Whats up with Meet the Press? I love this show, but damn. Its trying way too hard to make sure than Im not bored. But I want to be bored! Thats why I watch Meet the Press, to be confronted with information some might consider boring but is, nonetheless, important to understanding Washington, if such a thing is possible. So I get my cup of coffee and sit down to watch, to be bored but informed. I enjoyed the interview with former Virginia Senator Jim Webb, but that was about it. It wasnt that the other guests were not as compelling, it wasnt even the neophyte moderator, Chuck Todd. In fact, I may have left the show reasonably satisfied with the content but for one person: my wife. My wife, brilliant and keenly observant, opened my eyes to what was happening. Todd was interviewing RNC Chair Reince Priebus (see below). This was an important moment. I focus. Then, she speaks. Whats up with that desk? Why are they sitting so close to each other? It looks like hes (Todd) about to give him (Priebus) a manicure! It was as if I had swallowed the red pill and the veil of illusion was being lifted away. Suddenly, I realized I was being played. This wasnt the Meet the Press I knew and loved. The set had become a cross between an Apple store and an Ikea display. From that point on, I couldnt focus of what was being said. I noticed the uneaten cinamon roll ring on the table they share, designed to make me feel as if I were sitting at the kitchen table with Chuck and Reince, I suppose. I notice the airbrush cafe scene behind Mr. Priebus. Lord only knows why its there-- or perhaps consultants have the answer. They are, after all, omniscient. An important interview, a moment for a headline, was being consumed by an environment retailers design to tap into all our consumer instincts. Dont get bored! Look at what we have here! It got worse from there. Mr. Todd moved from the Ikea table to a large glass table to confer with the assembled panelists. Then, it was back to a smaller glass, kiddie table before going back yet again to the grown-ups table. I see how Mr. Todd has lost weight. He sure does move around a lot. Later, he was standing in front of two oversized monitors, his hands clasped around rolled up scripts he couldnt possibly hope to read if the teleprompter should suddenly go on the fritz. He rocked nervously to and fro, looking like an anxious basketball coach rallying the team in the locker room at half time or a fidgety Verizon sales associate trying to sell the latest smartphone or tablet. Dont get me wrong. This is not Mr. Todds fault. Hes a policy wonk, not some protean newscaster (ouch, that hurt). We shouldnt look for him to entertain us or make us feel comfortable. Hes theres to ask tough, insightful questions that make the interviewee uncomfortable. He held up a couple of charts while interviewing President Obama and looked far more comfortable; and, more importantly, more credible. Meet the Press was at its best when it is Spartan and doesnt try so hard. One moderator, a guest, two chairs, a desk, and a barrage of questions aimed at seeking the truth or, at the least, pointing out the hypocrisy that permeates through the corridors of power in Washington. The irony of my wifes reaction to the Ikea, manicure table is that its goal is to attract and keep her watching, for she is a member of the treasured demo, women 18 to 49. If news organizations as vital as Meet the Press must adapt a retail perspective and sell to them, consider this: what good is a pretty store, if you dont like whats inside?
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 22:36:26 +0000
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