It´s pretty unbelievable, actually, what happened this week. The celebrity journalist Pia Haraldsen was denied a press visa by the U.S. Embassy in Oslo. As if that wasn´t a sensation in itself: The Department of Homeland Security was also supposedly involved in the process.
And why, you ask? Is this pretty (and seemingly) and harmless woman a threat to the Nation´s security? Last year, Ms. Haraldsen – who actually holds a visa that allows her to do journalistic work but had to apply for a new one as her passport had been destroyed – caused quite the stir when she prank interviewed New York Councilman James Oddo. The honorable Mr. Oddo did not like Pia´s intentions. And why, you ask? Pia´s interviews are staged. She plays the role of stupid blond who asks questions such as “Who do you think will win The Civil War?” and “Why are you staring at my breasts?”. Sarcasm. Humor. Right up John Stewart´s alley. But U.S. Authorities won´t have it.
So Pia´s original plans to report daily from the U.S. Election through her videoblog and text blog on tv2underholdning.no has been put on hold until further notice. But Pia won´t give in to American Authorities, and has started reporting about the same issues from her exile at her Oslo mansion.
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Click here to see behind the scenes video material from Pia´s interview with James Oddo.
