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Thursday, Jan 12, 2006 2:30 PM UTC

My friend Larry

Larry King softballs author James Frey.

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Topics: Larry King, James Frey,

My friend Larry

What more do we know about James Frey after his Wednesday appearance on “Larry King Live”? Should we feel that the heaping shame dumped on him over allegations that much of his Oprah-fueled, bestselling memoir, “A Million Little Pieces,” were invented is justified? Do we — or the million-plus readers who purchased the book — have any greater understanding of what is true in the book? Look, there’s a reason public figures under fire choose to go on Larry King’s show, and it’s because he offers a large platform for them to deliver — virtually unfettered — publicist-approved talking points. Last night, that meant no answers to the larger questions raised by the Smoking Gun investigation into Frey’s book: 1) How true is the rest of the memoir aside from the crucial setup information that’s largely been debunked — like, what really happened to Lilly, his ill-fated girlfriend (did she even exist?); and 2) How seriously should we take his claim that he kicked his drug and alcohol habits without the help of the traditional 12-step programs, which he controversially disdains? King, naturally, never went there, offering only the occasional non sequitur and letting Frey stay on his relatively few talking points (see below — can you guess which ones they were?) and presenting an unreflective hour that genuinely left us with no more “essential truths,” as Frey might say, than we started with.

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Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

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  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

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