A staple of "Morning Joe" banter is the eponymous Joe Scarborough's teasing of newsreader-cum-co-host Mika Brzezinski over her fancy upbringing as the daughter of former Carter NSA Zbigniew Brzezinski. Defending herself against the elitist charge on the MSNBC show this morning, Mika twice referred to herself as having grown up among "Polish hillbillies."But when it came to commenting on popular culture, Brzezinski condescended to both Rosie O'Donnell and average Americans in a way worthy of the high-browest [neologism] of snobs.
At 6:57 am EDT, Scarborough made reference to retiring game show host Bob Barker's recommendation for his replacement.
MSNBC HOST JOE SCARBOROUGH: Bob Barker [said] Rosie O'Donnell would be a great replacement for him on "The Price is Right."The screengrab shows Mika making like an excited audience member.
MSNBC'S MIKA BRZEZINSKI: The problem is she's going to look like the people who run down the aisle all excited.
SCARBOROUGH [feigning confusion]: What the hell does that mean, Mika?No Joe wasn't, and neither are we. We know exactly what Mika meant: Rosie and the audience members don't look like the people in Mika's elite mix.
BRZEZINSKI: Isn't that the show where you go 'come on down!'?
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah. She's going to look like those people? I'm so confused.
ASIDE: Earlier in the show Mika congratulated herself for not having a expressed a single opinion during an entire show at the end of last week. Could Brzezinski have been chastened by this item of mine and/or comments elsewhere in reaction to her having let her liberal Dem slip show on the June 6th episode?
Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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YCMUTS - really. Not if you t
June 18, 2007 - 12:40 ET by RackieYCMUTS - really. Not if you tried.
That's at least the third t
June 18, 2007 - 13:28 ET by Tom1969caThat's at least the third time you've used that acronym (YCMUTS), but you've never defined it. What does it mean?
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"The current tax code is harder to understand than Bob Dylan reading Finnegan's Wake in a wind tunnel."-- Dennis Miller
You couldn't make up this S...
June 18, 2007 - 13:33 ET by acaiguanaYou couldn't make up this S...
ACA
...
Quoted from: 'Acaiguana Notes from the Bomb Shelter' (soon to be a movie at theaters near you)
Ah, of course. Thanks! ~~
June 18, 2007 - 18:56 ET by Tom1969caAh, of course. Thanks!
~~~
"The current tax code is harder to understand than Bob Dylan reading Finnegan's Wake in a wind tunnel."-- Dennis Miller
This might be bias, but it
June 18, 2007 - 12:44 ET by sarcasmoThis might be bias, but it doesn't seem like much to me. I mean, if they're going to have a lefty political-female type replace the ageless animal rights activist, I say make it Nancy Pelosi's hot daughter who chased Bush around with a camera instead of Rosie if they want any male viewership at all...
JMR
I offer this as evidence no
June 18, 2007 - 12:47 ET by Mark FinkelsteinI offer this as evidence not of Mika's liberal bias but of her MSM elitism.
Ah, ok, I guess this might
June 18, 2007 - 12:51 ET by sarcasmoAh, ok, I guess this might qualify as that. And I suppose my own biases are quite clear to everyone, as usual! ;)
JMR
Brace yourself, Mika. Some
June 18, 2007 - 13:58 ET by dahliatraversBrace yourself, Mika. Some of them might comprise part of your audience.
Katie Couric may be looking f
June 18, 2007 - 12:48 ET by GothampcKatie Couric may be looking for a new job soon. Perhaps she should practice saying "Come on down".
Mark,To the liberal elitist s
June 18, 2007 - 12:57 ET by Dave RMark,
To the liberal elitist snobs, us normal Americans are considered an embarrassment and just plain ugly. Admittedly, some of us are more ugly that others.
As for Rosie, The Price is Right is much to classy for her. I think she more resembles a contestant on the old Let's Make a Deal show. :-^)
Embarrassing Americans
June 18, 2007 - 13:07 ET by Cool ArrowWe are useful, though.
Just a bunch of mules going round and round in the mill churning out the flour that feeds the helpless.
Cool,Just so those same liber
June 18, 2007 - 13:41 ET by Dave RCool,
Just so those same liberal elitist snobs can stand around on some balcony in NYC, sipping their flute of Dom, slapping each other on the back and constantly reminding each other how "compassionate" they are.
Its enough to make you want to hurl.
Monstrocities of the world, unite!!!
June 18, 2007 - 13:11 ET by TheGingermanDo you truly consider TPIR to be a "classy" show, LMAD comparison notwithstanding?
Back to the point -- there really is no significant bias per se to point out, save a bias against ugly people (Yes, Mika is absolutely correct, "Come on down!"-ers are, on average, incredibly unattractive). So rather than attempting to expose a bias that is non-existent, why don't we have the subset of inferior-looking individuals who are offended by Mika's comments get together and petition for an apology?
Question: Since very little fruition seems to emerge from our attempts to expose and defeat injustice in the media, can someone explain to me how the exposition of media bias is ultimately different from a petition for an apology?
--Frustrated in Philadelphia
Lastly, show a little pride
June 18, 2007 - 13:21 ET by TheGingermanLastly, show a little pride here!
"But when it came to commenting on popular culture, Brzezinski condescended to both Rosie O'Donnell and average Americans in a way worthy of the most high-brow of snobs."
Fine, the average American might be ugly, but don't insult those who actually do consider themselves to be average Americans. I contest the notion that the average American is a "Come on down"-er. I would like to believe that the average American is busy at work helping the economy during weekday mornings (or blogging on NewsBusters.org!), not sitting on the couch eating Bon-Bons watching TPIR, or even worse, participating in the show itself as a "Come on down"-er!
Do you truly consider TPIR to
June 18, 2007 - 13:33 ET by Dave RDo you truly consider TPIR to be a "classy" show....?
LOL-Hardly, but when compared to Rosie O, well.........
And I don't think that a petition for an apology is going to fly, either, as we ugly Amurricans are not, as yet, a protected minority in this "land of equality."
To wring an apology from the liberal MSM, the contestants on TPIR would have to be either black, hispanic, gay, or some combination thereof.
Dave R. -- Thanks for suppl
June 18, 2007 - 13:40 ET by TheGingermanDave R. --
Thanks for supplementing my comments -- you're probably right. Now if only we could get a "protected status" and some extra benefits for those who will never know the joys of feeling cool, scoring with a good looking member of the opposite sex, and generally being accepted as a normal member of society.
Monstrocities of the world, UNITE!
You know Rosie will love them
June 18, 2007 - 13:26 ET by Airforce_5_OYou know Rosie will love them ladies as much as Bob did.
Think Rosie would make the sh
June 18, 2007 - 13:45 ET by Darth DutchThink Rosie would make the show fire the Barker's Beauties because they are meant to attract men? I mean, she, according to Barbara Walters, banished the topic of heterosexual sex on the View. Would she dare keep these women around? Or would she demand that they be replaced with men, or with uglier women?
Dutch
maybe Darth
June 18, 2007 - 14:02 ET by Cool ArrowThey may need to change old staple to
Annnn Heche GO ON DOWN
Rosie does look like the co
June 18, 2007 - 14:04 ET by balboaRosie does look like the contestants: Normal. The host should be someone who has a little more going on for them than the fact that they're Rosie O'Donnell.
You mean like Liz Hasslebeck?
June 18, 2007 - 14:27 ET by Airforce_5_OYou mean like Liz Hasslebeck?
Hasselbeck has the looks, b
June 18, 2007 - 14:31 ET by balboaHasselbeck has the looks, but nowhere near enough personality. It's a combo of both.
If Rosie is never on TV again
June 18, 2007 - 16:57 ET by whatajoyIf Rosie is never on TV again, that'll be too soon. She should stay home, hang upside down and have play on her blog. She doesn't allow any of her children to watch TV. They are living in a bubble and are in for a rude awakening someday. I weep for her children's future. She is not preparing them for reality. You can only protect your kids for so long, but you have to prepare them for reality. Rosie isn't doing that.
ROSIE SHOULD STAY OFF OUR TVS AND READ BOOKS (not unofficial websites that she lists on her blog) FOR FACTS AND LEARN SOMETHING!!! Reading an opinion piece is NOT factual. She needs to learn the difference. Keep her OFF game shows, talk shows and other TV shows. Just stick her in a library for a few months in the NON-FICTION section.
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Take it easy! We're not making a western here.
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Sure, the Price Is Right...Bu
June 18, 2007 - 19:01 ET by Jack BauerSure, the Price Is Right...
But the weight is all wrong.