David Brooks Zings Maher: 'It's Not a Sign of High Self-Esteem to Want to be on Your Show'
Bill Maher on Friday night got nicely zinged by New York Times columnist David Brooks.
After the host bragged about all the over-confident kids that have told him they're going to one day be on HBO's "Real Time," Brooks marvelously said, "That's not necessarily a sign of high self-esteem though to want to be on this show" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
TINA BROWN, Daily Beast: Yeah, but it's also the tuned-out factor because unfortunately I think that just too many people are paying no attention at all. And that’s what really came out in our poll was that people on the extremes, I mean it was the exact opposite of what we've always thought which was that the middle was sort of the responsible. No, it seems the opposite. The people who are passionate and are engaged are on the extremes, and everyone, this big swath in the middle are just tuned-out. They’re listening to their…
BILL MAHER, host: That’s interesting. We think of the independents as, you know, smart people who are sizing up the different – no. They're the dumbest ones of all.
BROWN: They’re the couch potatoes.
DAVID BROOKS, New York Times: But people are rewarded for being stupid. So, one of my favorite statistics is that in 1950 Gallup asked high school seniors, “Are you a very important person?” And twelve percent said, “Yes.” They asked again in 1998 – 80 percent of high school seniors said, “I’m a very important person.”
MAHER: Oh, I’m sure, yes.
BROOKS: So, they're being told they're wonderful. The amount of hours American kids spend studying has gone down while their grades go up.
MAHER: Their confidence is off the chart. If I had a nickel for every kid who come up to me and said, “I’m going to be on your show. Oh, it’s a fact.” I’m like, “Well, actually, it's not a fact."
BROOKS: That's not necessarily a sign of high self-esteem though to want to be on this show.
BROWN: Ooh. Ooh.
MAHER: Wow!
That Maher thinks it's a sign of confidence that kids think they're going to some day be on his show is a perfect example of how full of himself and detached from reality he is.
Nicely played, David. Bravo!
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Comments
Nice Zinger.
Submitted by Ashrak on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 2:11pm.
The sentiment here is akin to a degree hanging on the wall being worth more than the actual application of the knowledge that a degree is supposed to represent.
This is why we have "college graduates" unable to function in adult life.
I feel bad for all the folks who actually did learn in college, so many who didn't give the few who did a bad name. You know, kinda like today's Journ0lists destroying an honorable profession.
The disconnect talked about in this piece is real and it is harming the entire country because it is so plentiful.
Unity is found in diversity by university.
Yeah, sure it is.
It sounds to me like Brooks
Submitted by killa37 on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 2:16pm.
It sounds to me like Brooks - a psuedo-conservative who writes for the ultra-liberal NYT, and is SITTING THERE on Donkeyface's show - probably 'zinged' himself just as much as he 'zinged' Maher................
The rejects
Submitted by Dave81 on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 3:41pm.
The rejects who don't make it on Real Time end up getting on the Jerry Springer Show instead.
Jeez..........I saw Springer
Submitted by killa37 on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 3:50pm.
Jeez..........I saw Springer on Hannity's 'Great American Panel' the other night.......what a friggin' whack job!!! And the moron totally took over the panel, to where nobody else could get a word in edgewise!! The gal there - I can't remember her name, but she's a babe who happens to be fairly conservative - looked like she might have to slap his stupid face just to get him to shut up!!! I wish she would have................
LeAnn Tweeden!
Submitted by brutony1 on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 5:52pm.
How could you not know her name? Forget Springer, Maher, and even Brooks-dont forget her! And isnt it nice of Brooks to give a long overdue smackdown of Maher-even though hes a phony "conservative"? I guess anyone can come up with a zinger now and then!
When will liberals WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE! -Me
Wo wo wo wo
Submitted by killa37 on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 8:18pm.
Wo wo wo wo bru...............i DID say she was a BABE.....................and I've seen her around from sports shows and talk shows, and I like her a lot - in all aspects!!! And, hey, I wrote that post pretty early here in Hawaii.............maybe my coffee hadn't kicked my brain cells into gear yet. Do you think LeAnn would let me apologize to her in person?????
I'll arrange it!
Submitted by brutony1 on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 9:27pm.
Get in line,,behind me! All that, AND shes a right winger-SWEET!
When will liberals WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE! -Me
yeah, that was dreadful. Why
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 7:21pm.
yeah, that was dreadful. Why Hannity never shut him up is beyond me.
One of the other guests should have smashed Springer over the head with his chair. As un homage.
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
Yeah, he should have stepped in,,
Submitted by brutony1 on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 9:29pm.
For no other reason than to be gentlemanly. Springer is, above all else, a politician-a Demoncrap of course-so hes going to have to get his two cents in,and everyone elses too!
When will liberals WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE! -Me
blind pig
Submitted by hbest on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 3:50pm.
Even a blind pig finds an acorn now and then.
Props here, but Brooks is still a moron
Submitted by Slyrr on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 3:56pm.
It's nice that he pointed out the truth in this one instance, but that doesn't make up for his past crimes. Brooks is still the idiot who said Obama would be a 'great President' simply by looking at his PANTS. That was Brooks' benchmark for 'self esteem' while he was helping the leftist media to foist Obama off on us as a 'sort of god who stands above us all'. Obama's PANTS.
Until Brooks gets down on his hands and knees and acknowledges his raging idocy, and begs our forgiveness for supporting Obama, and spends the rest of his days helping to undo the crime he did (namely helping get Obama elected), he has NO credibility with me. None. Ever.
For Brooks to gain even a semblance of a shred of a fragement of a molecule of credibility, he must come out against Obama, and dedicate each and every one of his columns to defeating Obama in 2012, or getting him impeached before then.
How's this for a headline, Brooky-boy? 'I apologize for saying that Obama's pants qualified him to lead the world'.
I've got to remember that stat...
Submitted by commentkazi on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 5:07pm.
...I'd never heard of the 1950s Gallup poll stat mentioned here. It would be interesting to see what that looks like over time. Googling now.
So I guess this means Brooks doesn't like Maher's pants
Submitted by Dave. on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 8:51pm.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
Bill Mahr
Submitted by Robersire on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 9:00pm.
Bill Mahr is proof of evolution. He is the missing link. He once called George Washington scum. Mahr doesn't deserve to sit on top of a toliet.
Im not a big proponent of evolution,,
Submitted by brutony1 on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 9:32pm.
as I dont believe Im descended from apes,,but there are some people that I have my doubts on, and theres not that many generations in-between them and our simian ancestors, and Mahers DEF one of them!
When will liberals WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE! -Me
So, Bill...
Submitted by Tenebrous on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 11:25pm.
...you now have a problem with arrogance and overly high self-esteem? Hmm. Have you looked in a mirror lately? You're telling us that YOU don't think that YOU'RE a Very Important Person? Bahahaha!
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