Charles Gibson, in a word?
… the abrupt end of the Bob Woodruff-Elizabeth Vargas pairing that led the network to put the avuncular Charles Gibson in the anchor chair.
Sawyer, who will turn 64 in December and is more polarizing than the avuncular Gibson, may bring new viewers, fans from Good Morning America, to World News, [Temple University professor Amy] Caples said.
NPR:
Gibson has been an avuncular presence who was unafraid of mixing it up, as in his interview last year with Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin…
Dan Rather today on MSNBC’s Morning Joe:
[Gibson’s] brought a lot of stability, brought a lot of class, avuncular to the program….
And, more generally applied by the New York Times:
The arrival of Ms. Sawyer will comprehensively alter the long-established image of an avuncular male nightly news anchor…
So, I guess, adieu, avuncularity? Will the word materteral now enjoy a comeback? Not sure it has avuncular’s…. gravitas.
Does Gibson strike each one of these journos, separately, as "uncle-like"? This kind of wankering groupthink convinces me that there are WAY too many of these highly paid beltway mediocrities polluting our public discourse. You know, what do these talent-lacking cocktail party denizens do with their working hours? Sit around all day reading what each other has written and finding another way to repeat the same half-baked idea?
Gibson has been an avuncular presence who was unafraid of mixing it up
NPR most certainly doesn't know what "avuncular" means:
adj. 1. Of or having to do with an uncle. 2. Regarded as characteristic of an uncle, especially in benevolence or tolerance
friendly, helpful, and caring towards someone younger
Or maybe NPR has a particularly combative uncle.
If half of these well-paid mediocrities were fired tomorrow, no one would notice they were gone. Sheesh.
#1 Posted by Tom, CJR on Fri 4 Sep 2009 at 09:37 AM