Morning Joe: All Episodes Talk

[neona]

But are their ratings up for the whole of 2018? I mean, at the beginning of the year they were still in studio. There were actually a couple of wonderful weeks when they were in that small, cosy studio in Washington DC (with the live Capitol Hill backdrop) when the show was great. And up until November/December 2018 they would turn up to do real in-studio shows every 1-2 weeks. The big question will be whether January ratings (when they've been entirely AWOL and people are beginning to realise it's, ugh, permanent) hold.

And I ITA with everyone else, the contributors make the show. It's deeply unfair that Joe and Mika get the credit. Although I do actually like them (I know a lot of you don't, which is fair enough), but I feel the show is best when 1) Joe, Mika and everyone is in studio 2) Willie is hosting alone 3) Anyone else is hosting alone.....10) Joe and Mika are remote. That is to say, I'd prefer them to be there but if they can't I'd rather have new hosts than this remote setup. 

Do MSNBC not pay attention or think long-term at all? Also, Joe and Mika supposedly have the same celebrity/gravitas (emphasis here on "supposedly") as Rachel Maddow. Maddow has on occasion actually done better than Fox. IMO if Joe and MIka were on top of their game they should have managed the same vis a vis Fox and Friends. 

[teddysmom]

1 hour ago, zentropa said:

5 hours ago, millennium said:

What kind of commercials do you guys see?    Here, it's a cavalcade of erectile dysfunction, Peroni's (sic?) disease, and Depends for men.   What's the demographic for this show?   All the Mike Barnicles of the world?

Plus colon cancer testing kits (!)

The computer company selling anti virus software.  OMG they are terrible. 

[oakville]

29 minutes ago, neona said:

But are their ratings up for the whole of 2018? I mean, at the beginning of the year they were still in studio. There were actually a couple of wonderful weeks when they were in that small, cosy studio in Washington DC (with the live Capitol Hill backdrop) when the show was great. And up until November/December 2018 they would turn up to do real in-studio shows every 1-2 weeks. The big question will be whether January ratings (when they've been entirely AWOL and people are beginning to realise it's, ugh, permanent) hold.

And I ITA with everyone else, the contributors make the show. It's deeply unfair that Joe and Mika get the credit. Although I do actually like them (I know a lot of you don't, which is fair enough), but I feel the show is best when 1) Joe, Mika and everyone is in studio 2) Willie is hosting alone 3) Anyone else is hosting alone.....10) Joe and Mika are remote. That is to say, I'd prefer them to be there but if they can't I'd rather have new hosts than this remote setup. 

Do MSNBC not pay attention or think long-term at all? Also, Joe and Mika supposedly have the same celebrity/gravitas (emphasis here on "supposedly") as Rachel Maddow. Maddow has on occasion actually done better than Fox. IMO if Joe and MIka were on top of their game they should have managed the same vis a vis Fox and Friends. 

The daily ratings are available at www.showbuzzdaily.com.  Joe has claimed in the past that he has a lot of clout at the network. I guess they will let him do what he wants until ratings plummet. Mika was able to avoid any disciplinary action after her "butt boy " comments. 

Edited January 24, 2019 by oakville

[xaxat]

I just think that the bunkers are breaking the show. It used to be about interaction at the table. That's the reason they became culturally relevant enough to be mocked on Saturday Night Live. Joe, Mika and their horrified guests. (And the fact that Kate McKinnon does an excellent Mika.)

That's gone. And, more importantly, their ability to interact with their guests is really hampered. I wonder what the show bookers are going through when they have to tell a potential guest that they would like them to make their way through the traffic hell of mid town Manhattan to get to the studio, but Joe and Mika won't be there and will be interviewing them from a basement in Florida an undisclosed location while wearing pajama bottoms.

[teddysmom]

I want SNL to do a skit with them in front of separate backdrops, but Joe reaches over and all you see is his hand trying to tickle Mika or rub her back or something. 

Or they show Joe and come back from commercial and the camera catches Mika crawling on the floor to her chair/backdrop.

[cased]

5 hours ago, may flowers said:

Paul Farhi of The Washington Post has a long tweet addressing the hosts disappearance. Says MSNBC won’t address where they are though sources say they’re in FL sitting feet from each other (not separate bunkers) and that they get away with it because of ratings. 

 

https://twitter.com/farhip/status/1088437577110163456?s=21

 

Great information . It confirms a lot of what we have been suspecting here. A few thoughts:

1) If they have to do the show from Florida, I would prefer it if they would at least go to a real studio where they could sit at a desk and be shown in the same shot. They could even have guests with them sometimes, if the guest happened to be in Florda. I'm sure there would be a studio somewhere in the area that they could use.

2) Interesting note about parents living in the area. I wonder if Mika's mother moved to Florida. I had noticed quite a few of Mika's instagram photo from the last 6 months or so had her mother in them, and Joe has a recent Instagram photo of him walking Mika's mother's dog,

3) I am still pretty sure that their previous contract ended in 2018. I wonder if they signed and extension, and for how long. I am also curious of this new arrangement is in the contract. Maybe they agreed to a little less money in exchange for the remote broadcasting. Doubtful knowing them, but it would be something that would benefit both sides.

4) As far as ratings, in addition to the overall MSNBC increase, they are also benefiting in drop at CNN from losing Chris Cuomo in the morning, and at Fox from growing anti-Trump sentiment.

Edited January 24, 2019 by cased

[neona]

4 hours ago, oakville said:

The daily ratings are available at www.showbuzzdaily.com.  Joe has claimed in the past that he has a lot of clout at the network. I guess they will let him do what he wants until ratings plummet. Mika was able to avoid any disciplinary action after her "butt boy " comments. 

I'm not really good at reading ratings but from this link it looks like MJ has pretty much the same ratings as Stephanie Ruhle's show? Shouldn't it be higher considering their show is on during breakfast while Steph's is on when most working adults have already gone to work? 

Re: the "butt boy" comments, I never expected disciplinary action for that, I don't think anyone other than the opportunistic MAGA crowds did either. It was pretty obvious (to me at least) that it was a result of Mika being ridiculously unprepared and speaking, disastrously, "off the cuff" as she really should not be allowed to do as it generally leads to the complete breakdown of the grammar and syntax of ordinary sentences. There is definitely cause for firing her for not doing her job properly, not so much for being a "homophobe" which it should be obvious to everyone she is not. 

Anyway, this leeway they've been granted re: location seems insane to me. Everything they've marketed their show to be, authentic, real, spontaneous conversations with "around the table" chemistry no longer exists - I understand they've been left alone for a long time, but surely such a DRASTIC change must attract some notice of the higher- ups?

[Landsnark]

Tomorrow's gonna be good.  I wonder if Mika will Know the Value of her girl crush on that toxic, ideological, grandstanding clown?  If they even get to that topic.  I wonder if Joe's plastic surgery will be healed enough tomorrow to sing aloud the praises of Pelosi?  Imagine if he comes back with bee-sting lips?  One can only hope.

 

[Kemper]

Yes, it is the guests and Willie's ability (in the studio) to keep a discussion moving that makes this show.  He even does a great job with the guests who are Skyped in.  An entire show of The Twins from the bunkers would be a ratings disaster, I think.  At this point, Willie is keeping this show afloat.

I have to wonder how Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Chris Hayes, Nicole Wallace, Katy Tur, Stephanie Ruhle, etc., would fare if they asked for the same set-up due to family issues.  Maybe Rachel could get away with it but other than that....   In my opinion (just mine) it is unprofessional and risky for the network to conduct business this way.  

And whoever mentioned Joe's health and/or possible cosmetic (eye) surgery.  I hope he doesn't come back looking like Kattie Kay today; I would be surprised if she could even blink.  Those eyes were TIGHT.  But she looked great...straight, bobbed hair was fantastic.  Meeka take note.  Although her red jacket today flattered.  

I have to wonder how Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Chris Hayes, Nicole Wallace, Katy Tur, Stephanie Ruhle, etc., would fare if they asked for the same set-up due to family issues.  Maybe Rachel could get away with it but other than that....   In my opinion (just mine) it is unprofessional and risky for the network to conduct business this way.  

And whoever mentioned Joe's health and/or possible cosmetic (eye) surgery.  I hope he doesn't come back looking like Kattie Kay today; I would be surprised if she could even blink.  Those eyes were TIGHT.  But she looked great...straight, bobbed hair was fantastic.  Meeka take note.  Although her red jacket today flattered.  

Edited January 24, 2019 by Kemper

[Kemper]

Sorry, double-posted some stuff; tried to go back and fix it...made things worse.  And by then it was too late.  

[millennium]

Guess it's Roger Stone's turn in the barrel.   Thanks for the news, Julia.

I wonder how far in advance the supporting cast knows whether the hosts will actually show up.   Does word come down at 5:30 am that Geist has to take the helm?

It's high time to turn this rudderless show over to some other team that actually gives a shit about the quality of the product.  They should fire the Scarboroughs, bring in Sandy Duncan and rename the show The Harper Family.

[oakville]

4 minutes ago, millennium said:

Guess it's Roger Stone's turn in the barrel.   Thanks for the news, Julia.

I wonder how far in advance the supporting cast knows whether the hosts will actually show up.   Does word come down at 5:30 am that Geist has to take the helm?

It's high time to turn this rudderless show over to some other team that actually gives a shit about the quality of the product.  They should fire the Scarboroughs, bring in Sandy Duncan and rename the show The Harper Family.

It's a better panel discussion today. Donny is mad at Wilbur Ross. He wants him to resign over his food bank comments.

Willie said that Joe may be back next week. Mika had a family matter today.

[merriebreeze]

We're lucky they're absent today. They wouldn't be able to handle this well.

[oakville]

8 minutes ago, merriebreeze said:

We're lucky they're absent today. They wouldn't be able to handle this well.

Mika's family matter might be related to the page 6 criticism. Mika also had a family matter after her "butt boy" comment a month ago. They need time to regroup.

[millennium]

I hate being jerked around, and that's how watching this show makes me feel.   We can all be here but they can't?   AND they get paid?  The only reason I watch anymore is because I can't stand the New Day team on CNN.

[suomi]

Joyce Vance: The Special Counsel has previously walked right up to the edge of saying American citizen involvement; this is American citizen involvement. This is a speaking indictment, it tells a story and - - - > Stone was not given the  opportunity to turn himself in. 

[Ladyrain]

Enough is enough.   Pull the plug on these two or on the show altogether.   Re-tool it and give it to 2 or 3 people who care/give a damn enough to show up each morning.   NBC's stable is full of candidates.  

If Joe and Mika's parents require care, don't tell me that either of them is spoon-feeding, changing adult diapers, or administering meds.   I understand that they want to spend time with them as much as possible, but plenty of "regular folks" have been in this same situation and have had to keep showing up to their jobs and making adjustments to their lives.  

Something dire may indeed be going on with their families, with which I can truly empathize and sympathize.   But this absentee hosting has been going on for so long now; they can't blame their aging parents for all of that.  My humble opinion is that their 'fame and fortune' went to their heads, so they've been taking advantage of that for years.

[Landsnark]

This show is crazy town.  Pure crazy town.

I bet blondie woke up late and so wasn't briefed on Roger Stone, and so the staff in NYC told her to go f herself and didn't uplink her feed.

[suomi]

Joyce Vance re Cohen's Senate Intel subpoena: He will comply, he may take the 5th, he shouldn't testify about matters inside the ongoing investigation, therefore requiring coordination between the Intel Committee and the Special Counselor. We won't hear his closed door testimony. After defending/hey, I'm not defending him earlier Donnie said Cohen will testify. Elise said he has to get rid of Lanny Davis because Davis was Clinton-adjacent. 

[Landsnark]

1 hour ago, oakville said:

Mika had a family matter today.

At 5:30am? 

They have 10 slots to fill during the work week between the two of them.  They missed 6 of the 10.  I complain because they're shitty, not because I miss them.  The show today is good.  Thin, because they weren't prepared to be short-staffed, but it's good.  Willie seems PISSED he's there hosting... like maybe he didn't expect to have to be on set at 5am today.

[stormy]

And they're Barnicleless.

[millennium]

LOL at John Podesta's tweet as reported by Geist: "Roger Stone's time in the barrel.   And it's headed over Niagara Falls."

Rare day when the 8:00-8:30 slot is live.   Could it be because the two overworked regular hosts aren't presiding?

[Jaded]

2 minutes ago, stormy said:

And they're Barnicleless.

@stormy, your post made me think of the MJ promos from a few years ago that showed Barnicle driving a senior scooter to work. My first thought about him not being there this morning was that his scooter must have stalled on his way in.

I'm actually watching today with Meeks, Joe and Barnicle not being there. One sure sign that this show is in trouble is the fact that Donnie does better at keeping himself together as a co-host when interviewing people then Meeks and Joe do as the main ones. Even though Willie may not be happy to be there hosting at least he's doing a competent job.

[may flowers]

8 minutes ago, Jaded said:

I'm actually watching today with Meeks, Joe and Barnicle not being there. One sure sign that this show is in trouble is the fact that Donnie does better at keeping himself together as a co-host when interviewing people then Meeks and Joe do as the main ones. Even though Willie may not be happy to be there hosting at least he's doing a competent job.

I thought the fact that they were together made the show smoother - very little talking over each other and strong questioning. I found the show really interesting today. I haven’t thought that in ages. 

[teddysmom]

1 hour ago, Ladyrain said:

Enough is enough.   Pull the plug on these two or on the show altogether.   Re-tool it and give it to 2 or 3 people who care/give a damn enough to show up each morning.   NBC's stable is full of candidates.  

If Joe and Mika's parents require care, don't tell me that either of them is spoon-feeding, changing adult diapers, or administering meds.   I understand that they want to spend time with them as much as possible, but plenty of "regular folks" have been in this same situation and have had to keep showing up to their jobs and making adjustments to their lives.  

Something dire may indeed be going on with their families, with which I can truly empathize and sympathize.   But this absentee hosting has been going on for so long now; they can't blame their aging parents for all of that.  My humble opinion is that their 'fame and fortune' went to their heads, so they've been taking advantage of that for years.

My father was in assisted living for 4-5 years prior to his death. I'm his only relative in town. I took care of him, visited him, drove him to grocery, dr, etc and came to work. I know I didn't miss as much work as these two.  In fact I missed very little work.  And I don't work in my basement. 

I tweeted at MSNBC this morning that it's the first time I've watched the entire show in weeks. That Willie did a great job with the breaking news, keeping the scheduled guests on, etc.

We need Joe & Mika like I need another hole in my head. So go take care of your parents and run for Congress and hold your rich white lady pity parties. 

Edited January 25, 2019 by teddysmom

[Jaded]

I let out a loud sigh and said something not so nice when Wille said Meeks and Joe would be back on Monday along with Chris Christie. 

[Ladyrain]

41 minutes ago, teddysmom said:

My father was in assisted living for 4-5 years prior to his death. I'm his only relative in town. I took care of him, visited him, drove him to grocery, dr, etc and came to work. I know I didn't miss as much work as these two.  In fact I missed very little work.  And I don't work in my basement. 

I tweeted at MSNBC this morning that it's the first time I've watched the entire show in weeks. That Willie did a great job with the breaking news, keeping the scheduled guests on, etc.

We need Joe & Mika like I need another hole in my head. So go take care of your parents and run for Congress and hold your rich white lady pity parties. 

Beautiful post.   You said it so much better than I, and from such a personal vantage point.  💙

[teddysmom]

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

I let out a loud sigh and said something not so nice when Wille said Meeks and Joe would be back on Monday along with Chris Christie. 

Fuck.  Thanks for the warning. 

[Ladyrain]

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

I let out a loud sigh and said something not so nice when Wille said Meeks and Joe would be back on Monday along with Chris Christie. 

Larry, Curly and Moe, Part Deux.

[freddi]

17 hours ago, Jaded said:

I let out a loud sigh and said something not so nice when Wille said Meeks and Joe would be back on Monday along with Chris Christie. 

I think he said that at the very end of the third live hour. (Unless I missed them saying it earlier, entirely possible.)  Did someone decide it was time to haul them out of the basement during today's show?  

But what a day for both of them to miss the breaking news.  

Edited January 26, 2019 by freddi

[freddi]

So, they are back in their boxes.  Are we really supposed to believe they have not talked all weekend?  “Joe, are you feeling better?” 

[neona]

8 minutes ago, freddi said:

So, they are back in their boxes.  Are we really supposed to believe they have not talked all weekend?  “Joe, are you feeling better?” 

Or is Mika actually in DC? That looks like the red-ish DC studio. It seemed on twitter she'd been visiting her kid on her own, so maybe...

[oakville]

Monday Recap. Joe has returned. It is a special show because Mika is in Washington to celebrate the 40th anniversary of her family's dinner with Deng Xiaping. A state dinner at their house.

Joe said trump's poll number are very low.

Joe' hair is much bigger now.

Mika is dressed up a well.

Joe does not like Ann Coulter or Rush Limbaugh.

[stormy]

David Ignatius makes me cringe. Joe might be on his team today but I'm all team Sam Stein.

[millennium]

4 minutes ago, oakville said:

 

Joe said trump's poll number are very low.

 

Okay, is it just me or have you noticed that almost every time they cite polls on Trump's approval rating, it's 37%?   They say his numbers have gone down -- 37%.  They say his numbers are holding strong -- 37%.   They say his approval rating is the same as when he was inaugurated -- 37%.   They say his numbers had a slight uptick -- 37%.

Kamala's sunny smile feels like a ray of hope.

[millennium]

STFU Scarborough.   Tell us how Democrats are engaged in "revenge politics."   You mean by launching legitimate investigations to find out exactly how the 2016 election was corrupted?   Refusing to finance the wall folly with the people's money?   Please, enlighten us.

[may flowers]

So for Mika showing up at work is incidental?

 

Joe is riding the Trump Train today. I have no idea why he thinks Nancy Pelosi needs to change her approach to Trump. And although that’s his thesis, no one on the panel agrees except Ignatius - including Mika!

[stormy]

Joe said that trump told the WSJ that Ann Coulter was mean to him.  LOL

Lots if talk about Howard Schultz this morning. He'll be on the show on Wednesday.

[millennium]

Just now, stormy said:

Joe said that trump told the WSJ that Ann Coulter was mean to him.  LOL

Lots if talk about Howard Schultz this morning. He'll be on the show on Wednesday.

Schultz was encouraged to run by a PR group run by Steve Schmidt (says the Daily Beast).   Wasn't Schmidt a panelist for awhile on this show?

[stormy]

Quote

5 minutes ago, millennium said:

Schultz was encouraged to run by a PR group run by Steve Schmidt (says the Daily Beast).   Wasn't Schmidt a panelist for awhile on this show?

 

Steve Schmidt was an MSNBC regular until this year. Maybe this explains his absence.

[oakville]

Joe said Kamala Harris filled the stage. She could win the nomination.

Mika likes kamala. Andrea was happy too with her rollout.

No one likes Howard Shultz.

Joe said being independent is very popular. am Stein said millenials won't vote for a CEO.

Mika said Hillary might run again.

Biden might run,

Joe remembered that Clinton ran when Bush had 89% popularity.

Andrea said that Biden has family reasons for not running.

Andrea does not think John Kerry will run.

Mika looks much better in a real studio. Mika said she would not comment on Hillary running again.

[oakville]

Mika said there were no caravans at the border.

[millennium]

When Geist hosted last Friday, the 8:00 - 8:30 am slot stayed live and relevant.

Back to redundancy today.

[oakville]

Joe warned Democrats that they have to care about Border Security. The midwest states want border security.

Joe said it was foolish to replace Nancy Pelosi.

Mika was giddy about Pelosi sticking it to Trump about the State of the Union speech.

Ignatius said Kamala knows why she wants to run for President.

Joe warned Democrats that they have to care about Border Security. The midwest states want border security.

Joe said it was foolish to replace Nancy Pelosi.

Mika was giddy about Pelosi sticking it to Trump about the State of the Union speech.

Ignatius said Kamala knows why she wants to run for President.

Joe warned Democrats that they have to care about Border Security. The midwest states want border security.

Joe said it was foolish to replace Nancy Pelosi.

Mika was giddy about Pelosi sticking it to Trump about the State of the Union speech.

Ignatius said Kamala knows why she wants to run for President.

Joe said that Kamala's "We are better than this" slogan is brilliant.

Joe blasted Hillary Clinton. He hated the " I am with her" slogan. Joe blamed her for running a horrible campaign.

Almiche likes Kamala.

[oakville]

Kasie said everyone is feaking out about Howard Shultz.

Mika said the GOP could not attack Obama over his race.

It seems that everyone who shows up on the show is an "MSNBC or NBC " analyst. No wonder the show is easier to book now.

[oakville]

Christie has a book. Trump listened to Jared. Trump said the Russia thing is over when he fired Flynn.

Mika & Joe used to love Jared  when Trump was elected.

Jared does not like Christie for prosecuting his father.

[WhineandCheez]

Joe said something that pissed me off.  He was lauding KH for her great tag line "We're better than this," and of course, denigrating Hillary because  she never had a good tagline, only "I'm with her."  Idiot Joe--there was no Trump and the massacre he's done to this country back then!!!  Harris' line should just say "We're better than Trump" and get to the presumed point.

 

Quote

No one likes Howard Shultz.

You mean Howard "Ralph Nadar" Schultz??

Edited January 28, 2019 by WhineandCheez

[oakville]

Joe said Trump had no idea how Washington works. He warned Roger Stone to play ball with Mueller.

[oakville]

Joe said someone should have taken away the phone from Trump. He tweets too much.

Joe said the key is to have communication protocol & discipline. Trump would have been more successful.

Mika mocked the Trump tour of the White House.He was focused on the ignauration crowds.

Trump made fun of Obama for watching basketball on a small tv.

Emily Jane from Vanity Fair showed up to say Hope Hicks is not popular in Hollywood.

[may flowers]

So they are having what I thought was a pretty engrossing discussion on the Russia conspiracy with Natasha Bertrand, Glenn Kirschner and another attorney - all smart people making good points - when Mika halts the discussion because they are going to move on to a reminiscence of her father’s diplomatic efforts in the 70s.  This show is so frustrating!