Transcript (7-23-02): Jim Trafficant Takes Show Away From Connie Chung

CNN.com (Connie Chung Tonight) ^ | July 23, 2002

[PJ-Comix]

CHUNG: Tomorrow we may see something the nation has seen only once since the Civil War: Congress voting to expel one of its members -- one of its most colorful members.

Congressman James Traficant of Ohio has already been convicted on charges of bribery, fraud and tax evasion. But now one of the jurors has expressed doubt about his guilt, and a witness told the House Ethics Committee a government prosecutor pressured him to lie.

[PJ-Comix]

This show was HILARIOUS! Normally "Connie Chung Tonight" is deadly dull because of Connie. However, Jim Trafficant basically snatched Connie's show away from her last night and made it both interesting and hilarious. Especially funny were Connie's lame efforts to get the show back to HER agenda but Trafficant wasn't about to let her do that. You could see that Connie was incredibly flustered at the guest taking over her show to talk about what HE wanted to talk about. Connie acted upset but why should she be? Her show was FINALLY interesting although it was only interesting because the guest was setting the tone.

[Fred Mertz]

TRAFICANT: You know what, I cut my hair with a weed-whacker. I'm just a son of a truck driver. Forget this Congress business, I'm just a regular guy.

LOL!

[Trust but Verify]

Is the James Traficant Show going to be telecast today? You know, with the summer reruns, it's the only Must-See TV out there!

[PJ-Comix]

If CNN were smart, they would replace the boring Connie Chung with the unpredictable Jim Trafficant as a talk show host. The problem with Connie's show is that in addition to being a pile of overproduced glitz with a blank as a host, it is BORING. The latter problem would NEVER happen on a "Jim Trafficant Tonight" show. Yes, it would make lots of folks (especially CNN) uncomfortable but it would definitely be a ratings hit. I was laughing all the way through last night's show. And Trafficant did make some great points (despite Connie desperately trying to put a lid on it).

[PJ-Comix]

And here is the second part of that quote:

And you know what? Look at my wide-bottom pants, my boots and my skinny ties, and I certainly haven't changed. I don't have a three- piece suit on with my hands in my lapel trying to act like JFK with my fly open.

[Registered]

If it wasn't a real transcript, you'd almost think it was a written parody. Unbelievable! That was hilarious!

[PJ-Comix]

They really do have to replace Connie Chung with Jim Trafficant. I think such a show would be the top TV talk show of all time in the ratings. But which network would have the guts to allow the completely unpredictable Jim Trafficant on as a host? Certainly not CNN. Oh well, at least we don't have to worry about Trafficant turning into another blow dried airhead. There is no way you can blow dry that squirrel sitting on his head. BTW, it might have been my imagination, but I could swear I saw that wig stirring animatedly last night during the interview.

[isthisnickcool]

MTV should dump the Osbornes and replace them with Trafficant.

[McGruff]

I'll tell you what, I'll be damned because I think a Chinese missile is going to visit America, and that Red Chinese Army money, I'm the only one that asked for an investigation

This is one of the reasons I still a fan of this guy. He's the only one in goverment that hasn't "moved on" on this subject.

[PJ-Comix]

The networks would be too frightened to broadcast a Jim Trafficant show because of his unpredictability. They like everything cool and rehearsed in advance. An example are the Tonight Show and the David Letterman Show. Both pre-interview the guests. The few times an unpredictable guest, like Howard Stern comes on, the hosts act upset. Once Jay Leno even ducked under his desk because he couldn't handle the pressure from Howard Stern's unscripted comments.

Connie Chung is what they want: Safe, predictable....and boring.

[isthisnickcool]

Oh my gosh! are you saying TV is not "real"? The next thing you will be telling me is that wrestling is fake. No way that is true!

LOL!

Sarcasm aside. You sure are right. Other than live events and many "talk" shows everything on TV is scripted and on the clock.

[jimtorr]

""Once Jay Leno even ducked under his desk because he couldn't handle the pressure from Howard Stern's unscripted comments.""

Johnny Carson was the only host who even came close to being spontaneous. Johnny could get away with it because he owned the show, the production company, the time slot and a big chunk of the network. Even he, though, was flummoxed when people like Tim Conway, Phil Silvers, Robin Williams (when Robin was still funny) and other originals from the Classic period of American comedy were on.

[PJ-Comix]

Other than live events and many "talk" shows everything on TV is scripted and on the clock.

Which is the problem with Connie Chung Tonight. It is overproduced glitz with a guest who is deadly dull in her predictability. The only time her show was really interesting was last night when Trafficant took over.

[OHPatriot]

Trafficant is most likely is guilty of at least 4 or 5 of the charges against him. Keep in mind he is from Youngstown, and racketeering, illegal gratuities, and bribery has always been the normal way to conduct business. Heck, I lived there for 25 years and every politician I knew from the mayor down to the dog catcher was on the take. Trafficant had a taped weekly television broadcast to his constituents where one second he sounded absolutely brilliant and the next he sounded like a raving lunatic. You got to love this guy. If you weed out all his colorful expletives he does bring to light some very serious points that the democRATS, DNC and the rest of the libs don't want us to find out about.

[Xenalyte]

Jeez, I LOVE Jim Traficant! The guy is a hoot!

[LibertyGirl77]

This guy has a serious crotch fetish--how many times did he say that word in less than an hour? ROFLMAO!

[cubreporter]

Yes, he is a hoot and bottom line I believe he is telling the truth. It's hard for people to listen to this kind of honesty. He isn't being politically correct either. He says what is on his mind and in his heart which is the TRUTH. When he said something about if he gets one more affidavit did he mean Judges, politicians, etc. would be going to jail too? That's what I took from that? Anyone else get the same from that too? Anyway, I used to think Traficant was a dufus but ya know what? I don't think so now and I bet a lot of people don't think so now either. This could get VEREEEEE interesting. So, I'm gonna stay tuned to hear what else Traficant has to say.

[Erasmus]

Hmmmm. Son of Howard Beale.

[Don Joe]

Traficant's problem is that he went to DC, looked around, saw how dirty it was, and decided that since "everyone is doing it", he could get away with doing it too.

He forgot, though, that he was from the other side of the tracks. He wasn't part of the smarm and crumpets set. He wasn't one of the gang. He wasn't a club member.

But, he thought he could get away with acting like he was part of the club.

Membership has its privileges. He wasn't a member. End of story.

Now, he's trying to play the Sincere Reformer, who's Attacked for Shining the Light of Truth. Well, if he wanted to play that role, he should have lived like a choirboy before it came to this. Instead, all I see is a guy with dirt on his hands trying to throw up a lot of mud and hope some of it sticks to the ring of "enemies" that's closing in on him.

Unfortunately for him, his attackers are club members, and they're simply going to close ranks and snuff him out like a pesky bug.

[PJ-Comix]

This guy has a serious crotch fetish--how many times did he say that word in less than an hour?

No worse than a certain unnamed Freeper who has a circumcision fetish. She goes on and on talking about "Circs" and people who are "Circs." It sounds like a bizarre sci-fi world where folks aren't liberals or conservatives but "Circs" and "UnCircs."