That would be Bighorn Sheep. She was hunting.
Posted on 12/13/2009 11:57:25 AM PST by euram
Sarah Palin's appearance on the Conan O'Brien late night show generated huge positive buzz. Even (some of) the Palin haters were hard-pressed to come up with a negative about it.
This marks something of a turning point for Palin. More so than daytime media, late night shows seem to have the power to define a public persona.
Usually, late night references to Palin are of the demeaning variety, most notably David Letterman's near continuous anti-Palin jihad and the Saturday Night Live Tina Fay skits mocking Palin. When Palin appeared on SNL during the campaign, the appearance was damage control, at best.
Palin's appearance on Conan's show was very, very different on a variety of levels. Most obviously, Palin was presented in a sympathetic, humorous manner, and allowed to present a side of her personality most media viewers never see. Palin was part of the show, not the target of the show.
Perhaps even more important was the context. The segment started out with Palin being mocked, mildly, by William Shatner, in the manner of making sentences from Going Rogue seem so silly when presented in Shatner's signature style. If that's all there was to the segment, it would have been par for the course.
By bringing Palin onto the stage with Shatner, and having Palin mock sentences from Shatner's own book, the show sent an enormous subliminal message: Perhaps some of the mocking of Palin that goes on in the entertainment media was not justified since anyone could be the subject of such mockery.
Palin thus took on the pervasive liberal and Democratic caricature of Palin, and did so in a humorous and sympathetic way. Palin was allowed to fight mockery with mockery. Touché.
Palin's appearance on the Conan show may mark a turning point. The mainstream media, very begrudgingly and in small steps, is shifting its approach to Palin as polls show Palin's popularity rising. Palin's appearance on Oprah brought the show ratings it had not seen in years.
Obama used his appearance on Oprah, and other entertainment media love, to establish his popularity. Which is why it damages Obama's image so badly when SNL mocks Obama. At this point, Obama needs the media more than the media needs Obama.
Palin, by contrast, established her popularity independent of, and despite, the entertainment media. When it comes to Palin, the entertainment media is following not leading. We have reached the point where the mainstream entertainment media needs Palin more than Palin needs the media.
Superstars always rise to the occasion in exquisite fashion.
That separates them from mere mortals.
“...late night shows seem to have the power to define a public persona.”
Superficial pop culture.
Shatner has a new show.
Shatner needs good ratings to keep the gig and maintain cash flow.
Shatner is potentially enamored with meeting Gov. Palin, and asked her in his show...
IMHO she is a guest on his show in the next 2 months...
The best way to get the attention of the whores of the media. Ratings trumps about anything for the entertainment set.
Might well be. His opening show features Rush.
Superficial pop culture has the power to define a public persona. When it needs to welcome you to stay profitable, then you win.
bookmark
It depends on what is won....overall. ;-)
Yesterday, I saw a replay of Shatner’s interview with Rush. It was actually a good show. Bill said, several times, that ‘so far you haven’t said anything I necessarily disagree with’.
True. Very true.
Shatner isn’t running for President. All that skit did was reinforce that both Palin and Shatner are lightweights.
BTW - Palin supporters ignore the point where Shatner quoted something to the effect “I was out with sheep, then disappeared”. It drew huge applause.
However, the segment was light hearted and did show Palin has a sense of humor, which was good for her.
Unfortunately I missed it but I’m sure I can see it on youtube or C4Palin somewhere. Sounds like she did great.
Sarah Palin looks great as a lightweight! I don’t think she would look near as good as a heavyweight.
Neither is Gov Palin unless we missed an announcement in the last month. If she’s a lightweight (in your opinion) then who of the current ‘R’ crop of likely Presidential runners qualifies (in your opoinion) as a ‘heavyweight’. You may wish to provide your definition of a heavyweight to lend clarity to your list and so aid the ongoing discussion.
SNL should get Leonard Nimoy on and read from Obama’s book.
Could be hilarious.
That would be Bighorn Sheep. She was hunting.
If a successful Gov (Palin) with many, many accomplishments is a lightweight, then the unaccomplished MAO in the WH is simply vapor & without any weight/gravitas.
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