Chris Matthews Calls It Quits (Sort Of)

Chris Matthews recently announced that the July 21 edition of his Sunday morning NBC-syndicated broadcast talk show  "The Chris Matthews Show" will be the last one.  After tomorrow, you'll only get to see him interrupt people and make insensitive comments on cable television as the host of MSNBC's "Hardball."

Seriously, folks . . .  Matthews has recently signed a lucrative contract renewal with NBC Universal - apparently, opining that Hurricane Sandy was a blessing in disguise helped him rather than hurt him - and he wants to focus more on his cable show and produce documentaries, as well as write more books.  That leaves no time for a Sunday morning talk show, so it's ending after eleven years.  But there may be another reason.  Matthews taped his NBC show in advance, so much of what is discussed on the program is old news before it even airs.  It's been more measured than "Hardball," possibly because it's somewhat more civil - the two programs don't have a common editorial input and don't share any common staff apart from Matthews himself - and it's had some its moments of insight and rational discussion. But despite its disconnect from "Hardball," the time lag between taping and airing made the show itself seem disconnected from everything else.  "Hardball," it must be pointed out, initially airs live on MSNBC at 5 PM Eastern on weekdays before re-airing at 7 PM Eastern. 

I don't think I'll really miss "The Chris Matthews Show," even though it was a fine lead-in to "Meet the Press." In fact, I'll probably stop watching "Meet the Press" altogether. It always has the same politicians reciting positions on perfunctory issues from the same tired, old party lines.  Matthews has his faults.  Many of them.  But at least he's authentic.