Choosing to ignore Tina Brown's flat-out brilliant suggestion to hire Rachel Maddow as the host of Meet The Press, NBC honchos have reportedly decided to tap the primally annoying, simian-featured MSNBC news-show host David Gregory instead.
This is a bland, equivocating, corporate-minded decision by old men with no balls -- men who don't realize what a turn-off Gregory is for a certain segment of the viewing public (i.e., those who think like me) and who have no problem at all with a Meet The Press host having danced on-stage during a Karl Rove roasting.
"NBC News has settled on Gregory as its choice to be the successor to Tim Russert in the role of moderator of its longtime Sunday discussion program Meet the Press," a N.Y. Times/Bill Carter story reads. "But the network has not finalized the deal, NBC executives said Tuesday.
"Gregory is in negotiations with NBC to secure the position, however, and one reason he may get the job is his value to NBC's most dominant property, the Today show. He has long been regarded as the network's choice to one day succeed Matt Lauer as a Today host.
"NBC executives said on Tuesday that the leaks of Mr. Gregory's selection could be a potential impediment to concluding the deal," Carter has reported. Please!
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on December 3, 2008 at 8:15 AM
comment #1
corey3rd
says ...
The Today Show is the reason Gregory went from being the press corp pitbull to Rove's back up dancer. He's toothless at this point because he wants to be loved.
Gregory ought to be hosting the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet
Posted by corey3rd
at December 3, 2008 9:26 AM
comment #2
Mark
says ...
I couldn't believe on election day when Gregory said that he was 36 years old. i would have guessed that he was closer to Lauer's age. that said, you have no right to eviscerate him over the Rove dance. you would have done the exact same thing, and if you disagree, then you have no clue of the circumstances.
with Gregory's rep at asking the tough questions during the early war run-up, this was a no-brainer.
Posted by Mark
at December 3, 2008 9:36 AM
comment #3
HarveyCo
says ...
"you would have done the exact same thing, and if you disagree, then you have no clue of the circumstances."
What are you talking about? Please elaborate. Peer pressure? A gun in his back?
Posted by HarveyCo
at December 3, 2008 10:09 AM
comment #4
Mark
says ...
It's akin to Wells being at a George Lucas roast, being asked on the spot to join some peers in a short skit, and Wells saying FU. never happen. he wouldn't let Poland get the sole attention. Wells would reluctantly stand up and see where it went, as we all would.
Posted by Mark
at December 3, 2008 10:24 AM
comment #5
Ray
says ...
So, lemme get this straight, Jeff. You don't want this guy moderating MEET THE PRESS because he looks like a monkey? Not even one comment about his qualifications or lack thereof? He just "looks like a monkey," and that's it.
Scintillating and incisive opinion, Jeff. Perhaps they should have given the job to you.
Posted by Ray
at December 3, 2008 10:35 AM
comment #6
BurmaShave
says ...
Enough with the Maddow. Her commentary over the spring and summer was incisive and refreshing, and she's very bright, but her show is terrible. Her persona has become strained and awkward, and the way they surround her with pink colors to make it more feminine is pathetic. Furthermore she makes no pretense of objectivity and has no journalistic bonafides to speak of, and the suggestion she'd be an appropriate host for Meet the Depressed is absurd. That said, Gregory was a miserable choice.
Posted by BurmaShave
at December 3, 2008 10:45 AM
comment #7
Deathtongue_Groupie
says ...
All I know, is during the elections I always found Gregory the weak spot in the MSNBC lineup.
Perhaps, to be fair, he was simply real news sandwiched between Matthews, Olbermann and Maddow, but he always came across as bland as cauliflower.
Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie
at December 3, 2008 10:47 AM
comment #8
HarveyCo
says ...
I hate the latest Star Wars as much as anybody, but there's no comparison between the poor choices Lucas has made and the pure, distilled, socially corrosive poison Rove has unleashed upon our country and our planet.
We're not talking about image and appearances and being a good sport here. If you dance at Rove's party, you're basically raising a toast to evil, saying, "It's OK with me."
And for Gregory to do that in the capacity of a journalist? Shameful.
Posted by HarveyCo
at December 3, 2008 10:47 AM
comment #9
T. S. Idiot
says ...
"This is a bland, equivocating, corporate-minded decision by old men with no balls."
A good summary of corporate America.
Posted by T. S. Idiot
at December 3, 2008 10:54 AM
comment #10
lazarus
says ...
I'd love to see someone photoshop an Amish beard on Gregory's pic so we can get the full Dr. Zaius effect.
Posted by lazarus
at December 3, 2008 11:04 AM
comment #11
Howlingman
says ...
"This is a bland, equivocating, corporate-minded decision by old men with no balls."
A good summary of corporate America.*
*Not to mention the AMPAS
Posted by Howlingman
at December 3, 2008 11:18 AM
comment #12
Mark
says ...
by not dancing w/ Rove, you are saying my personal feelings toward you prevent any such interaction .
It's a job; you cover these people. It's not personal. Gregory was one of the few who did well during that time by asking the tough questions.
Posted by Mark
at December 3, 2008 11:22 AM
comment #13
SaveFarris
says ...
men who don't realize what a turn-off Gregory is for a certain segment of the viewing public (i.e., those who think like me)
Hard as it is to believe, there's a greater percentage of the country who are turned-off by Maddow. Despite everyone crowing about her ratings, she still gets clobbered on a nightly basis by Hannity. And before that, she cut her teeth on the least-popular and least-successful radio network of all time.
Right now, she's nothing more than the big fish in MSNBC's miniscule pond.
Posted by SaveFarris
at December 3, 2008 11:45 AM
comment #14
TheJERMSguy
says ...
Why would Rachel Maddow want to pidgeon-hole herself trying to be objective? Tim Russert made it his mission to be fair, equally tough to both sides, and he was. I don't think there was a more respected US journalist than Russ the day before his death. Giving Maddow the MTP job would mean NBC could kiss any journalistic credibility good-bye. MSNBC could then release Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan from their contracts and change their name to LNN - Liberal News Network. They still need to figure out what to do with the two hours future Democratic Senate candidate Chris Matthews occupies each evening.
And Russert wasn't a pretty guy either, but earned respect tends to wash that stuff away.
Posted by TheJERMSguy
at December 3, 2008 12:26 PM
comment #15
corey3rd
says ...
anyone who couldn't say "no" to be dragged up on stage to be Karl Rove's backing dancer has no business in criticizing Nazis who merely did what they were told.
Posted by corey3rd
at December 3, 2008 4:30 PM
comment #16
AveMaria
says ...
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