Topic: Roger Ebert

The Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited corporate spending in politics is dismissed as a formality for a system already dominated by corporate money. Separately, film critic Roger Ebert is facing copyright takedown notices from Disney for a tribute to Gene Siskel, despite Steve Jobs being Disney's largest shareholder.

The evolution of the "Siskel and Ebert" movie review show is discussed, specifically the transition to "Ebert and Roeper" and the abandonment of the iconic "Thumbs Up" trademark. The new rating system—"See it, Rent it, or Skip it"—is criticized as a branding failure that lacks the cultural impact of the original. The "Rent it" category is particularly viewed as a "sellout" designed to provide positive quotes for future DVD releases.