Milton Cross Suspended for Political Activities

NEW YORK, OCTOBER 20, 1972 -- Radio announcer Milton Cross, host of Texaco’s live broadcasts from New York’s Metropolitan Opera since their inception in 1931, was suspended from his duties today, following revelations about his political activities.

According to witnesses, Cross was seen wearing an “I Like Ike” button on several occasions in 1952, and again as late as 1956; later, he attended meetings of the Parent–Teacher Association, a well-known Socialist “front” organization promoting public education at taxpayer expense. Cross is believed to have been a card-carrying member of the New York Public Library, as well, and to have associated with foreign nationals, including Galina Vishnevskaya and Amelita Galli-Curci.

“Just the fact that he was able to pronounce those names correctly” shows the extent of Mr. Cross’ involvement, the head of Discipline, Integrity, Liberty and Fairness in Media, a prominent media watchdog organization, L. Irvine McCarthy II, told reporters at a press conference today.

Even Mr. Cross’ plaque on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
is a red star, a blatant tribute to the Soviets,
Mr. McCarthy says.

“DILF in Media applauds the network for suspending Mr. Cross,” Mr. McCarthy said, “and we will continue to investigate allegations of political bias in his broadcasts. Already I have compiled a list of 57 operas that are clearly un-American, yet they continue to be presented to unsuspecting citizens of this great nation.”

Mr. McCarthy went on to cite the following examples, among the most popular of Mr. Cross’ broadcasts:

• Madame Butterfly, by Puccini, disrespectfully quotes “The Star-Spangled Banner” and depicts an American naval officer in an unflattering fashion, sometimes prompting audiences to boo unpatriotically;


• La Bohème, also by Puccini, sympathetically depicts impoverished artists, poets, and a philosopher;


• La Traviata, by Verdi, glorifies prostitution and premarital sexual relations;


• Hansel and Gretel, by Humperdinck, depicts starving children and also witchcraft, which is un-Christian, while targeting the most impressionable listeners, our country’s young people;


• Tristan and Isolde, by Wagner, depicts drug use and adultery;


• The Marriage of Figaro, a “comedy” by Mozart, mocks powerful, rich people; and


• Aida, by Verdi, is about foreigners.
  
  (List courtesy of DILF in Media.)

“Indeed, as I review these broadcasts, I can find very few American values — or names — of any kind,” Mr. McCarthy concluded. “Clearly, a particular set of political viewpoints has been conveyed, every Saturday over a period of many years, to unsuspecting audiences.”

Mr. McCarthy stated that the broadcasts use an array of sophisticated brainwashing techniques borrowed from the Soviets. “The worst of these may be ‘sleep-suggestion,’ in which the unconscious subject receives aural instruction,” Mr. McCarthy said. “After all, who can stay awake during those operas? They could be telling us to sabotage the American government, and we’d never even know it!”

DILF in Media’s team of expert cryptologists are still trying to crack the Saturday afternoon code, known as “Italiano,” Mr. McCarthy added. “Who knows what nefarious messages are being conveyed to our enemies? How long can we permit this threat to continue?”

NOTE: This is just a note of solidarity extended to Lisa Simeone, whose tenure as host of NPR’s World of Opera program was threatened this week because of her involvement, unpaid and on her own time, in Occupy DC — though she is a freelancer employed by an outside producer (not by NPR), on a program where her personal political views are not only irrelevant but darned tough to communicate. The right-wing campaign to intimidate the mainstream press continues unabated, however: Simeone has confirmed that she’s been fired from her other job, hosting a documentary program called “Soundprint.”