All Episodes Talk: TRMS 2020 Season

[shok]

They don't have it posted yet at the time of this posting, but here's a link to Colbert's page and you must watch Rachel's interview as soon as it's up. It is sooooo good! It's funny and intelligent and she and Stephen just have such a good vibe together.

https://www.cbs.com/shows/the-late-show-with-stephen-colbert/

[meowmommy]

Ok, I'm officially confused.  Rachel did her show tonight in front of her usual set, but she did her visit to Stephen Colbert from her home.  So does she work from home or not?  Or was she at home in Massachusetts for the interview and then whisked off to the set in New York?  Now I'm thinking that maybe she's full time in MA, and that the low tech version of her show was just because she couldn't have any of her crew working at her house while she was in quarantine.

And where's the stuffed dog?  Inquiring minds need to know.  And is the painting in the background supposed to be that blurry, or is it something not ready for prime time?

[freddi]

"L'homme de sac," Rachel!  

[FoundTime]

9 hours ago, freddi said:

"L'homme de sac," Rachel!  

Or is it like Eddie Izzard's bit about how the movie Speed should have been La Vitesse in France but instead was just {French accent} Speed?

☺

[Scout Finch]

On 12/9/2020 at 4:25 AM, FoundTime said:

Happy Safe Harbor Day, everybody! (like anyone even knew that was a thing before this year 🙄)

This made me laugh because the last four years have been one long civics lesson! I just wish it hadn't been due to panicked necessity! I never would have known about Safe Harbor Day or about how crucial December 14th and January 6th still are--or the amount of stress those would bring me. It's probably not helping to watch the three-hour MSNBC's evening lineup, which also spotlights the horrific pandemic numbers. However, Rachel in particular often gives me some hope. I also enjoy her history lessons that she connects to current issues, and the way she clarifies with her guests that she's interpreted something correctly, especially when it comes to legalities.

[Pearson80]

3 hours ago, Scout Finch said:

This made me laugh because the last four years have been one long civics lesson! I just wish it hadn't been due to panicked necessity! I never would have known about Safe Harbor Day or about how crucial December 14th and January 6th still are--or the amount of stress those would bring me. It's probably not helping to watch the three-hour MSNBC's evening lineup, which also spotlights the horrific pandemic numbers. However, Rachel in particular often gives me some hope. I also enjoy her history lessons that she connects to current issues, and the way she clarifies with her guests that she's interpreted something correctly, especially when it comes to legalities.

You are so correct in that these past 4 years has been one long civics lesson. I was actually shocked by my own ignorance and knowledge is indeed power.  When you know better you do better..

Edited December 12, 2020 by Pearson80

[cynicat]

16 hours ago, Pearson80 said:

You are so correct in that these past 4 years has been one long civics lesson. I was actually shocked by my own ignorance and knowledge is indeed power.  When you know better you do better..

Or in the memorable words of Emil Faber, "Knowledge is Good".

[Scout Finch]

On 12/12/2020 at 1:34 PM, Pearson80 said:

You are so correct in that these past 4 years has been one long civics lesson. I was actually shocked by my own ignorance and knowledge is indeed power.  When you know better you do better..

Is today the first time the results of the electoral college votes are being broadcast live as they are cast? Until this year, my knowledge consisted solely of:  270 votes reached, election over, I cheer or cry. I'm guessing Rachel will bring up any historical anomalies in this step of the process on tonight's show.

[Quilt Fairy]

11 hours ago, Scout Finch said:

Until this year, my knowledge consisted solely of:  270 votes reached, election over, I cheer or cry.

Or in my case: winner called by major network, election over. 

[Scout Finch]

51 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

Or in my case: winner called by major network, election over. 

That's usually been the case for me but this year I pretty much had the TV on for three days straight until the Saturday when the networks finally called it!

[ScoobieDoobs]

Ah, Rach, really good sum-up & spotlight of yet another Trump cockroach -- Jeffrey Rosen.  Blech.

Edited December 16, 2020 by ScoobieDoobs

[Sharpie66]

Rachel’s story on the polio vaccine and the push for acceptance brought back my memory of that sugar cube. I was born in 1966, so I am guessing we had herd immunity and they were in no rush to give us the vaccine, so I didn’t get it until first grade, in school. Or maybe there was a minimum age? I’m not sure. I also remember getting another, this time injected, vaccine at another time but in the same school, but I don’t know for what (smallpox, maybe?).

[Quilt Fairy]

On 12/16/2020 at 12:14 AM, Sharpie66 said:

I’m not sure. I also remember getting another, this time injected, vaccine at another time but in the same school, but I don’t know for what (smallpox, maybe?).

If it was in your upper arm, and you retained a small scar from it, that would have been the smallpox vaccine.  (Although, now that I think about it, the vaccination for smallpox was not an injection, but scratching in the skin.  That's where the scar comes from.)  I know in Chicago, where I grew up, you were required to have been vaccinated for smallpox before you would be admitted to high school.  This was in the mid-sixties.  I also remember, quite vividly, waiting in a long line with my mother at a local church to get the polio vaccine.  That was in the late 50s. I bet everyone in that line knew someone who had had polio. 

[possibilities]

I remember the sugar cube, too. 

There were lots of vaccines, though, besides that, which went into the arm. 

I was born in 1965. 

[cynicat]

9 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

If it was in your upper arm, and you retained a small scar from it, that would have been the smallpox vaccine.

I see it a badge of honor, although I'm quite sure I didn't think that at the time.

[Quilt Fairy]

12 hours ago, cynicat said:

I see it a badge of honor, although I'm quite sure I didn't think that at the time.

Me, too.  I asked the doctor to do it way up near my shoulder so it wouldn't show if I wore a short-sleeved blouse.

I'm sorry for going off-topic here, and I promise my next post will be about the show.  

[meowmommy]

Chuck!  Where the hell ya been?  There have been so many nights I've been screaming for Chuck or Barb or Joyce or preferably all three.  Rachel's favorite lawyer these days seems to be Andrew Weissmann.

I was starting to think they fell into the black hole that Joe Biden apparently fell in.

[candall]

On 12/18/2020 at 6:13 PM, Quilt Fairy said:

I asked the doctor to do it way up near my shoulder so it wouldn't show if I wore a short-sleeved blouse.

[...]

My father was the doctor here and gave all the girls smallpox vaccinations at the top+side of the leg, just so they wouldn't have a scar that showed in strapless dresses. 

It makes me smile now when I see a tv mother complain that her daughter's full sleeve tat is showing through the wedding dress chiffon.

[meowmommy]

1 hour ago, candall said:

My father was the doctor here and gave all the girls smallpox vaccinations at the top+side of the leg, just so they wouldn't have a scar that showed in strapless dresses. 

My vaccination mark is on my left upper arm.  I don't think I was given a choice.  Everyone had the same scar.  My understanding at the time (early 60s) was that it was deliberately made visible so that the school could instantly tell that you'd been vaccinated.  I thought it went well with my birthmark on my left wrist, which I took as a sign of my being left-handed.  Now that I have choices, I always choose to be injected in the right arm.

The birthmark has mostly faded but the vaccination mark is still loud and proud.

I think I like Rachel's handoffs with Ali better than the ones with LOD.  LOD always seems either to be trying to beg viewers not to change the channel or to ingratiate himself with Rachel, and Ali doesn't do that.

[Calvada]

22 hours ago, meowmommy said:

Chuck!  Where the hell ya been?  There have been so many nights I've been screaming for Chuck or Barb or Joyce or preferably all three.  Rachel's favorite lawyer these days seems to be Andrew Weissmann.

I was starting to think they fell into the black hole that Joe Biden apparently fell in.

I was very happy to see Chuck too.  I really like him.  Barb McQuade is working on the transition team, which I assume means she cannot be a talking head for MSNBC at this time.  Joyce has been on other shows a lot, so I'm not sure why she's not on with Rachel more often.  

The pardons today are why last night's show was an exercise in futility.  What does it matter if Rudy is being investigated, when he will be pardoned by Trump at some point over the next 4 weeks?  Unless any part of the investigation can lead to prosecution for a state crime, it's all moot.

I was glad to hear Sen. Klobuchar bring up the Assistant US Attorneys who handled the various prosecutions of the Congressional crooks and others who were pardoned today.  Usually if a defendant is being considered for a pardon or clemency, the pardon office at US DOJ contacts the local US Attorney's Office to see if there's any information they want considered during the process.  I'm sure there are people who spent thousands of hours building these cases who feel as if someone just spit in their face.  Morale among the ranks at US DOJ must be at an all-time low.  

[freddi]

Alex Padilla was also on the Brian Williams show later, in the Zoom call where the Governor offered him the Senate seat.  It was very touching, even though Padilla had to know the reason for the call (well, that or telling him he would not get it, but less reason to record in that case).  

It is good to see Chuck with some color in his face -- he had looked so green for so many of these past four years.  

Michael Schmidt was so intensely squinting during his conversation with Rachel, which was unusual for him.  But tonight, he looked like someone who had lost his glasses and was driving through fog without headlights.  Good interview, though.  

Yes, Amy Klobucher's Christmas tree was very festive, and MSNBC has had an array of trees in the background throughout the day.  It is a little comforting to see how many commentators are decorating for the holidays.  It was touching that Rachel and Amy exchanged good wishes for the health of their partners -- both Rachel and Amy have had such stress dealing with the virus.  

I know Rachel is totally due to have Christmas Eve off -- but so many political writers think that the 24th is going to be a doozey of a news day, the day after Barr leaves office and the day T**** is counting on us not paying attention.  I had to laugh when we heard Barr was leaving on the 23rd to be able to spend Christmas with his family -- what a dismal benefits package he must have!  If only he had negotiated for vacation on major holidays.  I hope MSNBC has a strong "B" team in place to cover Rachel's show Thursday.  

[Calvada]

I'm reminded of what David Letterman would say when someone announced that he was resigning to spend more time with the family - has anyone checked with the family to see if they want to have more time with the person?   

[candall]

On 12/22/2020 at 10:33 AM, meowmommy said:

[,,,]

I think I like Rachel's handoffs with Ali better than the ones with LOD.  LOD always seems either to be trying to beg viewers not to change the channel or to ingratiate himself with Rachel, and Ali doesn't do that.

No kidding.  Watching the Honorable Lawrence O'D try so hard with Rachel is a little bit embarrassing.  And she's always so patient and kind in return, which makes me feel worse for him.

Edited December 29, 2020 by candall

[freddi]

Ali caught Lawrence O’D spitting out his cough drop ( I thought it was gum at first), which mainly was amusing because LOD takes himself so seriously.  And then he explained it was a cough drop.    But then that very sad news about the Louisiana newly elected Congressman who died of COVID.  

[tessaray]

And so ends 2020... 

TRMS discussion continues here.