Juliet's Journal
The Ultimate Showdown
June 10, 2008
A spicy beginning to our show today, WOW. Love her or loathe her, Gloria Allred never disappoints as a guest on the Morning Show. We could be sitting there saying “Your client is a liar” and she’ll just go right along and defend the person, and not take an iota of personal offense. Or at least, if she does, she doesn’t show it.
I had to remind myself “I’m a host” a few times during our news top – watching Gloria and Jeanine Pirro, two super-strong, super-smart women engage was amazing tv. Mike and I were poking each other and cracking up off camera. It’s awesome watching brilliant women go head-to-head. And no, it’s not a “catfight”, although I’m sure that word was tossed around by some viewers. It’s a showdown, baby!
What a weird story that was, for so many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that Oksana “Pasha” Grishuk, the figure skater in question looks exactly like Oksana Baiul, the other troubled figure skater, also from Ukraine.
Speaking of Ukraine (this is such a sidebar I may tip over)… I did a story there back in 2000 for the Fox News Channel. It was one of the most amazing professional experiences I’ve ever had. Ranks right behind flying with the Blue Angels (hitting 7 g’s and not throwing up) (although I did pass out) and meeting Mike Jerrick. I left Ukraine with a real appreciation for the US, and all we have. But even more so, I was so amazed by the people. So many were struggling at the time as a result of the fall of communism. I went there expecting the people to cheer capitalism, but in reality, there were so many people in such a bad state. It takes time for the roots to take hold, and at that point, particularly out in the rural parts of the country, the roots were hardly beginning to grow.
It was a different story though in the cities, mainly with the younger generation. Our interpreters were college students – aged 17 and 18. They blew me away with their knowledge of the world, not to mention their ability to speak several languages fluently. They were well-versed in, not just eastern European politics but American politics. North AND South America (and Europe, and Africa…).
I was there covering a training exercise between the Ukrainian military and the US Army Air National Guard. Pilots. Flight suits. Need I say more? Haha.
Anyway, back to today’s topics. Because the news top was such a killer segment, we went way long, and that unfortunately cut into our time with the tweens who are taking the word “diva” to a whole new level. Their priorities are just totally out of whack…and this could lead to serious problems down the road. One big problem is the fact that their moms don’t want to deal with tantrums, so they let them get away with a lot.
It’s understandable when parents become overwhelmed by their children’s bratty behavior, crying, etc. I know I will. But at some point you have to snap back to reality, and remind yourself (and your kid) that YOU are the one in charge, not them. For all their love and good mothering, I think our mothers today are doing their beautiful daughters a major disservice by not taking control of the reigns. It IS a problem when your daughter takes two hours to get out of the house. It IS a problem when she refuses to leave when you ask her to. It IS a problem when she’s spending those two hours freaking out about how she looks. But it’s an even bigger problem that these moms can’t seem to stop this nonsense. Easier said than done, I know. I don’t have kids and I know it’s going to be tough when I do, but I will say after doing so many of these parenting segments in my lifetime, I know who the boss is. And it’s not going to be my kid. I also know rewarding bad behavior is a short term solution with long term negative ramifications.
I can now add another most embarrassing moment to my list of MEM’s. I’m going to be honest. Yesterday, when we were in our rundown meeting talking about who’s going to do which segment, I made it obnoxiously clear that the “animal whisperer” guest we were planning on featuring is, in my view, a scam. He says he can sit and trade thoughts with any animal, and I say, to borrow a phrase from Jeanine Pirro – “HOGWASH”. So… I wasn’t happy with the booking, and I really didn’t think I would do a good job with the segment. Nancy and Patty, our head producing honchos agreed. I think Nancy suggested I might use the word “charlatan” with regard to our guest…
Mike stepped up and did his deal and there was peace and happiness, and the locusts never came and all was good in the world.
Until… the segment ended, the guest walked off the set and into the greenroom, I walked into the studio and immediately went over to the audience and said (in a very sarcastic voice) “Is anyone really buying that guy?”
At which point I heard the following horrifying statement: “Yes, Juliet, I think his wife probably is. She’s sitting right there.”
That was Mike, and indeed the dog-cat-preying-mantis-gila-monster psychic’s wife was sitting in the front row.
Aye aye aye.
I know I should probably learn a lesson from this but as I told Nancy today in a meeting after the show – isn’t this what keeps our show edgy? Gulp.
My apologies to Mrs. Animal Whisperer. That wasn’t very nice of me. I was really just trying to be funny. Although, I do think her husband is a hoax. Just one person’s opinion.
A spicy beginning to our show today, WOW. Love her or loathe her, Gloria Allred never disappoints as a guest on the Morning Show. We could be sitting there saying “Your client is a liar” and she’ll just go right along and defend the person, and not take an iota of personal offense. Or at least, if she does, she doesn’t show it.
I had to remind myself “I’m a host” a few times during our news top – watching Gloria and Jeanine Pirro, two super-strong, super-smart women engage was amazing tv. Mike and I were poking each other and cracking up off camera. It’s awesome watching brilliant women go head-to-head. And no, it’s not a “catfight”, although I’m sure that word was tossed around by some viewers. It’s a showdown, baby!
What a weird story that was, for so many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that Oksana “Pasha” Grishuk, the figure skater in question looks exactly like Oksana Baiul, the other troubled figure skater, also from Ukraine.
Speaking of Ukraine (this is such a sidebar I may tip over)… I did a story there back in 2000 for the Fox News Channel. It was one of the most amazing professional experiences I’ve ever had. Ranks right behind flying with the Blue Angels (hitting 7 g’s and not throwing up) (although I did pass out) and meeting Mike Jerrick. I left Ukraine with a real appreciation for the US, and all we have. But even more so, I was so amazed by the people. So many were struggling at the time as a result of the fall of communism. I went there expecting the people to cheer capitalism, but in reality, there were so many people in such a bad state. It takes time for the roots to take hold, and at that point, particularly out in the rural parts of the country, the roots were hardly beginning to grow.
It was a different story though in the cities, mainly with the younger generation. Our interpreters were college students – aged 17 and 18. They blew me away with their knowledge of the world, not to mention their ability to speak several languages fluently. They were well-versed in, not just eastern European politics but American politics. North AND South America (and Europe, and Africa…).
I was there covering a training exercise between the Ukrainian military and the US Army Air National Guard. Pilots. Flight suits. Need I say more? Haha.
Anyway, back to today’s topics. Because the news top was such a killer segment, we went way long, and that unfortunately cut into our time with the tweens who are taking the word “diva” to a whole new level. Their priorities are just totally out of whack…and this could lead to serious problems down the road. One big problem is the fact that their moms don’t want to deal with tantrums, so they let them get away with a lot.
It’s understandable when parents become overwhelmed by their children’s bratty behavior, crying, etc. I know I will. But at some point you have to snap back to reality, and remind yourself (and your kid) that YOU are the one in charge, not them. For all their love and good mothering, I think our mothers today are doing their beautiful daughters a major disservice by not taking control of the reigns. It IS a problem when your daughter takes two hours to get out of the house. It IS a problem when she refuses to leave when you ask her to. It IS a problem when she’s spending those two hours freaking out about how she looks. But it’s an even bigger problem that these moms can’t seem to stop this nonsense. Easier said than done, I know. I don’t have kids and I know it’s going to be tough when I do, but I will say after doing so many of these parenting segments in my lifetime, I know who the boss is. And it’s not going to be my kid. I also know rewarding bad behavior is a short term solution with long term negative ramifications.
I can now add another most embarrassing moment to my list of MEM’s. I’m going to be honest. Yesterday, when we were in our rundown meeting talking about who’s going to do which segment, I made it obnoxiously clear that the “animal whisperer” guest we were planning on featuring is, in my view, a scam. He says he can sit and trade thoughts with any animal, and I say, to borrow a phrase from Jeanine Pirro – “HOGWASH”. So… I wasn’t happy with the booking, and I really didn’t think I would do a good job with the segment. Nancy and Patty, our head producing honchos agreed. I think Nancy suggested I might use the word “charlatan” with regard to our guest…
Mike stepped up and did his deal and there was peace and happiness, and the locusts never came and all was good in the world.
Until… the segment ended, the guest walked off the set and into the greenroom, I walked into the studio and immediately went over to the audience and said (in a very sarcastic voice) “Is anyone really buying that guy?”
At which point I heard the following horrifying statement: “Yes, Juliet, I think his wife probably is. She’s sitting right there.”
That was Mike, and indeed the dog-cat-preying-mantis-gila-monster psychic’s wife was sitting in the front row.
Aye aye aye.
I know I should probably learn a lesson from this but as I told Nancy today in a meeting after the show – isn’t this what keeps our show edgy? Gulp.
My apologies to Mrs. Animal Whisperer. That wasn’t very nice of me. I was really just trying to be funny. Although, I do think her husband is a hoax. Just one person’s opinion.
