I'm weird. TV interviewees' living quarters fascinate me

[XanaDUer2]

Steve Schmidt has a lavish, luxurious kitchen. Beto O'Rourke has a modest kitchen with an ironing board in the background.
Jonathan Lemire has interesting framed silhouettes on the wall behind him. I just love seeing glimpses into talking heads' living spaces.

I love seeing the art and books they are reading in their homes or offices. Michael Bechlouss (sp?) has a regal library with a grand fireplace.

Each one is so unique.

[dhol82]

1. I'm fascinated by some of the comentators who look like they live in a hotel room.

No personality whatsoever. Bad lighting, no art.
It’s just so interesting. And, I’m so nosy.

[XanaDUer2]

3. Me too

One reporter, and I have no idea who he is but he reports sometimes on MSNBC, had a squash on his dining room table and they were poking fun at him for having a "pumpkin".

[spooky3]

10. I think some of the commentators really are zooming in from hotels.

Most of us aren't traveling now, but some of the news staff and some people asked for comments are traveling.

[Hortensis]

26. Yes, and some busy people live their lives on the run, their

residences (owned, borrowed or leased) functioning more like base camps and launch pads than nests.

[spooky3]

27. agree - and some people just don't care about home decor. nt

[servermsh]

2. Check out the Room Rater Twitter feed :)

https://twitter.com/ratemyskyperoom

[XanaDUer2]

5. LOL, thanks!

[spooky3]

18. It's fun, but nearly all of the rooms RR likes are wayyyyy too traditional for me! nt

[SMC22307]

45. That's funny - I was going to say the dude from PBS (couldn't think of his name)...

and he was the first tweet with a 10/10. LOL

[LAS14]

56. Thanks! I defnitely bookmarked this in Chrome. nt

[cyclonefence]

4. You are not alone.

Finally, though, they have quit saying that we're all in this together. I'll trade my crappy living quarters for any one of theirs. Then we'll see how "in this together" we are.

[XanaDUer2]

20. my digs suck

[monmouth4]

25. Clare McCaskill has the best kitchen ever. Love her hutch in the back. Bootiful n/t

[XanaDUer2]

28. she and Steve Schmidt

I'd live in his kitchen

[hotdamn00]

58. James Carville's kitchen is amazing.

But I hear the house frau is a bit rough.

[DeminPennswoods]

42. Yeah, her kitchen is warm and welcoming

You could picture yourself dropping by for coffee and a newsy chat.

[Silver Gaia]

67. I love Claire's kitchen, too!

[meadowlander]

6. Pete Buttigieg has an amazing kitchen.

I'm totally taking screen shots for when I can finally afford to do mine.

[XanaDUer2]

9. That's what I mean

Beto O'Rourke's place was more like mine

[jalan48]

7. I like seeing what art work they have in the room. nt

[XanaDUer2]

11. I'd have to push all my crap out of the way so the camera won't see it

and stick some art up.

[jalan48]

19. LOL. You and me both. Staying home all the time and consuming news has not made me a better house

keeper.

[Hortensis]

35. :) And many of them didn't? Just yesterday I saw a

talking head who stood too close to the mess he'd pushed (not) out of view to the side. I've also noticed some adding cheap junk to their backgrounds for color or whatever someone thought was needed.

I'm enjoying it and am especially interested in their tastes in art, or indifference. For some people I've even stopped the screen for a closer look at art and other possessions.

[XanaDUer2]

39. And their books' titles

yes, you sometimes see crappy looking art or doo-dads

[Hortensis]

66. And book titles. Books have always said luxurious comfort

to me, and I've always loved the riches they bring to a room. Nicholas Burns sounds like he wishes we wouldn't check their titles, though. Bet I have more garden books than his wife does, and I've finally been culling a 30-year collection ruthlessly.

Link to tweet

[panader0]

77. Me too. There is a doctor that is often interviewed, a white guy with round wire rim glasses,

and there is the bottom half of an abstract painting in the background. Is it a Kandinsky?
I can't locate it.

[jalan48]

83. Yes, Dr. Peter Hotez . I noticed it too-it has the look of a Kandinsky to me too though I'm not

an art expert.

[XanaDUer2]

84. I'll have to look for that nt

.

[marybourg]

8. I get a kick out of it too.

[procon]

12. I do the same thing.

I note all the decor, the fresh flowers, fruit bowls, holiday decorations, the artwork and photos,says a lot about that person.

Steve Schmidt's kitchen is a showplace. My kitchen never looks that pristine.

[renate]

13. if you're weird, I'm weird

I absolutely LOVE it!

The other day I found Mark Hamill's dogs' Twitter account and there are pictures of them sleeping on a bed. I was MESMERIZED. I had a huge crush on Mark Hamill when I was a kid and it's so fun to see proof that he has, like, a house. With a bed. And dogs. Like a human person instead of a Jedi. It just really intrigued me.

[XanaDUer2]

17. I crushed on him too!

love him

[renate]

22. he has tchotchkes!

Link to tweet

[Arkansas Granny]

14. My favorite is Lisa Desjardins on PBS. She has this gorgeous black and white kitty

who is often lounging on the sofa behind her. Last week he jumped down and walked over to her with a loud meow.

[XanaDUer2]

23. it's funny when the pets get in on the act

nt

[Arkansas Granny]

32. Judy Woodruff asked about the cat. Lisa said she was afraid he would jump

in her lap while she was on air. I would have loved to see that. ☺

[Walleye]

51. I love that cat, and look for it in the newscasts, Has a special place on the couch

[XanaDUer2]

70. Nicholle Wallace's dogs once broke in

and startled her

[Arkansas Granny]

78. I think that's his couch.

[Mountain Mule]

59. Oh, I loved that kitty too!

Beautiful puddy tat! (as tweety would say).

[Mme. Defarge]

15. Moi aussi!

Nice to know that Glenn Kirschner reads Robert Crais.

[Kittycow]

16. I always look at people's curtains...lol

[XanaDUer2]

88. Jonathan Lemire has great curtains

he's moved in front of windows

[avebury]

21. I am always trying to figure out what books are on their book cases.

I find their living quarters interesting as well.

[XanaDUer2]

24. me too

nt

[Arkansas Granny]

33. Amy Walter has a Gwen Ifill book prominently displayed on her bookshelf.

[DeminPennswoods]

44. I've seen a good many copies of Taylor Branch's

MLK/Civil Rights trilogy on book shelves.

The most surprising book I saw was "Che" (Gueverra) in Elise Jordan's bookcase. Not something I expected on a Mississippi Republican's reading list.

[SWBTATTReg]

29. It's a nice slice of life on the other side, that other side of the cameras...sometimes it's great

to see that side of them...I do enjoy the interviews / shows from homes...it gives us all a familiar feeling, I guess....

[spooky3]

30. Brian Williams was hilarious during an interview with Steve Schmidt

who was zooming from his living room. Brian said: "I half expect Hugh Hefner to walk through at any point."

That provoked a rare smile from Schmidt.

I actually like his unusual rooms - they remind me of a Colorado lodge.

[Hortensis]

38. Williams closed one night by giving the "win" to James Carville's ceiling,

the rest of the panel's ceilings sadly boring in comparison.

As it happens Matalin's and Carville's kitchen in NO is my favorite so far, chock full of personality and individuality, like them.

[spooky3]

40. Carville & Matalin also own a house in Alexandria VA - are you sure they showed the NO one?

I like John Heilemann's house.

[Hortensis]

54. Pretty sure, but ? Very high and wood paneled, seemed a lot more

historic NO than VA. Way too big and high for me, I like cozy, but I don't doubt they fill all of it. Heilemann's is nicely crisp and modern. A different style for living big.

I love Google maps and am happily snoopy from our own nest. Last week I was disappointed that I couldn't "stroll" around the village Kamala's Tamil grandfather was originally from, just land on photographed points.

Like Carville and Matalin, President-Elect Biden likes old houses and used to enjoy working on them himself. He renovated/had renovated the most ambitious, an abandoned mansion, over 24 years. He and Jill built their main, lakeside house (below) new in Wilmington, DE, though, and it's apparently where the basement he famously "hides" in is.

[spooky3]

55. Very cool! It doesn't appear that he needs to go to the basement there. :-)

Also, Old Town Alexandria is very historic.

https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/mary-matalin-buys-townhome-in-alexandria/

[Hortensis]

61. Lol, my thought: really does not. They reportedly were considering

selling it to pay for medical care for Beau, but it's their main home and the Obamas wanted them to keep it and offered to loan them what was needed to get through. How people are supposed to be.

[Hekate]

31. You're not alone. There's even some kind of Twitter account that rates them...

We are all intrigued to see glimpses of the private lives of people we know only as talking heads. Dogs and cats get special mention.

[LAS14]

57. There's a link up thread. nt

[gibraltar72]

34. I also like this glimpse into where they feel most comfortable.

I also observed A. B. Stoddard is in front of a fireplace mantel exactly like mine.

[bluedigger]

36. Mark Shields' skewed bookshelf.

I really need to see the floorplan.

[Demsrule86]

37. I do too...

[BadGimp]

41. you're not weird

you just a typical voyeur...

[Dagstead Bumwood]

43. I like seeing their books displayed as well.

But I cannot abide a person who has their own book (and occasionally a STACK of them) prominently displayed behind them. No sir, not a fan of that whatsoever. Ten points off. At least.

[DeminPennswoods]

46. I'm noticing more staging behind the cameras now

David Plouffe had a Univ of Delaware Blue Hens pennant on the wall and USPS toy mail truck on a shelf behind him. Then he had a "we're no 1" hand sculture replace the mail truck, then that was replaced by a blue glass(?) pineapple.

Tim Miller had some cool Texas kitch behind him, but looks like he moved to a different room because it's gone.

[kskiska]

47. I notice other little personal things (in movies, too)

like whether a person is right- or left-handed - you can tell by which arm their watch is worn, or other tells like which hand they pick up a glass or other objects.

[JDC]

48. I work for a pretty large public company and as a perk

We have some folks from HGTV providing people with tips and tricks to make your home office more video friendly, appealing, cool, how to position the right camera angle etc etc

I haven't taken advantage of it, but many have and I have to admit their home office so look much, much more appealing.

It's way better than virtual backgrounds.

[crud]

49. I like when you get a glimpse the outside

Like when you see reflections in the kitchen surfaces of cars or people walking by. Or just seeing what the weather is like.

[LAS14]

50. I've been very entertained by these peeks also. One take away for me...

... is how like the home of a college professor are lots of TV reporters and commentators. Books, books, books. Then there's Lisa DeJardin's cat.

[aeromanKC]

52. It's been the best part of quarantine!!

Also love the Native American painting in Schmidt's back bedroom that can be seen when his door is open and of course his totem pole in his living room wall.

[TNNurse]

53. I think you will notice there are other weirdoes on here as well.

We try to read book titles, guess who is in photos and portraits and ID artwork and just stuff.

[oldsoftie]

60. There's a whole website dedicated to exactly what you're talking about!

[sandensea]

62. My favorite is Beschloss' - who always gets kudos on his study

"Exactly how'd you'd image a renowned historian's to be," as Brian Williams once put it.

[colorado_ufo]

63. I could sit in that room, in front of the fireplace

and read and read and read and never come out again! I don't think I would even bother to eat again! It looks like heaven! Although, I might stop reading to have a cup of tea and a chat with him.

[sandensea]

64. Isn't that the truth!

Beschloss has great taste - and of course, he can't stand His Orangeness.

"Had he somehow obtained a second term, our democracy may well not have survived him," as he put it recently.

[Mr.Bill]

65. We have a sportscaster on a local channel in San Francisco

who broadcasts from what he calls his vinyl room. He apparently has a huge vintage record collection and has narrow shelves made to display them. He changes them every time he goes on camera. He's getting lots of letters and sometimes he comments on them. Like he'll say tonight is Motown night or something like that.

[pansypoo53219]

68. curios cats. so far i like diana ross's daughter place best. love show + tell on the late late show

too.

[PatSeg]

69. Same here

Sometimes I get up and go close to the screen to try and read the titles of the books on their shelves.

[Vinca]

71. Me, too. I'm obsessed with the white animal figurines (plus a yellow squirrel) behind

John Heilemann. Anyone know what they are? I get distracted trying to identify art! It's the closest thing to my obsession with treasure hunting I've got right now. Is that a totem pole in Steve Schmidt's kitchen? LOL.

[XanaDUer2]

72. that is a totem pole

(It was remarked upon in one segment) and I know that squirrel! It draws my eyes.

[mnhtnbb]

73. I think the Morning Joe crew read this thread yesterday

This morning Lemire had changed his background. No more silhouettes. AND Joe made fun of him. Had all of them laughing.

[XanaDUer2]

75. that's funny!

loved the great dane silhouette

[Vinca]

76. I got the impression that Lemire himself created the silhouettes. Loved the dog ones.

[Meowmee]

74. Me too

I notice the details of their homes... many have pretty much 0 clutter in their home, or the room they broadcast from. It looks like no one lives there😹 it is so tidy. And no pets... my siamese was often sitting on my lap or shoulders when I did teaching videos last semester and I did them from my bedroom while recovering from covid pneumonia with a little table in front of a curtain to make it look neat 😹

[XanaDUer2]

79. yup Lamire has a new interview spot. Now there's a fireplace

[Tracer]

80. Books on display.

Two commentators who have had their own books prominently on display (front forward) are Eddie Glaude and Philip Rucker. I'm sure there are others, but these two are the ones I noticed. I guess it's a bit of harmless self-promotion.

Love the dogs who wander in and out. Richard Stengel has a Golden Retriever who often is in the background, and of course Heileman's HUGE Great Danes.

One day, a little grandson of Dr. Redlinger who was speaking with Nicolle, came in and acted as silly as a 3-year old can.

[XanaDUer2]

81. I saw the Glaude display

ii guess I'd be proud if I wrote a book. I enjoy him because he's such a good interviewer and interviewee

[kcr]

82. Me too

I will miss it when the world returns to normal.

[XanaDUer2]

85. Except Chuck Todd

I probably wouldn't care about his digs

[XanaDUer2]

86. TV is kitchen cabinet

Jake Sherman from POLITICO. glaring lights. Kitchen still better than mine.

[XanaDUer2]

87. Jonathan Lamire

looks to live in a co-op.