Won't Get (April) Fooled Again (Wizbang)

On April 1, Defamer ran this item in a tidbit roundup of other equally unlikely stories:

Feeding tubes are red-hot right now. The Pope's deteriorating health and Terri Schiavo's death provided a tube-related field day for the news media yesterday. Today, CBS has announced plans to rush a Schiavo biopic to air during May sweeps, with Keri Russell to star as America's tragic heroine and Dean Cain as the husband who wants to let her die in peace. The net anxiously awaits the Pope's death to announce the casting of Ben Kingsley as the Holy Father. [Variety]

WorldNetDaily apparently took the bait, running this strikingly similar story on April 2:

CBS is rushing a Terri Schiavo TV movie into production so that it can air the biopic during the May ratings sweeps.

There is no word on whether the network has secured the cooperation of either the Schindler family, Terri's parents and siblings, or Michael Schiavo, her estranged husband.

There are reports Michael Schiavo is entertaining offers of book, movie and TV deals for Terri's story. Industry sources say Schiavo is likely to be offered up to $2 million for a book deal and up to $2 million for a movie or TV deal.

CBS' Terri story reportedly will feature "Felicity" star Keri Russell to star as America's tragic heroine and Dean Cain of "Lois and Clark" as the husband who relentlessly seeks an end to her life.

While I don't doubt they're may be some sort of Terri Schiavo TV movie eventually, it looks WND was the April Fool this time. Besides, everyone knows Dean Cain has already fulfilled his biopic quota for the year, playing Scott Peterson in the USA Networks movie The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story before the trial even started.

Comments (15)

Yeah, I read the first in V... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by -S- | April 3, 2005 4:26 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

-S-:

Yeah, I read the first in VARIETY but at this point, I can never tell -- there's a lot of content there ("daily") that is complete foolery to nearly everyone outside the entertainment industry: Ellen Degeneres as "God" in yet another version of "Oh, God" (the "Oh, God, the Exorcist!" rendition I am guessing)...Cates (producer of the Academy Awards shows) now directing a play at the Geffen Playhouse...the list goes on and on and on and...

Posted on April 3, 2005 16:26

I'm insulted. I'll never re... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Paul | April 3, 2005 4:38 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Paul:

I'm insulted. I'll never read defamer again.

Posted on April 3, 2005 16:38

-S-, how could you have rea... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by Lola | April 3, 2005 4:49 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Lola:

-S-, how could you have read about it in Variety when it never appeared in Variety?

Posted on April 3, 2005 16:49

I have no doubts that the T... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by Just Me | April 3, 2005 5:16 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Just Me:

I have no doubts that the Terri Schiavo story is going to be a made for TV movie within a year, although May sweeps is just a little too soon.

I also predict that there will be several books as well.

Posted on April 3, 2005 17:16

Just so long as the <a href... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by HelenW | April 3, 2005 8:13 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

HelenW:

Just so long as the uber-creepy parents get *nothing*.

Posted on April 3, 2005 20:13

It was in Variety, at least... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by -S- | April 3, 2005 8:13 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

It was in Variety, at least in their RSS feed.

And, I used my eyes and int... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by -S- | April 3, 2005 8:13 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

And, I used my eyes and interpreted the black type images on my monitor, as to how I read what.

Terri's parents selling a l... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by OregonMuse | April 4, 2005 12:07 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

OregonMuse:

Terri's parents selling a list of all their donors is certainly a bad idea and wrong and a disappointment and all that, but I wouldn't call it "uber-creepy." I wouldn't even call Michael Schiavo uber-creepy. No, I think the one person in this whole sorry circus who earned that title hands down has got to be Schiavo's ghoulish 'right-to-die' lawyer George Felos. Ugh. Every time I heard him make a statement, I wanted to show him a crucifix or throw garlic at him.

Posted on April 4, 2005 00:07

Ha, OregonMuse, my sentimen... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by -S- | April 4, 2005 12:27 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Ha, OregonMuse, my sentiments, exactly. But, save the garlic, make some great lasagne with it, don't honor the dead with such a delicate wonderment as is the dear garlic.

The morning after Terri Schiavo died, I saw Felos on the television (where ELSE would he be)...and I do declare that the man bore the physical language of his deeds, looking quite the repugnant ghoul. I find that one's spiritual behavior displays itself outward and about cosmetics and cosmetic appeal, I'm not referencing here...just that there's an appearance to Felos that is quite awful. Even his voice is dreadful...something about him...looking around for my crucifix...