What The Hell Is Phil Donahue Doing These Days??

[Dinger]

Just wondering

[Dez]

1. Don't know, but I sure miss him!

I watched him on MSNBC as I was really bummed when his show was cancelled. Too bad he can't get a show on Sundance, that would be awesome. We need Phil back On Air!

[w4rma]

2. His show on MSNBC was fantastic. The fascists there didn't like him

promoting peace and pro-Democratic policy on their station, however.

[Dez]

4. yea, so why'd Phil get the boot??

[wicket]

7. Donahue's show was the highest rated on MSNBC

It even beat out Hardball, but it was right before the Iraq War and they were nervous that he would be too anti-war so they dumped him.

[w4rma]

17. … the program is the top-rated show on MSNBC, beating even …

Meanwhile, the Web site www.allyourtv.com posted a commentary on Wednesday by Rick Ellis saying that he had been leaked an internal NBC study that described Donahue as “a tired, left-wing liberal out of touch with the current marketplace.”

The report allegedly said Donahue presented a difficult face for NBC at a time of war, saying a nightmare scenario would be one in which his show becomes “a home for the liberal anti-war agenda at the same time our competitors are waving the flag at every opportunity.”
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/5263274.htm

While “Donahue” does badly trail both O'Reilly and CNN's Connie Chung in the ratings, those numbers have improved in recent weeks. So much so that the program is the top-rated show on MSNBC, beating even the highly promoted “Hardball With Chris Matthews.”

Although Donahue didn't know it at the time, his fate was sealed a number of weeks ago after NBC News executives received the results of a study commissioned to provide guidance on the future of the news channel.

That report--shared with me by an NBC news insider--gives an excruciatingly painful assessment of the channel and its programming. Some of recommendations, such as dropping the “America's News Channel,” have already been implemented. But the harshest criticism was leveled at Donahue, whom the authors of the study described as “a tired, left-wing liberal out of touch with the current marketplace.”
http://www.allyourtv.com/0203season/news/02252003donahue.html

[Dinger]

5. I Still Have Some On tape

The last live show, with Helen Thomas ("bu$h-worst pResident ever!") was great, and also when Palast was on. Two of my favs. Wonder if I can order the whole set on DVD or something?

Wonder if I could write MSRNC & ask to purchase them?

[Dez]

6. That would be cool!

I don't have any of them on tape. Helen is awesome!

[Rose Siding]

11. The Studs Terkel interview was my favorite

Phil's awe and respect were so genuine but the interview itself was so appropriate and timely- about the loyalty oaths Studs had refused to sign and how he'd suffered for it.

SHHHHH!! can't tell America about THAT.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

3. Still Marlo Thomas, I believe.

[rockymountaindem]

8. Maybe he can get a job on Gore's TV station.

That would be cool.

[Dez]

9. Gore's got a TV station??

Didn't know that! Who of interest is on Gore's station?

[rockymountaindem]

10. It hasn't started broadcasting yet.

I think it's a cable news thing that will be called IndTV, and will be aimed at people under 35 and with center-left views I suppose.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he and some investors aquired the license from a defunct media company.

It's going to go on the air sometime in January of February, so ask your cable provider about it.

[Dez]

12. Thanks for the info!

I'll be looking for that one. :-) I miss watching CBC! There was a show on it called This Hour Has 22 Minutes, that was a hoot! Too bad we don't have something like that here in Jesusland!

[rockymountaindem]

13. This Hour has 22 Minutes is hillarious.

But Trailer Park Boys is the best Canadian TV show of all time.

[Dez]

14. Do you get CBC there??

Wish we got it here in Az! I never saw Trailer Park Boys, I moved back to Az. in 2001, must have come on after I moved, eh?

[rockymountaindem]

15. I go to the University of Toronto.

But nope, no CBC in CO, sadly. They've got some funny stuff, but Trailer Park Boys is on Showcase. I heard they've shown some episodes on HBO, but it's not the kind of programming we'll be seeing any time soon on network TV. An excerpt:

"My dad doesn't want to get caught driving the semi trailer because then they'll know he's not disabled and that he's been screwing the government for 20 years."

Dad (explaining his side of the story): "Well I was driving along late one night and that post office just kind of snuck up on me."

Son: "Did he mention he was fuckin' trashed at the time?"

From another episode: "Hey, why don't you get the fuck out of the trailer park so I can raise some money for the damn community!?"

Clearly not a family show, but a lot of the scenarios are hillarious.

[UTUSN]

16. Tweety Performed the MSRNC Execution of Phil on Phil's Own Show

Just to keep harping on Tweety's evil. This is for those who like Tweety for his pre-RAYGUN Dem operative role, for those who think he was anti-war about Iraq, who think he was anti-war because of his draft-age sons, who think when-he's-on-OUR-side-there's-nobody-better...

Tweety was on his book for another one of his "books" (large type, wide spaces between lines, blank half-pages). It was in the jingoistic hysteria in the run-up to the illegal Iraq attack. Whatever he wrote in his "Liberal" columns, he was totally on board for the "Americanism" of the attack.

So Phil welcomed him as a colleague and peer on Phil's show for the full hour to plug the book. Btw, Tweety is not a peer to the towering Phil (let it not be said I never said something good about a NADIR supporter).

I saw this as it happened, as later when Tweety ambushed and slashed at Dennis KUCINICH and Al SHARPTON. From the moment he appeared, there was a strange, deadly snake look in Tweety's snake eyes. Phil was walking around, apparently not sensing anything, while Tweety was motionless, following him only with his eyes. Phil was cordial, though by now he must have been aware that Tweety was no longer a Liberal.

The book was about supposed "Americanism" --an American Civ 101 ripoff about books and movies and cultural stuff that are essentially American (think, "The Great Gatsby"). Phil brought up something or other questioning of blind jingoism, and Tweety STRUCK!

He started out with venom dripping, "You see THIS is EXACTLY what's wrong with you Liberals: You are NEGATIVE about this country, you find NOTHING good about it," and on and on, just this side of doing the Dan COULTER/"Traitor" thing. It took awhile before Phil figured out what was happening. Later, Phil was sitting at the table with Tweety and, weaker and weaker, kept trying to bring up stuff for improvement, and in the process did some of his shoulder shrugging and arm waving.

Tweety lashed out again, "What's THIS (mimicking the movements), what's with the MONKEY movements???" That's our Tweety. Shortly after that, just a few days later, Phil's cancellation was announced and took effect.

[n2mark]

18. You may disagree

Air America could use him as a sub when others take time off.