Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Secret TV and other random crushes...

OK, odd title I know, but lets face it there is a TV show, character, actor that we all secretly adore but are remiss to admit to in public. Without ever going into places like Soap Operas and HGTV I know many of my friends(and you know who you are) there are diverse shows from The Walton's to Flavor of Love to La Femmne Nikita. Over the years we all have found shows and TV characters who we adore without rhyme or reason.

As all who know me have long accepted I have a deep rooted admiration (read: borderline crush) on Tim Russert at NBC and Meet the Press is appointment TV for me. At only 2 my daughter knows who he is and whenever she sees him on TV she proclaims "Mommy, it's Tim! it's Tim!". Well for me, I must admit there is someone who has given Tim a run for the money over the last couple of months....

OK, it is appropriate that I am sitting here with MSNBC in the backdrop as Barack Obama has just become the presumtive democratic nominee for President of the United States. It's a moment to mark simply because of the history it makes and without being too corny, the extrodinary pride I feel in seeing it happen and being part of the process that led to this result. As someone two short generations removed from a woman made to wash her hands when she came in contact with black people I have such an immense pride in a moment that changes history.


OK, I return to my silly rant of the day. So the combination of unemployment, interest in our political landscape, cable TV and too much time on my hands I have watched more than my share political cable news over the last few months. In doing so a gem of a geek has risen out of the dronings of Chris Matthews and Pat Buchanan. That person is NBC's Political Director, Chuck Todd. Chucky T as he is loving referred to by collegues is the numbers guy, the statistical geek and basically the guy you run up against at a bar watching the game who can hand you every statistic known to man on any given team in any given sport. I adore Chuck Todd and his running commentary in this lengthy primary race, for me, has only been second to that of Tim Russert (I'm a loyalist too!).

For those of you who have seen it, Chuck Todd reminds me of Joshua Molina's character on ABC's old TV series "Sports Night" - Jeremy whose first scene in the show is being interviewed by Felicity Huffman and in a panic rolls out a detailed analysis on the NY Knicks and throughout the series had every statistic/random fact waiting at his finger tips. I have been mocked (at times mercilessly) by friends for my fandom of Chuck Todd. But after many years of obscure admirations like this I have finally found vindication. It arrived in the form of another blog: www.vivachucktodd.blogspot.com, check it out and you too will see I am not alone in admiring Chuck's brillance

Say what you will, crushes and secret TV loves are a good thing, it is the escapism that TV is meant to me.

No comments: