Rachel Maddow (KPTK m-f,3-6p) did her Friday teevee show from MSNBC studios on the Microsoft campus.
On the West Coast after appearing on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Rachel Maddow swooped into Redmond to huddle with MSNBC.com geeks about building her teevee website.
"The teevee show has had such awesome support online and MSNBC.com is such a powerhouse website," Maddow told Blatherwatch, "it seems smart to try to get very ambitious and creative with the [TRMS] teevee website."
Developing websites to attract the metastacizing wireless nation is increasingly becoming a top priority of hardwired broadcasters.
"The Air America website has been through hell and high water," says Maddow, "but I actually think it's kind of great right now... same goes for the "Countdown" website at MSNBC -- so I feel like we've got some good models already. (Read our post on Beau Friedlander, AAR's new online editor, and his ambitious online plans here).
Maddow continues to draw raves as the "next big thing (think?)" in
cable talking-headitry after she doubled the ratings for MSNBC in her
9p (EST) slot. Media pundits are asking, 'Can pith and civility replace
dumbed-down negative bluster on cable news?"
Maddow gets information differently than other broadcasters. She told TVGuide.com's Stephen Battaglio recently she doesn't watch cable news, so she doesn't know how she's different from other commentators.
"I'm not a 17-year-old kid who exists on Twitter. But I am of a generation where a lot of people don't consume TV in a way that older people consume TV. We consume clips. We look at things on . I look at video on the Web and I read. I read all day. I think the way that I prep gives me a great basis for making TV. I don't consume other TV so you don't see common TV wisdom regurgitated."
Maddow's interview sweetness and apparent lack of the gotcha gene, means she's starting to get the gets who don't usually show up on MSNBC, whom Fox News and such as Rush Limbaugh have demonized as "far-left" and "Stalinist."
She recently scored an sit down with McCain senior advisor, Nancy Pfotenhauer; it was a show milestone and added, she hopes, some cred with the right so more conservatives will appear. She spars every day with crusty paleocon Pat Buchanan and the ensuing arguments are between two people who vehemently disagree but obviously respect and even like each other.
Also Walt Monegan, the Alaska official who made the claim, now confirmed, that Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power by firing him; Robert Reich, James Bamford, Ana Marie Cox, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Michael Isikoff, Max Blumenthal, Jonathan Turley, Michael Dukakis, Rosa Brooks, David Sirota, and more differentfaces to MSNBC.
The quotable Rachel:
TVGuide.com: But very quietly you've made history as being the first openly gay woman with a national TV news program. The audience has embraced you. How do you feel about that? Maddow: I love this country. I think the arc of the universe bends toward justice. We are a meritocracy. When people come out and fight for their rights, over time things get better and more opportunities become available...Every time somebody breaks a glass ceiling we get stronger as a country.
I still fail to understand why KIRO engineer "shawn" 's photo is also tagged to articles about this Rachel person. Am I missing something?
Posted by: Gay Gary | October 13, 2008 at 02:40 PM
They're not exactly the same; one has a higher pitched voice the other has a lower pitched voice.
Posted by: AuthenticAndrew | October 13, 2008 at 04:19 PM
The ever arrogant, supercilious David Frum was just on Rachel's show and attempted to intimidate her on the style of her show. He accused her of being guilty of the same rhetoric heard at Palin's rallies. She brought him back to that point time and time again, demanding that he say yes or no to her question of whether he was equating her sense of humor to those in Palin's crowd calling for Obama's death. Even Frum realized how stupid his comment sounded, and he tried to slither onto a
different tack, but she kept insisting that he answer her. He never was able to face up to his ridiculous assertions and he scowled at the end as she smiled and thanked him for coming on her show. Point goes to Maddow.
Posted by: sparky | October 13, 2008 at 06:59 PM
Who are you talking to?
Posted by: Gay Gary | October 13, 2008 at 09:52 PM
Folks that care...
Posted by: Coiler | October 13, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Oh, Sparky, I just wrote about that on another thread. I thought it was exciting, intellectually stimulating and totally consistent with her agreeable yet confrontative style.
She didn't let him off the hook for a minute. I don't agree that he thought she won. It was a typical circular discussion just like we have on this blog with the right. I could feel the tension crawling up my back and her frustration. I would love to have seen her in person. It was very tense. But great drama for a news program.
I'm wondering if she'll have trouble getting conservatives eventually. She said she had planned another discussion but his comments were so provocative, she couldn't let them go.
I loved it!
I've never liked Frum. He is his name. Another empty suit.
Posted by: joanie | October 13, 2008 at 11:04 PM
Folks that care...
You and Joanie?
Saw that Darth Maul is returning to Seattle next week ...
I wonder if Joanie will be protesting? Then again, maybe not, he's not Jewish.
Posted by: Gay Gary | October 13, 2008 at 11:55 PM
David Frum kicked some lesbian ass.
Posted by: orcas | October 14, 2008 at 04:27 AM
DAvid "The Greag Deflector" Frum couldn't find her ass. He was too busy pulling it out of his own.
Posted by: joanie | October 14, 2008 at 07:13 AM
"Greag?" - Make that "Great"
Posted by: joanie | October 14, 2008 at 07:14 AM
I dont think he thought she "won", either. But I think from the look on his face, he knew he had not been able to bully her. He isnt used to dealing with women who dont back down and ask him a direct question.
Posted by: sparky | October 14, 2008 at 08:01 AM