Friday, October 14, 2011

NEWS ITIS

I love Rachel Maddow for her energetic freshness, intelligence, down-to-earthiness. But nowadays, if I tune her in, I change the channel.

For me, right now, there's
too much bam-wham- slam, scratch, jab, punch, and coo.

Coo? Yes, the knowing, comforting tone, the sigh that's telling me "that's the way the cookie crumbles."

Too much news, and too many others are on me and at me, plastering me with info, opini
on, their personal point of view (POV) -- and coo.

Right now, I like Lawrence O'Donnell -- he's slower, wearier, and much less everything. His realistic, sort of sad, pained demeanor suits my tired, weary, sad mood. Maddow's perkiness, her positive, passionate, seemingly un-stoppable flow of information, and her marvelously mixed but balanced personal reactions are exhausting.

Rachel tires me out? Yes! I don't want to be revved up by her.

The Ed Show, Piers Morgan, Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, Chris Matthews ... mmm ...Lots of good words in the wind with information that I can grab onto, or ignore but ... well ... I get restless listening to them . Piers is interesting but mostly does interviews. Chris Matthews' politics -- I am not interested in the IFS, and MAYBES on candidates. (Not now-- maybe in nine months I'll pay attention.)

Scott Pelly? The CBS anchorman that replaced Katie Couric? Dull! And the other whatshis-her names? They make me sleepy.

Now Charles Grodin -- golly, like Scott Pelly, he was a commentator on 60 Minutes for a while -- what fascinating fun he was on that show as well as in so many movies! Grodin has a sense of humor and -- for me, right on the money -- clean, sharp, fresh political observations. Hey, if Charles Grodin were the guy on CBS Nightly News, or anywhere, I'd glue myself to the channel and listen, chuckle, oggle, and be -- well, maybe I would be influenced!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I used to love watching Charles Grodin when he had his late-night talk show on cable - such an interesting, low-key person, and just right for that time of night. I do like Rachel Maddow, and I respect her for her honesty - when she makes a mistake or a wrong call, she admits to it.

Anonymous said...

I have stopped watching the many news stations because of all the things you mentioned today Em....it was wearing me out with their opinions, so I listen to the radio more now. When it gets closer to election time, I will watch again and be glued to who is in the lead etc. I do enjoy Charles Grodin also-brings a smile to my face... kam Kathleen Ann McGee

Linda Phillips said...

How interesting that you are saying this about Rachel. I love her. I love that she is a woman who made such an impact that she was hoisted up to the MSNBC star that she is. But yes, lately, I too have been taking Rachel in small doses.

I DVR Rachel, Lawrence and Keith, (now that he has a home again on Current). Not everyone gets Current. Fortunately I do.

But right now I am on news overload big time. So, I am finding that I am watching less and less of them and skimming through. Basically the 3 of them have the same Progressive point of view that I subscribe to.

Rachel has become a bit annoying lately. You put your finger on it so I won't repeat it. Lawrence is indeed soothing and very easy to take. Keith is..well..Keith..but again when he goes off on some tangent...I skim.

I have no interest at all in Peirs Morgan. Chris Mathews has always been too loud for me. Way too much talking over other people. I hate that.

Right now I think the political climate is stuck. The Republicans have a bunch of dangerous and ill informed people running. To think that Herman Cain and his idiot 999 economic ideas is leading the pack is frightening, though I am sure it will be Mitt Romney in the final analysis.....

There is a monumental movement going on all over the country right now.."Occupy" ...my guys are covering it..the "not so Progressives" are covering it up..unless they can find some negative stories that they can spin.

Jon Stewart, I see as the voice of sanity. I also look forward to tonight, Friday, to see what happens on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. His guest are usually fairly varied in their politics.

I am feeling very stuck right now with stalled movement in terms of the economy and job plans. The House has passed an egregious bill that if it becomes law, would literally leave some pregnant women who are in life or death situation to die.

Sorry, I just wrote my own blog, didn't I? ;-)

Anonymous said...

Hi Em, This topic sure resonates with me cause there is a point where i feel information overload and controlling it to just think seems very important. @Linda, Don't be 'sorry' what you said and how you said it was great!
Controlling how much information and who provides the information is useful in a 'world' technologically filled with so much information. Love and Hugs, Heather

eddie rotten said...

in my opinion, everything past the Lawrence Welch show is crap. Entertaining yes, but the competition to be the best drives the essence of true television out the window. Remember when the news reported good things about the community and saved the bad news for the newspaper? I miss that. But if I had it my way, a different viewer would be chosen every day to do the news. What Variety right? ;)

Another great topic Em.

Eddie Rotten