MSNBC Press Release about Tucker's Show....

[Catchawave]

http://nbcumv.com/msnbc/release_detail.nbc/msnbc-20050531000000-msnbcsthesituati.html

SECAUCUS, N.J. -- May 31, 2005 -- MSNBC today announced that "The Situation with Tucker Carlson" will launch on Monday, June 13 at 9:00 p.m. ET. The announcement was made by Rick Kaplan, president of MSNBC. "The Situation with Tucker Carlson" will be a fast paced, no-holds-barred conversation about the day's developments in news, politics, world issues and pop culture. "The Situation with Tucker Carlson" will feature a regular panel of contributors for lively, pointed and informed discussion of the top headlines and most intriguing issues of the day, as well as interviews with the world's top newsmakers.

"Tucker is one of the most talented journalists working in television today," said Kaplan. "We are extremely proud to have him join our primetime lineup and we know he will bring unbridled passion, knowledge and enthusiasm to the network and his show."

Carlson joined MSNBC in February from CNN where he served as a host of the network's political debate program, "Crossfire." He also hosts a PBS program, "Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered," which will run through June. A longtime magazine and newspaper journalist, Carlson has reported from around the world, most recently from Iraq. He has been a columnist for New York magazine and Reader's Digest. He currently writes for Esquire, the Weekly Standard and The New York Times magazine.

"The Situation with Tucker Carlson" will telecast Monday through Friday from 9 to 10 p.m. (ET) (re-air 10 p.m. PT/1 a.m. ET). MSNBC's primetime lineup is as follows: "Hardball with Chris Matthews," (7-8 p.m. ET); "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" (8-9 p.m. ET); "The Situation with Tucker Carlson" (9-10 p.m. ET), and "Scarborough Country" (10-11 p.m. ET). Bill Wolff will serve as executive producer of "The Situation with Tucker Carlson." Rick Kaplan is president of MSNBC.

# # #

[Patsy Stone]

1. Well, there you go.

I still don't despise his as much as JS, and maybe he'll just be the moderate Repug he wants to be. Here's hopin'.

[RevCheesehead]

2. There's just something about that boy...

that reminds me of my brother (in his worst repug moments). :(

[CBHagman]

3. God help us all.

Oy. Look at that line-up. Boorish, bellowing Chris Matthews, cranky Carlson, and that smirking, self-indulgent Scarborough. Then our Keith sandwiched in between.

Does MSNBC just hate our guts or what? Was there no up-and-coming woman reporter to host an hour, no avuncular news veteran, no pleasantly nerdy type to put in an appearance? How about a European with a dry sense of humor?

No, it's time to ram Tucker Carlson down the throats of viewers of yet another network. You can run from CNN to PBS to MSNBC, and he keeps showing up. Ugh.

[Catchawave]

5. I'll give him a chance....

...maybe he took Jon Stewart's advice? If it comes down to pundits yelling at each other, I won't watch. Those kind of shows are horrible!

[crispini]

7. Hm, so you're positing that Bowtie Boy

has had a bit of personal revelation and insight? Uh, well, maybe. I doubt it, though. John Stewart was so right when he told him off... "you're hurting America." Yes, indeed, you ARE degrading the level of discourse in this country, Mr. Carlson, and if you stand up on your hind legs and do something that shows you realize it, then you will have my deepest respect. But somehow I doubt that he's capable of that level of self-examination. In order to CHANGE, you have to first admit that you're doing something WRONG, and an awful lot of people aren't even capable of that first step.

[Catchawave]

10. Well, he is cute....

...just kidding! Nah, I'll give him his first show, which I think we should live blog, so I can send it to MSNBC for marketing analysis :)

That would be fun !

However much I despised him on Crossfire, I still give him credit for breaking the Karla Faye Tucker - Gov Bush "please don't kill me" story. His prediction Kerry would win and letting Hillary serve him a "shoe cake" after he said "if her book sells a million copies, I'll eat my shoe."

I've given Ron Reagan's Connected a chance, but just cannot stand Monica Crowley, Ron just rolls over like a submisive pup like those other liberal weiners Paul Begala and Alan Colmes.

Thanks to Keith, I've raised my bar for the MSM, I just want sincere factual honesty! I don't want any MSMer pissing on my leg and telling me it's raining :)

[crispini]

12. Sounds good to me, we can live blog the first show

and make snarky remarks about his hair and bowtie. :evilgrin:

[gkhouston]

14. well, since my Chatty Cathy doll has long since gone the way

of all flesh, perhaps I'll watch that one night. Somehow, watching Tucker Carlson reminds me a lot of pulling the string and watching the recorded phrases roll out over and over again, completely oblivious to external context. This is, of course, assuming I can't think of something better to do that night, like re-grout the tile in the hall bathroom or run some wiring in the attic. (Oh, yeah, attics in June. That's friggin' desperate). :-)

[Berry Cool]

4. Let's face it, Keith has become the small slice of meat

in an MSNBC sh** sandwich.

And what do you want to bet this show so resembles the News Quiz in some way or other that it explains why the News Quiz is gone?

The good news? The inside buzz at MSNBC is that Tucker isn't really good at this sort of thing, and that's why it's been taking so long to pull together. In other words, even by the time it hits the air, it may be garbage.

[RevCheesehead]

9. And when Tucker goes bye-bye

we can get the News Quiz back, right? :bounce:

[Berry Cool]

15. I certainly hope we can get the News Quiz back!

As far as I'm concerned, Tucker co-opted it...or at least is trying to with whatever concoction he's come up with...seems as good an explanation as any for Keith throwing in the towel.

I'm hoping he's really bad at it, the show blows and is off the air again soon, and while MSNBC scrambles to create a new format The Bowtied One can handle (perhaps reading off of cue cards?), we will see the glad return of the News Quiz.

But of course, that's all in my dreams. In the meantime, we must enjoy our "sandwich" with its small slice of Keith...and its large slice of CHEESE...

[gkhouston]

6. for "lively, pointed discussion"

read "screamfest"...

[crispini]

8. Too true, Gina.

The man's an inch deep and a mile wide, IMO.

[Catchawave]

11. I hate screamfests......

...especially by DEM and GOP "strategists"....ugh. I haven't watched Tweety in months because he has to scream louder. Triple UGH.

[Catchawave]

13. A related DU link :

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1820364

We.Are.Not.Alone !

[Berry Cool]

16. The good thing is, MSNBC actually ran an ad tonight

about Countdown beating CNN in ratings..."thanks to you!"

[RevCheesehead]

17. I saw that!

And my reply was, no, thank DU - and the KOEB! :loveya: