That's What I Was Trying To Say!

Left-wing blogger Bob Somerby makes a point about the Rachel Maddow show that I tried to make in an on-air interview last year.

In a recent column, Michael Kinsley imagined the possible future of news reporting. “Maybe the newspaper of the future will be more or less like the one of the past, only not on paper,” he wrote in the Post. “More likely it will be something more casual in tone, more opinionated.” Soon, the gentleman asked a good question: “Will you be able to get your news straight and not in an ideological fog?”

... We mainly thought of Rachel Maddow when we read his column on Monday. ... Given the way the rest of the media work, it’s very important for progressive journalists to develop a content-rich culture.

[Last night, Maddow] was introducing a light segment—a bit of comic relief—about that old favorite, computer porn:

MADDOW (4/7/09): Now, a follow-up on a story that we covered when it first broke, because I have the sense of humor of a 12-year-old and I think scientists watching dirty stuff on the inner tubes is hilarious. The story’s about scientists at the National Science Foundation—an independent U.S. government agency responsibility for reporting science and engineering.

We were intrigued by the highlighted comment, in part because it recalled the way Maddow balked when David Frum assumed she’d prefer a more “grown-up” discourse.

In our view, Maddow’s style is remarkably heavy on hidden self-congratulation. (Sorry—her “styley,” to use last night’s lingo.) This particular statement struck us as another example. But mainly, we were struck by the comment because we’ve puzzled, for several decades, about the ongoing juvenilization of humor, a pattern which has been apparent among the kids. (Think Adam Sandler. Then keep thinking.) Maddow is going to be very important. In particular, she’ll be very important discussing the news which affects the world’s people. And this is a serious matter.

... Maddow ... clowned and mugged and joked and snarked .... Except among people who really are twelve, what’s so great about having the sense of humor traditionally displayed by that class?
... Yes, there’s always a place for jokes. But the jokes have to take second place.