Rachel Maddow Hops From Radio To Her Own MSNBC Show With Smarts, Energy And Charm

[Purveyor]

By JOHN TIMPANE - The Philadelphia Inquirer

NEW YORK - "She's great on radio, but she was made for TV," says Matthew Zeidman, an audio assistant at MSNBC.

"Her brainpower is just unreal," says executive producer Bill Wolff, edgily relaxing in his office before all hell breaks loose. "She's running around you while you're just going forward."

They're talking about Rachel Maddow, host of MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show," which launched Sept. 8 and airs weekdays 9 to 10 p.m. She's also the host (since 2004) of the radio show with the same name that airs weekdays 6 to 9 p.m. on Air America (and on XM Satellite Radio). She also blogs for the Huffington Post.

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As Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism, points out, "This is talk radio on TV." But then he adds: "It is unusual to have a woman in this role." A gay woman with her own lefty pundit show, following Keith Olbermann, no less.

"That she happens to be the first openly gay woman to do so makes what Rachel has accomplished here that much more gratifying," says Neil G. Giuliano, president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

The show is enjoying early success. From Sept. 15 to 19, her second week on the air, she outdrew even the mighty Olbermann (MSNBC's flagship success) twice, and beat Larry King on CNN, becoming the No. 2 cable show for the week behind Fox News' "Hannity & Colmes," according to TVByTheNumbers.com.

MORE: http://www.macon.com/245/story/479210.html

[tridim]

1. I bet Rush knows who Rachel Maddow is now.

:)

[melody]

2. Smarts? Smarts? A bright office assistant has "smarts" -- Rachel's brilliant

I wonder if they'd refer to a man's "smarts" and "charm".

[cyberpj]

3. MSNBC moved her rerun show opposite 11pm Daily Show/Colbert show

Now I'm torn because if I watched something at 9pm and missed Rachel I used to catch or tape the 2am show. Now I have to choose between Rachel and John at 11pm. Guess I'll be taping Rachel all the time now.

[Larkspur]

7. Rachel's show is rerun normally at 3:00 am

I think her show tonight follows Keith's 11:00 pm post-debate Countdown and Hardball follows Rachel's show. The TVGuide has it wrong. Last night MSNBC said Rachel's show today will air at Midnight, right after Keith's Countdown.

[cyberpj]

9. Not any more. Now it's 9pm after Keith and 11pm after Keith on normal (non-debate) nights.

At least according to my DVR guide for next week.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

4. for me anyway, she makes Olberman dispensible...

High marks for Rachel, I'm a big fan!

When Obama wins, I see Keith's spot taken over by Tucker Carlson.

[gravity]

6. I am getting tired of Olberman

He is just too angry and condescending. Rachel Maddow can have fun and be relaxed because she has such a sharp wit, that she doesn't need to mad to prove anything.

[cyberpj]

10. As a former Keith fanatic, I too admit that he's taking some things too far lately. He used to be

level-headed enough to just speak the truth and hopefully educate people but now he's become a counter-point to O'Reilly's "type" and it's just my opinion but I don't think that helps us.

Rachel is now what Keith used to be.

[Larkspur]

8. Keith's show is still MSNBC's top rated show

Rachel only beat him a couple nights.

Anyway, it was Keith who championed her cause. Rachel shares Keith's agent.

Tucker Carlson is a Right wing douche-bag. His shows never had strong ratings. He won't get a new show for a long time. They don't even have him filling in for Reich winger Joe Scarborough. That's how bad Tucker is.

I love both Keith and Rachel. They may share the same political perspective but they have different personalities and that makes both of them enjoyable to watch.

[grammysandie]

5. Love her, love her, love her n/t

[immoderate]

11. Welcome to DU, and I couldn't have said it better.

:hi:

--IMM