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Vieira Era arrives on ‘Today’
Meredith Vieira debuted this morning on “Today,” stepping into the physically petite but symbolically enormous designer shoes of Katie Couric.
If you’re just coming out of a coma, Couric left “Today” at the end of May and began anchoring the “CBS Evening News” on Sept. 5.
As soon as the hysteria and effusive promotions die down, Vieira will be fine. She’s smart, earthy, comfortable on the air and has the advantage of a solid reporting background thanks to her many years on CBS News.
While Couric is the perky next-door neighbor, Vieira is the good-ol-gal you’d like to have a beer and a chat with. Maybe share an off-color joke with.
“I’m going to be ‘the broad’ in broadcasting,” she told viewers with a throaty chuckle.
The introductions and praise this morning were lavish … over-the-top, really. It’s hard to imagine the down-to-earth Vieira found it enjoyable.
“Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams presented Matt Lauer’s new partner with a bouquet of flowers. There was a tribute from her former “View” mate Barbara Walters and a fuzzy profile of Vieira that included clips from her early days as a reporter in Providence, R.I.
Vieira told viewers she felt as if “it’s the first day of school, and I’m sitting next to the cutest guy.” Not long after batting her eyes at Lauer, she smeared cake icing on his nose.
Television’s most popular and profitable morning show unveiled its new HD-ready studio for the occasion — a blindingly white decor that, really, needs a little brown or yellow to tone it down. Sunglasses should have been handed out.
Between the tributes and jokes, Vieira de-briefed NBC Washington bureau chief Tim Russert about President Bush’s speech on Sept. 11 and the political outburst that followed from the Democrats.
Vieira, whose daily schedule will begin around 3 a.m. and end around 8 p.m., plans to continue hosting the syndicated game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” Hard to imagine that’ll continue, however. A married mom of three, she’s got to have some down-time somewhere. There’s not enough coffee in the world to make that plan work.
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By Ethan
September 14, 2006 02:14 AM | Link to this
Well done!
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