In Depth
Adalian Column: What Do CNBC Blowhards, Ashton Kutcher and Craig Ferguson Have in Common?
Channeling Larry King once again…
CNBC's Rick Santelli
Rick Santelli, the CNBC blowhard who moronically lashed out at President Obama’s mortgage rescue plan last week in a much-publicized rant, certainly had every right to speak his mind as he did. And I have every right to never watch CNBC again until the network takes him off the air. … It’s not just that his arguments were idiotic (though they were). It’s not that he was loud and obnoxious (this is the home of Jim Cramer, after all). But if CNBC is going to go down the same politics-masquerading-as-news path as MSNBC and Fox News, then consider me an ex-viewer. … As a friend told me, “CNBC shouldn’t care about red or blue … only green.” …
If I had to choose between a third season for “Chuck” and a fourth year of “Friday Night Lights,” I’d go with “Chuck.” The former is a brilliant show that has zero hope of growing its audience. The latter is stuck in a lousy timeslot on a network that’s (probably correctly) focused on shoring up its big hits rather than nurturing its young ones. … Of course, in a perfect world, NBC never would have ordered extra episodes of “Knight Rider” and “Kath and Kim,” and would have devoted the extra coin to keeping both “FNL” and “Chuck” in production. …
It was superclassy of CBS to issue a press release Friday noting Craig Ferguson’s latest meaningless total-viewer victory over Conan O’Brien. Such a nice way to wish Mr. O’Brien well on his final day as host of “Late Night.” … Despite his handler’s petty chest-thumping, I’m still happy things have worked out for Mr. Ferguson. He’s a genuine talent. … While on the after-hour tip, here’s hoping those in the media who still believe in the myth of the “late-night wars” will calm down and give Jimmy Fallon at least a year to find his groove. …
Craig Ferguson
The numbers for the premiere of Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse” were better than some outlets described them. But they weren’t worthy of the promos Fox aired last week declaring the show the network’s “new hit series.” Wishing doesn’t make it so, guys. Nor does the fact that other networks do it, too. … From my Twitter pal A Plus K comes this observation about the season’s first live “American Idol” episode: “Surprised at the production glitches, the clunky blocking with the rents, and funky mix. I bet Mike Darnell was going insane!” He’s totally right (at least about the snafus). … P.S. A Plus K = Ashton Kutcher, whose Tweets are actually pretty interesting. He’s no Wil Wheaton, though. …
Saw Writers Guild of America president Patric Verrone having coffee last week—at a Panera Bakery in Santa Monica. What a difference a year makes! … I’m still not a fan of how the WGA handled its strike, but compared to the folks at SAG? Mr. Verrone is friggin’ Winston Churchill. … Glad to see multicamera pilots are making a comeback this development season. I still wish there were more attempts at family shows with a strong central lead like “Roseanne” or “Home Improvement.” Standup isn’t that dead, is it? … I’m also shocked NBC chose not to move forward with its 1980s-set comedy from Bob Brush and Sony. I didn’t read the script, but somebody is going to get very rich with a half-hour set in another decade. Ask A Plus K about nostalgia and comedy. Or Garry Marshall. …
The blogosphere wasn’t sweet on last week’s episode of “Lost.” Probably because it was the most easy-to-comprehend, emotionally rewarding episode of what’s been an amazing season. … I will be very, very sad when the final episode of “Lost” airs on May 26, 2010. My head won’t hurt as much, but I will be sad. … Ben Grossman of Broadcasting & Cable sent me a link about J.D. Fortune, the winner of “Rock Star: INXS.” He’s been thrown out of the band due to a cocaine habit. So does this mean CBS will finally bring the show back so INXS can find a new lead singer? Or does Marty Casey get to take over now? …
Repeats in February just feel weird. Darn you, digital transition, for messing with my TV calendar! … Speaking of the digital transition, this Oklahoma City TV newspaper editor makes Rick Santelli look like a genius. I mean, you’re really going to use the delay in the DTV switchover date as an excuse to bash the Liberal Washington Elite? Really? Kinda fitting that Oklahoma City seemed to have an unusually high number of confused citizens last Tuesday. … Dot’s all, folks!
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Comments 11
Larry
Rick was only speaking the truth. The truth is not red or blue..it is green. Mr.Obama's plan will take a bunch of green for most Americans.
MIKE
I disagree with you and agree with the Santelli guy. This plan is an outrage to every tax paying citizen in the US.
Scott
You're seriously criticizing a TV network for issuing a release that their show beat the show on the other network? Wow, you must hate that PR department .... Where's the column blasting a network for tossing out a proven winner to promote a guy who's losing in the rating?
Hilary Smith
If your neighbor's house gets forclosed on it will drive your property value down especially if there are several forclosures in your neighborhood and especially if the houses sit vacant for any period of time. By pitching in to help your irresponsible neighbor, you're actually helping yourself. Maybe we were all a little irreponsible when we decided to drink the tax-cut/deregulation koolaid. With adequate funding our watchdog agencies could have been properly staffed and could have sounded alarm bells when they noticed that banks had drastically lowered their lending standards. Santelli's just trying to divide the working-class because he's scared we'll rise up and knock him and his ruling-class ilk off of their privileged pedestals.
Richard
I saw Rick Santelli's so called rant - he said nothing that wasn't true. Josef Adalin should maybe layoff channeling Larry King.
Joe Amato
It was not moronic. It was great TV. And when did you become and economic policy expert? Besides ... whats the difference between what he did and what the CBS Evening News does every night -- promote and cover for Obama. Katie is a cheerleader.
Thurston Last
Wah, wah, wah. Conservatives whine WAY too much these days. Where was all this whining when the previous administration of he-who-shall-not-be-named spent $1 trillion of taxpayer money to help out a country that HATES US? Where were all the complaints about the 1989 bailout greenlit by the first Bush administration and handing over the same monies to the same people that are getting them now? I wonder if conservatives, who had been in power in Congress from 1995 until 2007 and the White House from 2001 until 2009, are even aware that this whole situation was created by them in the first place. But no, they blame folks that got into power about two years ago. THAT'S moronic.
But I do see what NBC is doing. They've turned MSNBC into a more left-leaning channel with left-wing blowhards like Olberman, Maddow, and Matthews and CNBC into a more right-leaning channel with right-wing blowhards like Santelli and Kudlow. Funny thing is CNN is loading up on right-wingers as well like Lou Dobbs, Mike Galanos, and Campbell Brown on their outlets. Just wish news folks just stuck to the news and not regress themselves into knuckle-dragging, backwards-thinking cavemen whose only way of communication is shouting on top of other people whose opinions are different than their own. You know, like Fox News's two prime-time divas.
Your wrong Mr columinst, and your making us stronger.
HELLO?! IS THIS THING ON?
America every one has a right to free speech!
This is not a republican or democrat issue, Its not a black or white issue, its an Amercian issue.
We are all Americans! We are being force feed this Govermental BS with out any representation. When will you all see that?!
America Will never be USSA!
PS. The more you beat Beat on Rick the stronger we become. Keep talking.
Genius
Craig Ferguson is funnier than all of the Late Night Hosts. He also knows more about Americans than most natural born citizens in America.
So, do you have a problem with funny?
Joe Bua
What kills me is not one of these commenters have mentioned that Santelli is a former derivatives trader, one of the people who got us in this trouble, and not one mention of that even from CNBC.
I had to find out from Americablog.
http://www.americablog.com/2009/02/cnbc-santelli-rant.html
So, you people above who claim Adalian is wrong and you know all? You know nothing!
Ask yourself this, if Santelli could still make money trading derivatives would he be working for CNBC at all?
But go ahead and listen to him, and give him your money and let him do something with it for you.
Like flush it down the toilet.
Martin David
If you consider Santelli's arguments idiotic or Fox News reporting as politics mixed with news (as opposed to the other major networks?!) you'd do well to stick with commenting on moronic prime time shows. Your perspective on broadcast journalism is somewhere from outer space -- Planet Liberal, to be specific.