Brian Williams: Man of the People
Eric Boehlert's dissection of the media's coverage of The Haircut is excellent. A real indictment of the modern press. But this paragraph in particular really stood out:
Then again, here's what Williams had to say about bloggers a couple weeks ago:
Except instead of a bathrobe I'm wearing a suit. And instead of an efficiency apartment, I'm sitting in a tall office building. And instead of having no credentials, I've got a B.A. and J.D.
And even if none of that were true, I'm pretty sure I could come up with a better set of questions to ask the Democratic candidates than Williams did last week. Hell, I'm pretty sure a team of chimpanzees with typewriters could have generated more intelligent questions.
And for the record, Brian, even Vinny pays more than $12 dollars for a haircut.
Meanwhile, NBC anchor Brian Williams appeared as a guest on David Letterman's show last week where discussion soon turned to Edwards' haircut. Asked what was the most he'd ever paid for a trim, Williams responded, "probably $12."Really truly, what a load of bull. Even Supercuts charges more than $12 dollars. And there is just no way that a guy who makes his living as the face of NBC news is getting his hair cut (or his makeup or wardrobe done) by anyone but expensive professionals. Now, maybe Mr. Williams doesn't pay for these services out of his own pocket (NBC probably foots the bill), but can we please dispense with the faux "regular guy" shtick?
Really? I have to pay $16, plus tip, for a trim at a little barbershop on Valley Avenue in the New Jersey 'burbs. But Williams, who lives in a restored farmhouse in Connecticut where he parks his 477-horsepower black Porsche GT2 (that is, when he's not decamping on the Upper East Side), gets his haircut for just $12. And remember, that's probably the most he's ever paid.
Then again, here's what Williams had to say about bloggers a couple weeks ago:
You’re going to be up against people who have an opinion, a modem, and a bathrobe. All of my life, developing credentials to cover my field of work, and now I’m up against a guy named Vinny in an efficiency apartment in the Bronx who hasn’t left the efficiency apartment in two years.Ah yes, what a tragedy that someone with such impressive "credentials" has to compete with us rabble. But who am I to complain? I'm just a guy in a bathrobe sitting in an efficiency apartment in the Bronx with no credentials whatsoever.
Except instead of a bathrobe I'm wearing a suit. And instead of an efficiency apartment, I'm sitting in a tall office building. And instead of having no credentials, I've got a B.A. and J.D.
And even if none of that were true, I'm pretty sure I could come up with a better set of questions to ask the Democratic candidates than Williams did last week. Hell, I'm pretty sure a team of chimpanzees with typewriters could have generated more intelligent questions.
And for the record, Brian, even Vinny pays more than $12 dollars for a haircut.
5 Comments:
I find it amazing that the media is making a case of Brian Williams' cost of a haircut (which he says 12 bucks) when the same U.S. media ignored the story from a UK newspaper of our representative of World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz with holes in his socks.
Here is the story.
And this is the same man that paid a huge salary to his lover and wants to save his job and huge salary and yet roaming around with holes in his socks!
Rather a person makes 10 million dollars, $10k, or whatever, he or she better earn their money honestly. In the case of Brian Williams and his reporting, we all know that NBC news is owned by a corporation. And the corporation dictates the rules to the news station. And we know that certain reporters of NBC get more inside interviews with the Bush. There needs to be major cleanup in reporting and journalism from all media. And of course, WH correspondent David Gregory still has to answer to his viewers on his conduct, participation, and behavior at the DC event when he participated with the McRove/rap skit.
What "credentials" are needed to be a "journalist"? I graduated with a degree in journalism, but no degree at all is required to be a reporter, or (for that matter) a news-reader like Williams.
There may still be a few places that will hire someone who lacks a journalism, English, law, economics or history degree to be a reporter. But it's probably only part time, for coolie wages and until a better applicant comes along — often as a college intern.
I'm not a big Brian Williams fan and don't agree with him about bloggers, but I will give him credit for being up front with how he feels. I can understand his lament.
That said, when I think of him I'm always reminded of his oh-so-solicitous questioning of President Bush on a couple of occasions when he had been selected, probably by Oberfeldmarshal Rove, to ask some near-puffball questions.
Perfect example of the corporate-media journalist success story: go along, get along, look good, keep the powers that be happy and you end up with a nice home in Connecticut and a Porsche to run around in.
Another issue: do "credentials" necessarily make a person more credible, intelligent, or reliable? Is academic experience per se more valuable than other kinds of experience? Williams and others often make a complete story out of the value of others' experience, none of them academic.
Of the millions of books published, how many actually have a substantial reading audience? Likewise, a blogger, too, must work his way up. And ultimately, good writing and good content, responsive to readers' feedback, are needed for success in this as in the so-called "traditional" venues.
Williams' arguments against his "vision" of "bloggers" is pure ignorance, wrapped in the mode du jour of Something to Fear, in this case, Interloping Bathrobed Free Minds.
Btw, your blog is wonderful.
thinkbridge.blogspot.com
Brian Williams is simply heir to Walter Cronkite. No question about it. The man just knows how to do his job right and he gets it compared to load of other so called "journalists" who can't be ashamed of themselves appearing on television and offering C rated reporting. Go Brian, go Cronkite heir apparent!!
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home