I have to admit I am now drawn to watching ‘Weekend Today’ to see how, or if, Jenna Wolfe can find a rhythm in co-anchoring Sunday mornings. This was not the weekend for that.
THERE ARE MORE THAN 30 WOLFE-ROBACH POSTS. SEARCH FOR THEM ALL BY ENTERING THE NAME IN THE SEARCH BOX IN THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OF THE PAGE
It struck me as Lester Holt tossed to Mika Brezinski for the news that other, better qualified and perhaps even more attractive females inside NBC have to wonder why they have not gotten a shot at anchoring this show. I’m not a huge fan of Mika, especially her performance on ‘Morning Joe’, but she is confident and more than competent. Take your pick of any number of other female anchors at MSNBC or even local O&O main anchors who would bring a higher news standard to anchoring.
Jenna’s performance was not bad this morning. Her Q&A with the ‘Rock the Vote’ executive was just OK. She was reading her questions though. I was a little confused with the flight simulation story. Was the goal to inform viewers about what Richard Branson was doing and to show the training? Or, was the goal to show Jenna is a much more relaxed and natural environment? The attempt at doing both… caused both to fail. See the piece where (which also aired on the week day version of 'Today') The toy drive bit with Jockey’s donation was just an inexperienced anchor being unaware… so much so that Lester asked her on camera, “Are you going to join us here?” It’s a network show with simple formatting. The close of the show was awkward when she re-introduced herself. In the end, today was not a bad performance. It was just OK. Can NBC really afford OK? With ABC poised for greater success (only on the shoulders of Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer) and CBS sure to find better ground soon, the answer for NBC sadly is... no, they can not afford "OK" performances.
I know blogs and web posts about Jenna really take her to task. This should not be about her personally. If most people were given the chance to anchor this show, we all would do it. The focus should be on NBC’s decision making. My continuing theme is simple. NBC News is in trouble and growing weaker month by month. It is no longer the solid news operation that had Tom Brokaw as its lead. It’s stable of talent is weaker than the Brokaw era (outside of Matt Lauer, Lisa Myers, David Gregory and several other journalists). Putting people in anchor positions and ‘allowing them to grow’ is a dangerous road to take. NBC is in need of focus on quality and direction. Distractions will hurt exponentially.
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HERE ARE SOME COMMENTS FROM THE LAST POST ABOUT 'TODAY' ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY.
"Here are some comments from the last post about Jenna Wolfe, Amy Robach and 'Today'.
I really enjoyed the Sunday show today. It is those unpredictable comments that make it fun. Great show Saturday, great show today."
"If you enjoy Lester Holt squirming with confusion and confoundment as to what his role is when his co-host keeps trying to dominate the show, then the show was about as enjoyable as it can get."
"Sundays are just uncomfortable. It is like inviting over the crazy uncle for the Holiday's and being continuosly nervous about what might come out of his mouth. That is the same feeling I get with Jenna Wolfe."
"Jenna's voice is not soothing. She did a piece on a taser party and refrained from her most annoying humor. Howver, her piece on the "what I learned from women who dumped me" was dull. Also, she kept interrupting the guests with stupid mumblings.She soaked up ann curry advertising jenna's dating status."
CHECK OUT PAST POSTS ABOUT WOLFE, AMYROBACH, 'TODAY'
'Today' On Super Bowl Sunday
Wolfe-Robach, The Saga Continues
Endless Fascination With Wolfe
Jenna Wolfe & Weekend 'Today': Is OK Enough?
Robach Back, Wolfe Reading News
What In The World Has Happened To Weekend 'Today'
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SPECIAL YOUTUBE ARCHIVE VIDEO If you read my previous posts about 'Weekend Today' you know I mentioned the solid content built around Garrick Utley and Mary Alice Williams (and also Maria Shriver) in the early years of the show. Take a look at this 1989 show open that involves a very familiar face filling in for Shriver who was on maternity leave.
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26 comments:
Thank you! I thought I was the only one who thought she was completely inappropriate. Instead of an intelligent newscaster we got a totally self-obsessed clown. Is she ADHD? She is certainly unprofessional, and for the first time in years, I'm turning off NBC news on Sunday morning! Good thing CBS still has the best program on TV on Sunday mornings!
Thanks for your comment! Sometimes TV news managers get too sidetracked trying to introduce new talent to the viewers... make them seem real. Personally I thought things got out of control when Richard Branson picked her up and started swinging her around. Sure there was personality. But I believe in the great storytelling of 'CBS Sunday Morning' as you mentioned or in '60 Minutes'. Both are great ratings success stories for decades. They have no problem introducing new talent by showcasing the quality of their work.
Once you notice how many times Jenna Wolfe says "I" or "Me", it starts getting really weird.
She is terrible! I don't even tune in on Sunday mornings anymore because I do not want to watch another painful episode with her.
I want to see Amy Robach back in the seat on Sundays!
Boy oh boy is she annoying! Lester is a natural, and Amy is wonderful. Jenna Wolfe???? She's a bit of a Katie C. look alike...are they trying to make her fit? She interupts and never stops talking!Who is she dating? He must have some influence.
Get rid of her!
Ordinarily I have a quiet remote but
when I tune in to see Lester and she's either sitting next to him or
over in the news desk my remote screams like a banshee in a mad rush
to get the hell outta there.
Talk about self absorbed for no
apparent reason and count the number
of times she interrupts to say absolutely nothing germaine.
Thanks for all of the comments!
Let's keep watching. I'm sure it will be an interesting holiday weekend for the show.
She is so annoying, I like Lester Holt but this girl Jenna has to go ...the woman on saturday should just be the weekend anchor
Sometimes I think Jenna thinks the show is all about her and not about it's real purpose. I did hear the other day she made some kind of New Years resolution for 2008 to finally get married and have kids. Well doesn't look good, does in Jenna
Jenna Wolfe comes off as hostile and self-absorbed. She clearly can't stand Lester - how can you not love Lester?!? That woman has anger issues. I wish they'd get rid of her, she ruins the show for me.
Both Jenna and Amy have great chemistry with Lester. I dont see at all where she cant stand Lester. As a matter of fact she is always drawing him into her segments, clearly showing she does like him. I completely disagree with your observation. Pls provide an example.
I thought I was the only one who thought Jenna Wolfe was ot a good choice for the weekend today show. I find her to be obnoxious and at tmes offensive. She tends to grandstand and her comments to Lester are not always in good taste. NBC has such a high standard when hiring their hosts, how did she get through their scrutiny? I don't watch the Sunday Today show because she is so annoying!
I just turned the Today show off again this morning because of Jenna Wolfe. She is obnoxious, abrasive, and totally self-absorbed. She also is constantly tripping over her own tongue, and trying to be funny, and fails miserably. I wish NBC management would wake up and realize they are losing viewers because of her.
I can't get enough of Jenna. She has a most pleasant and heart worming personality and for a single guy like me, she is just so beautiful. If NBC news is weak or deficient in any way, it is certainly not the anchors. Everyone needs to start somewhere. Jenna is as good a choice as any. Jenna, continue to be pleasant and stay as sweet as you are. PS: I miss your beef of the week.
This blog post made my day! Jenna Wolfe is the most annoying, self-absorbed, PITA (pain in the A**) that is currently out there on network news shows!
Lester Holt is a treat! He and his Saturday co-host Amy Roboch make a good team. However, they've lost me on Sunday.
Here's my new Sunday routine: I turn on Today, yell obscenities at Jenna, then switch to CBS!
You should have stayed on NBC a little longer last Sunday. The cook off between Jenna and Lester was a classic. Great Chemistry, great interaction and very entertaining segment.
Good gymnastics piece this morning with Amy and Lester. Great weekend viewing with both Amy and Jenna.
Lester Holt is a fabulous persona. Thoughtful, sense of humor, articulate!
Jenna Wolfe is awful. She cannot address a story without putting herself into it. "It's all about me." Last weekend, she opined that "my girl friends and me went shopping...." Send he back to school for Grammar 101. Jenna is awful.
Happy to see I am not the only one who feels this way!
How in the world did Jenna go from relative oblivian to hosting a "Today" segment - aside from her father's possible influence. Normally, persons with network news aspirations go through many jobs with small - medium affiliates to "earn their stripes" before standing a chance at an upper rung of the broadcast news ladder.
Jenna should stick to sports - period! Roll the video tapes - ideally, of sandlot softball games somewhere in the midwest or south in small, hometown markets.
The Today show is way out of her league ... can't she see that?? Can't NBC???
If you google her name it seems like she has worked her way up the ladder. Started in Binghamton, then worked in Rochester, then Philadelphia, then MSG network in New York, then WABC in New York. It seems like "she has earned her stripes"
She is AWEFUL. Nails on a chalkboard kind of aweful. I have never in my life written a letter to a network until this morning. After watching Jenna be unprofessional and rude (how her attempts at funny manifest themselves); I had to type a cease and desist letter to NBC. I really can't take it and will not be tuning back in until they get rid of her.
I hate to be an advocate for the negative but I must admit that when I saw her on NBC I asked "How the hell did she get there?".
I remember her from Jenna's beef and I actually liked her for that purpose but to be honest - hosting Today seems a little over her head. I really wish her the best but I must admit that Amy hosting both Sat and Sun would have been more appropriate in my opinion.
Nonetheless, NBC still has the best bunch of journalists out there and it primarily this reason why I wondered how Jenna got that spot so easily.
I hope it works out for her though.
I am watching Jenna and Lester right now and I feel so BAD for Lester! She is AWFUL - condescending, disrespectful and can't conduct an interview without injecting self-centered comments and inappropriate humor.
She is likely a talented reporter and anchor - but the morning show is not the right venue for her at all...
The only reason I watch is to LEARN WHAT NOT TO DO as I am a TV and radio broadcaster - !!!
Thanks for the great lessons, Jenna!
Jenna Wolfe is the absolute worst. How in the world can NBC have her co-anchor the today show. Poor Lester. It has really gone down hill since Campbell left. Jenna is rude, obnoxious, abrasive. There is not one positive quality about that woman. I have stopped watching. Too bad I like Lester but I can not listen to that woman!!!!!
Who does she "know" to get that job?
Jenna Wolfe is like the typical loud, ignorant American that gives Americans a bad name . She and Tiki Barber present olympic updates on MSNBC. One of the updates was that the Georgian Olympic women's beach volleyball team, which is comprised of two Brazilians paid to play for Georgia, beat the Russian team. Jenna Wolfe speaks up to make a point. Here's her point. There's Vietnamese and other asians playing badminton for the US so what's the difference? I'm surprised Tiki didn't blow his lid at this piece of idiotic ignorance. He did correct her to say that the badminton team members are American citizens but the Brazilians were not citizens of Georgia. But Jenna continues to say that some American woman athlete, I forget who, was allowed to play professional sports in a Russian league. I could almost see the exasperation in Tiki's face. Incredibly, after making this comment she seemed pleased with herself saying that she was making especially good points today. Is this girl this stupid? I was waiting for her to say that the US basketball team should play for Africa but, unfortunately, it didn't come.
Jenna Wolfe always pulls herself into every story like she thinks the story is always about her. SHe does this a lot and considering how annoying she, I have no desire to hear anything about her at all. Lester Holt is a wonderful man and Amy is adorable. I hope NBC figures it out.
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