So, I'm channel surfing tonight after staying at work way too late and I see that Junior is the guest on The Daily Show.
Confession: I don't watch TDS. Jon Stewart is clever and quite cute, but I loved when The Daily Show had Craig "Ginger Hotass" Kilborn as the host and they did the Five Questions before the end of every show. Around '96, I remember VInce Vaughn (back before he was Mr. Aniston and fresh off of the success of Swingers) was a guest and he had to answer a question regarding how many rolls of toilet paper to keep on hand if you had guest for a week. He said three -- and he was right. And they called each other "a tall drink of water" and argued about who was taller and I really have no idea why I have such a vivid memory of that segment.
Anyway, so, yeah, all that to say: I don't watch the show. Tangent much?
So, well, Junior. I gotta watch. He's ginger, and not really a hotass in my regular opinion (Although, dude, his #### in that Wrangler commercial? *buys her husband a pair*), and I just wouldn't be a budding NASCAR fan if I didn't tune in. Especially since I laughed my #### off after reading about how Junior joked about Sadler's crash-out last week -- something like, "there goes my ride home!" because the Candyman was going to give him a lift on his plane.
So, I thought, if anything, he'd be an entertaining interviewee, right?
Seriously, could I be more wrong? The entire interview was a cringefest -- I don't know if Junior's PR folks didn't prep him, or if it Jon was just off, or what, but the whole thing was totally uncomfortable to watch. I think most of the guests are waiting for Jon to make fun of them, or something. Maybe the fact that Jon (and the show) pretty much represents the generic Northern liberal market -- does that have had something to do with it? I don't know. I don't think so. I'm just trying to puzzle this out. I found it really interesting that a guy who I had seen be really personable and charming and witty in quite a few interviews was totally out of his element, and the Jon Stewart, who I think is a great interviewer, couldn't bring it back.
The shots of the #8 in the background were gorgeous, at least. And, I got Junior talking about how he likes racing w/ my man, T. Stew. Because it's all about my love for the Smoke, don't ya know?
Damn, I missed it again? I think it originally aired last week, and I totally forgot. I had no idea it was going to be on again. And sure enough, blew right passed me. I'm glad you wrote about it, because this is the closest I will get to seeing it. By the way you described, I didn't miss much at all. Although, I kind of like those deer in headlights kind of interviews. I am also a big fan of Craig. Because he is from my native state.
Have a blast this weekend with our right turn into Watkins Glen!
I really wanted it to be fun and stuff, but the interview was seriously a dud. Woe. There was a couple of quietly funny points, but it seemed like Junior was totally uncomfortable, or just totally bored!
Strange that you would run this column at this time. Only a few days ago our local news team had a particularly difficult interview. When that segment was over, one said to the other...what has been your most difficult interview to date? The answer came back Dale Earnhardt Jr. He came in with an attitude and gave one word answers and had no input at all. I cannot give you my opinion as I did not see that particular show.
Bostonregina, nice take on the whole interview. I watched it as well and wondered what happened. Although I think Jr. admission that he hated work and was too lazy for anything else was somewhat humurous.
Nice pic as well. Keep up the posts. This is the first one I have read, but I enjoyed it.
Socal -- that was pretty funny, you're right. But it was almost like he MEANT it, instead of like he was trying to make a joke. Hah! I'd mean it, too, I guess, if I could do that for a living!
If you get a chance Regina, I have written several posts as STephen Colbert, give them a read, and tell me what you think. My Colbert interviewing Landis and one on Michelle Wie.
Hey, where have you been? I hope that you are looking forward to Bristol this weekend. It is a must see! Hope everything is going well with you and yours, and that we see you around these parts in the near future!
Even I'm surprised by how much I love NASCAR. Me = New England-born, Boston-bred, middle-class Euro-trash extremist who loves Brit rock and driving stick. Tony Stewart had me the moment he wielded a sledgehammer on the 20 car during the Father's Day race at the Michigan International Speedway. Took my husband a few more months, but now he can't drive past a Cingular store without having a go at Burton.
