Obama's Shady Friends List
It's a fun new game and you can play along at home! Just place our president-elect's name in a list of names of shady characters. Then get rich on the teevee!
The Bush Book, Matthews' Future, Pay Cuts at the Voice
• Laura Bush either received $1.5 million for her memoir or $3.5-5 million, depending on who you believe. Either way, it's a lot less than Hillary Clinton's $8 million advance for Living History. [NYP, WSJ]
• Chris Matthews is not running for Senate, according to his brother. [P'ticker]
• A new buyer has emerged for…
Right-Wing Radio, Laura Bush's Memoir, Year-End Lists
• Conservative radio is expecting a big boost once Obama takes office. Also, Fred Thompson, not Rudy Giuliani, will take over Bill O'Reilly's slot. [NYT]
• Publishers don't seem to be very interested in Laura Bush's memoir. [NYer]
• After a three-day blackout, China has unblocked the Times' website. [NYT]
• Is Chris…
Happy Birthday
Hardball host (and potential political candidate) Chris Matthews is turning 63 today. Model/designer Milla Jovovich is turning 33. Peter Briger, the beleaguered president of Fortress Investment Group, is 45. Actor Eugene Levy turns 62. Giovanni Ribisi is 34. R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills is 50. And Penthouse founder Bob…
Chris Matthews' Mouth To Stay At MSNBC
Bad news for both of the "Chris Matthews For Senate" enthusiasts: the clear-haired shouting head "is expected to sign a long-term contract to remain as host of MSNBC's 'Hardball,'" Politico reports. After all his hollering about maybe leaving the show to run for the Senate —which was almost surely a negotiating…
Chris Matthews' Failed Shout Attack
Chris Matthews made some fabulously entertaining television in May when he schooled a right-wing pundit pretending to know who Neville Chamberlain was and why Barack Obama was just as awful. Then he did it again to Michele Bachmann when the Republican Congresswoman tried to slyly say all liberals and entire certain…
Wintour's Denial, Chris Matthews Rumors
♦ Anna Wintour has responded to rumors she's leaving Condé Nast: "I have no plans to leave American Vogue now or in the foreseeable future." [NYO]
♦ Chris Matthews could be seriously considering quitting MSNBC to run for Senate. Or he could be using it as a negotiating tactic. [Politico]
♦ The Grammy noms were…
Chris Matthews to Hold Breath Until He Becomes a Senator (or Gets a Raise)
Is haggard MSNBC host Chris Matthews actually running for Senate from Pennsylvania? Against five-term senior Republican Arlen Specter? Really? Politico says he's house-shopping in Philadelphia! He's asking insiders whether he should step down from MSNBC before his contract expires! Oh, and about that contract: it…
Bright Futures for Universally Despised Cable News People
Bill O'Reilly and Chris Matthews are both famous cable news shouty persons, yes, but beyond that how much do they have in common? Both cling to a Northeastern Working-Class Catholicism that colors their broadcast personae even though they've both been rich and famous long enough to leave most of the lessons behind…
How Leno Dissed Chris Matthews
Chris Matthews is becoming the Rodney Dangerfield of TV news hosts. Even his NBC colleagues at the Tonight Show give him no respect. Host Jay Leno just last week led with dashing Matthews competitor Anderson Cooper of CNN, who was first to sit on Leno's couch and got extra time to chat after a commercial break.…
Britney's Lack of Passion, Anna's Plans for Retirement
♦ Although her life looks like it's finally back on track, a new documentary suggests Britney Spears thinks her new life is like prison and lacks "excitement" or "passion." Hopefully she'll be in a better mood in two weeks when she makes an appearance at the Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony. [The Sun, OK!]
…
Chris Matthews Predicts Fashionable Obama Administration
"Thin ties. Well-turned-out men. No sloppiness." [Times]
Bill O'Reilly Reups, Harvey Weinstein's Sinking Ship
♦ Bill O'Reilly has signed a new four-year contract with Fox News worth $10-12 million a year. There is good news, though: His radio show may be coming to an end. [NYDN]
♦ More bad news for Harvey Weinstein: A handful of senior execs at The Weinstein Co. have announced their departures. [THR]
♦ How are monthly…
Pranksters Descend on Chris Matthews
During Friday's taping of Hardball, some audience members felt that this election simply isn't as hysterical as it could be, so they decided to do something about it. Host Chris Matthews was blissfully ignorant that the real show was going on just behind his back, with people in the crowd holding up signs featuring…
Katie Couric, Sarah Palin and MSNBC's Phil Griffin
New MSNBC Strategy: "Be Boring"
As we more or less said, before, MSNBC's switch from all-crazy-pundit all-the-time (their two most unbalanced talking heads anchoring convention coverage? what can possibly go wrong!) to the more traditional "boring old guy who'll accept your bullshit with a smile" approach is a cowardly retreat by MSNBC president…
Chris Matthews "Thrown Under The Bus" After Shareholder Complaints
Keith Olbermann may have been pushed out of his gig anchoring MSNBC's election coverage, but the Countdown host actually made out pretty well, with the cable news network widely reported to be in the process of extending his contract. Far sadder is the case of Olbermann's fellow shouting head Chris Matthews, also…
Keith's Pay Raise, Howard's Wedding and Naomi's Kids?
Why MSNBC Should Stay Crazy
So MSNBC going back to more "traditional" election coverage? Looks like that David Gregory ascendancy everyone predicted back before the Rachel Maddow ascendancy is finally happening! All because Tom Brokaw and Brian Williams are embarrassed by those loud shouty people and Jeff Zucker's in serious trouble with the…
MSNBC Kneecaps Olbermann To Fake Neutrality
It was unthinkable that MSNBC could come out of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions without a major, public shakeup of its political news team. The incessant fighting between the cable network's most opinionated anchors — Keith Olbermann, Joe Scarborough and Chris Matthews — marred the chance to retain…
