H/t Doug T. It was all in good fun, but the Morning Joe gang staged a bit of business today suggesting there's something a mite stronger than half-and-half in Mika Brzezinski's cup of, well, morning joe.
After signing off with NBC reporter Tom Costello, Joe Scarborough made much of Mika's absence from the set. Cut to a shot of Brzezinski at the coffee counter, where she is seen . . . emptying a blue mini-bottle into her coffee mug. Mika accommodatingly turns the bottle toward the camera so that all can see it is . . . Skyy vodka.
View video here.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Where is Mika? Seriously, where's Mika?
Close-up of Mika pouring that blue bottle into her coffee mug.
WILLIE GEIST: She's literally getting coffee.SCARBOROUGH: Oh, dear Lord.
UNIDENTIFIED VOICE: What is that?
SCARBOROUGH: Nice. She's drinking coffee --
GEIST: She's not kidding, either.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: I'm just getting my coffee.
SCARBOROUGH: Is she upset at us? [Imitating Mika speaking with peeved voice]: "I'm such a journalist."
GEIST: Did you see the little airport bottle of vodka she had there?
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, I did.
BRZEZINSKI: I just got my tea.
GEIST: No, kidding --
SCARBOROUGH: Keep the vodka away from mommy.
I have it on good authority that it was all a joke, playing off the crew's penchant for teasing Mika over her fondness for the fermented fruit of the potato. Now, you might have thought that out of respect for her Polish heritage, Mika would have chosen a bottle of Zubrowka or perhaps Chopin. But there could be a political significance to her choice. Skyy is headquarted, after all, in that favorite city of liberals, San Francisco, where Barack Obama famously made his bitter-clinger comment. Na zdrowie!
Note: for our younger readers, the Dino in the headline is a reference to Dean Martin, who often appeared onstage holding a glass of something he would have people believe was booze. According to this bio and other accounts, it was, usually, just apple juice. For that matter, some of our young whippersnappers might not have picked up the headline's play off Sky King, a '50s TV show.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Mark, Dean Martin was
October 1, 2008 - 11:11 ET by motherbeltMark, Dean Martin was "Dino" not "Deano."
Hi real name was Dino Crocetti (sp?). He Americanized it to Dean.
MB,
October 1, 2008 - 11:12 ET by Indiana JoeGood catch. A leettle picky, but good. ;^)
"To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions; both dispense with the necessity of reflection." - H. Poincaré
Well, we Italians ARE
October 1, 2008 - 14:04 ET by motherbeltWell, we Italians ARE picky about stuff like Italian names. LOL
Don't I know it, paisana.
October 1, 2008 - 17:44 ET by Indiana JoeDon't I know it, paisana. ;^)
"To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions; both dispense with the necessity of reflection." - H. Poincaré
Thanks, MB: I've changed it
October 1, 2008 - 11:19 ET by Mark FinkelsteinThanks, MB: I've changed it now. I actually googled before writing the headline and found it spelled Deano as well, but now I see Dino is the corect spelling.
Weird!
October 1, 2008 - 11:10 ET by Indiana JoeEven as a "joke," this is off-the-wall. Maybe I'm over-sensitized to bias, but it strikes me that if Fox & Friends did a similar "bit," we'd be hearing screams from the left about them "making fun" of a "serious problem," and "analysis" of how this "reflects on" Palin, or some such guano. Probably would have a report on her locking up some homeless wino or something.
And they were just making fun of Mika's "fondness" of vodka? Hmm, that sounds like just implying she's an alcoholic. At the least, it puts her "fondness" out there for discussion, doesn't it?
Like I said... WEIRD!
"To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions; both dispense with the necessity of reflection." - H. Poincaré
6 AM
October 1, 2008 - 11:11 ET by Gat New YorkThe only time I have seen someone drinking that early is a person with alcohol abuse problems - particularly if you are drinking it straight as she was.
That was my thought too...of
October 1, 2008 - 11:13 ET by motherbeltThat was my thought too...of course, maybe in Russia that's a custom. A lot of Italians put booze in their coffee, too, but in my family no one ever did it in the AM...not even my grandfather.
Hi, Motherbelt. My best
October 1, 2008 - 11:18 ET by marpelHi, Motherbelt. My best friend puts Bailey's in her coffee every morning. I told her that's why she has wrinkles and I don't. I was at her house not long ago and she made coffee in the afternoon and put some Bailey's in mine...I got home and had to take a nap.
But, I heard Mika's Skyye incident was bogus. But, I thought it was actually funny eventhough I can't stand the woman.
:o)
Gat: as mentioned in the
October 1, 2008 - 11:14 ET by Mark FinkelsteinGat: as mentioned in the item, I have it on very good authority that it was a joke and that there wasn't really any booze in the bottle.
No Joking Matter Mark
October 1, 2008 - 11:22 ET by PSPCplSorry, jokes aren't allowed anymore. Someone might get offeneded. And Lord knows that we wouldn't want to offend anyone. We could scare them for life.
Except of course if the target of the joke is a conservative white guy and/or Governor Palin.
Immaturity
October 1, 2008 - 11:18 ET by nkviking75I guess I need to grow up. When I saw "Dino" I thought of Fred Flintstone's pet dinosaur.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
Viking, so did I...LOL
October 1, 2008 - 11:20 ET by marpelViking, so did I...LOL
I've often wondered how she can reconcile those liberal ideas
October 1, 2008 - 11:26 ET by c5thenThis makes it all so much clearer now...
☺
Mika has been a lot more
October 1, 2008 - 12:35 ET by allamericangirlMika has been a lot more giddy and joyful lately but not from booze but because Obama is doing better in the polls.
The one who could have used a nip of vodka today was Andrea Mitchell after Joe asked her about a report she made concerning Sarah Pailin saying Pailin vetoed a bill preventing same sex partners from getting insurance.
Andrea answered "That was complicated because it was a veto to preserve aaaaah You've called me out on it." She than quickly switched the subject to the Katie Curic interview and how the McCain camp is prepping Pailin. She didn't have an answer and they just let it slide by. Where was the intense look and the insistence that Andrea answer the question specifically? What would happen if Sarah Pailin answered their questions with it's complicated then changed the subject? Would that kind of answer work like it did for Andrea today?
"Liberalism is a mental disorder" -Michael Savage
A Joke?
October 1, 2008 - 13:23 ET by harqmanWatch it a couple of times. Mika does not look happy as she is walking back up the hall. She does not look like she is involved in a joke. Listen also at the end how they shift the conversation. Not like it was all a joke. Nor do they come out and say it was all set up. Which they should have if it were a joke.
Maybe she was just taking the edge off last night.
harqman, I really do have it
October 1, 2008 - 13:31 ET by Mark Finkelsteinharqman, I really do have it on excellent authority that this was a joke. Note also the way that Mika goes out of her way to show the Skyy label to the camera, which is in line with this being a stunt.
Mark...
October 1, 2008 - 15:41 ET by harqmanMark,
I really, no I "double" really have it on unimpeachable authority that is was not funny. It was poorly put together if it is a joke. And I would suggest that they never try anything like this again.
I would also wonder why your source can not be identified in this case. It is a "joke" what would be the harm in an MSNBC insider reaching out to assure us all it was a joke?
I still contend Mika is the prettiest girl on the short bus.
3/4 of SNL skits fall flat,
October 1, 2008 - 15:47 ET by Mark Finkelstein3/4 of SNL skits fall flat, so little wonder if Morning Joe didn't hit it out of the park. But if you prefer to believe that Mika was actually caught on camera pouring vodka into her coffee, that's your choice.
3/4's?
October 1, 2008 - 16:09 ET by harqmanFor the past 20 years the number has been much higher than that. But I can see your point.
Ohhhh, I Dunno
October 1, 2008 - 13:39 ET by BondPlainBondSometimes little blue Skyy bottles are more easily hidden in plain sight.
Maybe Mika's MRC/NewsBuster's nickname of "Bubbles" is more than appropriate.
*hic*
jk
BPB... ...LOL.. "America
October 1, 2008 - 13:45 ET by bigtimerBPB...
...LOL..
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Mika is hot!
October 1, 2008 - 14:50 ET by thebronzeToo bad she's a Lib...
Sigh...
October 1, 2008 - 19:20 ET by RukusWhat a terrible waste of good vodka! Sigh...
"Nuke 'em 'til they... oh hell, just shoot 'em!"