DISQUS

DISQUS Hello! Mathew's comments is using DISQUS, a powerful comment system, to manage its comments. Learn more.

Community Page

Mathew's comments

Jump to original thread »
Author

Okay, that was a little weird

Started by mathewi · 10 months ago

Let me just say that I have a lot of respect for Virginia Heffernan, the TV writer for the New York Times. I think she’s a good writer, and I like her blog Screens as well — but the piece she just wrote about Amanda Congdon’s debut on ABC News is, well&# ... Continue reading »

11 comments

  • Rob Hyndman

    2 years ago

    Jeff Jarvis notes Heffernan's "rave" review and says he liked the show. No idea whether that's true or not - from what he wrote about the Rocketboom thing it's obvious that she's an acquaintance or a friend. Personally, I think it's vacuous, and that she's getting a huge pass because of the way she looks. And that that says more about media criticism and media critics than anything else.
    reply
  • Mathew Ingram

    2 years ago

    I totally agree, Rob. And Virginia even says that it shows women can be smart and sexy, which I think it does anything but -- if anything, Amanda seems ditzier and more of an airhead on ABC than she did on Rocketboom. I'm all for irreverent and whatnot, but it just seems like lightweight fluff to me.
    reply
  • Allen Stern

    2 years ago

    I have written my thoughts and comments including why I think this was a disgrace to women online here:
    http://www.centernetworks.com/amanda-congdon-video-disappointing-disgrace-to-women
    reply
  • jm

    2 years ago

    Hey, Rob, look at your logic here. How many pretty girls are there in NY/LA NOT the recipients of your "huge pass"? Face it, Amanda has something special you and some others (Ingrem et al) don't get. That's OK. Obviously plenty of smart people do get it (Heffernan,Jarvis). But please spare us your lame "explanations".
    reply
  • Mathew Ingram

    2 years ago

    I get it, JM -- I just don't want it.
    reply
  • Rex Hammock

    2 years ago

    As Jeff is also the blogger-fan-in-chief of Howard Stern, it's not the first time I've not exactly understood where he's coming from. However, the over-played way in which Amanda revolves her chair for those pausing profile shots is clearly a "wink-wink" shout-out to fans who aren't necessarily tuning in to catch up on her news and views. My biggest disagreement with Hefferman's review is when she writes this, "What stands out is Ms. Congdon’s reflexive bafflement." I guess that's because I've never heard the term "reflective bafflement" used as a euphemism for tight T-shirt.
    reply
  • Mathew Ingram

    2 years ago

    I agree, Rex. And it struck me as odd that Virginia kept referring to her reflexive bafflement and her "abstemious" attitude, and then at the same time congratulated her on being a welcome return to the engagement of Walter Cronkite. Bizarre.
    reply
  • Leigh

    2 years ago

    I lasted less than one minute watching Amanda's wide eyed hair flipping cutsy patoosie chair spinning performance. Amanda has something special alright, but I think you can buys those for a couple thousand dollars (not including the 5 bucks on the tight tee) and weeks recovery at a Spa. Lord, can we not do better than that in 2006?
    reply
  • Sandy McMurray

    2 years ago

    FYI, Walter Cronkite is alive and well, and not spinning in any grave.
    He recently offered his review of Katie Couric's performance at CBS; maybe he will weigh in on Amanda's debut as well.
    reply
  • Mathew Ingram

    2 years ago

    Oops. Thanks, Sandy. Obviously, rumours of Walter's demise have been greatly exaggerated, etc. :-) I would love to get his thoughts on the comparison between him and Amanda.
    reply
  • Rob Hyndman

    2 years ago

    Yah, thanks for the advice JM. (Time to go back to reading your Tiger Beat).
    reply

Add New Comment

Returning? Login