# Which TV newsperson would you give the first interview to? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031 "2007-05-06T23:19:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/1 "2007-05-06T23:19:41Z")
I just saw a promo on NBC announcing that Matt Lauer will be doing the first interview with Jon Corzine. When Hugh Grant got caught with a hooker, he went on Leno. Suppose you got caught up in some kind of brouhaha that caught the public’s imagination. I’m not talking anything massively criminal – just … not ideal. Embarrassing. It is, for whatever reason, a good idea for you to get out there and dance the mea-culpa boogie. The network anchors are all hot to talk to you, plus Oprah, Dave, Jay, and Larry. Who do you give the first interview to, and why? ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/2 "2007-05-06T23:22:40Z")
Jon Stewart, because his is the only program of that nature that I watch even somewhat randomly. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/3 "2007-05-07T00:20:09Z")
I would do it on radio, not TV. And I’d do it on [Sonny Payne’s show](http://kffa.dataride-previews.com/index_temp3.cfm?CustomPageID=169&CFID=184731&CFTOKEN=4662132), because he’d let me get tanked up and sing about it. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/4 "2007-05-07T00:29:06Z")
[QUOTE=Aesiron] Jon Stewart, because his is the only program of that nature that I watch even somewhat randomly. [/QUOTE] Oh, ditto that. Unless the Car Talk guys off NPR are available. Then I’d go with them. Unless Garrison Keillor can be considered a newsperson. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/5 "2007-05-07T00:40:17Z")
Um, I think Dave Letterman would be decent about the whole thing. I lurve Craig Ferguson, but he may be on too late at night for it to be “official” in the minds of the meta-press (the press who watch the press). Jimmy Kimmel would be OK, but I’d prefer my first appearance on his show to be under better auspices. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/6 "2007-05-07T01:02:36Z")
Anything that I’d likely be involved with would be in the securities industry. I’d pick Jim Cramer or anyone from Bloomberg Radio. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/7 "2007-05-07T02:20:19Z")
I would love to go on the Charlie Rose show. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/8 "2007-05-07T02:38:31Z")
Dan Rather. And I’d make him make up some of those corny expressions to describe the event. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/9 "2007-05-07T04:32:52Z")
Barbara Walters. Because then I’d get lots of false sympathy, no hard edged questions, and wouldn’t have to provide any real answers. ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/10 "2007-05-07T04:35:45Z")
Either Conan O’Brien or Jon Stewart. Both give good interviews. ---
**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:** [May 7, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/11 "2007-05-07T04:37:17Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] Barbara Walters. Because then I’d get lots of false sympathy, no hard edged questions, and wouldn’t have to provide any real answers. [/QUOTE] Along those lines, Larry King, as #2 and #3 stay the same, while his lack of any sort of knowledge would allow me to make up anything I wish without challenge. If he isn’t available, it goes to whomever will write the largest check and let me make the strangest demands (“Yes, Mr. Williams, the clown suit is necessary”) ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/12 "2007-05-07T05:14:00Z")
Pat Kiernan, who is the morning anchor for the New York local all-news channel. I have had a _mad_ crush on Pat Kiernan for years. I probably wouldn’t even be able to do the interview because I’d be too busy swooning over him. Enough about me, Pat, let’s talk about _you_. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/13 "2007-05-07T05:27:46Z")
Mmmm, I’d go to MPSIMS. It would be my most successful thread ever. I’d rather keep my face out of the news as much as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Carnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carnick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnick)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/14 "2007-05-07T07:44:40Z")
Bill O’reilly. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/15 "2007-05-07T08:27:37Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] Barbara Walters. Because then I’d get lots of false sympathy, no hard edged questions, and wouldn’t have to provide any real answers. [/QUOTE] that’s what I was going to say That or Oprah. because I’m a sixteen-year-old girl and if anyone could twist whatever thing I had done into a sob story that makes me look like some brave kid who deserves sympathy more than derision, it’s Oprah. It also depends on what it was that had happened. Like if I did something bad or less-than-ladylike, then I’d certainly go for Oprah or Barbara. If I had done something good or been the victim of something bad, I’d go for Jon Stewart and then I guess Jay Leno, because I’m not really into the whole cooing-over-the-amazing-girl bit unless I’d be hated without it. Plus I like Jon Stewart. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/16 "2007-05-07T10:23:11Z")
Dana Carvey impersonating John McLaughlin. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/17 "2007-05-07T12:45:04Z")
Thomas Friedman… if he would have me. If not, then Tim Russert. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/18 "2007-05-07T13:09:34Z")
If it ain’t Oprah or 60 Minutes, I ain’t talking ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/19 "2007-05-07T13:19:52Z")
The first interview? Tim Russert, definitely. It’s all a piece of cake after that. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031/20 "2007-05-07T13:21:37Z")
Bob Edwards or Scott Simon on NPR. Witty, well-informed, personable. I love those guys. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-newsperson-would-you-give-the-first-interview-to/403031.md?page=2)