Has anyone else seen the webcast interview show “Off the Record” by the Republican National Committee? I reviewed it a month ago, basically objecting to 1) the nonsensical title (which I think shows the GOP’s low estimation of their base’s intelligence) 2) the flat delivery of the hosts, “Mindy & Katie” 3) Mindy’s presence at all; Katie is much better looking and has a certain glow. In the first episode I reviewed, Katie was interviewing Ari Fleischer; in the most recent one, Mindy interviews Sen. John Cornyn. My thoughts:
1. Mindy not only has the lamer name of the two; she’s even less attractive than I previously thought. Her face looks like a bird (and not a fun bird) and her parted hair is asymmetrical. Can’t the GOP afford a better on-set stylist?
2. Her delivery is terrible. She couldn’t have said this phrase any more scripted or flatter: “Do you ever have time for life and leisure, so to speak?” Similarly her laugh after Cornyn expressed perplexion when she asked for his book and movie recommendations: “a-ha-ha.” (Answer: Cornyn subscribes to Netflix and prefers the more “action-packed adventure stuff.”)
3. Cornyn is much better in on-air interviews than I assumed from his print comments – he has a McCainesque quality. He deserves better than Mindy.
Is this really the best the GOP can do for its Web interviews? How about scrapping Mindy and adding this gal? Or this “Buffy” star? It’s pretty clear that while Republicans love to spend money once they get elected, they skimp on production values (and casting) for this newfangled Interweb thingy. The GOP is already identified as the party of uptight old farts; the flatness of “Off the Record” adds to the perception.
I’m a tech journalist who’s making a TV show about a college newspaper.