Mike Straka

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Mike Straka is a commentator on Hollywood and celebrity topics, as well as sports, whose column runs on the Fox News website.

[edit] Biography

Straka was born in Newark, New Jersey to a Hungarian father and a Chilean mother. After graduating from Monsignor Donovan High School, he studied acting at Rutgers University and moved to New York City to begin his career, where he specialized in various commercials while continuing his studies. He was picked up by CBS as a page for television production. Among a variety of other jobs that he held at the network was that of a desk assistant. He eventually transferred to Fox News, where he is now a columnist, features reporter and Vice President and Executive Producer of FOXNews.com. He runs a weekly column called "Grrr" in which he promotes general intolerance and vents annoyance over various issues in the news, generally regarding sports or Hollywood, and sometimes politics and the news media itself.[1] He has also coined the term "oblivion" to refer to people who are seemingly unaware of their own idiocy and are devoid of common sense, and runs an "oblivion of the year" segment in which users vote on candidates and choose one for the whole year[2]. Michael Moore was awarded the first oblivion of the year award in 2004 with 75% of the vote, with Teresa Heinz Kerry coming in second with 15%[3]. Martha Stewart was also nominated for saying she was supposed to fire Donald Trump in her season debut of her own "The Apprentice." [4]. Mike also hosts two web segments on FOXNews.com dealing with entertainment, The Real Deal and Keeping It Reel, an irreverent movie review. [5] His first book, "Celebrities Are Ruining Our Country And Other Reasons Why We're All In Trouble" from St. Martins Press, is due February 2007. [6]

[edit] Political Commentary

Straka is outspokenly passionate in his support and admiration for George W. Bush and his intense dislike for anti-war protestors, whom he has denounced as "smelly", "stupid", "stinking", "jobless", "anti-American" and "traitors".[7] That said, he also called Ann Coulter a "Maroon," and said she went too far in comments she made in her book, "Godless," [8]and labeled Scooter Libby a traitor amid allegations the Republican operative was behind the Valerie Plame CIA leak. Mike also Grrr'd the whole politicization and Red State vs. Blue state BS that permeated the country after the 2004 presidential election. [9]

• "Grrr! to the Democratic Party."[10]
• "And they wonder why Republicans are the majority around the country?"[11]
• "President Bush is standing strong in the face of international and domestic criticism in his fight against terrorism, but who else will ensure the safety of our great nation, if not the president of the United States?"[12]
• "After all, the president and first lady Laura Bush are -- at least to me -- excellent role models as parents."[13]
• "We are a nation at war, and our president needs our support."[14]
• "One thing conservatives are good at is dealing with the facts."[15]