NBC Panel Discusses Biden Reality Show: 'The Most Entertaining Man in Politics'
During a panel discussion on Thursday's NBC Today, co-host Willie Geist
touted an online White House petition to get Vice President Joe Biden
his own reality show. Panelist and left-wing MSNBC host Alex Wagner
raved: "Incredible idea, can I be the cameraman?...he's the most entertaining man in politics." [Listen to the audio]
Wagner continued to gush over the gaffe-prone VP: "He says stuff
off-the-cuff, he pushes the envelope....Joe Biden is an incredible
figure in American politics. He has pushed the President to embrace gay
marriage, inadvertently. He has these moments of color and humor. He's
also killer, I mean he was the one that went in and cleaned up the
entire fiscal cliff deal at the very last minute."
Attorney Star Jones dismissed the absurd notion: "He's the vice
president! Do your job! We don't want to see you on television. Alex,
are you out of your mind?...I want him working, I don't want him playing
to the cameras. I don't want him appealing to you and your base..."
Advertising executive Donny Deutsch observed: "Here's the interesting
lesson for politicians, Chris Christie and Joe Biden, in reality TV, the
word is 'real.' People want real people as politicians now....we want
to see warts, we want to see human beings.... that's the road map for
future politicians."
Geist wrapped up the exchange by reiterating Wagner's praise for Biden:
"And as Alex points out, he's been at the center of the fiscal cliff
deal, and now at the center of the gun control debate."
The panel discussion was the second time in a week that the NBC morning
show devoted air time to the ridiculous idea of a Biden reality show.
On Sunday's Today, White House correspondent Kristen Welker actually
offered a full report on the topic: "The Kardashians, Honey Boo Boo, and
now Joe Biden?...more than 1,000 people...petitioning for a C-SPAN
reality TV show starring the ever-entertaining and unpredictable veep."
Welker noted: "...people took to social media and weighed in on
potential names for the reality show. Some of the popular titles,
'Literally Joe,' 'Ridin' With Biden,' and 'Biden Time.'"
While Welker mentioned that "the Vice President's candor has, at times, backfired," she then observed: "Analysts say even those who don't agree with Biden's politics, often enjoy watching him."
Time magazine's Mark Halperin asserted: "This vice president gets made
fun of, but there's also a lot of affection for him. What would be
better in a television show than a guy you can laugh at and a guy you
can laugh with?"
That led Welker to conclude: "And part of that appeal is just Joe being Joe."
Here is a full transcript of the January 10 panel discussion:
9:11AM ET
WILLIE
GEIST: VP TV. This is a very interesting one. There is a petition on
the White House website right now that calls for a reality show that
follows the life and times of Vice President Joe Biden. They want to see
everything he does, and let's be honest, this was launched because of a
few moments last week. Let's watch.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: You've got a million-dollar smile.
JOE BIDEN: There's a lot to smile about today....I want you next to me.
I want you next to me....Need any help working on your pecs, let me
know....Holy mackerel.
GEIST: That was that ceremonial swearing in of new members of Congress. Alex Wagner, VP TV, good idea or not?
ALEX WAGNER: Incredible idea, can I be the cameraman? I – I mean, look,
he's the most entertaining man in politics. He says stuff off-the-cuff,
he pushes the envelope. This is the man that said, let us not forget,
"Even if we do everything right with absolute certainty, there's a 30%
chance we're gonna get it totally wrong." Said this in public. Joe Biden
is an incredible figure in American politics. He has pushed the
President to embrace gay marriage, inadvertently. He has these moments
of color and humor. He's also killer, I mean he was the one that went in
and cleaned up the entire fiscal cliff deal at the very last minute.
STAR JONES: He's the vice president! Do your job! We don't want to see you on television. Alex, are you out of your mind?
GEIST: You don't want to see this show?
JONES: No. I want him working.
GEIST: Really?
WAGNER: It's a C-SPAN program, come on, Star.
JONES: I want him working, I don't want him playing to the cameras. I
don't want him appealing to you and your base so I want to look at
Snooki all the time, because that is not what his job is.
DONNY DEUTSCH: But here's the lesson, guys. Here's the interesting
lesson for politicians, Chris Christie and Joe Biden, in reality TV, the
word is "real." People want real people as politicians now. And whether
you're on either side of the aisle, and Alex deals with these people
everyday, forget whether he has a show or not, is that we want to see
warts, we want to see human beings. We're done with this very, very
stiff thing, that's the road map for future politicians.
JONES: We don't want to see how the sausage is made, I do not think so.
GEIST: And as Alex points out, he's been at the center of the fiscal
cliff deal, and now at the center of the gun control debate.
