Fallen Woman: Corollary

I thought of another interlocking subtext, one which I have skirted around, and highlight here, briefly: As different as the fifties and the eighties were from each other, the establishment media takes the prerogative upon itself to assume that an actor's opinion about real events has some sort of validity for the public. Susan Hayward's assessment of Barbara Graham's innocence or lack thereof was solicited, just as, after the attempted assassination of Reagan, I do not think it much of an exaggeration to say that Jodie Foster was virtually assaulted by the press. I remember all this vividly, ignorant at the time of Taxi Driver's full impact. I have stated my sympathy for my talented contemporary, but I think there is something deeper going on here, perhaps a Puritan indictment of theatricality?