LA Times: 'Today' chief Jamie Horowitz ousted as NBC morning woes continue

[johnnya2k6]

Just to clarify: the closest I have come to watching this show in the past decade or so is the Macy's Parade. I guess Al is okay but I'm not crazy about the other hosts.

And Al co-hosts the Rose Parade too. ABC has the more professional team.

WRONG; it's KTLA that's a million times more professional with Bob Eubanks and Stephanie Edwards!

By the way, the large-market local morning news shows on the Fox/CW/independent stations often beat Today and/or GMA in the ratings because they have, well, news (with a sprinkling of fluff).

 

[FredLeonard]

WRONG; it's KTLA that's a million times more professional with Bob Eubanks and Stephanie Edwards!

By the way, the large-market local morning news shows on the Fox/CW/independent stations often beat Today and/or GMA in the ratings because they have, well, news (with a sprinkling of fluff).

Bob Eubanks: Puker host of The Newlywed Game
Stephanie Edwards: Co-host of AM America, ABC's first attempt at a morning show.

 

[Avid Listener]

WRONG; it's KTLA that's a million times more professional with Bob Eubanks and Stephanie Edwards!

Careful, there is bound to be some idiot who cannot discern the difference between a professional's talent and a previous gig he might have held at one time early in his career. I'll bet there are idiots who still can't get past the fact that Hugh Downs at one time was the host of the game show Concentration.

 

[JeffM]

Careful, there is bound to be some idiot who cannot discern the difference between a professional's talent and a previous gig he might have held at one time early in his career. I'll bet there are idiots who still can't get past the fact that Hugh Downs at one time was the host of the game show Concentration.

Wonder who you mean by that, hmmm?

 

[FredLeonard]

Careful, there is bound to be some idiot who cannot discern the difference between a professional's talent and a previous gig he might have held at one time early in his career. I'll bet there are idiots who still can't get past the fact that Hugh Downs at one time was the host of the game show Concentration.

Professional at what? Talent for what? Hugh Downs was not a professional journalist. He was an NBC staff announcer. He had good pipes, although his articulation was often poor. He did commercials. He was the announcer/sidekick of the Jack Parr Tonight Show (the job later held by Ed McMahon). He was host of Concentration concurrent with his stint on Today. (Just as Meredith was host of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" concurrent with her time on Today")

Metz reported that Baba Wawa owes her climb to prominence from producing and doing "women's features" to the fact that Downs was too "lazy" to do interview prep and therefore did terrible interviews. So, they gave "Hoo" one question to ask and then Baba took over. Her interviews were good and got her noticed.

Job history says something. That's why everybody wants to see a resume.

Frank Blair did commercials for Pall Mall cigarettes concurrent with his time as Today's news reader.

BTW: Mike Wallace was narrator of The Green Hornet, was spokesman for Parliament cigarettes and hosted a rigged quiz show.

FTR: Talent can not possibly be an issue in discussing puker Bob Eubanks. Stephanie Edwards was nice to look at and could read copy, like the Today Girls before Baba.

PS: It's amusing when Tea Bigots call someone else either an "idiot" or "hateful."

 

[Avid Listener]

Hugh Downs was not a professional journalist.

There are damn few professional journalists working in any on-air positions in broadcast media.

 

[TheBigA]

Job history says something. That's why everybody wants to see a resume.

Maybe. The great thing about the US is we don't have a caste system, where one's future is determined by their past. Nobody gives you the keys to the expensive car without first determining that you know what you're doing. So yes, at one time, a lot of famous people did menial things on their way up the food chain. Just because someone was a bolt tightener at one time doesn't necessarily mean it was all they were qualified for, and their life should be judged by it.

 

[FredLeonard]

There are damn few professional journalists working in any on-air positions in broadcast media.

Damn right! Although "damn few" may be an over-estimation.

Maybe. The great thing about the US is we don't have a caste system, where one's future is determined by their past. Nobody gives you the keys to the expensive car without first determining that you know what you're doing. So yes, at one time, a lot of famous people did menial things on their way up the food chain. Just because someone was a bolt tightener at one time doesn't necessarily mean it was all they were qualified for, and their life should be judged by it.

A caste system restricts people based on family or ancestry. Not past activities.

"Menial things on the way up" is stuff like working at McDonald's. Not network on-air gigs. That's already way up.

 

[TheBigA]

"Menial things on the way up" is stuff like working at McDonald's. Not network on-air gigs. That's already way up.

But you're saying that because Mike Wallace was the narrator on The Green Hornet, that disqualified him from ever doing anything else or something different.

 

[FredLeonard]

But you're saying that because Mike Wallace was the narrator on The Green Hornet, that disqualified him from ever doing anything else or something different.

I didn't say that. I just pointed out his resume. To be fair, Mike Wallace was also a staff writer on his college paper, "The Michigan Daily." But doing cigarette commercials and hosting a rigged quiz show might disqualify him. When CBS signed him, many of his CND "colleagues" were upset that a "sleazy Madison Avenue pitchman" would anchor a CBS News broadcast. The quote is from "Air Time: The Inside Story of CBS News" by Gary Paul Gates, who also ghost-wrote Wallace's memoirs. The book is currently displayed on the set of "CBS This Morning."

 

[TheBigA]

When CBS signed him, many of his CND "colleagues" were upset that a "sleazy Madison Avenue pitchman" would anchor a CBS News broadcast.

And Ronald Reagan spent his entire life trying to go beyond Bedtime for Bonzo, and being a pitchman for GE. My point is it can be done.

 

[FredLeonard]

And Ronald Reagan spent his entire life trying to go beyond Bedtime for Bonzo, and being a pitchman for GE. My point is it can be done.

Beyond "Bedtime for Bonzo" and being a GE pitchman? He became a politician. Is that a step up, in your view? Besides, Bonzo was far from Ronnie's worst movie and mostly critics at the time gave it mild phrase as an "enjoyable" or "amusing" light comedy.

I still have to wonder why Cosby is getting such grief and everybody looks the other way from Ronnie's statutory rape.

 

[JeffM]

"Menial things on the way up" is stuff like working at McDonald's. Not network on-air gigs. That's already way up.

I'll have a regular cheeseburger, small fries and a small Diet Coke, Fred.

 

[FredLeonard]

I'll have a regular cheeseburger, small fries and a small Diet Coke, Fred.

I'll make sure to spit in your food before you get it.

 

[JeffM]

At this time of year, I could compare you to Ebenezer Scrooge, but he'd be offended.

 

[FredLeonard]

At this time of year, I could compare you to Ebenezer Scrooge, but he'd be offended.

When did you start worrying about anybody being offended.

Besides how could you compare me to Ebenezer since you know nothing about me (although you've made up a lot) and I doubt seriously that you've read Dickens' book.

 

[JeffM]

Go Scrooge yourself...