week when fans - and then journalists - began calling and emailing her and her publisher to ask if she had sold the book to Shyamalan… Shyamalan has previously battled a copyright lawsuit brought by a Pennsylvania screenwriter who claimed the plot from his 2002 film Signs mirrored his unpublished script Lord Of The Barrens.

http://us.imdb.com/news/wenn/2004-08-11#celeb3

Note to Michelle:
When people like Bamberger, Baldwin and Shyamalan challenge your credibility, be happy, its some kind of a cosmic joke.

Nice research on Shyamalan, Baldwin!

We now know Bamberger's new best fiend Shyamalan is capable of fabricating a Media Hoax to promote a project. I'm now more convinced than ever that Bamberger's DQ of Wie was a book-promotion Media Hoax as well. "Birds of a feather fly together".

Let me see--
On one hand
a 16 year old female golfer who got disqualified and didn't complain about it afterward and took her lumps

On the other hand a fortyish balding man w/a 4th rate blog fresh from getting sued for defamation bitter and jealous over the success of a 16 year old golfer.

Man this sure is hard-- which one has more character ??

Is Shyamamalalan Indian? What is it with these Indians and plagiarism. Wasn't that Harvard chick from India too.

Shyamlan is of Indian decent but grew up in a Main Line Philly neighborhood - both parents were successful physicians. He attended all "the best" schools, and had every opportunity to make his own way.

Baldwin, Shyamalan, and Bamberger attacking a teenage girl... some manly "character". Still, the "boomeranging" of Baldwin's story is the best laugh I've had this week!

Bamberger's DQ of Wie should be investigated further. It is looking more and more like a book-promotion media-hoax!

The first 40-45 minutes or so of The Village was arguably the most suspenseful of any movie made in the last 30 years.

The Sixth Sense had the cinematic quality of a dream, in the best sense of the word. Lady in the Water was pretty weak, for Shyamalan, but still better than the majority of Hollywood drivel.

Signs was a great sci-fi thriller, so much different than most in that genre -- he manages to scare the hell out of you while using the pace of a Leave it to Beaver episode.

Don't know whether he's a plegiarist or not -- everyone borrows from others to varying degrees -- but he's definitely an original, and fiercely entertaining.

Simon and Schuster was reported to be reviewing their legal options against Shyamalan for plagiarism. Also, federal suit has been filed by Trilenium Pictures against Disney & Shyamalan on another case of alleged plagiarism. There are further accusations of plagiarism.

The president of Sci-Fi was forced to admit that Shyamalan's "documentary" was a media-hoax. NBC apologized publicly for the debacle.

The point is not whether Shyamalan can write or pilfer entertaining yarns, but whether his opinion holds water in judging someone else's moral fibre.

Further, the close relationship between Shyamalan and Bamberger (and Bamberger's infatuation with Shyamalan) adds fuel to the notion that Bamberger's DQ of Wie was just another Media-Hoax to sell a book.

My point was geared purely toward the cinema, a refreshing break from golf conspiracy nuts like Ghet Real.

Shyamalan is has fabricated a well documented Media-Hoax. He's been sued for plagiarism.

Baldwin's comments present Shyamalan as having some sort of lofty moral authority:
"But really everyone should read Shyamalan's words again. This isn't a traditional sports guy obsessed with whether Wie's winning or not. He's talking character."

Talking character? Absurd! - Doesn't pass the giggle-test.

Well, with only just a week and a day away from MW teeing it up at the Omega European Masters, I'm surprised it took this long for her to pop onto the blogging screen again. I think I most agree with CK1 on this one. Let's expend energy elswhere for a while. If MW makes teh Euro-masters cut...well that'll be new news then.

Signs, Tim??

Yikes. I mean, it's great if you are confused about the term "deus ex machina" and want to see it in action. Or if you think occasional close-ups of glasses of water are plot points.

And come on, water killed them? You're telling me they went to all the trouble of learning intergalactic travel, and then head to a planet that's primarily made of acid to them.

Surreal. It would be like planning to attack Iraq and not knowing there was a difference between Sunni and Shiite. Absurd.

--WKW

Speaking of media hoaxes, that is quite a caper that BJ, Bo, and Bubbles' other handlers are pulling off. None of the Wie Warriors find anything wrong with that gang getting rich without producing something of substance. By the way, Ghet, how are you doing with your lawsuits and your Astroturf theory?

Oh my. Another of Baldwin's irrational rants against a 16 year old girl. Get a life. Or perhaps Baldwin should pour his vitriol against Anna Sorenstram, whom I believe was also assessed a two stroke penalty this year, courtesy of her playing partner, Karrie Webb.

Alex,
If you don't think there's anything substantive about all of Michelle's Top 5 finishes in the majors, you must think 90% of the female golfers have no substance since they sure as heck don't have that record.
That's untouched territory for a player this young- you need to stop thinking in such an extremist manner. You must be downright miserable with your life.

Well, if you analyze a lot of his plots, they don't exactly connect all the dots. I just like his style, the way he's able to build suspense without hokey and hackneyed action scenes. When action does happen, it's more effective.

I thought Signs was one of the better sci-fi movies I've seen, and I'm a sci-fi fan, though not a fanatic.

It looked like a more realistic way that something like that would actually happen, out in the sticks. I'm a big fan of portent and Signs has a ton of them.

OK, show of hands. Who think Ghet Rheel and Chris Baldwin are the same person, clogging up the Internet with their schizophrenic arguing?

Seriously, a Hollywood director (as quoted by a hack sportswriter), known for playing media games, is questioning the character of a 16-year old golfing/marketing phenom because of a single incident? And this is news?

The only thing dumber than Baldwin blogging about it is Ghet Rheel's fanatical response of repeatedly trying to smear Shyamalan. Dude, if you don't like what Baldy says, IGNORE IT. If he doesn't get readers (and commenters), TravelGolf will dump his ass.

It is a beautiful sight to see. Wie bashers doing backflips trying anything and everything to change the subject away from Baldwin's ridiculous post.

Love it when the delusional TC pretends to actually BE a commissioner of something. TC, if you don't like the way thing are spinning in this blog, there are about 300 other strings running on this site alone - find one that, you know, pleases you.

No one is trying to smear Shyamalan - he did a fine job of it all by himself. The POSSIBLE big story here is the Bamberger Media-Hoax angle:

1. Bamberger is infatuated with Shyamalan (wrote a book about him).
2. Shyamalan fabricated a Media-Hoax to promote a film (NBC had to publicly apologize).
3. Bamberger creates a media storm via the "Wie DQ".
Question: Was Bamberger's "Wie DQ" a Media-Hoax to promote Bamberger's book that was released days later?

That is a good question. Great stories start with good questions.

Great post ToddCommish. Gheet Rheel makes me laugh on a more consistent basis than any comedian that I can think of. What a lunatic!

Operation Astroturf, media hoax's, lawsuits, claims of child abuse...keep em' coming Ghet Rheel I feel like I'm watching a man lose his mind right in front of my eyes.

I do agree that this is pretty much a non-issue, the illegal drop(which did give her a huge advantage) is old news and who really cares what a one-tirck pony director like Shyamalan says, but your over the top responses are priceless--Anyone who dares criticize Michelle Wie must be a child abusing, slanderous, plagerizing hack with Pedophilic tendencies in your eyes--You need serious help.

Ford

You are the most abusive "Walter Mitty" character I've ever encountered. To top it off, you repeatedly try to pose as the "injured voice of reason" when anyone slaps you back. What a phony!

The only thing I've ever accused you of, is being vebally abusive to a child. Michelle is a child and you have been verbally abusive toward her - do the math.

I'd be proud for my family, friends, and community to see anything I've written on this blog... how about you Ford? - May happen sooner than you think.

As to the DQ - Were you there? Did you see an illegal drop? The LPGA caved-in to the big Sports Illustrated writer's reenactment, while Johnston let his player twist in the wind.

Ford - To bring the blog back on topic:

1. Bamberger is infatuated with Shyamalan (wrote a book about him).
2. Shyamalan fabricated a Media-Hoax to promote a film (NBC had to publicly apologize).
3. Bamberger creates a media storm via the "Wie DQ".

Question: Was Bamberger's "Wie DQ" a Media-Hoax to promote Bamberger's book that was released days later?

Ghet Rheel says: Question: Was Bamberger's "Wie DQ" a Media-Hoax to promote Bamberger's book that was released days later?

Answer: Ghet Rheel is a fricking raving nut job.

1. Bamberger is infatuated with Shymalan [possibly true, see Mario, Jennifer for similar fawning]
2. Shyamalan fabricated a media-hoax [Unsubstantiated. He participated, there is no evidence he is the mastermind. More likely, it's a studio idea.]
3. Bamberger creates a media storm via the "Wie DQ" [Perhaps, but if she makes a legal drop, none of us would have ever heard of Bamberger]

So, you take a media-whore sportswriter who idolizes a creepy, media-whore filmmaker. You add in a media-whore golfer who doesn't know the rules of her sport. Now, have the filmmaker tell the sportswriter he thinks the golfer has low character. What does that make?

Nothing, except a blown synapse in Ghet Rheel's already misfiring brain.

Tim,

I think Shymalalalalan (I didn't feel like cut-and-pasting) is a good director and is probably at a crossroads of whether he'll become something really special or eventually become the center square, with Tarantino next to him ("I'll take McNight Shymallalalan for the win")

I did like The Village, but not as much as Chris. Of course, I doubt anyone liked it that much, except for maybe Shymallalalalaalaa himself. It was good despite the presence of Joaquin Phoenix, who's likable, but always plays that slightly stoned, Joaquin Phoenix character. I especially liked him in the film "Joaquin Phoenix and June"

Dude, if you don't like what Baldy says, IGNORE IT. If he doesn't get readers (and commenters), TravelGolf will dump his ass.

Cripes. We need comments?? I'm doomed.

--WKW

Toddy boy - the Pleasanton Pontif...

Do you ever research ANYTHING before you blather on?

Shyamalan's role in fabricating the media-hoax is well documented:

"Despite his [Shyamalan's] office's disclosure-agreement requirement, and approvals of each marketing step, Shymalan told the AP, "I was, of course, involved in the production of the special but had nothing to do with the marketing of it. If the Sci Fi Channel erred in their marketing strategy, it was totally out of enthusiasm." (Yeah right, Shy... well, Toddy buys your BS)

Apparently, Toddy also buys Bookie Bamberger's BS about the drop. Wie's playing partner had no problem with it. Toddy - Can't make a connection between Bamberger's DQ gambit and his book launching only days later? Are ANY of your synapses working?

And Todd... Commissioner? Please... Head jock-sniffer is more like it.

Jason, This may come as a surprise to a mental lightweight such as yourself, but my life is quite fulfilled and happy. Remarks made on blogs like these don't mean a thing to me except as entertainment. You have swallowed the Wie koolaid as has your mentor, Ghet Rheel. That's fine. I haven't gone off the deep end in Wie adulation like you. That should be fine also. Is it?

Don't worry too much about Alex, Jason.

Bellevue lets him have access to the internet as reward for not soiling his pants for the day -so just let him have his fun. Its a big deal for him.

Bamberger - driven by journalistic ethics?
Bamberger was on the set of the Village while Shyamalan was filming the FAKE "documentary". Phony press releases were showing up daily on AP and in other national outlets. Where was Bamberger's ethical compass? Why didn't he bust the Media-Hoax wide open - right there and right then? He knew the whole story.

He got Wie DQ'd primarily on the strength of his alleged journalistic integrity. He was the big-time Sports Illustrated authority. The LPGA caved-in to him on the strength of his reputation. It was his word against a teenaged rookie's. Bamberger and his pals should shut up about this mess while they still can.

Major media hoax and no story exposing it from Book Bamberger - Its gettin' curiouser and curiouser.

Kyle, By mentioning your home of Bellevue, you have outed yourself as a denizen of that liberal hell hole New York City.

Gheet Rheel--You are a joke! You are easily the most mocked person on this site and probably on all the other sites you troll as well. You're cries of verbal abuse and media hoaxes are the stuff of comic gold, but sadly you aren't in on the joke.

[Editor's Note: The rest of this was unnecessary and over the line. It has been deleted]

According to a new pole Michelle is rated as the 4th most popular female athelete in the US. Looks like all the Wie bashing on this site isn't working. Maybe you guys need to make up some more phoney scandels. Try mob connections or something. Be more creative.

Paul W, I'm glad to see that Bubbles is the 4th most popular female athlete in the US according to a "new pole." Tell me, was this a light pole, a telegraph pole, a pole for vaulting, or a Pole from Warsaw?:-) Mr. Editor, I hope this doesn't get deleted. Ghet Rheel has accused several on this board, myself included, of conspiracy, many actionable civil offenses, and other high crimes, misdemeanors and treason without being deleted. Are you being selective in your censorship?

Alex, haha, okey poll. Speeling waz never my tallent.

Bill, I'd agree with that. His movies, in my opinion, always seem to be on the verge of excellent. Most of them anyway. But, they always seem to be missing something. They don't have the full weight of what I believe this guy is capable of.

He's still young, and has a lot of growing to do. But, whenever i see one of his films coming out, I get interested. You know you're going to get something out of it. I still think he's better than 90 percent of Hollywood directors working now.

By the way Todd Commish, Baldwin has a "no-fire" clause in his contract with TravelGolf, whether people respond to his blogs or not.

Whether or not you know it, he is one of the most powerful golf writers in the business today. You should see his house, it's more like a mansion. He has his own driving range and the few times I was allowed on the grounds, there were at least three knock-out blondes practicing their long-irons.

"Walter Mitty" Ford:
I hope you aren't laboring under the moronic delusion that I, or any Wie supporter, give a tinker's damn what you and your little playmates think.

And mocked? Big deal. Anyone who stands up for themselves gets flak from the haters. I truly feel sorry for you. You are one sick puppy - Oh, and the first I've seen have a comment deleted on this blog - Using those Big Manly swear words again are ya, Walter?

Paul W - Fouth most popular popular athlete in the US? Impressive. From reading this blog, you'd think she be dead last - right below Tonya Harding! I wonder if the Bashers will ever figure out how far out of touch with humanity they really are - kinda doubt they ever will. Oh well, at least its entertaining to watch them attempt to spin, obfuscate and dissemble.

BTW, nice to see all these Shyamalan aficionados come out of the woodwork or the closet or wherever they've been hiding. That tribe sure hasn't been showing up at the box office lately.

Ghet, Old pal, isn't it time for you to trot out the Great Astroturf Conspiracy? How about the pending legal actions against the "child abusers?" Nobody cares about these movie producers or authors. The Wie Warriors are interested in fantasy. Paul W was right there with Bubbles being number four in popularity among female athletes. Ghet, you can do it! Put on your tinfoil hat and give out with some of your well known science fiction.

Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
Speaking of media hoaxes, that is quite a caper that BJ, Bo, and Bubbles' other handlers are pulling off. None of the Wie Warriors find anything wrong with that gang getting rich without producing something of substance.
__________________________

Do you watch golf Alex?
Michelle Wie
- youngest to ever win an adult usga event.
- youngest to qualify for an lpga event.
- youngest to make the cut at the US Womens Open.
- only female to get past local US Open qualifying.
- only female to make the cut on the Asian Tour.
- first female in 61 years to make a cut on one of the 6 pga tours.
- first female to qualify for the US Publinx, and got to quarter final stage giving her automatic qualification for the next years event, had she not turned pro.
- top amateur in several lpga majors.
- 6 top 5 places in majors while still 16 years old. Impressive.

Have been meaning to call the Hawaii Child Protection Services Division to see if verbal abuse of a child by an adult on a blog is actionable. If it is, I'm sure you'll be getting a jingle. Still oblivious to Public Relations astroturf? Why does that not surprise me.

Let's get back to the topic, since no one seems to want to let go of this string:

1. Bamberger is infatuated with Shyamalan (wrote a book about him).
2. Shyamalan fabricated a Media-Hoax to promote a film (NBC had to publicly apologize).
3. Bamberger creates a media storm via the "Wie DQ".

Question: Was Bamberger's "Wie DQ" a Media-Hoax to promote Bamberger's book that was released days later?

The above is meant for Alex -

BTW, particularly enjoy the insights on Shyamalan from the aficionados who can't spell his name.

Ghet Rheel, That is very weak. I'm afraid you're losing your touch. There are several newbie Wie Warriors on this site who are not familiar with Astroturf. It's up to you to give them the skinny on this nefarious plot. Even the Wie skeptics can use an update. They've got to know what can and cannot be said on these blogs in order to avoid that call from the Oahu Child Protective Services and Kook Bloggers Bureau. Got to be PC or one might get that rap on the door at 3:00AM. Come on, Ghet, keep 'em coming!

Sure -
1. Go to Google
2. Type in "astroturf" and "blog"
3. Read

Now, back to the subject you so deserately want to changs:

1. Bamberger is infatuated with Shyamalan (wrote a book about him).
2. Shyamalan fabricated a Media-Hoax to promote a film (NBC had to publicly apologize).
3. Bamberger creates a media storm via the "Wie DQ".

Question: Was Bamberger's "Wie DQ" a Media-Hoax to promote Bamberger's book that was released days later?

Ghet Rheel, Weren't you the one who criticized someone else's spelling? Ghet, fie on google! You are the resident Astroturf expert here and we Wie skeptics want it right from the horse's mouth, not from the other end!

Get Real - it doesn't surprise me that you're one of those people who judges movies by their box office results.

To the Editor: Edit this..

You guys are on very dangerous ground here. Censoring comments arbitrarily is a slippery slope. So let me get this straight you guys are ok with racist comments, homophobic comments, ethnic slurs, threats of unactionable lawsuits, slanderous claims of child abuse, and delsusional rants regarding covert operations and smear campaigns, yet my rebuttle to a man(and I use the term loosely) who has accused me of child abuse and brought my family into the discussion is out of bounds. I have no doubt that the cowards who run this site will edit this as well, but the point of my offending post was simply that a particular poster on this blog believes me to be a child abuser based on the evidence of one comment while I believe this same poster to be a pedophile based on the strength of his entire body of work on this site; said poster fits the physcological profile of molesters to a tee from his overly aggressive defense of a child supposedly in danger to his delsional rantings and his positioning himself as an authority figure and protector.

Ford so in your twisted little spinal cord ending, you see standing up for a child who is being slandered by adults as being perverse? You are a demented little bully. I'd suggest you get off my case and soon.

The plot to bring down Bubbles was probably hatched about one year ago. It truly bred some strange bedfellows. M. Night Shyamalan, a furtive Hindu right out of central casting, and Michael Bamberger, a reformed Zionist Jew were the initial conspirators. Each had an axe to grind, but the question was how to put the machinery in gear without arousing the suspicions of the Wie thought police. One dark night, they met on Level 3 in the sub basement of Astroturf Central with the third and perhaps the most insidious member of the cabal, Herb Krickstein. At first M.N. Shy and Bam wanted to pull the illegal drop hoax on Annika, but Mister Herb, as he is reverently called by the serfs on his Florida plantation, was adamant. The victim of the hoax should be none other than Bubbles who had stolen the headlines as well as the bulk of the endorsement money an all the sponsors' exemptions from his granddaughter, Morgan Pressel. At first Bam was reluctant, but when Mr. Herb appealed to him as a fellow Zionist, Bam relented. M.Night, have no dog in the fight , shrugged and said okay. They signed the deal in their own blood and for all intents and purposes seemed to have pulled it off without a hitch. One thing they didn't take into account , though, was the investigative abilities of several bloggers on Travelgolf.com. Ghet Rheel, a sleuth if there ever was one saw through it for what is was almost immediately. The amateurish plot had bungled Astroturf written all over it. Mr. Herb has retreated to the safety of his compound, M. Night is looking for a new studio to scam, and Bam is now a copy boy for Popular Mechanics. Bubbles, in contrast is setting the poles (polls) on fire, she's now number four. And Ghet Rheel is back at his keyboard, raring to go and loaded for bear. That'll teach 'em! Go Michelle!

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Tim,
Box office judgments are not all bad. Second and third week numbers are telling. Big drop-off usually means big bomb (despite all attempts at hype). Some critics are “on the money”, some not. Have always found David Edelstein’s reviews to be reliable. Below are excerpts – oh, he mentions Bamberger’s book… calls it “unintentionally hilarious”:

[title]:
“M. Narcissus Shyamalan
[subtitle]:
Lady in the Water drowns in the pool of its director’s self-regard
By David Edelstein – New York Magazine

Born Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan in 1970, the director of Signs and Lady in the Water invented his middle name, “Night,” while studying film at NYU. He’s “playfully embellished” his biography ever since, including filming a hoax-documentary special, The Buried Secret of M. Night Shyamalan, for the Sci Fi Channel to promote The Village. The hoax, picked up by the AP, the New York Post, and others, claimed that the director had been legally dead for a half-hour after drowning in a frozen pond—and thereafter communicated with supernatural spirits.

In the absence of a neurological disorder, a filmmaker who boasts about hearing voices is either scamming the congregation or has come to believe that the universe revolves around him.” …

David, maybe both?

Tim:
Does anyone still think Baldwin trotted out a reliable witness in “Character Boy” Shyamalan?

Michelle Wie got voted the 4th most favorite female athlete ?

Baldwin's not even the 4th most favorite blogger on this website.

Good for you Alex- are you learning about toilet paper this week?

Kyle, That's some brilliant repartee you've come up with. When does school start for you? Ghet, isn't it nice to have Kyle on your side?

The US female athletes who were first and second in that poll were Venus and Serena Williams. Enough said.

Harris Poll top-ten most popular Female athletes in US:

1. Venus Williams
2. Serena Williams
3. Mia Hamm
4. Michelle Wie
5. Danica Patrick
6. Michelle Kwan
7 Annika Sorenstam
8. Maria Sharapova
9 Anna Kournikova
10. Sasha Cohen.

Wonder what the numbers look like in Asia. Think Nike and SONY were way ahead of the curve in signing Wie? Wie Bashers are looking more and more like the “Gang that Couldn’t Shoot Straight”. Think they ever heard of “backlash”?

Can't wait to hear how Harris is wrong and they're right. Or, maybe we'll get another round of esoteric film reviews (how pithy) from the golf-gossip-columnists.

Kyle - Alex shows no respect for the Williams sisters... how predictable.

The validity of the poll is put into question by the fact that neither of the Williams sisters is ranked or seeded in the current US Open. But at least they have a lot of wins between them. Bubbles and Danica still wear the horse collar. The fact that Bubbles is ranked in popularity way ahead of Annika says much for her publicity machine and little for the knowledge of those polled.

Alex knows how to poll and whom to poll - Harris doesn't. Again, how predictable.

Correction:

In an earlier comment I wrote the following:
"Bamberger was on the set of the Village while Shyamalan was filming the FAKE "documentary"."
I am now reasonably certain that the source for that comment was not reliable. Thus, I have no reliable source that Bamberger was present when Shyamalan shot the bogus "documentary". It of course follows that if Bamberger was not present at the shoot, it would be unlikely that he could have reported the fake documentary. Sorry for the error.

That said, well before the time Bamberger's book went to press, he was fully aware of the media-hoax-fake-documentary, and of the numerous serious plagiarism charges against Shyamalan. Bamberger knew full well that Shy was in no position to pass judgment on anyone elses character; and particularly not in the Wie-Bamberger matter.

Unless, of course... after Shy's "near death" drowning experience he acquired the mysterious ability to see rules violations when no where near the event. No more foot wedges for me.

"I see ball drops!" Ooooooo spooooky!

Sentence in second parargraph above should read:

That said, well before the time Bamberger's book went to press, he was fully aware of the media-hoax-fake-documentary, and of the numerous serious ALLEGED plagiarism charges against Shyamalan.

Ghet Rheel, Let's cut to the chase. Do you or don't you believe that Bubbles took an illegal drop at last year's Samsung? Do you actually believe that Michael Bamberger fabricated the illegal drop and convinced the tournament officials that it really occurred? And that he did these things to promote himself and his soon-to-be-released book? And that nobody on the course, including Bubbles or her caddie, had any evidence to dispute such an obvious hoax? Please try to give a direct answer, none of the old "anything is possible" or "they're all insanely jealous of Michelle" baloney. Such a well thought out plot and it's successful execution would far exceed anything that the alleged Astroturf conspirators have been able to pull off to this point. Ghet, if you can give a straight yes or no reply to these questions with some logical explanation, you might make me a convert and a true believer.

Get Real, you're a closet liberal. Edelstein is the same guy who gave a generally good review to Fahrenheit 9-11.

For those who don’t care for Edelman’s film reviews;
John Patterson of The Guardian writes:

“It is time for M Night Shyamalan to shut up, sod off, grow up, get over himself, wait five years for his personality to catch up with his talent and then, these things all having been achieved to a legally certifiable degree, come back and impress us all over again.”

He mentions Bamberger’s book on Sham, calls it “toecurlingly reverent”.

Patterson goes on to say:
“All this, combined with toxic box office for Lady, suggests that Nighty-Night needs some naptime in which to recharge his creative batteries. If only he'd let someone else write a script for him. And then let them direct it.”

Oh, and yeah, after reading about Sham and Bam, I think there’s a good chance Bam followed Wie around the course hoping to find some infraction (real or concocted) he could use to goad the LPGA into DQing her with. Would I call this possible scenario “well thought out”? No… the words “clumsy” and “inept” come to mind – Bam’s “valiant gesture in defense of the sanctity of the Rules of Golf” stunk from day one, and the national press took him to task for it.

Bam’s “toecurling reverence” for Sham speaks volumes about Bam’s character. If it is OK for Sham to fafricate a widely-reported Media-Hoax to promote a new film, then maybe it’s OK for Bam to try one to promote his new book too. Bam's complete embrace of his hero Shyamalan, indicates to me that Bam lacks the ethical and moral compass that would preclude him from wrongly DQing Wie to make a buck on his book.

Wie was wise to move on; Bambam should consider doing the same.

Ghet Rheel, I didn't think you'd give a straight answer. Your reply is a definite maybe, then? Your theory that Bamberger may have followed her around the course hoping to notice a real or imagined infracton that would cause the LPGA to DQ Bubbles after his goading is without doubt the most convoluted conspiracy theory ever to be proposed on a golf blog. It would make some of the kook conspiracy theorists envious. But since it comes from a guy who is an avid believer in the power of the Astroturf, I suppose it's to be expected. I do agree with you Ghet that the illegal drop and the subsequent DQ should be tossed in the dust bin of history.

Prior to Baldwin's reopening the issue, I'd given BamBam the benefit of the doubt, i.e. chickensh*t?... yes; fabricated?... probably not.

After digging into accounts of Shyamalan's dubious background, and BamBam's sycophantic devotion to him; and learning of Sham's cavalier attitude media-hoaxes... Well, the missing element appeared - like an elephant in the living room, with BamBam perched atop.

The missing element? Lack of character. All other elements were in place. Means, motive, presence at incident, conflicting eyewitness accounts, etc. But who thought anyone could stoop so low? Enter Sham, BamBam's hero. He stooped that low, and he's dreamy!

It is hard for me to ignore a sycophant on an elephant.

With corrections:

Prior to Baldwin's reopening the issue, I'd given BamBam the benefit of the doubt, i.e. chickensh*t?... yes; fabricated?... probably not.

After digging into accounts of Shyamalan's dubious background, and BamBam's sycophantic devotion to him; and learning of Sham's cavalier attitude toward media-hoaxes... Well, the missing element appeared - like an elephant in the living room, with BamBam perched atop.

The missing element? Lack of character. All other elements were in place. Means, motive, presence at incident, conflicting eyewitness accounts, etc. But who thought anyone could stoop so low? Enter Sham, BamBam's hero. He has stooped that low, and he's dreamy!

It is hard for me to ignore a sycophant on an elephant.

Ghet Rheel, There is a delicious bit of irony in your blogs which you possibly are unable to see. You've made it a crusade to excoriate any person or persons who dare to question the judgment or motives of BJ Wie, the quintessential stage father and money grubber par excellence. No matter how egregious and/or boorish his mercenary grasping, you will defend him and his protege, Bubbles. Yet,in the next breath, you have created a fantasy of a scurrilous plot invoving Bamberger and Shyamalan to get Bubbles DQ'ed on a non-existent and illegal technicality. This is the kind of supposed tripe that is actionable in your mind if tendered against BJ and Bubbles. Ghet, if you ever pursue a career in law, don't ever go into court with that kind of "evidence."

Sham had nothing to do with BamBam's possible hoax, with the exception of being BamBam's hero, and having shown a PROVEN track-record of taking an active role in scam to promote a movie.

The missing link in questioning whether the DQ was a hoax, was always - "who would stoop so low as to create a media-hoax for personal gain"? Now we know... BamBam's hero - Shyamalan.

I don't consider any of this as "evidence". I do, however, see the new information, that BamBam holds a notorious hoaxter in such high esteem, as making the Wie DQ incident worthy of some serious new investigative journalism.

Comment from Alex:
Ghet Rheel, Your theory that Bamberger may have followed her around the course hoping to notice a real or imagined infracton that would cause the LPGA to DQ Bubbles after his goading is without doubt the most convoluted conspiracy theory ever to be proposed on a golf blog.
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Indeed Alex it is a convoluted theory.
Would you like an example of another convoluted theory?



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Comment from Alex:
the judgment or motives of BJ Wie, the quintessential stage father and money grubber par excellence. No matter how egregious and/or boorish his mercenary grasping,
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There is another example of a convoluted theory. Those who make claims about BJ Wie without knowing the facts.

Ghet Rheel, If, according to you, none of these far-fetched suppositions of yours can be considered as "evidence", what would be the basis for the serious new investigative journalism that you advocate? I'm trying hard not to refer to you as a kook or a crackpot, but you're making it very difficult.

Johnny N, Here's a little advice: Think up your own material if you want to be taken seriously. Quoting someone else's lines will do nothing for your resume.

Means, motive, presence at incident, conflicting eyewitness accounts, etc. would all be elements of journalistic evidence.

As I said, the missing link in questioning whether the DQ was a hoax, was always - "who would stoop so low as to create a media-hoax for personal gain"? Now we know... BamBam's hero - Shyamalan.

When I wrote, "I don't consider any of this as "evidence"", I was referring to Sham's influence on BamBam as to creating media-hoaxes.

Again, as I said, I do see the new information (that BamBam holds a notorious media-hoaxter in such high esteem) as making the Wie DQ incident worthy of some serious new investigative journalism.

I suppose Bamberger's new “toecurlingly reverent” book on Shyamalan would be evidence of BamBam's admiration for an established Media-Hoaxter.

Ghet Rheel, Which publication would you suggest as the proper vehicle for this serious new investigative journalism? Which journalist would be your choice for this startling expose? Do you believe that anyone outside of a few devoted Wie Warriors would care two hoots about anything so trivial? Would the purpose of this "serious" investigation be to actually unearth some evidence of a conspiratoial nature? Or would it be merely to discredit Bamberger? In my opinion, the general public would greet such insignificance with a giant collective yawn. I can't imagine any publisher paying more than a pittance for a smear job on Bam and Shy. Incidentally, I've never read a thing by Bamberger or seen a movie directed by Shyamalan.

Every major paper in the country covered the Wie DQ... NOT because a promising young rookie was DQ'ed, but because a Sports Illustrated writer broke a cardinal rule of jounalism - he became part of the story. The way he did it was also roundly panned - i.e., after waiting a day to report it, and while having a new book in the pipeline.

If some enterprising investigative reporter were able to "connect the dots" of a BamBam hoax, every paper in the country would run with the story.

No conspiricy here, if BamBam blundered, he likely did it all by himself.

Yes, It was covered but it wasn't headline news. And it was about a year ago. There are several hundred things that are more important than that to the general public. Any connecting of the dots should have been done by now. In my opinion. There was no hoax as far as Bubbles being DQ'ed. If there had been, her handlers and her parents would have never stopped bitching. Even they have dropped the subject. Guys like you with a wide streak of suspicion seem to be the only ones with a desire to keep such triviality alive.

Front page news? No. Major sports-journalism story? Absolutely. The Bamberger-Shyamalan connection is new to most; and few have made the connection (by association) between BamBam and Shyamalan's documented media-hoax to get publicity for his film.

Hey, I was willing to drop it 14 comments ago... you're keeping the string alive. I don't mind talking about it, though.

I don't pay much attention to such "tempests in teapots" as disqualifications in golf tournaments. I always assumed that the marshals and the tournament directors were the final arbiters in such matters. The tenor of this blog as far as the postings by Ghet Rheel give me the impression that Bubbles was disqualified solely because of the reporting of the incident by Michael Bamberger. I find it impossible to believe that Bubbles would have been tossed on the word of a spectator a day after the fact.If that were the case, what would stop any third party from similarly accusing any golfer of a trumped-up abrogation of the rules? There would of necessity have to be corroboration of the infraction by a tournament official.

"I find it impossible to believe that Bubbles would have been tossed on the word of a spectator a day after the fact."

But that is exactly what happened. Below are some excerpts from an article in GolfWeek titled "Strings Attached" by James Achenbach.

By the way, Wie played with Se Ri Pak (Pak sco