Should anyone care that Sarah Palin did not conduct the celebrity interviews for her new show on the Fox News Channel? Repackaging archival material is hardly unusual for television networks -- check out the weekend line-up on MSNBC some time. Audiences weren't bothered by the fact that Palin did not write her autobiography. Why should they mind that she's hosting her own TV show in name only?
The problem with Real American Stories is the transparently slipshod nature of the enterprise. The entire point of an interview show of this sort is to let viewers watch celebrity guests interact with a celebrity host. Sarah Palin with LL Cool J? Sounds like fun. With Tobey Keith, even? Why not? But apparently such minglings are not to be, leaving the TV audience with little reason to tune in. It's as if Barbara Walters did one of her Oscar-night interview specials without actually meeting any of the featured stars.
The flap over Real American Stories further proves that Sarah Palin is no longer a politician but rather a product to be merchandised -- in this case, merchandised in a cut-rate way. Implicit in any personality-based marketing strategy is the need to maintain strict quality control over the product line. It appears that Sarah Palin is now willing to slap her name on just about anything, with all the discrimination of Krusty the Klown.
In defining and selling herself as a celebrity, Palin has shown both cleverness and originality. The more her brand becomes associated with inferior merchandise, however, the less staying power it is likely to have.
Harmon Leon: Sarah Palin Being Groomed To Be The New Katie Couric: LL Cool J Wants No Part
LL Cool J: "Fox lifted an old interview I gave in 2008 to someone else and are misrepresenting to the public in order to promote Sarah Palin's show. WOW."
John Wellington Ennis: Sarah Palin Encourages Road Rage
There was a time when the violence in Hip Hop lyrics drew condemnation from, actually, a lot of the outraged moralists who seem drawn to Sarah Palin's hypocritical spell.
And, she tried to convince voters she'd be an advocate for special needs children, right....
A "real" journalist would treat this suggestion as an insult to their ability and probably tell them to "kiss off". But, it's like everything else she does - has the questions in advance and the answers prepared for her. Nothing is spontaneous - there is no one on one with this format.
I have a suggestion for Sarah and faux news - have her do interviews in this format with Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, "Ike", Farah Fawcett. That way Faux would be transparent. At least I am assuming Faux viewers know these people are no longer with us. Or at least list Sarah's show as a rerun.
Way to go LL Cool J for calling this out regarding a 2008 interview. If Faux wanted to save some bucks that would go to $arah. Recyle that interview with the original person that interviewed him in 2008. What a fraud - Faux and Sarah - the perfect unethical combination.
Her brief political career was a fluke, she won a debate for a popular comment she made and won her state. She quit the job before her term was up for the excuse of ethics complaints even though many of her political counterparts have survived much worse without quitting.
From her job as a local sportscaster and after she lost the election with McCain she has done nothing but pursue the media while saying she hates the media.
She accepted a job on Fox as a media talking head and a job as a reality show performer.
She is using the media as much as the media is using her but she needs to realize the media is a fickle master and can turn around very quickly.
Fox using her for ratings and using her right wing status may not translate long term into the popularity or the career she is hoping for.
Her pursuit of the media and a career in the media in turn will not do much for her chances at running for another political office.
Nice the see FOX is doing the same amateur BS on a national scale.
Reminds me of Yves Saint Laurant. Once a big name designer but then he slapped his name on anything just to sell more and the name became synonymous with cheap, poorly made products. Sister Sarah is the next YSL.