Friday, May 11, 2007

Honestly, Honey, We Just Don't Like Katie

Some lady at CBS thinks that poor Katie Couric is tanking in the ratings because, dang it, the viewers demand a white male as their newsclown:
Linda Mason: I'm just surprised at how, almost 30 years after I worked on the "Evening News" as the first woman producer, that Katie is having such a tough time being accepted by the public, which seems to prefer the news from white guys, and now that Charlie's doing so well, from older white guys. I guess they want the reassurance of a Walter Cronkite.

Sweetie? Pssst? It's nice that you're sticking up for Katie and everything, but you've got it all wrong. Because I don't know about you, but I would totally watch this:



Wouldn't you?

UPDATE: Gawker today has an excellent example of Katie's gravitas.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

yes!!!

Fran / Blue Gal said...

damn tootin' I would. Except I don't have TV because of Katie Couric. It's a long story.

Cindy G said...

Absolutely yes!!!!

Matthew Hubbard said...

No, she's right. It's chauvinism. It's just like how I feel about Don Imus and Andy Rooney; I hate them for their creepy eyebrows, not their fucking old white idiot commentaries.

If I hated them for their fucking old white idiot commentaries, then it would be their fault. But because of my deeply held and benighted prejudice against those who shun eyebrow maintenance, it's clearly my fault.

Diane Griffin said...

I don't care -- I like Katie. I wonder how she would look with big eyebrows? That may be what she needs to get good ratings...

Seriously, though: I think Gwen Ifill will be Lehrer's successor, and she'll be great at it.

Anonymous said...

Zipdrive here--

I miss Dan Rather.

Anonymous said...

Gwen Ifill can newscast Katie under the table without breaking a sweat.

Anonymous said...

Gwen is first rate.

Katie, not so much. (In fact, not at all.)

But I do miss Huntley & Brinkley.

Jay Allbritton said...

I love me some Allison Stewart doing the news. But that's because I'm so Gen-X.

Anonymous said...

Katie has no lips. Gwen has beautiful lips. Could that be it?

HRH King Friday XIII, Ret. said...

Geez... maybe if Katie wouldn't menstrate all over the news desk, I 'd pay more attention to her story about the baby polar bear.

Peteykins said...

I'm very pleased by the reaction to this post.

It's just such a stupid argument that people don't like Katie because we're all sexist. Give me a break.

Give us a qualified female newsbot, and we'll watch her!

They should put Katie on "The View" where she belongs.

St Edward the Confessor said...

Katie AND Elizabeth Hasselbeck? Ugh, how much can be tolerated in one hour of television? Sorry PSP- I must respectfully disgree. Although why do I care? I never watch the View... because of many reasons, but not the least of which is my cold hatin' on Elizabeth.

I think Katie should "retire" and leave us all alone at this point.

Please.

And for the record - I agree. It is not that she is a woman. Pul-eeze.

I'd watch Gwen - in fact, I do watch Gwen!

Matthew Hubbard said...

In regards to Katie and her gravitas: could it be her haircut? Does the haircut cry out to her, demanding that she act like a nineteen year old?

The Princess has already warned us that not taking haircuts seriously is a mistake. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.

Anonymous said...

Gwen Ifill is the byword for professional. Maybe Katie can sit down with the old Saddam era Iraqi Information Minister, and learn to be a bit less blonde and perky.

St Edward the Confessor said...

Ugh. And those insufferable calves of hers. When she was on the Today Show I would wince every time the camera would zoom out as she began an interview, would cross her legs and we'd be forced to watch her calves and high heels.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for fitness. But let us not ever mistake fitness for gravitas.

If she had it, and I actually think she might have come close, she threw it out the window with the haircuts, the legs and what is apparently awful behavior behind the scenes.

That's what I'm just sayin!

Anonymous said...

maybe and perhaps, cbs should take a cue from law and order, and just make a well placed hint to the eglomanic talentless star, that they would make for a fine president of the united states, hey worked with thompson!

Laura said...

I am watching Today a lot more since Katie left. Since Meredith is a woman and I've always loved Matt Lauer and crew, I can only assume it's because Katie annoys the hell out of me. I have never been a fan of CBS' news broadcasts, so Katie as anchor pretty much sealed the deal for me. I think folks were so caught up in the "everyone loves Katie" hype that they didn't realize that very few people love Katie.

Anonymous said...

Gwen Ifill could rock CBS. I'd actually watch network if that happened.
Why doesn't Katie start her own evening-style "The View", titled "Perspectives", where women of all hair colors can sit together and be honest?