# Is Katie Couric always rude as hell? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 25, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638 "2005-01-25T20:43:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/1 "2005-01-25T20:43:24Z")
I don’t usually watch _The Today Show_ (“Today on Today- a two minute report on a cholera epidemic that killed three million people in Pennsylvania, a cursory look at a terrorist attack that threatens to end civilization as we know it, plus Al makes candles from his liposuction fat and Matt gets a one hour makeover from Carson & Kyan!”) but I happened to see it this morning. Katie Couric was interviewing Mark Burnett (the producer of ‘Survivor’, ‘The Apprentice’, Ecochallenge, etc.). Now Burnett is not a controversial figure to my knowledge, he’s not accused of any wrongdoings and he’s not testifying before Congress, but Katie asked him several questions that warranted a “Go straight to hell, bi-atch!” response. She asked him repeatedly how much money he had made from his shows. I don’t think it’s a secret that producers/owners of hit shows clean up- I’m sure the figure is in the tens of millions conservatively- but it’s a very rude question whether you ask it to Donald Trump or the doorman at his building. And she kept on and on asking it! Then what I really thought took some nerve: she mentioned that he is dating _Touched by an Angel_ star Roma Downey. No problem, fair game, this is basically an ET type interview. Then she asks if there are wedding plans- again, no great problem. Then when he hesitates she asks “Are you going to make an honest woman of her Mark?” which is slightly ill-taste (as even if jokingly it implies Downey’s currently a fallen woman), but then goes on to say “Of course why buy the cow if you’re getting the milk for free?” I’d have pulled off the pumps and heel and gone all Shirley Q. Liquor on her personally, but he weathered it with grace. Is she always like this or was she just riding the cotton pony today or what? I thought it was as rude a hell piece of fluff as I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/2 "2005-01-25T20:48:32Z")
Personally I would have stomped off the set in a snit at the “Of course why buy the cow if you’re getting the milk for free?” comment, but lines like this > [@Sampiro](#): > > Is she always like this or was she just riding the cotton pony today or what? don’t make you sound any better. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/3 "2005-01-25T20:55:05Z")
> [@The Devil's Grandmother](#): > > Personally I would have stomped off the set in a snit at the “Of course why buy the cow if you’re getting the milk for free?” comment, but lines like this > don’t make you sound any better. 1. I’m not being held to any standards of professional conduct. 2. I’m not embarassing any person on nationwide TV. 3. If Vicky Lawrence can use it as Mama on an episode of _The Carol Burnett Show_ in one of the funniest improvs of all time and it can be shown in prime-time, it can’t be that misogynistic ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/4 "2005-01-25T20:58:31Z")
Interesting that a person who makes $7M per year wants to know how much money someone else is making. ---
**Author:** ![Thin\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Thin\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thin_Ice)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/5 "2005-01-25T21:04:24Z")
I have the show on pretty much every morning, including this morning, and I heard her ask him only once, and at the end of the interview, how much he made. He answered something like ‘not as much as you make, Katie’ and she said, “Touche.” She did not seem rude in any way. I was doing other things while it was on so I didn’t hear it all, but some of what you report just sounds like friendly banter. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/6 "2005-01-25T21:06:44Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > IThen when he hesitates she asks “Are you going to make an honest woman of her Mark?” which is slightly ill-taste (as even if jokingly it implies Downey’s currently a fallen woman), but then goes on to say “Of course why buy the cow if you’re getting the milk for free?” OMG, did she really say this? I’d have asked if she felt guilty that dating again would degrade the memory of her dead husband. Or, “You should know you f’in com”. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/7 "2005-01-25T21:08:24Z")
Cow ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/8 "2005-01-25T21:19:20Z")
From the Lexis Nexis transcript (available by subscription only): > [@](#): > > If this all goes away tomorrow, I guess you got a lot saved, huh? You got a big chunk of change in the bank. Can I ask you a really tacky question? > > Mr. BURNETT: Yeah. > > COURIC: How much money have you made off all of this? > > Mr. BURNETT: Not as much as you, Katie, from this. > > COURIC: Oh ouch! Touche. > [@](#): > > COURIC: All right. Well, it’s so good to see you, Mark. And–and good luck with everything and your relationship with the lovely Roma Downey. You’ve been touched by an angel, I know. And I saw you guys at the Trump wedding. Do you think you’ll wet married at some point, Mark? You going to make an honest woman out of her? As I said to Warren Beatty, `My mom said why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?’ Come on. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/9 "2005-01-25T21:27:41Z")
One WAG: Currently, the field is wide-open for Dan Rather’s replacement at CBS. Under her current contract, however, Couric can’t leave NBC until sometime in 2006, putting her out of the running. Is it possible that she’s trying to get her contract voided in order to make it possible for her to get the CBS job? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/10 "2005-01-25T22:46:11Z")
> [@Sampiro Quotes COURIC](#): > > :… As I said to Warren Beatty, `My mom said why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?’ Come on. Name-dropping little pig, WTF possesed her to say something as stupid as that, _twice?_ ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/11 "2005-01-25T23:40:03Z")
It’s banter. Unscripted banter is hard. Unscripted banter when your stage manager is counting you down to the exact second when the computer takes over and runs a commercial is even harder. Doesn’t anyone remember when Bryant Gumbel hosted the Today show? Man, you talk about RUDE! ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/12 "2005-01-25T23:43:40Z")
Katie’s not always rude. She can also be smarmy, insincere and uncomfortably flirtatious. ---
**Author:** ![rorty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@rorty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rorty)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/13 "2005-01-26T00:01:43Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Doesn’t anyone remember when Bryant Gumbel hosted the Today show? Man, you talk about RUDE! Yep, Gumbel was an ass. He didn’t even try to hide it. Although Couric can come off as insincere and occasionally rude, she’s no Bryant Gumbel! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/14 "2005-01-26T00:06:18Z")
Personally, I would have taken the “honest woman” crack to be a below-the-belt reference to Downey’s affair with married actor Michael Nouri while she was appearing on “Touched by an Angel” (an affair that made things a bit tense with strait-laced co-star Della Reese), especially if I were the woman’s current paramour… ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/15 "2005-01-26T00:57:26Z")
I remember what an ass Gumbel was. One time he had Pat Buchanen on the show (even though I hate PB) Pat said “Hi Bryan, nice to see you” Gumbel responded “Wish I could say the same” and then went on to ask him questions. Prick. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/16 "2005-01-26T02:09:59Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > From the Lexis Nexis transcript (available by subscription only): > > > [@](#): > > > > If this all goes away tomorrow, I guess you got a lot saved, huh? You got a big chunk of change in the bank. Can I ask you a really tacky question? > > […] > > COURIC: Oh ouch! Touche. So she prefaced a question by admitting it was tacky, asked for permission, got it, then simply and good-naturedly dropped it when it was turned back on her? Why, the _nerve_ of that hateful little _pig_! And then she used a joking, crass euphemism (like "big chunk of change in the bank) parodying the annoying questions about getting married that all couples who’ve recently started dating get? Clearly, she’s looking to be fired. So where did y’all find a henhouse with an internet connection, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Big\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Big\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/17 "2005-01-26T03:12:00Z")
For what it’s worth, they were both at Trump’s wedding saturday night, probably saw and talked to each other there since they’re both involved with NBC. those are rude question’s, imho. If asked in private it’s rude, on national tv…pretty smarmy. Didn’t Couric’s marriage just break up too?? (Why do i know this?..shakes head) ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/18 "2005-01-26T03:25:50Z")
> [@The Big Cheese](#): > > For what it’s worth, they were both at Trump’s wedding saturday night, probably saw and talked to each other there since they’re both involved with NBC. > those are rude question’s, imho. If asked in private it’s rude, on national tv…pretty smarmy. Didn’t Couric’s marriage just break up too?? > > (Why do i know this?..shakes head) Um … no, her marriage didn’t just break up, her husband died several years ago. I don’t think she’s rude but she may have thought she could get away with being overly familiar in this case. Maybe she was still sauced from the wedding celebration? Maybe she was hungover? Riding the cotton pony? That’s a new one for me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Big\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Big\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/19 "2005-01-26T03:35:49Z")
she was going out with the onwer of the RedSox for 4 years, not that that would cause her to be the way she allegedly was on tv. [http://www.600.org/tv\_stars/katie\_couric.html](http://www.600.org/tv_stars/katie_couric.html) ---
**Author:** ![Murcielago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Murcielago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murcielago)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638/20 "2005-01-26T03:38:28Z")
I never have been able to tolerate that unctuous little creature for more than a few seconds. She is, without a doubt, the worst muppet ever created by the Jim Henson Company. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-katie-couric-always-rude-as-hell/286638.md?page=2)