R.I.P., Jack Valenti
I thought Jack Valenti was wrong about most of the tech-policy issues that he spoke about, but I'm going to miss that guy.
Valenti--a bomber pilot in World War II, trusted aide to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, and Motion Picture Association of America president for decades--died yesterday at 85.
He was one of those people whose voice burrowed into your head. After I'd heard him speak once or twice, I couldn't help but hear his Texas twang speaking whatever quote I saw attributed to him in the papers.
(One of the lingering regrets of my career is showing up a few minutes late to a Post boardroom luncheon with Valenti that had started with him denouncing a column I'd written about the MPAA's "technological totalitarianism." When I sat down, then-managing editor Steve Coll leaned over to summarize Valenti's opening statement as "he took your name in vain"; I felt like I'd missed the whole show.)
Valenti tended to proclaim his opinions in outlandish metaphors--no obituary to him can be published without quoting his infamous declaration: "I say to you that the VCR is to the American film producer and the American public as the Boston strangler is to the woman home alone."
In other words, Valenti--as you might want your own lawyer to do--was a relentless advocate for his cause.: "would you go into a Blockbuster store and furtively put a DVD under your jacket and walk out with it? Of course you wouldn't. But you see no harm about putting a movie in your digital hard drive jacket and walk off with that.
But far too often, he emphasized the risks of digital piracy while ignoring the rewards of digital distribution--a sensible position for a law-enforcement figure to take, but a short-sighted stance for somebody who was supposed to speak for an entire industry. (One of his favorite sayings--"If You Cannot Protect What You Own, You Don't Own Anything!" (PDF)--turned out to be a too-accurate description of the risks of the overly aggressive copy-restriction systems he sought.)
With all his talents, Jack Valenti could have sold ice cream at the northernmost tip of Alaska. I wish that he'd had more time to put his talents to work for more worthy causes. We would have been better for it.
By Rob Pegoraro |
April 27, 2007; 10:31 AM ET
| Category:
The business we have chosen
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Posted by: Jim M. | April 27, 2007 11:07 AM
piracy rocks
Posted by: dfytdty | April 27, 2007 11:19 AM
Jack was not perfact. but what a class he was in I met jack lots of times and he was always like a movie star.open ready to make a diffence thur sharing his thoughts as a true american should.I wrote him a letter once and he wrote back in his own hand and said your far to kind. Class act Jack we well all miss you. Much love Erick Hansen
Posted by: erick blueray hansen | April 27, 2007 11:26 AM
There's no honor or dignity in suppressing rational thought in the pursuit of money, nor is raw talent without context of its application a good. That Valenti worked in the cause of eradicating transmissible diseases is a wonderful testament to his humanity, but his hack work as an industry shill isn't.
No one is only good or only bad, but everyone contributes something to the world. There are people that he helped, people that he loved and people who loved him, and so his passing is a loss. Valenti was no friend of mine, but I hold no grudges. Sincere condolences to his family.
Posted by: Erik | April 27, 2007 11:42 AM
I had a chance to talk with Jack Valenti.
He treated me with respect.
Jack saw "the humanity" in all of us,
right up to the end.
He had a gracious way about him
and a witty personality
that everyone gravitated too.
He was no phony.
In a business chuck full of phonies.
(And that's what really made him special.)
The man brought the Film Industry
out of the dark ages
and into the modern age.
Who but Jack Valenti
was the most preeminent
defender of Freedom of Speech?
(You got to love him for that.)
And to you heathens out there...?
Say a prayer for the man because
Jack was a very special human being.
You just don't find people
like Jack Valenti.
Because people like Jack Valenti
are a rare breed indeed.
And if you're looking for someone
to model your life after?
You need to look no further
then to Jack Valenti.
Damn Jack!
You really pissed me off
dieing so early.
(I'm going to miss you brother.)
God Bless Jack Valenti.
Posted by: Steve Real | April 27, 2007 11:49 AM
That was the dumbest thing I've ever wastered my brain on Steve. Ugh, see what you did? Now I'm dumber from reading that somewhat erotic prose about Jacky Poo.
Jack was a jackal. He wished to supress and control the movie industry as if it were still 1950, all the way to his death. Now maybe we can finally get those Jetsons TeeVees everyone was promising me. That and a bananna. I like those.
Posted by: TheChef | April 27, 2007 12:58 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
We all wish Mr. Valenti, and so many other talented people, had been with us longer - even if we take issue with a portion of the stance they take.
Mr. Pegaro, most assuredly yours was not the only name ever taken in vain by Mr. Valenti or by others who you may never have met - remember you put yourself up for that type of response every time you write a column, post on your blog or do one of your online discussions, and I applaud you for doing it. But most importantly, remember that his dig was one of the ones that you remembered! And, having met the man I am sure it was not mean-spirited or a direct personal affront, but rather said in the chiding manner he was noted for.
Yes, he was the industry spokesperson; but his comments were those of the industry at the time. Digital distribution? Only a few of the computer visionaries were even speaking about that publicly in forums other than the glorified user groups of like-minded individuals.
He was one of a kind and I am sure he is looking down at your digital comments and smiling.