Buh-Bye, Ted Koppel...And Good Riddance! (Debbie Schlussel celebrates Koppel's end)

debbieschlussel.com ^ | 11/22/05 | Debbie Schlussel

[blitzgig]

Tonight is a time for celebration. Why? Ted Koppel is leaving ABC News and "Nightline" forever.

Koppel (whose real name is Ed, not Ted) made his career off the backs of America's hostages in Iran, who spent well over 400 days in captivity. And Koppel's nightly broadcasts about them--which morphed into "Nightline"--didn't help their plight. No, Koppel's constant nights of attention to the Islamic hostage-takers in Iran helped Islamic terrorists, not just those under yesterday's Ayatollah Khomeini, but today's Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi and Osama Bin Laden.

They knew--with the advent of constant attention to their evil acts, whether hostage taking or the murder of 3,000--that they would get nightly attention to their demands. And nightly attention to their demands is exactly what Koppel gave them. Nightly consideration of their point of view.

Consideration of the "other point of view"--no matter how evil, no matter how dedicated to America's defeat--became the hallmark of Koppel's career. In fact, with Koppel, it wasn't just consideration. It was sympathy for the "other" point of view, no matter how absurd.

Then there was his snideness, his arrogance, his smug leftism--all under the facade of "journalism." Conservative point of view or policy? Koppel always managed to deride it with his biased brand of snoot.

His snooty manner extended even to his phony, incorrect accent in mispronouncing Hebrew names and words, which didn't fool anyone who knows or speaks Hebrew. If only it were just the mispronunciation that was the problem. Koppel's unabashed pro-Palestinian terrorism slant in the disproportionate "Nightline" coverage of Israel was as obtrusive as a plus-sized model in a Victoria's Secret catalog.

Don't believe the hype over Ted Koppel in all of today's mainstream newspapers. He wasn't a great journalist or even a great interviewer. Ted Koppel was just a great ego.

When Peter Jennings died, this summer, I was critical of him while the rest of America gushed. The same criticism is equally appropriate to Koppel.

Ted Koppel is just Peter Jennings in a cheaper toupee. Unfortunately, while Koppel retires from Nightline, his equally biased, leftist daughter Andrea Koppel spews on as a "reporter" at CNN.

Good Riddance, Ted Koppel. One down; many, many more to go.

[floozy22]

Good Riddance, Ted Koppel. One down; many, many more to go.

We'll keep hoping.

[Semper Paratus]

I remeber Koppel voluntered to be an 'embedded reporter' on the invasion push to Baghdad and every night he had the look of somebody who desperatley wanted to be anywhere else.

[prion]

Isn't Ed the real name of everbody named Ted?

[sheik yerbouty]

Maybe he'll take that dead animal off his head now..

[Borges]

Isn't Ted short for Theodore and Ed short for Edward?

[Grampa Dave]

The good year re getting to say goodbye to the biased screaming heads of tv pseudo news continues. The so called big three of evening pseudo news are gone, and now Koppel and the varmit sleeping on top of his head are gone.

Koppel's 15 minutes of semi fame expired after his first program on the seizure of our Embassy in Iran.

[LauraleeBraswell]

Conservatively, yes.

[USS Alaska]

Surely fast teddy doesn't wear a piece. No one would have one that looks like that. I've got a red tossel cap that looks better than whatever he has on his head.

[ken5050]

I, for one, have absolutely NO objection to a "plus size model" in MY Victoria's secret catalogue..

[dead]

[add925]

"Goodnight from all of us here at ABC News"

[Borges]

Conservatively, yes.

Since we're talking about an MSM reporter how about liberally? :-)

[OSHA]

Eric Idle: Good evening and welcome to another edition of It's the Arts. And we kick off this evening with Cinema.

Host (John Cleese): Good evening. One of the most prolific film directors of this age, or indeed of any age, is Sir Edward Ross, back in his native country for the first time for five years to open a season of his works at the National Film Theatre, and we are indeed fortunate to have him with us in this studio tonight.

Ross (Graham Chapman): Good evening.

Host: Edward... you don't mind if I call you Edward?

Ross: No, not at all.

Host: Because it does worry some people - I don't know why - but they are a little sensitive so I take the precaution of asking on these occasions.

Ross: No, that's fine.

Host: So Edward's all right. Splendid. I'm sorry to have brought it up.

Ross: No, no, please. Edward it is.

Host: Well thank you very much for being so helpful. And it's more than my job's worth to, er...

Ross: Yes, quite.

Host: Makes it rather difficult to establish a rapport - put the other person at his ease...

Ross: Quite.

Host: Silly little point but it does seem to matter. Still, er, least said the better. Ted, when you first started you... I hope you don't mind if I call you Ted, er, I mean as opposed to Edward?

Ross: No, no, everyone calls me Ted.

Host: Well of course it's shorter, isn't it.

Ross: Yes it is.

Host: And much less formal!

Ross: Yes, Ted, Edward or anything!

Host: Thank you. Um, incidentally, do call me Tom. I don't want you bothering with this 'Thomas' nonsense! Ha ha ha ha! Now where were we? Ah yes. Eddie Baby, when you first started in the...

Ross: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but I don't like being called "Eddie Baby".

Host: What?

Ross: I don't like being called "Eddie Baby".

Host: (pause) Did I call you "Eddie Baby"?

Ross: Yes, you did! Now if you could get on with the interview...

Host: I don't think I did call you "Eddie Baby".

Ross: You did!

Host: Did I call him "Eddie Baby"?

(Audience murmurs of 'yes' etc.)

Host: I didn't really call you "Eddie Baby", did I, sweetie?

Ross: Don't call me "sweetie"!

Host: Can I call you "sugar plum"?

Ross: No.

Host: "Pussycat"?

Ross: No!

Host: "Angel drawers"?

Ross: No you may not! Get on with it!

Host: Can I call you "Frank"?

Ross (suspiciously): Why "Frank"?

Host: It's a nice name. Richard Nixon's got a hedgehog called Frank.

Ross: What IS going on?

Host: Now Frank -- Fran -- Frannie -- little Frannie-pooh...

Ross: No. I'm leaving. I'm off. I'm going. I've never... (exits)

Host (loudly): Tell us about your latest film, Sir Edward.

Ross (nearly offstage): What?

Host: Tell us about your latest film, Sir Edward, if you'd be so very kind.

Ross: None of this "Pussycat" nonsense?

Host: Promise. (Pats seat next to him.) Please, Sir Edward.

Ross: My latest film?

Host: Yes, Sir Edward.

Ross: Well the idea, funnily enough, is based on an idea I had when I first joined the industry in 1919. Of course, in those days I was only the tea boy and...

Host: Oh shut up!

---

[freekitty]

It's too bad such garbage exists.

[jpl]

I honestly had no idea that Ted Koppel was actually still on the air, so I won't miss him.

[trisham]

Ted Koppel is leaving ABC News and "Nightline" forever.

**************

Funny. I didn't know he was still on TV.

[Sam's Army]

I remember the outstanding coverage he did when Buckwheat was shot. Feels like it was just yesterday when that terrible tragedy took place. RIP Buckwheat.

[Dilbert56]

[The Fop]

Two infuriating recent memories of Koppel stand out......

Chatting with Jon Stewart a few weeks before last November's election and matter of factly stating "but the Swift Boat Vets have been discredited" in the same tone of voice that one would say "but the earth is round". No, the Swift Boat Vets were IGNORED by the MSM until they could no longer be ignored because they were doing tremendous damage to Kerry's poll numbers. And then, just like that, POOF, they've been "discredited".


Chatting with Bruce Springsteen who was promoting the "concert for change" tour. What was particularly annoying about this was the fact that Springsteen was sitting in front of a cozy fireplace....."hey Ted, you want some hot cocoa?". Can you ever in your wildest dreams imagine Koppel having a nice warm chat with some pro-Bush country music star who was promoting a concert to help the Republicans?