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"ER" Tackles Genocide

May 03, 2006

First Angelina, then George Clooney with Pop, and now Dr. Pratt: Is this the way we plan to end genocide? The entertainment industry has more success drawing attention to Darfur than Colin Powell. Tomorrow night, "ER" will take two of its docs (Mekhi Phifer and Noah Wyle) to the dregs of a country wrecked by war and attempt to shock viewers into action.

As the doctors tend to dying children, brutalized women and the starving masses, NBC is hoping people stay glued to the tube while the writers must be angling for karmic brownie points or an invite to the next Jolie-Pitt fundraiser.

I can't help but think there's something very Roman about this approach to solving world problems. As Augustus once said, he who provides the entertainment controls the populous. Way to go, NBC. –Chris Parker