Live Earth's TV ratings might have been dismal, and the extravaganza took heat for the liberal use of profanity by its performers. But at least the concert series served some purpose: providing comedic fodder for today's "Morning Joe." Host Joe Scarborough and sidekick John Ridley had considerable fun at the expense of Ann Curry, a host of NBC's coverage of the event (see related NB item), whose interview of Al Gore gave new meaning to "touchy-feely."
At about 6:45 A.M. EDT this morning, the MSNBC show rolled a clip from the Curry-Gore interview in which Curry repeatedly grabbed Gore's arm and ended with a manic hand-pump.
View video here.
MORNING JOE PANELIST JOHN RIDLEY: Is she pumping gas out of his arm? Run it again and do an official count . . . we've got to have a Touch-Meter.
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The tape was rolled again, as Joe and John counted the touches: "Touch three there, four, that may be a touch there. 4.5. Six. she's not German, seven, now she goes to the flesh, she's moving down the arm, now look at this, shake, now look at this: pump, pump, pumpity-pump."
As Scarborough burst into laughter, newsreader Mika Brzezinksi, in a fit of feminist solidarity, rode to Curry's defense.
MSNBC'S MIKA BRZEZINSKI: You know, guys, I think you're being a little harsh . . . she was being nice . . . She's a very warm person.
By coincidence, just as I was preparing this item, this morning's "Today" came on, with Ann substituting for Meredith Vieira. Curry stood outdoors next to Matt Lauer, and sure enough, within seconds, Ann couldn't resist the urge to reach out and touch someone. View video.
It was all good fun, but perhaps there is a larger issue here. Could anyone imagine Curry being so chummy with a Republican as conservative as Gore is liberal?
BONUS COVERAGE: COURIC STORY IGNORES 800-POUND GORILLA
You're sure to be hearing about the New York magazine story about Katie Couric's travails at the CBS Evening News. "Morning Joe" took up the matter this morning, with Joe and Mika trotting out the tired theme of how men are applauded for being tough while a woman trying the same tactics is branded a b---ch. But neither "New York" nor "Morning Joe" touched on the bigger story, that of the overall decline of broadcast network news. CBS, NBC and ABC are basically just fighting for scraps. As detailed here, since 1980, total evening-news viewership has declined by about half. Some of it has to do with the multiplication of news outlets in the internet era. But much of the decline is attributable to the predictable liberal line that all the network news shows propound.
As an example of the New York article's tone-deafness, consider its treatment of the fact that "Couric’s personal publicist, Matthew Hiltzik, once handled Senator Hillary Clinton." Instead of analyzing the political implications of Couric aligning herself with a Hillary flack, author Joe Hagan offers nothing but the PC observation that, like Couric, Hillary is "another polarizing female figure breaking into the men’s club."
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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It is interesting that they c
July 9, 2007 - 07:53 ET by saw the lightIt is interesting that they come to Couric's defense, trotting out the line about how men and women are viewed differently. What would have happened if a male anchor had hit, repeatedly, a female staffer because he didn't like a word!
"There is a tendency for the world to say to America, 'the big problems of the world are yours, you go and sort them out,' and then to worry when America wants to sort them out." - Prime Minister Tony Blair
Ann Curry
July 9, 2007 - 08:09 ET by allanfWith Ann Curry, you don’t get the news you experience “it”. The “it” being some drivel a writer at NBC passes off for news to lobotomized or disinterested Today Show viewers.. It is all an emotional experience for Ann – devoid of any substance. Her trademark is sub vocalizing phrases such as “tragic” or “terrible story” while reading the news.
She is as sweet as saccharine and as genuine. Of course she has to pump Gore’s arm. She would never pump him for information.
Ignoring the 800-lb. gorill
July 9, 2007 - 08:02 ET by motherbeltIgnoring the 800-lb. gorilla also, Katie Couric (or at least her fans) want it both ways. They want her to be tough like the men, but they also want people to treat her with kid gloves. I remember her asking tough questions of Bob Dole, that was OK, but when he got a little testy with her, the reaction was: how could Dole be so mean to sweet little Katie???
Actually, I would bet Couric is willing to take a lump. It's her "fans", I think, that don't watch her on network news, because they think she should still be "sweet little Katie in the morning."
As for Ann Curry, you can bet, if a guy put his hand on every woman he talked to, what he would be called would NOT be "touchy-feely."
She has fans?
July 9, 2007 - 08:05 ET by sarcasmoShe has fans? Coulda fooled me! ;)
JMR
And do fans count? If they're
July 9, 2007 - 08:22 ET by danboAnd do fans count? If they're related to you?
Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of truth and knowledge will be shipwrecked by the laughter of the Gods. Albert Einstein
"... the liberal use of
July 9, 2007 - 08:53 ET by ThisnThat"... the liberal use of profanity by its performers". This is one of the hallmarks of the liberal mind. It's so progressive, isn't it? If you swear you can show just how much you defy the evil, conservative authority and traditional values that you hate so much, as well as get credits from loonies for "in your face".
This kind of behavior is so predictable. And repulsive, and the low turnout and angry comments show just how out-of-touch all these liberals are with mainstream society. It's the libs, supported by extreme politicians and the MSM, who don't get it -- and I'm so glad much of the world just said "shut up" yesterday.
"If you swear you can
July 9, 2007 - 09:35 ET by ckc1227"If you swear you can show just how much you defy the evil, conservative
authority and traditional values that you hate so much, as well as get
credits from loonies for "in your face"
I once read that the use of profanity is nothing more than a weak mind trying to express itself, which explains a lot as far as liberals are concerned.
Still, I must confess, I have had my share of weak-minded moments too.
Sometimes spitting and grindi
July 9, 2007 - 09:44 ET by HelenSSometimes spitting and grinding ones teeth just doesn't carry the right nuance. Sometimes profanity, especially if delivered approximately .723 inches from the moron's face, is much more satisfying.
"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war" - Shakespeare
And that's the message all th
July 9, 2007 - 09:48 ET by ThisnThatAnd that's the message all these loonies are trying to deliver to us -- that we're all morons, and need to be sworn at, in public. I, for one, don't need that.
It does bring them close enou
July 9, 2007 - 09:51 ET by HelenSIt does bring them close enough for a quick jab at their eye-balls, though, a la the Three Stooges.
"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war" - Shakespeare
If swearing is so progressive
July 9, 2007 - 09:56 ET by danboIf swearing is so progressive. How come they go into a fit when we swear at them or call them names. Heaven forbid we call Al Bore a name.
As I'd get thrown out if I really let go. My name calling is a lot milder.
I'm so progressive. The libs so gauche.
Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of truth and knowledge will be shipwrecked by the laughter of the Gods. Albert Einstein
I told you guys Curry was a d
July 9, 2007 - 12:00 ET by drillanwrI told you guys Curry was a drooler. She leans in and gives that overly concerned frown, insisting you the viewer MUST be as concerned as she is ... Reaching out to the world like some surrogate mother.
Curry lacks journalistic talent, and over compensates with the compassionate crap. She invades everyone's personal space ... even TV viewers.
Ann is having a sleep-over th
July 9, 2007 - 12:05 ET by kathleenirishAnn is having a sleep-over this weekend with her BFF's to kick off her "Vote for me as President of the Bobbleheaded Silly Girls in Journalism Club" campaign.
It's getting darker out there... the dumbing down of American women continues...
Anyone who says they support the troops but not the mission is a liar.
Ann Curry is the most vapid
July 9, 2007 - 13:29 ET by daveinbocaAnn Curry is the most vapid, vacuous airhead in a field full of empty top floors. She is a couple apples short of a picnic and her emo overflows every time she opens her silky-tonsilled mouth.
Missed the rest of the pi
July 9, 2007 - 13:34 ET by daveinbocaMissed the rest of the piece about Hillary & Slap-girl Couric sharing the same "minder."
The three nets are being watched by fewer people because they all are predictably liberal in a world that wants to move on to solve real problems, not massage minds with anodyne bromides that are proven non-starters.