TYT Co-Host Ben Mankiewicz To Host 'At The Movies' (Thumbs Up?)

[ihavenobias]

As many of you have probably heard, , At The Movies

This has predictably created some waves and reaction has been mixed. In fact I'd say overall people are skeptical of this move, but that's to be expected considering what a popular, long running show At The Movies has been.

Now . Here is a clip from last night of .

So I have to ask, what do you think? Is it a good move, a bad move, a neutral move?

Are you dead-set against it, cautiously optimistic or excited?

Personally, I'm cautiously optimistic. I grew up with Siskel and Ebert and Then Ebert and Roeper, so like many out there I think it's hard to let go, even though I admit to not watching the show religiously. Still, I'm a big fan of The Young Turks and I know that .

I'm not too sure about the other Ben (just not familiar with him), but I'm confident that at least half of the formula is right.

So for now, I give this one thumb up.

[terrya]

1. I thought they would keep Michael Phillips

The critic that has been substituting for Roger Ebert lately. I thought Phillips did well.

I know Ben Mankiewicz hosts the segments before movies on Turner Classic Movies, and he does a very good job hosting those segments.

I have no idea what Ben Lyons is like.

[ihavenobias]

13. I agree on the TCM and not knowing anything about Lyons n/t

[monmouth]

2. I've been watching Ben Mank for ages now, purposely because of

his knowledge, wonderful stories of background, and, what the hell I'm old but not dead......he's cute..

[ihavenobias]

14. Ha, ha...

Now that's some good honesty.

:)

[hlthe2b]

3. All my thumbs prognosticating are forever with Ebert...

We still have his wonderful written reviews, at least...

That said, I like Ben Mankiewicz. I know Lyons' father, but know nothing about the son....At any rate, it is Disney and they seem determined to destroy the franchise. We shall see.

[mucifer]

21. I think Ebert might actually be more of a lefty than Ben.

But, I'm all for Ben getting the spot.

[ihavenobias]

24. Really?

I don't know, Ben is a pretty strong lefty if you watch TYT!

[mucifer]

25. Ebert has interviewed people like Studs Terkel.

He also goes out of his way to nationally promote liberal low budget great movies like "Hoops Dreams". Ebert is very well read and intelligent. Anyway, here is an interview The Progressive magazine did with Ebert:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1295/is_8_67/ai_106225217

One other interesting similarity between Ebert and Mankoweitz, they both are married to black women.

[ihavenobias]

26. I'm familiar with him, I grew up on Ebert!

I'm in Chicagoland, remember? :)

I'm not questioning his liberal cred, not at all! I'm just saying Ben is plenty liberal. I mean hell, his Dad worked under JFK and Ben has interviewed tons of progressives with TYT.

[pleah]

4. I guess I fall in the "cautiously optimistic" category.

:thumbsup:

[book_worm]

5. I like Ben M on TCM nice to get a different perspective than from Bob O all the time.

[LanternWaste]

7. Is he the one who...

Is he the one who introduces and gives back stories on a movie about to aired? If it's the same guy, I'm all for it!

[book_worm]

8. yes, he's the younger one who hosts Sat and Sun during the day

[trof]

9. I like him too. I think he'll do OK.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. I don't know him. I didn't like Roeper.

Two guest hosts I did like: there was this absolutely gorgeous young black woman who co-hosted once with Roeper. She really, really knew what she was talking about, and in one shoe I valued her opinion more than Roeper.

And when Ebert was inviting guest hosts after Siskel tied, there was this one enormous redheaded obese guy, with a big goofy red beard. Looked like somebody you'd see sweating in line at a comic book convention.

They should find those two people and put them on the show.

[keroro gunsou]

29. the guy with the red beard

was harry knowles from ain't it cool news.

[ihavenobias]

30. Thanks, that was bugging me too n/t

[trof]

10. I hope the acorn didn't fall far from the tree. Don't think it did.

Frank Mankiewicz received a B.A. in political science from University of California, Los Angeles in 1947; a master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1948; and an LL.B. from University of California, Berkeley in 1955. He has been president of National Public Radio, regional director for the Peace Corps in Latin America, campaign director for 1972 Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern, and press secretary to Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, D-N.Y. <1>

His work in politics earned him a place on the master list of Nixon political opponents. <2>

Mankiewicz lives in Washington D.C. with his wife Patricia O'Brien. His son Josh Mankiewicz is an NBC News correspondent and son Ben Mankiewicz is an Air America radio host and Turner Classic Movies host. Both sons live in Los Angeles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Mankiewicz

[jimshoes]

11. That's cool for Ben

Here's two thumbs up in advance.:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[gateley]

12. Cool, Ben! nt

[NashVegas]

15. Ebert Essay: "The Balcony is Closed"

"Did Gene and I hate each other? Yes. Did we love each other? Yes. Somehow an outtake from a promo session has found its way on YouTube, where in a single take you can see us bitterly sniping at one another and then happily joking together. It was like that. "You have the entire staff in terror of you," I told him. "That's funny," he said. "That's what they tell me about you." We were both terrible to work with. And great to work with."


http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2008/07/the-balcony-is-closed.html

[ihavenobias]

36. Thanks for posting this, somehow I missed it before

:)

[Hidden Stillness]

16. No

I don't like it and will probably not watch/listen. This is a very sad event, and marks the end of the long-running attempt--first with Siskel and Ebert on PBS all those years ago, then syndicated, then Ebert and others--to bring intelligent, tough, non-gullible, non-"cheerleading" newspaper-quality criticism to TV reviews of movies. The thing you will lose will be the voice that refuses to just "not be a troublemaker," and tell the truth, rather than pretending some corporate piece of crap was "really not that bad," or "an improvement," or other jargon. Ebert always described things just the way they should be described, for the sake of the public, whether it loses a studio money or not. I will miss Roger Ebert, and still miss Siskel.

Mankiewicz annoys me on TCM, and I can't stand to keep it on no matter what the movie is, until the movie itself actually comes on, and Mankiewicz is finished. I'm still pissed at TCM for getting rid of the great critic Molly Haskell, (who made a great team with Robert Osborne, on "The Essentials," one of my favorites) after she made a critical remark about "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," a great movie I'll grant you, but it was a trivial remark, about how one scene didn't make sense, or something.

This is the great threat at losing people like this--both Ebert and Molly Haskell now, and just generally--that they cut them out as soon as they say anything "not on the list," and the public totally loses the true, critical, anti-corporate or non-corporate voice. Then all there is left is advertising and puff-piece. I think I will just go back to my Haskell and Ebert books, and others.

[ihavenobias]

18. Now hold on a minute

I can't speak for the "other Ben" (Ben Lyons), but there is no evidence to suggest that Ben Mankiewicz will be a shill for bad, corporate movies. Plus he's undeniably intelligent (now if you personally dislike his particular style I disagree but I respect your opinion).

Have you ever watched him on The Young Turks? You may not like TYT, but if there's one thing they're not it's politically correct corporate shills.

At any rate, I agree the show won't be the same (with new hosts it's simply impossible to not be different) and that this is a loss of a legend. Siskel and Ebert were brilliant (I like Roeper too), and having grown up and currently living in Chicagoland, they will always have a place in my heart.

Still, like I wrote in my OP, I think that with anything in life, there are always purists and Grumpy Gusses who refuse to accept change (even before they really know what the change means). Don't get me wrong, I'm not directing that toward you, I'm just making a general point here.

:)

[KatyaR]

17. I think it's a thumb's up, but there will be no "thumbs up" on the show.

According to Ben M, Mr. Ebert has copyrighted that phrase, so they'll have to find something else to say.

I think they could have done worse. I don't know Ben Lyons, but I like Ben Mankowitz. I hope this means he won't be on TMZ anymore--what a horrible job for someone who I think is basically a nice guy.

And, as Cenk said this morning (last night, whatever)--the rebels are now invading ALL the movie theaters . . . .

[ihavenobias]

19. Ben quit that horrible job very quickly

At first he was lured by money (people can look down on that but so many of us would do the same given the opportunity) and quickly realized it wasn't for him.

Which again speaks to the fact that he just doesn't have it in him to be a corporate shill.

[KatyaR]

22. Thank goodness--I don't know how anyone can stand to watch that show,

much less work on it. Yuck.

[ihavenobias]

23. Ok, you've confirmed you have bad taste so I can now disregard your prior comment too

;)

I'm joking obviously, TMZ is horrible. :)

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

20. I loved Ebert and Roeper

Even more than Siskel and Ebert. I thought Gene was too much into hating everything.

I liked Michael Phillips, and also Kevin Smith. Not so much A.O. Scott. But I guess they are all being loyal to Roger and Richard.

[CherylK]

27. Bump!

[ihavenobias]

31. Thanks

:)

[OhioChick]

28. K&R

:kick:

[dysfunctional press]

32. i came close to killing gene siskel...

i was driving a pick-up on clark st., hauling a heavy trailer when the moran darted out from between two parked cars and ran in front of me to get to a cab going the other way...i had to slam on the brakes, and had things falling off the trailer(scrap i was taking to the recycler) from the quick stop.

[ihavenobias]

33. Did you get free movie passes or just a dirty look?

;)

[dysfunctional press]

34. neither- he was oblivious to my presence- though he came very close to being painfully aware of it.

nt

[ihavenobias]

35. It makes you wonder how many times in life we come close to disaster and don't even realize it n/t