Connie Chung Debuts Prime - Time Show

Associated Press ^ | 6/24/02 | AP

[PianoMan]

NEW YORK (AP) -- With a purposeful stride across her new studio toward the camera, Connie Chung opened a new era for CNN on Monday night with the debut of her prime-time news program.

Chung was hired from ABC as part of CNN's strategy to develop news stars that can compete with cable news leader Fox News Channel. She's in the same time slot as Fox's biggest gun, Bill O'Reilly.

``I can promise you I'm not going to yell at you,'' Chung said.

CNN built a new studio for Chung in midtown Manhattan, and she wore a burnt-orange suit to match its dominant color.

She led the program with the day's top story, President Bush's Middle East policy speech. She then proceeded into what is expected to be the meat of her show -- provocative, occasionally newsy interviews.

For her debut, she interviewed the brother-in-law of Colorado wildfire suspect Terri Barton, then spoke to the Milwaukee man arrested after writing to Dear Abby to confess his attraction to young girls.

That interview treaded close to tabloid territory. ``It started with a simple e-mail, grew into a media firestorm and ended with a shattered life,'' Chung said to introduce the story.

Sound effects made whooshing noises every time words appeared on the screen.

Chung then brought Jon Stewart, host of Comedy Central's ``The Daily Show,'' on for an interview. It seemed for a while neither knew what he was there for.

``It's an honor to be here, especially following arson and pedophilia,'' Stewart said. He stuck around for an interview with two players and a coach from the U.S. soccer team that had just made an improbable run at the World Cup.

Chung will be followed nightly on CNN's prime-time lineup by ``Larry King Live'' and Aaron Brown's ``Newsnight.'' CNN hopes that news and interviews delivered by recognizable personalities will cut into Fox's ratings lead.

[PianoMan]

Bleah. I was at work. Anyone catch her debut????

[holyscroller]

May her primetime return be short of duration, and may she soon be booted back to obscurity! She is one vicious female.

[potlatch]

I forgot all about it!! Hoping some will post how it went.

[Vidalia]

Sure, You bet, this is going to be REEEAL GOOD.

"Connie Chung ......I'm not going to yell at you.......CNN built a new studio for Chung ......Sound effects made whooshing noises every time words appeared .......Chung then brought Jon Stewart, host of Comedy Central's ``The Daily Show,'' on for an interview. It seemed for a while neither knew what he was there for."

And what is new?

One of the lastest shows her sick husband Maury Povich (he is going real far) aired was about some stupid freak show named somewhat like "MIDGETS WHO WERE CUT OFF AT THE WAIST AND STILL TRIED TO HAVE CHILDREN, but could roll faster than their children could run..."

He is sick. His show is sick. What could he possibly be like at home? Is Connie Chung as sick as her husband, Maury Povich?

IGNORANCE BY ASSOCIATIVE MARRIAGE IS NOT DEAD.......

The competitive depths of depravity do not have a bottom in TV land.

[Malesherbes]

That whooshing sound was CNN's ratings continuing to go south.

[PianoMan]

Oh, I thought it was a tumbleweed from the deathly stillness greeting yet another media-industry liberal recycling the same tired views on CNN.

[stromsfriend]

It just wan't very good at all. Very akward "off the cuff" interviewing, she really needs to be in front of a teleprompter.

Another poor attempt by CNN. I couldn't help but laugh if this disorganized show is supposed to be competitive against O'Reilly.

[Pompah]

The return of "The Dragon Lady". So glad I missed it.
I swore off of miz chung long before Newt's Mom did.