A Look Back at 'Today'

Inside Television 537

Publication Date: 1-21-11

By: Hubert O'Hearn

I was quite torn this week whether to comment on the 'was Ricky Gervais pistol-whipped backstage at the Golden Globes?' controversy; or the body-blow based advertising campaign launched by the Conservatives in Canada against Michael Ignatieff. The former I decided was just a sneaky way of slipping nasty jokes into this column – and I considered it heavily as it saves me from thinking of my own nasty jokes; while the latter I'll be covering In Another Place, as they say. Website. Search and ye shall find.

Then of course there's the revamped 'American Idol'. Honestly now, would you have thought that Randy Jackson would have been the last of the original – or even last year's - judges to remain? It's like everyone leaving The Andy Griffith Show and just leaving Floyd the Barber; or Hans Moleman is the last resident of 'The Simpsons' Springfield. I'm expecting cookie cutter audition shows, so I'll save that review for a week or two.

On Wednesday morning, I did something I haven't done in years, decades even. I had breakfast and watched the 'Today Show.' That was a habit I'd had from Grade Three through high school, starting with the glory days of Hugh Downs, a ground-breaking Barbara Walters, Gene Shalit on the Movies and Joe Garagiola on Sports. Frank Blair did the news headlines at the top and the bottom of the hour. I don't remember who the weatherman was, and I consider this to be a good thing.

Truly, why did weather become the tee hee tickle show in a newscast? My 'Today' habit was broken, I realize in retrospect, around 1980 when Willard Scott waddled onto the scene with his lawn turf toupees and all those little old ladies sending him cakes, cookies and hacksaws. All I want to know from the weather is what form of clothing is appropriate for the day's possible activities. Now get the hell off the stage.

In looking at today's 'Today' (said Major Major to Yossarian) one is reminded that the show began as part of NBC's Entertainment Division, not News. Its first co-host, to Dave Garroway, was J. Fred Muggs. J. Fred Muggs was a chimp. I swear I am not making that up. And although 'Today' has certainly done its share of fine news pieces over the years, it always had this crazy silly side to it.

NOT Hugh Downs and Barbara Walters

I do find the tilt to be more towards the silly side these days, balanced by the excellent Meredith Viera, who lounges like some highly intelligent Siamese cat, purring out intelligent questions to intelligent people. Matt Lauer was saddled with the thankless, horrible, 'who did I piss off in the front office?' task of interviewing Kourtney and Kim Kardashian. I have never seen more plasticized women in my life.

Lauer actually had the moment of the show when he asked the celebzonians, in the politest possible way, if they ever considered that the public was some day going to be very bored with them and their lives. Their replies were predictably robotic – 'We're having a great time. Have you admired my enormous bum?' That was a paraphrase, by the way.

One has to admire a show that has won over 700 straight weeks in the ratings, still dusting the competition after all these years. Will I keep watching? To check what is coming up, probably. As a regular? Well, it's a bit like a high school reunion. Lovely to see all the familiar facelifts, but those years are things that were, not are. Be seeing you.