This fine, sunny spring morning we must discuss a mort of notable proportions. Nay, it is not that of Ms. Schiavo who has been the unfortunate ticker reel fodder of every bonafide news org on the planet. Nor is it the impending demise of my favorite Popey since Pius IV in the 16th Century.

The cause of unheralded distress is the forced exit of one of news journalisms’ seven wonders, the indefatiguable Ted Koppel. I have admired the Spanish inquisition talents of Koppel since I was but a wee lass. (and kept his picture Teen Beat style on the inside of my closet:pigtails:) He and David Brinkley were my miraculous shamans, waving their magic feathers and rattles, showing this Buckeye girl the full color and pallette of politics cum global diplomacy and opening up a whole world of possibility beyond the door of my 1970’s stucco-style girlhood home. It is no tall tale to assert that were it not for Mssrs. Koppel and Broder and the things that make you go hmm pages of the Economist and Insight magazine, I would surely not be sitting today in my K Street manse deftly, quizically jockeying with Congress like Josh Lyman on West Wing, all the accompanying headscratches and adreniline rush included.

ABC programmers cite Koppel’s Nightline as irrelevant in the face of today’s 24/7 news coverage. Has anyone watched MSNBC or CNN as of late? Too much glossy programming, re-enacted B-List actor coverage of the Michael Jackson trial and seal-trained lawyers barking at each other about the au corant in wife murder or serial killer cases IMHO. “Hard news” is about as common in our shared societal lexicon these days as the uttered phrase “Can I have a small fry?”. Koppel stands out as one of journalism’s best, with us each and every night of the Iran hostage crisis and every major event since: patient, deliberative and not afraid to ask the questions we all want to know, not for the sake of sensationalism or ratings but to truly make policymakers and the audience think twice. Who else could round up Botha, Tutu, Warren Buffet and Darwinism thought leaders in one fell swoop? And scoop up 30 Emmys in the process? To replace this, the network is thinking of a comedic show with a nightclub audience? That’s like substituting Thomas Keller’s culinary Yountville mecca French Laundry with Hooters.:evil:

Not one to dwell on my sadness, I close with a hearty thank you and lots of air kisses for Ted, the man who will ALWAYS reign as my King of Late-Night and confess to harboring a secret hope that HBO options him for the news docudrama series of his choice at a cool $70 million a year.:wink: And should you ever want to chronicle the meteoric rise and promise of health information technology around the globe T-riffic, you know where to find me.

Signed in Gratitude,
TLRG:redhead:

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I must confess to not buying into the uber-hype of boob tube reality shows. Call me crazy but watching my fellow man eat mummified worms while being suspended over a boiling lava pit or peeking at a washed up B-List covergirl from 1983 getting her fourth round of nipple lifts is not my idea of primetime fun.

However, there is one mamma drama that I NEVER miss…Fox’s Trading Spouses. Upon first blush, how compelling could a Midwestern muffin-making mom trading families with a screaming New Jersey Carmella Soprano in-the- making be? Turns out, QUITE my pretties.

I was stunned after watching the show for the first time that I was so affected by it, sniffly nose, teary eyes and all. I realized why in the coming weeks as I sat riveted on my sofa. Thoughtful literature ala Gerda Lerner and Ms. Steinem examining women’s roles in contemporary society and family are no longer. Brilliant, golden egg, a-ha essays like “Confessions of a Playboy Bunny” are simply MIA in our new century. In their place, whiny faux feminist tomes in which once upon a time involves women who wear lipstick, are neurotic about roofies and rape and no longer have armpit hair. Bergdorf Blondes ring a bell?

Trading Spouses is the first authentic look I’ve seen in ages at the estro-centric struggle of work and family and the true impact a caring, non-bitching, non-whining mother can have on creating a healthy, loving child…one that that won’t shoot his playmates next door or tattoo everything short of his penis for attention. TV that teaches? You don’t say! Tune in Mondays at 8 for a rare sociological treat!

http://www.fox.com/tradingspouses/

Signed,
TLRG :pigtails:

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