what the fuck.the media's collective case of the vapors over katie couric hosting - *gasp* - the evening news is so ridiculous, i can hardly stand it. Broadsheet has been covering the insanity quite well, but after seeing this morning's cover of the Red Eye, i just had to chime in.
"too perky for primetime?" what kind of dumbass question is that? it conveys such a surface level understanding of, well, everything. and it's fucking condescending. did anyone perpetuating this "too perky" argument stop to think for one minute that there's a reason couric has made her way to the top of the media pile? that maybe it took some intelligence, cunning, nuance, and savvy on her part - that she didn't just wake up one day and giggle to herself in the mirror, "i think i'll go host the today show now!!"
this woman is not dumb. she understands that different types of media require different presentation, different tone. the today show is not the fucking nightly news, and she realized that in order to succeed on morning television, it's probably be a good idea to play up the perky angle. and lo and behold, it worked! she made a brand in and of herself, she ingratiated herself to the american public, and she became a damn good tv host.
so in light of all this, why are people acting like she just fell off the turnip truck? why do we assume that just because that's how she acts on tv sometimes, that's how she is in real life? she's playing a role! and she played it well enough to parlay it into a historic position as a lone female anchor of a nightly news program. and now she'll shift gears and play the role of serious newswoman, because it's her job. that's what she does, it's not who she is.
god damn. this fucking stupidity makes me crazy. congratulations to katie for a job well done, and a hearty "shut the fuck up" to everyone who has a problem with it.
4 comments:
I've seen the light! While I would never say "too perky for primetime," I would generally say "too perky for me." I've just never cared for her.
But, I let out a big "Duh!" when I read your post. You're so clearly right and it's so clearly simple, yet I hadn't even stopped to think of it.
Maybe I'll love her on the evening news. Maybe she will do an excellent job and I'll want to Tivo every newscast. I'm willing to give it a shot. I'll start out slowly, though.
So there, I've recognized my faults, you've done your good deed for the day.
Ah! Just re-read my comment and think it might have sounded snarky or sarcastic. While that is true in much of what I do and say, it's not the case here! You genuinely opened the proverbial eyes.
Or the metaphorical eyes in my conscience. Or my literal eyes, as I was getting sleepy over lunch.
You get the point!
no worries, elizalou, i knew what you meant :)
My problem with Couric has nothing to do with her "perkiness" and everything to do with her willingness to promote GOP storylines. Her interview with Howard Dean where she pimped the "Abramoff is a bi-partisan scandal" spin was just atrocious.
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