Why you shouldn’t watch the Today Show.

I have to congratulate Meredith Vieira on scoring the first, exclusive live interview with David Tehan whose wife orchestrated her own abduction and ran off with another man. Wow kudos Meredith!! This is exactly what America is dying for… tabloid crap for breakfast.

From people who’ve been humiliated by a spouse to parents with wayward or lost children the success of the Today show and the rest of their ilk, relies on how much misery the anchors can wring out of the victims for our viewing pleasure.

However this time Meredith’s questions failed miserably as David sat through the whole thing barely batting an eyelid. Even her bold “So how does it make you feel that your wife left you and ran off with another man?” gleans nothing! She should take a page out of Matt’s book. Matt Lauer can prick them until they cry every time.

In terms of broadcast communication having some redeeming factor, I can almost accept Matt Lauer bringing tears to the eyes of parents who have lost a child, not for the exploitative nature of it, but perhaps to make us all a little more protective of our own children. That’s what I hope anyway. Although why people put themselves through this public crucifixion never fails to amaze me. I understand the initial on-camera appeal by the parents to return a missing child but what does anyone get out of an after-the-fact interview—besides the network enjoying a spike in their ratings?

Some might suspect that the family of a lost child allow themselves to be put on display purely for the sake of appearing on television but I believe they are sold the idea that what they’re doing is for the good of the viewing audience. To help us deal with their own lives through this example of their calm resolve and faith in the face of tragedy.

However I believe the truth is that these people are manipulated by the networks in their weakest hour, for nothing more than advertising dollars. We were told that courage was the reason the lady who who had her face ripped off by her friend’s chimp agreed to be interviewed? But was that courage or an overwhelming need for some slight redemption?

Back to Meredith as she shakes her head and pouts in disbelief, “The fact that she is leaving you, is still a mystery to you?”
“Yes it is.” said David.
“Do you think it’s because you’re a total numbnuts?”
“Probably,” says David cheerfully.

Where’s the remote?