Ryan Seacrest just might get busier

Here at the plush, swanky and festively decorated offices of CliqueClack (where dangerous mistletoe hangs from every lintel, much to certain Clackers’ delights and chagrins), more than a few words have been bandied about regarding the possible replacement of Today’s Matt Lauer with the uber-hard-working American Idol host (et al) Ryan Seacrest. We’ve provided not one but two of the recent jabberings regarding same. Please enjoy.

So, in a week revealing Jennifer Aniston as the inexplicable Hottest Woman Of All Time (please … someone just shoot me) and the passing of the venerable Harry Morgan, we’ve decided instead to debate the “qualifications” — and more — of Mr. Seacrest.

In so doing, fun was had by all of us. (Well … many of us, anyway.)  If you read these missives, you know we’re all about riffing on theories, debates, monkey business and more. So here, for your dining and dancing pleasure, are some of the thoughts and reactions of the CliqueClack staff for you perusal.

And please: Chime in about the Seacrest’s possible new gig in the comment’s section below. We’d love to hear what you have to say!

Keith: I don’t have anything bad to say about the guy, though I can guess why people have an issue with him:

• Too much exposure. He’s everywhere. Go relax with all those millions you’re making, already!
• Some hate the fact that he seems to be holding the shovel for Dick Clark’s grave so he can just take that job over completely. Now he’ll take Lauer’s job? Can’t he take on something of his own instead of sliding into someone else’s shoes?
• His old co-host, Dukleman, apparently says he was thrown under the bus by Seacrest, but who knows.
• It’s fashionable to rip on Seacrest

Bob: My problem would be lack of credibility. It’s not Meet the Press, but it’s still a news program. Seacrest has been in entertainment his whole career, not actual news. I don’t think I would trust him to ask hard hitting questions to politicians or important public figures. There’s a difference when you’re interviewing Nancy Pelosi vs Katherine Heigl.

An: I’ve always hated Seacrest. He’s an empty-headed pretty boy who rode the American Idol ticket to fame. But, like Nicole Scherzinger (who I don’t think anyone would accuse of MENSA-membership), is ambitious enough to take advantage of all the offers proffered him, which made him even more powerful within the music industry.  But, at the end of the day he’s a talking head; he makes small talk and he introduces people, but that’s it. The Today show isn’t Live with Regis and it isn’t E!, it’s not an entertainment show. It’s a news show, with light features thrown in. My issue with Seacrest taking the seat relates to my issue with the slow decrease in American news quality to focus more and more on entertainment (and less and less on actual national/international/local news outside the scandalous). Do you really want him handling the upcoming elections? What if another war broke out? Could you see him interviewing Colin Powell with intellectually rigorous questions off the cusp? So, if Seacrest joined Hoda and Kathie (which is pure entertainment), I’d have no problem. But, could we at least have one remaining fort in American news that isn’t overtaken by watered down entertainment journalism?

Chuck: It’s just more Comcast/E!/NBC corporate synergy.  First, Whitney (and to a lesser extent, Natasha Leggero being cast on Free Agents), the new Chelsea Handler sitcom, and now this. It won’t be long before Kris Jenner or Holly Madison joins him as co-host.

Rachel: I used to think he was really annoying (like for the first five Idol seasons), but I’ve come to appreciate Seacrest so much more in the wake of the “new wave” of talent competitions and their ho-hum hosts. Nick Lachey from The Sing-Off and that weird robotic dude from the X Factor (whose name I don’t even know) are horrible by comparison. They are stiff, uncharismatic, and fake. It made me realize just how talented Seacrest is at his job. He can talk to anyone and diffuse awkward situations really well. The only other host I like more on a talent competition is Kat Deeley from So You Think You Can Dance. I have no beef with Ryan.

And, maybe breaking into the Today show will prove to strengthen his skills even more and put him on a different type of path.

Chuck: And let’s not forget, Tom Bergeron used to host a morning news show . . . with a puppet!

Bob: To throw someone into the show because they are a “name,” and they “might be good at it,” is a complete and utter travesty in my mind. If NBC thinks he can do it, let him earn his chops. Throw him on Dateline as a correspondent, see how he does, let him spend some time on the news desk before becoming an anchor. I think a move like this would ensure that I never turn on Today again.

Ivey: I agree with Bob. Why don’t we consider Mario Lopez while we’re at it?

But, I disagree with Bob. Since when is the Today Show the Nightly News?

An: I agree with Bob. And, out of habit I disagree with Ivey (got nothing but love for you, kid ;)

If they start (and leave) him in the third hour or on the more light-hearted segments, I can understand. But, taking an entertainment personality whose sole skill is looking good, is a slap in the face to all of the journalists who went to journalism school and/or slogged the necessary hours.

My local news has all but switched over to entertainment. Most of the time they just emote for half an hour and call it a night. So, if I saw him as an anchor there (on any of the local channels), I wouldn’t bat an eye. But, despite the cooking segments and coffee hour chit chat, the Today show’s initial hours are still news focused. There’s definitely a difference between the journalist with experience and the pretty face reading copy. Despite her many hours in the business, Kathie Lee is still just an entertainment personality, like Seacrest.

I never even viewed “The Chen” as a hard-hitting journalist or her View-knockoff show as vaguely news related, but even she threw a hissy fit when her celebrity co-anchors wanted to discuss political events without the presence of a professional news-commentator.

Although journalistic standards continue to intermingle with entertainment and decay, I like that the Today show still maintains “some”  standards.

Ivey: Do your thing, girl.

An: It makes me sad that we’ve grown to a point where we no longer expect people to have training before taking on a new position totally outside their purview, background, and current experience.

Ivey: I’m just sad.

Clacked by Michael Noble
on Dec 13, 2011 @ 22:02 EST5EDT