The blog is going away but the reviews are not. You can find them here in the online print edition.
Home > ATLarts > Archives > 2008 > November > 10 > Entry
“Call Me Ted” — what else do you call him?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ted Turner has finally written his memoirs.
“Call Me Ted” is in bookstores today, but I got to read an advance copy so I could review it for the paper.
As a book, it’s a little disappointing. Turner is not great at self-examination, and the early chapters about his boyhood and young adulthood, including even the suicide of his father, are just deadly, filled with cliches (he had a ghostwriter, Bill Burke) and passionless.
But once he starts into business, “Call Me Ted” starts to sound more like Ted.
Turner is a polarizing figure to many, particularly those who see CNN as a liberal network and do not care for Jane Fonda, Turner’s wife for 10 years in the ’90s. But you have to admire what he did, creating a 24-hour news network when everyone told him he was crazy, and basing it in Atlanta.
Remember those Olympics that were here 12 years ago? One of the reasons Atlanta got the bid was because the international committee was familiar with CNN.
I know no one has had the chance to read “Call Me Ted” yet, but that won’t stop you from posting an opinion on Turner and what he has done. So have at it!
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Books
Comments
By WhoCares?
November 10, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this
Who cares what an old drunk has to dish about on his ex.
By Hobart
November 10, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this
Calling Mr. Turner a drunk and saying unkind things is just not acceptable! He has done so many wonderful things for Atlanta. Focus on that!!!
By SaveOurRepublic
November 10, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this
Ted Turner is an Internationalist of the first order. A “B-level” member of the Globalist Elite, his $1 billion donation to the (U.S. sovereignty encroaching) UN was one of the biggest waste(s) of money in the history of mankind. Sitting on the board of the UN Foundation, Globalist Ted has bad-mouthed Christians and funded Environmental/Leftist extremism via propaganda such as “Captain Planet”, etc. Turner is in league with fellow Globalist Elite (Buffet, Soros, Gates, etc.) in embracing the Eugenics/Malthusian agenda. While he’s an Atlanta icon, he’s done much more damage (than good) in backing the Internationalist agenda!
By zzzzzzzzzzz
November 10, 2008 2:35 PM | Link to this
Ted who?
By joeybagodoughnuts
November 10, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this
Turner, has done very little in the way of pushing Atlanta forward. He has all ways been about the himself. He inherited his money, he bullied the city for years. The Braves were terrible until the final years he owned them and then he cashed in on their success and they have never been the same since. Same with the Hawks and other sports teams he has tinkered with. He only is in it for the bottom line. Who in their right mind would ever marry Jane Fonda, what a mistake, she is a walking, ticking time bomb, her best days were over before she made her Richard Simmons workout tape.
Turner once called people that put ashes on their foreheads, stupid, this is on Ash Wednesday mind you.He all ways looks down his nose at nine to five type people, he is has an attitude that he is the smartest guy in the room. Thanks for screwing up TBS Ted, you can thank Time Warner for screwing up everything.
By mayretter local
November 10, 2008 4:51 PM | Link to this
Long live the Mouth of the South!!
By Mr. Obvious
November 11, 2008 4:22 PM | Link to this
“Rachel” is clearly either a stakeholder in the welfare of www.KIMBooks.org*” or a simpleton who doesn’t yet know how to use a computer keyboard.
Your Bison sure is good, Ted!
By S
November 11, 2008 8:27 PM | Link to this
Ted Turner is a wonderful human being. He has done so much good in this world, from the Good Will Games, to donating billions of dollars for worth while causes. He owns thousands of acres of land out West and plans on donating that land for Parks in the future. He just beats to a different drummer than most of us…Isn’t that the case with most who have talent. I find his eyes interesting. From what I can see of him when he is on TV, when he looks at you, he sees you..he is a deep person.
By Kerry Lane
November 12, 2008 11:52 AM | Link to this
Say, “S,” I second that! If it weren’t for “The Ted Turner Show” during the 1980s, I would’ve pulled a Sylvia Plath bigtime! Happy Birthday, Mr. T, and hang tough…and when are you going to remarry your wonderful, third wife, anyway, huh?!)
By Jose - Portugal
November 17, 2008 8:19 AM | Link to this
I don’t know enough to post a decent opinion here. I have always liked Ted Turner from the first day I saw and heard him speak ont tv. I would really like to understant the hard criticism above. A man who created CNN, which was a very smart move, an intelligent one, and who has given away millions of dlrs… does this make him a bad person?