Thursday, May 7, 2009

Why is the TODAY show so obsessed with sex and violence?

Or maybe I missed the memo about semi-nude photos of semi-celebrities, killer moms, and how to get killer abs being hard-hitting news.

Seriously, what is TODAY's obsession with Miss California, Carrie Prejean? Did you really need to feature her AGAIN, and in the first hour this morning? I know, I know, the possibility of Miss California losing her crown for supposedly setting a bad example for America's young women by posing semi-nude when she was 17 is big news. But if you're going to cover (or uncover) Miss California and pageants in a.m. prime time, what about discussing the bad example the Miss California pageant set by paying for Carrie Prejean to get breast implants weeks before the Miss USA pageant?

And while I applaud TODAY for discussing teen pregnancy, was Bristol Palin really the best you could do? (For more about this, check out Gail Collins's extremely funny Op-Ed, "Bristol Palin's New Gig," in today's NYT.) Btw, TODAY's intro showing a very pregnant Bristol and teens making out with the hard pumping music in the background was totally worthy of E! or Access Hollywood or TMZ. And, oh yeah, I totally agree, Todd Palin is the perfect guy to discuss abstinence and setting a good example. Not. (And speaking of Todd, does Bristol's ex, Levi Johnston, look just like a younger Todd or what?)

And while I could, I won't go into TODAY's incessant coverage of serial killers, killer moms, and how to get killer abs. But what gives? Did corporate send out a memo telling the producers to go out and find the seamiest, silliest, or saddest stories they could or not come back?

I like Meredith Vieira, but I hate how seemingly since her arrival TODAY, which used to be my favorite morning news show, has turned into just another early morning gossip fest -- where even the gossip is stale.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah. This is valuable time that they could use to cover American Idol and beer, for example.

Dave S. said...

That's infotainment, baby.

Verification word "purge" so it looks like next week will be all about eating disorders.

TommyMac71 said...

Don't even get me going on TODAY. I half think they literally invented the swine flu just before the May sweeps because, well that's what they do

J. said...

EXACTLY, Anonymous! Wait a minute... Am I missing some big beer story?! Do tell.

Dave S., you know I'll be watching. NOT.

And I totally forgot about the swine flu, Tommy! That was so last week. (Really, what are they going to do to top that? Oh wait. Don't answer.)

TommyMac71 said...

Of course I'll answer...

What will they do.

Think: Al Roker; urology

Dave S. said...

"Where in the World is Al Roker's Prostate?"

Anonymous said...

What is about Boys and potty humor? Sigh.

Don't forget-Today has to fill 4 HOURS of TV and Idol is on another network.

GSA said...

About Miss California: didn’t she look better in her old tits? Do you ever wonder what these made-for-the-media bimbos would look like without bleached hair, expanded lips, ‘artful’ make-up etc etc? Yeah, yeah, pot-calling-the-kettle, but it’s awful that girls entering adolescence base their ideas of beautiful or sexy on these plastic princesses.

EMM said...

I stopped watching the Today show when Katie Couric left. It is the worst of the 3 major networks.

I love infotainment, but I don't want it as part of a "legitimate" news show. The excessive 4th hour is nauseating (and I only know that from watching "the soup" clips and SNL parodies).

The Today show used to be a great mix of news and fun. Now, they all act and look like bufoons.