Humor Spotlight: "Sunday Chat & Chews" (The Common Ills)

We need more humor these days. Dona's the one who read this first at The Common Ills. She nearly spewed her morning coffee onto the computer screen.

Dona: I know C.I. loathes the Sunday morning "public affairs" shows and I can always count on a laugh or two in these entries, usually mild laughs. This one took me by surprise. My guess is C.I. was tired and just not in the mood for the crap that is the Sunday Chat & Chews.

[C.I. confirms Dona is correct.]

"Sunday Chat & Chews"

Sunday Chat & Chews, can't trust those shows.
Sunday Chat & Chews, puts you to sleep even on NoDoz

(Sing it to the tune of John Phillips' "Monday, Monday" available on many Mamas & Papas collections as well as on their debut album: If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears.)

Check your local listings . . . to find out whether Lost World, Beast Master or Antique Road Show air at the same times. (Sunday morning competition is just so fierce!)

For a change, ABC's This Week was the first out of the gate so we'll start with them. Joining the Georges will be:

Sen. Mary Landrieu, Louis. Dem
Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security
Rick Bragg, reporter
Howell Raines, former editor of the New York Times ("and a New Orleans native" -- I believe they forgot to put in the multiple exclamation points)

The roundtable will consist of dueling Georges, Cynthia Tucker of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Cokie Roberts (who discovered this week, apparently, that she wasn't a "kid" although she was still apparently immature enough to attempt to hide behind Mommy to justify her lack of interest in covering New Orleans).

NBC is billing their upcoming Meet the Press as a "Special Edition." Awww. But aren't they all?

Really now, aren't they all? A special show can have challenges but, judging by the fact that so many still watch, they can have their own rewards as well. Such as witnessing, with each passing year, the ever increasing resemblance Tim Russert bears to Friar Tuck of Robin Hood fame.

I think they should bill the episode not as a "Special Edition" but as an "Extra Special Edition."After all, they're bringing you the same topics as This Week. (No fair claiming otherwise, This Week was first out of the gate and beat Meet the Press by over three hours.) They also, as they continue to attempt to see who blinks first, give you Michael Chertoff.

Stop drooling on those silk screen pillow cases with the jeans clad, bare chested photos of Chertoff, everybody -- Mr. No Stuff will be front and center on your TV screens on two, count 'em two, of the Sunday Chat & Chews!

Joining him on Meet the Press will be:

MARK FISCHETTI
Contributing Editor, Scientific American
Author, "Drowning New Orleans"
MARC MORIAL
President and CEO, National Urban League
Former Mayor, City of New Orleans
MIKE TIDWELL
Author, "Bayou Farewell: The Rich Life & Tragic Death of Louisiana's Cajun Coast"
DAVID WESSEL
Deputy Washington Bureau Chief, Wall Street Journal

Note that unlike This Week (which sports two females in the roundtable), Meet the Press declares permanent membership on the security council of Spanky's Women Haters club by devoting yet another hour to an all male group of guests. As Bette Davis once told a whimpering, runny nosed Tim Russert, "It ain't for sissies!" (Well, she should have told him that.)

Over at Face the Nation, Bob Schieffer devotes the half-hour to the under-reported story of the impetus behind Brad Pitt's pursuit of the Billy Idol look. Join Bob, the pitted Brad and Jose Eber for tips on conditioners, gels and hot oil treatments as Jose beseeches Schieffer to just "Shake your head, darling."

I joke. I kid. But why? Well Dallas went to the site and reports when you click on "Who's Next on Face" ("Face" -- they kill us!) not only do they not provide you with any information on this week's guest, they still haven't updated the listing since August 21st.You read that correctly. In this age of "accelerated information" Face the Nation is running two weeks behind. (Don't blame the Manny. He's working on the Public Eye.) (And Natalie, your "Dear Penthouse Forum"-esque e-mails pondering what sort of a show it would be if it starred The Manny and was called the Pubic Eye, though filled with an abundance of detail, are probably better left to your own late night fantasies!) (I will, however, forward them to Rebecca when she returns from her vacation this weekend.)

Doubting Dallas, are you? Click here and read:

August 21, 2005

Host:

CBS Evening News Anchor Bob Schieffer

Topics:
Gas Prices, Real Estate Bubble, Economy
Guests:
Glenn Hubbard
Dean, Columbia Business School
Former Chairman, White House Council Of Economic Advisers
Robert Reich
Professor Of Social And Economic Policy, Brandeis University
Former Secretary of Labor
Mike Allen
The Washington Post
Anne Kornblut
The New York Times

There is behind the times and then there is prehistoric. While others traverse the "information highway," "Face" sticks to tooling down the service roads. ("Face," "Public Eye," Natalie do not even bother e-mailing to venture what a CBS show entitled "Crotch" and starring Montopoli would be like. Consider those thoughts the lambada of the fantasy world -- e.g. "forbidden.")


[Note: I'm joking re: Natalie, with her permission. Note also that I've corrected the typos Shirley caught. Thank you, Shirley.]