Sony Drops Albert Brooks' "Muslim" Film

Albert Brooks says the studio dropped his new film Looking For Comedy In The Muslim World because of that pesky "M" word in the title.

Sony says they dropped it 'cause the film just isn't funny.

Honestly, I could believe either one. I'm not a huge fan of Brooks' humor so I can see that the film may not be that amusing, but I can also certainly believe a studio would do everything possible to not come across insensitive to our Muslim friends.

This is the quote from a Sony exec that got me though:

We made our decision to pass on Brooks' movie the same way we did to accept 'Fahrenheit 9/11' -- on the merits, with neither fear nor favor.

On the merits, folks. That's what constitutes good 'ole fashioned Hollywood decision making nowadays. Merit. Not fear. Not favor.

Merit.

Because, as we all know - no other film in the world exemplifies "merit" quite like a Michael Moore flick.

**An Observation** If Hollywood is looking for films of integrity and merit and Fahrenheit 9/11 falls into that category, I think they can expect their slump to continue.