The Hosts Thread: Joe and Mika Know Their Value

[Chloesmom]

20 minutes ago, XOQueens said:

I mean, contextually, to me, it’s pretty clear she meant it in a completely derogatory way. Anecdotal, of course, but I have never heard “butt boy” used in any way other than a homophobic way. 

It’s just, I have a hard time exusing any homophobia in 2018, latent or overt, and an even harder time explaining away the word choices of someone who is being paid millions to say words. Maybe that’s on me and I’m too cynical. But then again, Mika has sat in her bunker and lambasted others for their poor word choices. So. 

I'm with you on this Xoqueens.  It was an incredibly odd choice of words as that particular phrase is rarely used in polite company and is usually a slur coupled with the velocity at which she flung it.  I also am reminded of the always delightful Jonathan Capehart that has been filling in on the weekends for Joy and used to be on MJ quite a bit but towards the end you could tell there was friction between Joe and Jonathan.  Joe was always riding Jonathan about whatever he had on and based on the daggers Jonathan was throwing in his direction he wasn't enjoying those exchanges yet Joe seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.  I didn't realize at the time that Capehart is gay and then some of the stuff started to make more sense plus I could easily see Joe being a huge fan of that term.  I am not saying Meeks should be fired but I do find what she said actionable.  Ask David Shuster what happened to him after he said that stupid line about the Clinton's pimping Chelsea out.

[teddysmom]

3 minutes ago, Chloesmom said:

I'm with you on this Xoqueens.  It was an incredibly odd choice of words as that particular phrase is rarely used in polite company and is usually a slur coupled with the velocity at which she flung it.  I also am reminded of the always delightful Jonathan Capehart that has been filling in on the weekends for Joy and used to be on MJ quite a bit but towards the end you could tell there was friction between Joe and Jonathan.  Joe was always riding Jonathan about whatever he had on and based on the daggers Jonathan was throwing in his direction he wasn't enjoying those exchanges yet Joe seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.  I didn't realize at the time that Capehart is gay and then some of the stuff started to make more sense plus I could easily see Joe being a huge fan of that term.  I am not saying Meeks should be fired but I do find what she said actionable.  Ask David Shuster what happened to him after he said that stupid line about the Clinton's pimping Chelsea out.

Exactly!  I forgot about Jonathan being on the show.  In public and polite company, that term is not used. I don't even recall the last time I heard it used anywhere.  Mika had to pick it up from Joe.  

[Jordan Baker]

My favorite part of the show this morning (and, in fact, the only part I saw) was the discussion of the Clash. When prompted by Joe, Katty said her favorite Clash song was "London Calling." Willie said, because he was a child of the '80s, he'd go with "Rock the Casbah" but later admitted that it was really "London Calling." I'm a child of the '60s/'70s, and so the only Clash songs I know are "London Calling" and "Rock the Casbah" (both of which I love). But Joe rattled off a bunch of other Clash songs. He really does seem to have a good knowledge of music.

I wonder what Mika would have said. <snark>

[XOQueens]

2 hours ago, teddysmom said:

I just want to see her squirm tomorrow. 

Odds we'll see some fake tears? 

I'd like the odds for the following phrases as well:

"I am friends with many gay men, even my make-up artist!" and "I didn't even know what it meant, I'm not very worldly!"

[Kemper]

11 minutes ago, XOQueens said:

I'd like the odds for the following phrases as well:

"I am friends with many gay men, even my make-up artist!" and "I didn't even know what it meant, I'm not very worldly!"

Ding Ding Ding....I think we have a winner!

[cased]

I was reading a few of the articles about the "butt boy" controversy, and I just can't get used to the description of Joe as Mika's husband, and Mika as Joe's wife.

[oakville]

11 hours ago, teddysmom said:

Considering what happened to Kevin Hart earlier this week, I think Mika should take an extended vacation from Morning Joe. And by extended I mean permanent.  I did like how Joe was happy to talk about baseball, etc today because the old ball & chain wasn't there to roll her eyes and complain about sports or movies.  So beneath her.  

Yasmin Vossoughian, who co hosts First Look has been guest hosting The Beat (talk about a long ass day) and she is doing a great job. I wonder if the guest hosting gig was trying her out on running a panel discussion, etc.  I really like her.   Maybe she & Willie could take over. 

It would be such just desserts if MSNBC didn't renew Mika's contract after this.   

I like Yasmin. She is very professional. Mika & Joe should retire to Florida.

[teddysmom]

NBC News covered the Mika story, it was on Twitter. So did Washington Post.  

I saw the show start this morning she didn't say a word but the panel didn't look very happy to be there and she seemed really nervous.  Did she ever say anything at all? 

[Kemper]

It seems to me that If Meeka gets no kind of reprimand from MSNBC or NBC, then what Joe has hinted at is true.  They rule.  They have friends in high places who will let this show be turned into any kind of amateur-ish vanity piece the hosts desire.  I would have maybe expected a mild suspension (really, how would we know since they seem to come and go at will) or SOMETHING!  

Shallow..I have seen versions of Joe's hairstyle on lots of young men lately.  Emphasis on "Young" - and maybe middle-aged assholes.  THAT's where Joe would fit in.

[Ladyrain]

I think MSNBC is definitely prepping Yasmin for something.  She's been on morning and evening, and that can't be just happenstance.   I really like her and think she could be in the running to replace Frick and Frack when (please jesus) they leave.  I was also thinking that a three person host roster could work; that way, when one is off for whatever reason, there would still be the other two to hold down the fort.  -   Willie, perhaps?  Any other ideas?  I like Stephanie Ruhl but her personality might be a bit strong for a lot of sharing on the panel.  

[teddysmom]

1 hour ago, Kemper said:

It seems to me that If Meeka gets no kind of reprimand from MSNBC or NBC, then what Joe has hinted at is true.  They rule.  They have friends in high places who will let this show be turned into any kind of amateur-ish vanity piece the hosts desire.  I would have maybe expected a mild suspension (really, how would we know since they seem to come and go at will) or SOMETHING!  

Maybe the network isn't doing anything because they won't be around much longer anyway. 

 

3 minutes ago, Ladyrain said:

I think MSNBC is definitely prepping Yasmin for something. 

I have to say Yasmin has been commenting on a lot of stuff going on, immigration, Trump, etc. and she has much more credibility than Mika.  This morning she kept joking "oh those tweets just keep showing up", in reference to Trump saying one thing a year ago, and now changing the story. She laughs about it in a lightly snarky way, not the hair on fire shrieking freak out we get from Mrs. S. 

[plumbago blues]

Not sure which forum this belongs on but I will say Miss KYV continues to show her true Meek-a-ness. Saw the Mediaite transcript of her really, really, SUPER (faux) sincere apology invoking her dead father's supposed wrath. Like "Daddy would spank me if he heard me". Maybe Joe actually did. Always measuring herself against what the daddy figures in her life would think. Truly not a virtue of the strong woman she pretends she is. What a charade.

She is such a spineless dimwit who has no credibility and proves this each and every time she opens her mouth. The teleprompter is usually a crutch for these newsreaders but not for her. Just provides us a delicious bowl of wordy mush.

[roughing it]

Mika is a seat filler.  She is not fierce or think-on-your-feet like Stephanie Ruhle, Hallie Jackson or Joy Reid.  No one ever asks her to commentate (talking head) on any another show.  She's sorta like Alysin C on New Day  (I don't get Alysin either, or how she got top billing once Cuomo moved on.).  Weak sauce.

[Chloesmom]

7 hours ago, Ladyrain said:

I think MSNBC is definitely prepping Yasmin for something.  She's been on morning and evening, and that can't be just happenstance.   I really like her and think she could be in the running to replace Frick and Frack when (please jesus) they leave.  I was also thinking that a three person host roster could work; that way, when one is off for whatever reason, there would still be the other two to hold down the fort.  -   Willie, perhaps?  Any other ideas?  I like Stephanie Ruhl but her personality might be a bit strong for a lot of sharing on the panel.  

Love me some Yasmin and if she is paired with David Gura all the better my friends.  Who wouldn't want to watch a couple of smart, articulate, prepared hosts amirite?

[Ladyrain]

4 hours ago, Chloesmom said:

Love me some Yasmin and if she is paired with David Gura all the better my friends.  Who wouldn't want to watch a couple of smart, articulate, prepared hosts amirite?

I like it!

11 hours ago, plumbago blues said:

She is such a spineless dimwit who has no credibility and proves this each and every time she opens her mouth. The teleprompter is usually a crutch for these newsreaders but not for her. Just provides us a delicious bowl of wordy mush.

There are no words to express my gratitude for these three sentences.......especially "spineless dimwit".    You've captured her perfectly. 👍

[Ladyrain]

13 minutes ago, Ladyrain said:

I like it!   I also think Nicolle Wallace would be a good fit for the 6 - 9 slot, although I enjoy her 4 p.m. show a lot.

There are no words to express my gratitude for these three sentences.......especially "spineless dimwit".    You've captured her perfectly. 👍

[oakville]

Mika & Joe win the prestigious Mediaite award.:)

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/mediaites-ranking-of-best-morning-show-on-cable-news-morning-joe-new-day-or-fox-friends/

[suomi]

32 minutes ago, oakville said:

Mika & Joe win the prestigious Mediaite award.:)

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/mediaites-ranking-of-best-morning-show-on-cable-news-morning-joe-new-day-or-fox-friends/

But? The article posits that New Day is the best morning show, MJ is second, Fox is third. 

[oakville]

1 hour ago, suomi said:

But? The article posits that New Day is the best morning show, MJ is second, Fox is third. 

They were in the Top Three!.

[may flowers]

The worst part - for me - of the Brady Bunch Boxes is that they do a lot of two box shots of Mika and Joe while Joe is doing his monologues. When they are together at a table you get the others reacting to Joe. Now you get Mika gazing into the camera sighing, muttering and agreeing with Joe. For the first 25 minutes today, at least 20 were two boxes of them. Boring, not engaging and just hard to watch. 

[teddysmom]

On 12/14/2018 at 11:06 PM, Ladyrain said:

Love me some Yasmin and if she is paired with David Gura all the better my friends. 

ITA.  More reason to promote Yasmin to Morning Joe, which will be renamed to Mornings, or Up, or OMG They're Gone!! Praise Jesus!!! 

Yasmin hosted the 3 pm hour yesterday. She had a panel with three liberals and that blonde Republican chairperson from CA 

She handled it gracefully considering the Republican was pushing quite a lot of non facts. They went over Guiliani's interview with Stephanopolous and Yasmin said he was telegraphing to Cohen "Snitches get stitches".  She is so good at this, she is funny and has the snarkiness of Nicole Wallace, she is dead serious about the immigration situation re the kids, and she can gracefully talk to someone whom she wouldn't agree with on a bet. 

In other words, every thing Mika is not. 
All I want for Christmas is new hosts for the morning show on MSNBC. 

[Ladyrain]

1 hour ago, teddysmom said:

She is so good at this, she is funny and has the snarkiness of Nicole Wallace, she is dead serious about the immigration situation re the kids, and she can gracefully talk to someone whom she wouldn't agree with on a bet. 

In other words, every thing Mika is not. 
All I want for Christmas is new hosts for the morning show on MSNBC. 

Love Yasmin.  Love you for this post.

[Chloesmom]

I know we've talked about how they are phoning it in and don't do much if any prep for the show but today it was like throwing a drink in their audience's face.  Good grief, they are so smug and condescending in how right they are (history will never be their friend).  There was a lot of new information that broke last night but they were too busy reveling in their own genius to bring it up in the first block but they did manage to squeeze in Joe's Christmas masterpiece:

You don't want to go home for Christmas?  Well we don't want you on the air anymore.  Leave.  Quickly.  Hacks.

[Chloesmom]

Link to the song itself (it's by the Independant Council of Funk which looks like it consists of just him):

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-dont-want-to-go-home-for-christmas/1444701324?i=1444701328&app=music

But I gotta say that cover shot is primo . . . so much angst at such an old age . . . and those lyrics . . . bwahahahahahahaha!  Get off the stage grandpa, I think it's worked out well that you moved back to FL so you can just retire and stop bothering the rest of the planet with your "talents".

Edited December 18, 2018 by Chloesmom

[Eliot]

[tiny voice] I kind of like “The Drumpf.” [/tiny voice] It’s catchy and it reminds me of The Grinch.

Edited December 18, 2018 by Eliot

[Ladyrain]

Joe - So you don't want to go home for Christmas?   Then maybe you shouldn't have married the dimwit who's waiting for you there.  

[xaxat]

37 minutes ago, Chloesmom said:

Link to the song itself (it's by the Independant Council of Funk which looks like it consists of just him):

Joe Scarborough? Funk?

Aww HELL NO!

Seriously, does Joe know what the word means? Because that sure isn't funk. (And he's got the autotune turned up to 12.)

[Chloesmom]

1 minute ago, xaxat said:

Joe Scarborough? Funk?

Aww HELL NO!

Seriously, does Joe know what the word means? Because that sure isn't funk. (And he's got the autotune turned up to 12.)

I have a very cheap laptop and thought maybe that was causing the problem.  It just cracks me up that he always has either Reagan, Churchill or now poor John Lennon as his profile picture on his Twitter account and it's not fair as none of them are here to defend themselves.

[Chloesmom]

Ooooh, they're going to talk to someone from the National Enquirer?  Are they going to ask if there is anything they should know was laying around in that safe?

[millennium]

15 minutes ago, xaxat said:

Joe Scarborough? Funk?

Aww HELL NO!

Seriously, does Joe know what the word means? Because that sure isn't funk. (And he's got the autotune turned up to 12.)

I think he's out of his funkin' mind.

[Ladyrain]

20 minutes ago, millennium said:

I think he's out of his funkin' mind.

Good one.

[teddysmom]

Just saw Penny Marshall died, so count on Mika not knowing anything about Laverne & Shirley, Big  or League of Their Own tomorrow. 

[Ohwell]

8 hours ago, xaxat said:

Joe Scarborough? Funk?

Aww HELL NO!

Seriously, does Joe know what the word means? Because that sure isn't funk. (And he's got the autotune turned up to 12.)

The only "funk" that Joe is familiar with is under his armpits.

Edited December 18, 2018 by Ohwell

[teddysmom]

1 minute ago, Ohwell said:

7 hours ago, xaxat said:

Joe Scarborough? Funk?

Aww HELL NO!

Seriously, does Joe know what the word means? Because that sure isn't funk. (And he's got the autotune turned up to 12.)

The only "funk" that Joe is familiar with is under his armpits.

Twitter is having none of it.  It's pretty great. 

[Ladyrain]

Although I loathe her, I'll give credit where it's due.  Meeks looked very pretty this morning.   Her longer hair takes ten years off her face.  If growing it out was Joe's idea, then at least he did one thing right in his life.

Now if only she'd get rid of the day-glo color.

[Eliot]

6 hours ago, Ladyrain said:

Although I loathe her, I'll give credit where it's due.  Meeks looked very pretty this morning.   Her longer hair takes ten years off her face.  If growing it out was Joe's idea, then at least he did one thing right in his life.

Now if only she'd get rid of the day-glo color.

I thought her eye makeup looked good too. 

I hope she does go back to the honey blonde shade she used to have.

[cased]

https://www.courant.com/politics/capitol-watch/hc-pol-joe-scarborough-band-playing-20181219-sdazwsxg3fbgtfhq77xyt6jbcm-story.html

Maybe someone should have told the guy writing this article that Joe doesn’t live in Connecticut any more.

Edited December 20, 2018 by cased
Typo

[Ladyrain]

13 hours ago, Eliot said:

I thought her eye makeup looked good too. 

I hope she does go back to the honey blonde shade she used to have.

Yes!   This white hair makes her look so much older than her years - even with the longer hair.  Joe must have a thing for platinum blondes, and Meeks isn't taking any chances.

[Kemper]

I know this sounds terribly catty (hey, let's be catty!) but I have to wonder if Meeka's eyes are getting beady like Joe's.  She has great eye makeup most of the time (kudos to the makeup person) - her eyes look lovely.  But if you look a bit beyond the makeup it seems her eyes are narrowing.  Is it age? Just the makeup? Surgery?  My imagination?

Did anyone else notice the really attractive blonde-ish young woman on this morning?  She had the great, highlighted, layered bob.  I have never seen her before; actually, there were a couple of reporters on who I have never seen before.  Maybe that brought out Meeka's just-for-show-awkward-baby-bouncing and supposed adoration.  Don't throw things at me...but could she/they be thinking of a baby?  Next thing you know she could be lactating with those boobs.

I resented the baby gushing because I wanted to hear more about the economy from Rattner.  Is that his name?  And I would have actually liked to hear more from Donny Deutsch; but Joe can and must bloviate, sucking the air right out of the room.

Sorry...chaotic household this morning.  

[Landsnark]

When the babies came out, I ditched the show.
Mika is lucky.  Her family is awesomely unattractive.  And unfun.  Yeesh.
 

8 minutes ago, Kemper said:

Did anyone else notice the really attractive blonde-ish young woman on this morning?  She had the great, highlighted, layered bob.

Well, yeah.  I noticed.  Black turtleneck and a helluva head of hair.  Super partisan democratic flack.  Very pleasant though.

[XOQueens]

6 minutes ago, Kemper said:

I know this sounds terribly catty (hey, let's be catty!) but I have to wonder if Meeka's eyes are getting beady like Joe's.  She has great eye makeup most of the time (kudos to the makeup person) - her eyes look lovely.  But if you look a bit beyond the makeup it seems her eyes are narrowing.  Is it age? Just the makeup? Surgery?  My imagination?

Did anyone else notice the really attractive blonde-ish young woman on this morning?  She had the great, highlighted, layered bob.  I have never seen her before; actually, there were a couple of reporters on who I have never seen before.  Maybe that brought out Meeka's just-for-show-awkward-baby-bouncing and supposed adoration.  Don't throw things at me...but could she/they be thinking of a baby?  Next thing you know she could be lactating with those boobs.

I resented the baby gushing because I wanted to hear more about the economy from Rattner.  Is that his name?  And I would have actually liked to hear more from Donny Deutsch; but Joe can and must bloviate, sucking the air right out of the room.

Sorry...chaotic household this morning.  

Re: eyes. It’s probably from the touch ups.

Re: baby bouncing. She’s always been like that, which is so weird considering she worked long hours with Joe instead of spending time with her own kids. That said, I wouldn’t be shocked if two people with more than healthy egos who are approaching grandparenthood (especially Joe, his first marriage offspring are in their 30s and married, yeah?) try to cling to their youthful fairytale and go for a child at near-60. 

[Chloesmom]

24 minutes ago, Kemper said:

Did anyone else notice the really attractive blonde-ish young woman on this morning?  She had the great, highlighted, layered bob. 

That's Adrienne Elrod.  She's been making the rounds on air a lot lately on both MSNBC and CNN.

[cased]

Speculation here:

I noticed a couple of things the last couple of days that do not indicate an imminent end to Morning Joe (as we have speculated due to end on contract in 2018 and move to Florida).

First, I noticed the last couple of days that the Morning Joe green room food is sponsored by a company (forget the exact name).

Then I saw this:

https://www.newscaststudio.com/2018/12/20/msnbc-social-media-banner/

brand new MSNBC logo, with the Scarboroughs featured right at the beginning. 

So it appears that they may be sticking around a little longer. We will find out for sure after the new year.

[teddysmom]

21 minutes ago, cased said:

it appears that they may be sticking around a little longer. We will find out for sure after the new year.

I just don't understand why MSNBC keeps them around. Or Matthews for that reason.  You can't tell me people wouldn't watch the same format with two new hosts.

I know some people like Joe's yelling and Mika's whatever, but there are people far more talented and informed, and I'm sure they'd raise their voice at something that bothered them. 

[cased]

3 hours ago, teddysmom said:

I just don't understand why MSNBC keeps them around. Or Matthews for that reason.  You can't tell me people wouldn't watch the same format with two new hosts.

I know some people like Joe's yelling and Mika's whatever, but there are people far more talented and informed, and I'm sure they'd raise their voice at something that bothered them. 

I could see MSNBC keeping them around if they still showed up at the studio each day, because they do have a certain high profile, especially now that they are a married couple. However, I don't understand why MSNBC would agree to the remote bunker setup as any kind of long-term permannent arrangement.

[Chloesmom]

18 hours ago, cased said:

Speculation here:

I noticed a couple of things the last couple of days that do not indicate an imminent end to Morning Joe (as we have speculated due to end on contract in 2018 and move to Florida).

First, I noticed the last couple of days that the Morning Joe green room food is sponsored by a company (forget the exact name).

Then I saw this:

https://www.newscaststudio.com/2018/12/20/msnbc-social-media-banner/

brand new MSNBC logo, with the Scarboroughs featured right at the beginning. 

So it appears that they may be sticking around a little longer. We will find out for sure after the new year.

I think as long as Andy Lack is around they are safe.  As Andy was on the ropes earlier in the year with all the sexual harassment stuff I truly thought his days are numbered plus that Megyn Kelly fiasco, I wonder once that finally gets settled what will happen.

[stormy]

Since I don't know what kind of contract Mika has, I'm beginning to think that she's not under contract to be on the show full time.

Edited December 27, 2018 by stormy

[Kemper]

21 hours ago, stormy said:

Since I don't know what kind of contract Mika has, I'm beginning to think that she's not under contract to be on the show full time.

Stormy, I think you are right.  Meeka is no longer a co-host; I certainly hope MSNBC is paying her per appearance and not as a regular contributor.  At this point she is equivalent to Elise Jordan, Heidi, Katty K, etc.  But not as appealing.  By the by, I like Elise Jordan in small doses but I hope that she isn't being considered to host a show.

One last final barb.  I hope Meeka is not ill or anything like that.  But.  I saw the last five minutes or so where she was interviewing someone; didn't really see who they were - they sounded interesting but I was so taken by Meeka's appearance that I wasn't really "listening, listening" if you get what I mean.  She looked so pale and washed out (and her hair was down which for some reason aged her) that she kind of looked a bit like Lesley Stahl or the late Jessica Savitch.  Why can't Meeka have a nice bob like a good many of the other on-air contributors?  I miss the short bob she had; not when it was really really short but when she let it grow a little.  Don't mind the new color.  I just hate sounding so mean-spirited, especially during the holidays; but this show has that impact on me.  I enjoy it so much more when she is completely absent; at least Joe can make an occasional funny and discuss a wide-range of subjects.  Because he was in Congress and has the ear of government officials everywhere.  I wish both of them would find other ways to make a living and turn the show over to someone who cares about it.

[Eliot]

Quote

I like Elise Jordan in small doses but I hope that she isn't being considered to host a show.

I like Elise too, but after seeing her sub in for Nicolle Wallace on Deadline: White House yesterday I don't think she's ready for her own hosting gig.

I've become a huge Nicolle fan over the past year and wouldn't mind seeing her take Mika's spot on MJ. She's really honed her on-air presence.

[Landsnark]

1 hour ago, Eliot said:

but after seeing her sub in for Nicolle Wallace on Deadline: White House yesterday I don't think she's ready for her own hosting gig

Exactly.  She just needs a lot of experience and she's not there yet.