Everything’s smurfy.Photo-illustration: Courtesy of MSNBC, istockphoto
New MSNBC president and free-love enthusiast Phil Griffin gave an interview to the Kansas City Star this weekend in which he let loose about rival network Fox News, after the reporter quotes a Fox executive saying that MSNBC’s ratings rise has to do with their “messianic ranting.” As usual, Phil had trouble containing his passion and excitement:
“Fantastic! Just fantastic. Fox News has never talked about us in a decade. Ever. That’s fantastic … I totally respect Fox News and what they did. But it’s totally cynical. For them to say that is outrageous. They saw an opportunity years ago to create an ideological channel. And they did. I give them total credit. I tip my hat to them. They scored. But it was ideological and opportunistic. It was a business plan … We didn’t do that. We go out and hire the best people that we can and give them freedom. Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann were arguing in point-of-view programs against the war when the war was popular. This wasn’t a business decision … THEY made the business decision to create an ideological network. We didn’t. They were the ones that got in bed with the Bush Administration, so that most of the time, where did the Bush Administration officials come out and make their points? Fox News. We didn’t. You brought it up, but it’s a great story because you can’t trust a word they say.”
We could practically picture him bouncing around his office in a dashiki or something. “We’re more fun. We’re more interesting. We’re smarter,” he said. And suddenly we realized that this is one reason this mad hippie was a great choice for president of MSNBC. His sunny, happy nature makes the Fox News machine, hell-bent on destroying NBC, look like the meanest villain ever. You can’t help but root for him, even though he’s kind of a Goody Two–shoes. He’s like Papa Smurf to Roger Ailes’s Gargamel. Genius. We can’t wait for the next episode.
MSNBC prez on Fox News: “You can’t trust a word they say” [Kansas City Star]
Earlier: Phil Griffin is Filled With Flowers, Light
