CNN host Piers Morgan, the British host who has often lectured his American audience about the need for stricter gun control, is losing his 9 p.m. weeknights show.
New York Times media writer David Carr scoops that Morgan and CNN President Jeff Zucker "had been talking about the show's failure to connect and had decided to pull the plug, probably in March." Carr writes:
'It's been a painful period and lately we have taken a bath in the ratings,' [Morgan] said, adding that although there had been times when the show connected in terms of audience, slow news days were problematic.
'Look, I am a British guy debating American cultural issues, including guns, which has been very polarizing, and there is no doubt that there are many in the audience who are tired of me banging on about it,' he said. 'That's run its course and Jeff and I have been talking for some time about different ways of using me.'
"Slow news days were problematic"? In other words, he needed mass shootings to maintain his ratings. Is there any redeeming quality to this man? Of course, there are petitions from England asking us to keep him, and he's worn out his welcome here.
ReplyDeleteAccidentally caught him once on a slow news day--was doing one of those interviews with a zoologist where they bring in animals--didn't matter what the animal was, he acted terrified, alternately of teeth and of germs. He was practically hiding behind his desk--it was telling and mildly entertaining, but in a not merely laughing at rather than with way--in a ridiculing for being such a wimp way.
DeleteHere's the difference between us and you. When we attack a gun-rights fanatic it's usually about what he says. Take Ted Nugent, for example. I can't get enough of his asinine remarks. But, with you guys it usually becomes personal. Look at the way you despise Piers Morgan, not only for his political views, but as a person.
DeleteSo you're claiming not to despise Nugent as a person?
DeleteActually, if he was a pro gun guy, I'd still be making fun of him for the way he acted during that animal segment--it was pitiful. I don't despise him for that--I pity him for being so scared.
DeleteThe things I dislike him for are running made up news stories in Britain, making things up or just doing bad research on guns, dishonest tactics, and general rudeness to his guests which was only trumped by Alex Jones when Piers had him on--watching those two bloviate back and forth was like a train wreck with each train loaded with components of a binary explosive.
I despise anyone who seeks to violate our rights.
DeleteAnonymous, as I remember it, Alex Jones far out did Piers when they met. As far as, "making things up or just doing bad research on guns" I think you're the one making things up or just doing bad research. I always thought Piers presented the general gun control position pretty accurately.
DeleteThat night with Alex Jones, yes, Piers was relatively calm and measured because he knew if he just sat there, Jones would make an ass of himself, but Piers had been much more like Alex in previous interviews such as his blow up with Pratt and other pro gun guests.
DeleteAs for Piers misrepresenting things through ignorance or intentionally, I don't have time to go back and watch everything from the past year--maybe others can remember some examples. As is, the only specific example sticking in my mind was his refusal to acknowledge the violent crime rate in Britain, Australia, etc. He kept calling Pratt a liar and talking about the low murder rate, ignoring that Pratt was distinguishing between the two.
Another example that I remember is his going on about how "assault weapons" were the preferred guns of mass shooters based on a fluke string of shootings using them--most mass shootings, before and after, have used handguns and shotguns.
Also, maybe others can verify, but wasn't Piers the one who kept claiming the navy yard shooter used an AR even after it was clear he used a shotgun?
Delete"Of course, there are petitions from England asking us to keep him, and he's worn out his welcome here."
ReplyDeleteMaybe Canada will take him, that is if we can talk them into taking Bieber back,
The Canadians I've known have been such polite people. It would be a shame to dump him on them. Unless he gets marooned on an island in the far north, that is.
DeletePiers Morgan was found today frozen to a piece of sea ice. The disgraced journalist had last been seen lambasting some members of the first nations for hunting poor defenseless seals.
DeleteI wonder if Greg made that up about petitions in the UK to keep him here. Petitions, plural, Greg said.
DeleteOf course, Simon simply joins the other simpletons who attack the man personally, and why, because he disagrees on gun rights.
Only "simpletons" take attacks on their fundamental human rights personally?
DeleteThen I'm proud to be a "simpleton," and to spit on your idea of "intellectuals."
Attacking him personally? I thought I was satirizing how tone deaf he is in his choice of political crusades, not insulting him based on weight, age, melanin content, or natural endowment.
DeleteGuess it must have been a personal attack on Andrew Sullivan when I laughed at the irony of his article that suggested that the Tea Party should act more like the Tories.
Good point, Simon. How often have we seen Mikeb attack people in my (and your?) part of the country?
DeletePretty much Daily.
DeleteI love the fact that he he apparently thinks his "I'm not done with you yet" will intimidate the NRA. Personally, I want him shouting his pompous statist idiocy from the rooftops. He's a hell of a recruiter for gun rights.
ReplyDeleteAlmost as good for that as the Ukrainian government.
"I wonder if Greg made that up about petitions in the UK to keep him here. Petitions, plural, Greg said. "
ReplyDeleteI have actually found two, one small one that wanted to keep him here because they think he's doing God's work, even comparing him to John Lennon. They got a whopping 43 signatures.
"It is time we did something about Gun Violence here in America and we applaud the efforts of Piers Morgan and hope he continues to speak out. It is funny they tried to silence John Lennon the same way. It did not work and this will not work either. The only thing that silenced John Lennon was a bullet; but now his message of Imagining Peace and Love is heard louder than ever before. Please sign this petition unless you are "an incredibly stupid man" or woman."
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/659/573/802/keep-piers-morgan-in-america/
The white house petition on the other hand, had a larger following, to include his own countrymen. And if we're to go into past misdeeds, lets not forget Morgan's tenure in the press and eventually being fired for publishing fake photos. Sort of a mortal sin for members of the press. And then of course, there was the phone hacking thing.
But, the White House petition made it up to over 109,000 signatures.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/deport-british-citizen-piers-morgan-attacking-2nd-amendment/prfh5zHD
"However, there’s a problem with this outcome desired so fervently by so many Americans. Which is, as I pointed out here, that we Brits don’t actually want him back. I’ll admit that he’s a very talented journalist. His interview with The Guardian’s editor, Alan Rusbridger, is a thing of beauty (and well worth reading in full here)."
"However, talented though he may be his period as editor of the Daily Mirror did leave a number of us with, well, without a great deal of love for him shall we say. Which leads us to the second petition on the White House site.
“we petition the obama administration to:
Keep Piers Morgan in the USA
We want to keep Piers Morgan in the USA.
There are two very good reasons for this. Firstly, the first amendment.
Second and the more important point. No one in the UK wants him back."
"This only has 3,800 signatures so far, this is true. But it’s only just hit the UK newspapers this morning so give it a little bit of time. It only hit the country’s leading (by traffic at least, if not necessarily by good taste) blog last night.
So there’s still time for it to catch up. And that there are two diametrically opposed petitions means that we have a horse race on our hands. So, which will win?
The distaste for Piers Morgan among Americans who have only seen a bit of him or the distaste among the Brits who know him rather better?"
http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/12/27/deporting-piers-morgan-the-battle-of-the-petitions/
As I suspected. Greg blatantly made that shit up. He obviously wasn't referring to a petition praising Piers' efforts.
DeleteMikeb, are you seriously quibbling over whether it was one petition or several? Yes or no, do you imagine that there's a great desire in Britain for Morgan to return?
Delete