All Episodes Talk: TRMS 2019 Season

[meowmommy]

15 hours ago, freddi said:

When Nicolle Wallace subs for Brian Williams, she has a sub on her own afternoon show.  Joy seems to be the most frequent sub for Rachel, then Ali Velshi -- but Ari has subbed for Rachel in the past.  And Joy was subbing for Lawrence tonight!

The only sub I will watch is John Heilemann, so I caught him covering for Nicolle yesterday, but as soon as I saw Ari was on for Rachel, I deleted my recording.  And I assumed then that LOD would be off, so I deleted him, too.

8 hours ago, car54 said:

I think it's going to be a tough year so I encourage Rachel to get her long weekends when she can.    A little fishing is good therapy.

I still think that these highly paid hosts should be putting in a full week more often than they do, but honestly after this week, I'd want to be far, far away from the news, too.  So hope she gets some piscatological therapy and comes back recharged.

[tessaray]

The substitute host discussion is getting a bit off-topic. Discussing Rachel's sub for the current episode is fine but that person's show is off-topic, as is the general MSNBC substitute shuffle.  We'll leave the existing posts but in the future, the Small Talk area would be a better place for them.  

Thanks!

[freddi]

And, Joy is in for Rachel this evening.  It occurred to me earlier today that Ari had not said "Rachel will be back on Monday," so my hopes were not high.  And just now, Joy did NOT say "Rachel will be back tomorrow," which she always says at the start of a show when it is true.  Another hour for me to get other things done.   I like Joy, just not as a Rachel substitute.  

ETA:  And no promise of  "Rachel will be back tomorrow at the end".  

Edited July 30, 2019 by freddi

[meowmommy]

1 hour ago, freddi said:

And no promise of  "Rachel will be back tomorrow at the end".  

Entirely possible that she's not in a rush to come back tomorrow, knowing most of her viewers will likely be watching the Democratic debate on CNN during her hour.

[freddi]

Seriously?  TRMS is either a rerun or a clip show, starting with her segment on Benson, Arizona from July 19.  Some of us actually want to watch a news show instead of the "debate"!  Argggh. 

Edited July 31, 2019 by freddi

[Jaded]

16 minutes ago, freddi said:

Seriously?  TRMS is either a rerun or a clip show, starting with her segment on Benson, Arizona from July 19.  Some of us actually want to watch a news show instead of the "debate"!  Argggh. 

I'm watching Live PD on A&E it will be over in a little over 30 minutes.  Still too many people involved in those debates for me.

I'm surprised they are running a clip show tonight instead of having another sub for Rachel. I wonder if it will be the same for Lawrence. 

[freddi]

Now they are re-running the interview with Stephen Miller's uncle from July 22.  THis give me a chance to note something that made me chuckle at the time, which was the first thing he said to her, "What should we talk about?" in his soothing voice.  Just what you would expect a psycho-therapist to say at the start of a session!  (That was his occupation, pre-retirement.)  

So, I've seen four minutes of the show, and I assume another clip happened in the middle of the show.  It's like Thanksgiving.  ("Let's pretend we are on the air.")  

[ScoobieDoobs]

So I guess we can assume it was a very purposeful choice to do reruns rather than have a sub?  I thought it was disappointing as hell.

I had to break away from the debates, cuz the constant interruptions from the CNN mods, if anyone spoke for more than 10 seconds, was bugging the piss outta me.  But then to turn on Rach & see an awful Trump clip, which seemed like an eternity & creepy/vile Epstein doubled over in laughter from something Trump says to him?  Why would I wanna watch that shit again?

What is the logic in showing repeats?  They don’t wanna take away audience from the debates? Bad decision here, MSNBC!

[Bluelucy]

Last night so very odd.  Chris Hayes was live so why not at least a sub for Rachel.  Is tonight going to be the same?  I think it would have even been acceptable to run a brand new recorded show.  I watched a bad episode of The Profit behind the scenes.

[teddysmom]

5 hours ago, Bluelucy said:

I watched a bad episode of The Profit behind the scenes.

Thank goodness for Everybody Loves Raymond.  I was wondering why she was talking about that Arizona developer again, I turned it off. 

Maybe she's not feeling well? 

[ScoobieDoobs]

I suspect she's on vacay -- maybe cuz August is assumed to be a quiet political time while Congress is away?  The hint is Rachel was noticeably absent (along with Nicole) from those doing commentary on the debates. 

It's NEVER reveled when Rachel takes vacays, but be prepared for her to be out for the next week or 2 or 3.  I just hope they can dredge up a decent sub cuz repeats will not be watched by me.

[Medicine Crow]

I don't mind John Heilman, but Steve Kornacki really sticks in my craw (especially since "his polls" said Hillary would win)!!!  Blech!!!

[Cyranetta]

Tonight's TV Listings show the 9::00 pm hour usually for Rachel now something called "Decision 2020"  lasting until at least 2:00 am (there might be a repeat in there - it's hard to tell) with more "Decision 2020 Debate Analysis" from 2 until 5 am (again, might be a rerun).

[freddi]

Yes, TPTB are not even pretending there will be TRMS tonight.  I prefer knowing this to tuning in to another clip show, which these days is just another way of saying “recurring nightmare”.  

[meowmommy]

11 hours ago, Bluelucy said:

I think it would have even been acceptable to run a brand new recorded show.

I just think, given the amount of preparation Rachel and her team put in for a night's show, that she wasn't going to gin up a new show for a sparse audience.  I'm sure she expects the vast majority of her viewers to be watching the debate.  If she doesn't come back tomorrow, then we'll know she's on vaca.  Which is probably ok, given that they have to give her time off some time.  Congress is out of session, the Mueller drama has subsided, the next debate is in September, etc.  

1 hour ago, Medicine Crow said:

I don't mind John Heilman, but Steve Kornacki really sticks in my craw (especially since "his polls" said Hillary would win)!!!  Blech!!!

I like John Heilemann.  If he would sub for Rachel, I'd even watch.  Kornacki, not so much.  I still hear his voice as he waved over his maps, "Landslide!"  Oh, Stevie, c'mon, buddy.

[The Solution]

Aww, I actually like it when Steve Kornacki subs for someone - he's probably my favorite of the subs.

I was part of Rachel's normal audience who was watching the debates. I was initially very confused as to why they were not on MSNBC. As far as the debates themselves? Oy, madonn'! There's a lot I could say, but I'm not sayin' it. A lot I could say... (with apologies to The Sopranos for the line.)

[Bluelucy]

4 hours ago, The Solution said:

Aww, I actually like it when Steve Kornacki subs for someone - he's probably my favorite of the subs.

I was part of Rachel's normal audience who was watching the debates. I was initially very confused as to why they were not on MSNBC. As far as the debates themselves? Oy, madonn'! There's a lot I could say, but I'm not sayin' it. A lot I could say... (with apologies to The Sopranos for the line.)

I agree Kornacki makes for a good host.  It keeps him behind a desk and not in front of his charts bouncing up and down and overly hyper.

Edited August 1, 2019 by Bluelucy

[freddi]

I just saw a promo for Cory Booker on TRMS this evening.  They (MSNBC TPTB) said he will talk about "how he thought things went last night", so it does not sound like a rerun of a past interview.  I would be surprised to see Rachel (it seems to be vacation week on MSNBC), but she has surprised me in the past!  

[ScoobieDoobs]

Joy was the sub tonite.  She's actually a good sub for Rach, way better than Ari, who likes to have snotty characters as guests, that Rach never would have.  Joy shares a lot of the same sensibilities as Rach & she follows up on stories the same way Rach would.  Get used to her cuz we may not see Rach again till September.

Yeah, Joy had Booker on & I had zero interest cuz he puts me to sleep every time he speaks, but Rach woulda had him on too.  I'd tune out of a Booker interview no matter who's there.  But Joy did some excellent debate analysis, particularly about the Obama-bashing & she had some good guests, including Barb & Karine Jean-Pierre (who is a fav of mine).

Hopefully, they'll continue with Joy for the remainder of Rachel's vacay time, however long that is.  If I see Kornacki quacking & clucking about polls, I'll tune that out quick.  Heilemann might be a decent sub.  Please, MSNBC, spare us Ari!

LOD also had some excellent debate analysis & I was surprised they didn't speak at all in Joy's signoff.  Guess maybe they said all they could to each other last nite?  Idk, sniff, made me miss Rach & her signoffs . . .

Edited August 2, 2019 by ScoobieDoobs

[freddi]

Hmmmm, Joy did *not* say "Rachel will be back on Monday," so we will wait and see if she is.  They always say that when it's true.  

I found her blouse with many words on it very distracting ("Be loving," "Create change," Wake up," many more), but Ali (subbing for Lawrence) told her how much people liked it.  

[car54]

MSNBC just announced a special show tonight starting at 9 pm --with multiple hosts (including Rachel)  I think it was called Crisis in America --and it is about the recent gun violence, I think.   

[BuckeyeLou]

9 hours ago, car54 said:

MSNBC just announced a special show tonight starting at 9 pm --with multiple hosts (including Rachel)  I think it was called Crisis in America --and it is about the recent gun violence, I think.   

Yes, a panel with Rachel, Brian Williams & Nicole Wallace.  I was only half listening, I think I am just exhausted & depressed from all the recent news. 

[meowmommy]

I'm a little peeved that Rachel started out by bitching that she's still supposed to be on vacation, but that the news brought her back.  She should have just shut up and dealt with it.  

[freddi]

1 minute ago, meowmommy said:

I'm a little peeved that Rachel started out by bitching that she's still supposed to be on vacation, but that the news brought her back.  She should have just shut up and dealt with it.  

Yes, that was surprisingly tone-deaf for her.  Those of us paying attention knew she was on vacation—I was actually surprised to see her.  

[Bluelucy]

I watched the first half hour last night. I just didn't think it was a well done format for a serious subject right after a horrific weekend.

[attica]

I share Rachel's affection for Connie Schultz,  and am always happy to see her. It was especially moving for her to come on for this topic of gun violence and mental health, as her brother recently died by suicide.

[meowmommy]

Interesting how Rachel devoted her A block and then some to developing the idea that these hate groups can be shut down through civil action, and then her guest politely but firmly shot down her theory, likening the actual process to a game of whack-a-mole.  

But isn't it refreshing to have an author interviewed by a host who can honestly say, I read your book.  Too often it's apparent that the host at best read the Cliff Notes, and at worst is just feeding lines whispered from a producer.

This was a nicely organized show tonight.  I was wondering if Rachel would mention Connie Schultz's husband, and was almost disappointed that she did at the end, as it ever so slightly suggests Connie either can't stand on her own merits or that her choice of husband somehow disqualifies her from being a legitimate journalist.  Personally, I think she'd have made a dynamite first lady.

2 hours ago, attica said:

as her brother recently died by suicide.

I did not know that.  Thank you for sharing.

[M. Darcy]

Rachel was slightly off what she said about Connie Schultz - I personally don't want her as First Lady, I think she would be an awesome President. 

I wonder if she had to identify her as being married to Senator Brown as one of those media disclosure rules (especially since he was on Chris Hayes's show earlier).   If there are actually media disclosure rules (I may have just made that up), 

[wendyg]

The two things people outside the US understand least about America are the guns and the health care system.

[freddi]

I did not mind Rachel mentioning her book tour at the end of the show.  I did mind that it is already sold out in Seattle!  3000 seats!  

[Bluelucy]

I'm glad Rachel was able to get a more in depth interview with Beto than his earlier few minutes here and there yesterday.

She also was the only one  that asked him what's next? I was beginning to wonder that too.

[Quilt Fairy]

22 hours ago, freddi said:

I did not mind Rachel mentioning her book tour at the end of the show.  I did mind that it is already sold out in Seattle!  3000 seats!  

Huh, in Chicago seats don't even go on sale until August 27th.  (And if you're thinking of attending here but don't know Chicago, the Arie Crown Theater is in McCormick Place.) 

I guess the days of book tours that took place in book stores are just a distant memory.

[wendyg]

Most authors do still do book tours by visiting book stores. Most authors don't have a national TV show five nights a week.

[Hanahope]

So glad to hear the House is looking at impeachment.  Go Nader.

[Calvada]

All together now --- "There she is, Miss America!"

Would love it if they started using icons of common household events to symbolize all those in the news.  Who would be the potato masher?  The vacuum cleaner?  The salad spinner?  

[freddi]

On 8/7/2019 at 6:17 AM, M. Darcy said:

Rachel was slightly off what she said about Connie Schultz -[snip]  wonder if she had to identify her as being married to Senator Brown as one of those media disclosure rules.   If there are actually media disclosure rules (I may have just made that up), 

I don't think there are rules (I could be wrong!), but I noticed today when Connie Schultz was on NPR, they started by saying they wanted to disclose that her husband is a Senator.   So, Rachel might have been covering all the bases by saying that at the end.  

Those remarks by Mick Mulvaney about the USDA workers were disgusting: "What a wonderful way to streamline government."  I loved Rachel's drawling sarcasm as she read the "official line" from the government about this, of course at odds with what Mulvaney had said.  

Yes, Rachel as Miss America would be fine by me!  

Edited August 10, 2019 by freddi

[Bluelucy]

I like David Fahrenhold. Always hard core in depth reporting. But TBH I tune him out now because no matter what the subject it goes nowhere.

[freddi]

Julie K. Brown must have had a very rough weekend, and it showed in her voice -- she probably has not been able to stop talking since Saturday morning, between trying to help the victims and talking to the media.  I am sorry for the toll this is taking on her, but her work is so important, and I thought Rachel had her on for just the right short amount of time.  

So, Russia does not want us linking to protest video via Google?  Did they buy stock in Google?  Because now that is all we want to do.  

I completely missed the story of the Russian explosion in the news.  Rachel said five engineers killed, and I just read seven when I was *Googling* the explosion.  Some days I think they are keeping us so busy watching idiocy and cruelty that we are being distracted from what is really going on.  Thanks once again, Rachel. 

[Bluelucy]

Just when things can't get anymore depressing, Rachel (and Chris Hayes) has to deliver the news that the trump administration is "overhauling" aka gutting the EPA.

I never know who to feel sorry for next,

[freddi]

Okay, that opening segment was like a horror film.  Of all the terrible increasing news out of that Russian explosion, seeing the ambulances with plastic wrap (or package tape) covering the back doors where the patients were, was totally creepy.  And sorry, everyone involved in this, but plastic tape just is not going to help you escape from the effects of radiation.  Unless the drivers had suited up, they also will need medical attention.

Then, the Chinese Army practicing attacks while shouting *in English*?  

"Chernobyl" had been on my summer watch list.  Moving that up the list.  Because Rachel did not give me enough nightmares.   

[BabyVegas]

20 hours ago, freddi said:

"Chernobyl" had been on my summer watch list.  Moving that up the list.  Because Rachel did not give me enough nightmares.   

I follow Craig Mazin (the writer of Chernobyl and also Ted Cruz's college roommate who LOATHES him) on Twitter, which was actually the first place I heard about this Russian explosion. He's been talking about this since the day it happened and, as Rachel was talking about various events last night, it sounded exactly like the Chernobyl PR playbook.

The news has gotten to the point where I have to watch Rachel on stop and start because it's too horrifying to watch it all in one go. I am forever grateful that she doesn't traffic in scare tactics (the actual news is scary enough) and she tries to give things real context. To me, that's what makes Rachel's show so vital.

[freddi]

Rachel's first segment was thirty minutes, without a break, reporting on the new (to me) way Russia us encroaching on our country and influencing Mitch.  Yeah, I guess that nickname does sting -- I had no idea how deep he is in with the Russians.  That was a half hour that just flew by.

Had Rachel mentioned previously that she had been injured?  

[Bluelucy]

McConnell + Russians. Now you're just scaring me Rachel.

[freddi]

I had been getting tired of the long first segments- but yowser, the rocket explosion yesterday and the Mitch exposé today were riveting.   

[ahisma]

11 hours ago, freddi said:

Had Rachel mentioned previously that she had been injured?  

I hadn't heard of it. I remember when she was a little testy about coming in while she was supposed to be on vacation, and I think this it was more because she was gimpy and in pain! 

[Hanahope]

Rachel really connected all the dots between Moscow Mitch and Russia last night, showing 100% how MM is completely in Russia's pocket, dating back to the 2016 election when he was the only person to oppose bi-partisan efforts to stop Russia from interfering in the election.  And we know Russia will do it again, and now MM is obviously being paid off to stop any action against Russia or to strenghten our election security.    MM better get used to his new nickname.

[Bluelucy]

The Russia/McConnell story took on a different direction with Rachel's interview with WaPo reporter Tom Hamburger and his lengthy in-depth story about the Kentucky aluminum plant.

For one thing, it seems in Kentucky it's a bipartisan agreement that this is good for jobs and the economy there. But it's very dark that Tom Hamburger said this Russian company had contacted eight more governors to offer up a deal to them too. Russia would be running the US economy in these states. And when Congress wanted to conduct hearings on the Kentucky deal, the Russian company threatened to shut the whole thing down. This is scary stuff.

Rachel also quoted from the white paper that there was proof of Russian meddling in PA, MI, WI and MN during the 2016 election. It only barely didn't work in MN. 😟

Edited August 15, 2019 by Bluelucy

[Calvada]

20 hours ago, freddi said:

Had Rachel mentioned previously that she had been injured?  

9 hours ago, ahisma said:

I hadn't heard of it. I remember when she was a little testy about coming in while she was supposed to be on vacation, and I think this it was more because she was gimpy and in pain! 

She did mention it prior to her vacation.  In the Rachel Maddow:  Our Favorite Rhodes Scholar thread, I asked on July 20 if Rachel had mentioned how she sprained her ankle, so she did bring it up then.  As I recall, it was a brief aside,and she didn't go into the details she provided this week, about torn ligaments etc., just mentioned she had a sprained ankle.

[Quilt Fairy]

On 8/13/2019 at 8:28 PM, freddi said:

And sorry, everyone involved in this, but plastic tape just is not going to help you escape from the effects of radiation.

This got mentioned in Chernobyl (which you should definitely watch).  I don't remember the details, but there are different kinds of particles, some of which will be stopped by a physical barrier.  Everything doesn't have to be lead-lined.  Alternately, maybe they don't want anyone getting out of the ambulances from the inside.  Gulp. 

We are talking about this accident in the Chernobyl thread. 

[freddi]

It was too much to hope that Rachel would mention the purchase of Greenland, but by golly, she *led* with it!  My friends from Iceland sprained their eyes from the eye-rolling about this (and seriously, you don't have to be from one of those Lands to be induced to roll your eyes).  But I loved Rachel's approach:  "C'mon, make it a CONSTRUCTIVE joke, like: 'You could be King, they really want you, you could have TEN planes, *if you just will leave the presidency* -- imagine, a dictatorship!’”  Then, tell him there are hidden burgers in the limo (said Rachel).  I needed this!  

Stay cool, Greenland (no, really, please stay cool).  

Edited August 16, 2019 by freddi