Easter eggs (the digest version)

Nothing fancy for the day after Easter. A few articles you may (or may not) enjoy.

First, we hear from Air America's newest host, Montel Williams, who has a firm idea of what he wants with his new show. And he told the New York Daily News' David Hinckley what he has in mind:

"My beliefs include both left and right," says the 52-year-old Williams, looking fit in casual blue jeans and, of course, his signature shaved scalp. "That's the way it should be. Don't just pick a side. Look at each issue."

(snip)

"What media put out, most people follow," he says. "We are lemmings. That's why it's a concern that 80% of radio talk is conservative. That's why it's a problem to see the same six or seven people on talk shows every day. There are plenty of people with different views who are just as informed. Let's bring them in."

(snip)

"There's so much anger behind it," he says. "It brings the discussion down to a playground level, when what we need to do is lift the discussion up.

"I don't call people names. There's nothing in the world I'm afraid to discuss, but let's argue using facts."

And in the "Uh oh, here we go again" department, Williams says that he is considering a career in politics, though not in the short term. He's looking about a decade or so down the road.

Moving right along, here's a pretty good blurb about another recently introduced Air America offering, the online-only "BreakRoom Live with Maron & Seder":

Remember Air America Radio? Remember radio? Well after video killed the radio stars Air America Media buried some bodies and sat Marc Maron and Sam Seder in their break room and started breaking new ground. The show mostly consists of Marc and Sam comically battling and boiling down hot topics and politics, bouncing subjects off guests like Janeane Garofalo, and batting out the occasional sketch or rant. All followed by the post show chat with the online audience.

Marc and Sam have a wealth of experience that helps make a live broadcast look easy... These guys are sharp and witty and it shows. Producers Carl Ginsburg and Brendan McDonald have given the show the appropriate polish that keeps it feeling real while delivering comedy on par with The Daily Show and Colbert Report.

(snip)

While this show is live, there is a wealth of comedy to be mined out of the archives. You can find Maron product testing electric cigarettes or ranting about his ex-wife in the reoccurring segment, The Angry Chef. Sam delivers his own laughs with his regular segment, Survival Sam.

Next, Bill Mann provides his own take on Rachel Maddow, who has achieved what Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura Schlessinger - a so-far successful career in television, and she's only been doing it for five months.

From the HuffPo article:

...Most evenings on her show, Maddow -- described by Keith Olbermann as MSNBC's "resident policy wonk," looks relaxed and highly informed. It's obvious that Maddow does a lot of show prep; she brings to light issues often ignored on cable-news outlets.

Paul Krugman, for example, would have been proud of Maddow's detailed, plain-English explanation of why economic stimulus is far better served by creating jobs than by the Feds just handing out tax cuts. That show in February deserves serious Peabody Award consideration.

MSNBC's other liberal hosts can provide the bombast and the passion. The thoughtful Maddow has established a lower-key approach with her "just the facts, ma'am" essays, and she's carved out an important niche for herself at MSNBC...

And we close with a piece on MSNBC's newest host, radio talker Ed Schultz. This one is yet another sneering screed from those masters of silly spin, nonsensical namecalling and manufactured outrage. Yes, I'm talking about the 'tighty righties' over at the Media Research Center's NewsBusters blog. And it seems they're getting so desperate, they're digging up stuff from five years ago and claiming it 'news'. This is essentially intended to be a hit-piece on Schultz (who recently got his own MSNBC show). Since they couldn't to task because (gasp!) they got financial help from well-known Democratic politicians. Oh, the horror!

Brian Maloney has tried in vain to make people think Schultz is crazy because he's never been shy about showing his hot temper. Keep in mind that Maloney says this while practically turning his blog into a kiss-ass shrine to high-strung head cases like Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly, so consider the source.

I won't bother to paraphrase anything here. It's pretty stale stuff. But you can read the latest meme from MRC here.

Maybe we should take a look at how the MRC built up its own war chest. Hmmm...

Brent Bozell's bozos and the rest of their ilk failed miserably at trying to take down Maddow. Now they're trying again with Schultz. But it will likely fail, apart from becoming the typical standard conservoporn for (what's left of) their die-hard flock. After all, these guys couldn't find their asses with both hands, a flashlight and a head start.