Someone Stole Jon Friedman's Thesaurus
Count Marketwatch media critic blatherer Jon Friedman as unhappy with the newest member of "The Today Show" team. Jonny thinks that Tiki Barber was a little too petulant during the press conference announcing his hire. On the other hand (and with Friedman, there's always another hand), it might not make a difference. Barber has something: a certain je ne sais quoi, an element of... well, we're not sure. Jon?
Barber offered star power and a megawatt grin. He'll have to raise his game for the "Today" show, even if the never-ending program puts him on in its final hour, when the pressure for getting big ratings has diminished a bit.
What the heck. NBC can live happily even with Barber displaying a testy side. He has what every TV network craves: instant star power. When I attended Fox News' 10th anniversary party last fall, Barber always had a crowd around him. Men and women gawked alike at him because he represented football royalty — and he stood out in New York, the media capital of the world.
With plans to expand the "Today" show, NBC needs all the star power it can muster.
Right, that's it. "Star power." Remember that phrase, kids. We're guessing you'll be hearing it quite a bit in future columns.
