This was originally posted Monday, May 1, 2017 by Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Samantha Bee, during her "Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner" special that aired Saturday on TBS, feted 11Alive's work, which it has used recently for a story about a former Georgia judge now a House rep and the rape kit stories. She also didn't give her sister station CNN a break.
Alanna Harkin, a cast member, congratulated the Atlanta NBC affiliate referencing its tag line "Holding the Powerful Accountable" with "their delightfully melodramatic pieces." They then show Brendan Keefe saying (and doing) something dramatic at the state Capital. ("It's great to see our investigative work getting recognized on the national stage," he texted.)
"Atlanta produces amazing news and is also home to CNN," she added. But then they compliment Atlanta's the Weather Channel for its climate change coverage. Later, Bee noted that CNN's Jeff Zucker sees politics as sports and his pundits "characters in a drama." She said having Anderson Cooper referee pundits all day is a waste of his talents. Send him out on a disaster!
She also did a bit with Jake Tapper:
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Doug Richards, the veteran 11Alive reporter, on his Live Apartment Fire blog wrote about what led former colleague Valerie Hoff to resign on Friday following her unfortunate use of the N-word in an exchange with a black man on Twitter. (Read the details here because it involves some serious context.)
He noted how great a reporter Hoff is, saying she is "better than most of the rest of us" when it came to getting sources to provide her information. And while he didn't defend her use of the word N-word, he did say this:
I frequently attempt to use humor or empathy to pitch interviews with perfect strangers under such circumstances. I also try to be mindful, especially in written messages, that such stuff can surface publicly. Sometimes I hit "send" too quickly, because typically, time's a-wastin'. There's a deadline a few hours away, and there's a competitor or three breathing down my neck.
So far, it's never come back to haunt me.
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Former Atlantans Todd and his son Grayson Chrisley of "Chrisley Knows Best" will be on the first episode of a new USA Network game show hosted by Cat Deeley called "Big Star Little Star," which debuts May 31.
The show pairs stars with their kids as they playfully test their knowledge of one another.
Todd and Grayson will compete against actress Marissa Jaret Winokur and her son Zev, and NFL star Chad Johnson and his daughter Cha'iel for a charity of the winners' choice.
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