Another "Enough Already"
The Tim Russert media wake ended yesterday with the Kennedy Center tribute, but at least one more columnist -- Variety's Brian Lowry -- has written about the overkill factor, and in so doing has joined the merry band.
"At a certain point [during the Russert tributes], even a modicum of recognition about relativity and propriety should have kicked in, as 'Remembering Tim Russert' essentially blotted out coverage of anything else in the world -- from flooding in the Midwest to the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"By doing so, MSNBC’s maudlin repetition of platitudes finally performed a genuine disservice to the late Meet the Press host’s memory by beginning to take on an unsavory aura of self-promotion. Inevitably in the painful process of padding out the hours, there were so many references to the 'NBC family,' the network’s enduring commitment to his example, and parading by correspondents and contributors sharing personal memories to qualify as back-patting."
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on June 19, 2008 at 2:11 PM
comment #1
George Prager
says ...
Th whole thing reminds me of the Bill Brasky sketches on SNL:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-510117720181950024&q=&hl=en
Posted by George Prager
at June 19, 2008 2:27 PM
comment #2
supertaster
says ...
repost:
Wells doesn't like me so he won't give one of the comment credits like he sometimes does, but I started saying this stuff on here Sunday.
Now, I'm just a blog commeter and I've taken no risks nor have i worked my ass of to run and promote my own blog, but still...FIRST!!
(joking...just joking)
/end-repost
For all their awe and admiration for Tim's fairness and thirst for truth, they will go right back to being the nattering, pandering, myopic leftist pimps they are. Everything they said about Russert will be undone by their actions -- they admired his bi-partisanship while some of them might as well wear that stupid blue-state ribbon Wells had on here for years. They admired his blue-collar origins and work ethic, but will continue to live in their own rarified, elitisit bubbles, completely out of touch with what is important to 90% of this country. They admired his faith, but will be slamming those of faith by the end of the week.
I was an avid watcher of MSNBC as recent as last week...I may never go back. I have never seen a more vulgar, self-absorbed public display of self-gratifying emotion.
Iowa is still under water, Afghanistan is about to become even more unstable, and MSNBC just proved why they deserve their place in dead last.
Posted by supertaster
at June 19, 2008 2:49 PM
comment #3
corey3rd
says ...
It's a shame we can't just toss the dead into a trashcan for curbside pick up and be done with them.
How dare Tim take away time from Tiger Woods' knee!
Posted by corey3rd
at June 19, 2008 3:17 PM
comment #4
Movie Watcher
says ...
Thank God it is over. Look, he wasn't the president. or even an elected official, he hosted a tv show. That's it. It was sad when I heard he died, but please, let's move on.
Posted by Movie Watcher
at June 19, 2008 3:21 PM
comment #5
T. S. Idiot
says ...
Television news folks know, don't think, they're the most important people on the planet, so when one of their best known dies, obviously it's more important than anything else. If Tiger Woods had croaked, it wouldn't have gotten this much attention.
Posted by T. S. Idiot
at June 19, 2008 4:01 PM
comment #6
tommysunshine
says ...
Tim Russert's death is getting all the attention because in his work his purposes were honest, he didn't let his personal loyalties impede his reporting and he just lapped up life. He was a nice guy who didn't finish last due to an internal toughness and- sorry aetheists- his faith.
His son Luke was so dignified on TV a few days afterwards. I've seen so many of those interviews and this one really stood out. I shed unplanned tears.
I'm captain cynical but the Russerts are an incredibly special family. NBC are being great to his family and helping present his legacy to those who didn't always watch meet the press. That's far more important than clocking the coverage his death received in comparison to men of more power and greater stature.
Posted by tommysunshine
at June 19, 2008 4:13 PM
comment #7
mrmystery
says ...
I'm captain cynical..
me too, tommy boy. i think the Russerts are the bestest and most loving family in the world and lots more special and important than anyone in the world. we should all wear black ribbons on our chets for the next year to show our support of their heroic struggle.
i trust the media to make my decisions. they've already annointed the obama messiah, so why do we even have to bother ourselves with voting. can't we all just get along?
Posted by mrmystery
at June 19, 2008 4:21 PM
comment #8
messiahcomplexio
says ...
I love the smell of false outrage in the morning...
Posted by messiahcomplexio
at June 19, 2008 4:38 PM
comment #9
messiahcomplexio
says ...
Jeffrey Wells was killed today when he was cornered in a airport bathroom by a fat man with an unusual love for CGI.
according to wells wishes, there was a short service, before the body was tossed in the dumpster behind Canters Deli among the stale bagels and half eaten pork sandwiches.
David Poland sang Ave Maria.
donations can be made, care of Jeffrey's favorite charity Fry frodo, a non profit devoted to burning the negatives of the LOTR trilogy.
Posted by messiahcomplexio
at June 19, 2008 5:14 PM
comment #10
Gordie Lachance
says ...
No such thing as overkill as far as Tim Russert goes.
He will be remembered as the last credible journalist in American history.
All we have left is Katy Couric, Bill O'Reilly, TMZ and blogs like HE, which are not really news, not really opinion, not really gossip, just a hodge-podge of random, stream-of-consciousness ramblings.
Posted by Gordie Lachance
at June 20, 2008 4:30 AM
comment #11
Arizona Joe
says ...
NBC overdid it, no doubt.
It was a function of co-workers being genuinely overcome with grief. Probably should have had not so much last weekend, and let the very fine Kennedy Center tribute speak for itself.
But if anyone deserves that praise, it was Russert. He was an authentic guy who provided a service to America that probably cannot be duplicated. And I don't discount the Buffalo roots stories. Tim Russert might be the last guy without an Ivy League degree or Money to make a big difference.
NBC was mourning the loss of a good friend, and a supreme talent. So I can excuse the excess. However, the Cleveland Plain Dealer interviewed his college and law school classmates, and although he was gregarious, Russert was nothing special as a student.
A radio wag once said of a Yankees GM who passed, "He knew how to get close to people with money.'" Well, Russert had a gift for getting close to people with power, at a young age.
As you get older, you sense power, even in trivial social situations, and life is seen through a grid of alpha males, pecking orders, queen bees, and condescension.
Russert had real insight and a talent for navigating the hierarchy of power and the shoals of money upon which society rests. I greatly admired him for that. Russert was acclimatized to power through his work for Moynihan and Cuomo. Next Russert saw under-appreciated value in "Meet the Press," just like an investment banker sees an undervalued company. Then Russert had the power.
There were some who alluded that Russert had a long memory and held grudges. I'd like to hear more of that.
Posted by Arizona Joe
at June 20, 2008 12:48 PM
comment #12
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comment #13
luck
says ...
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