Pundit Alert -- Deggans Hits CNN Sunday

There are times when writing this blog feels like a cry in the wilderness. But not today.

That's because producers at CNN's Reliable Sources program tell me my posting on Dateline NBC's "To Catch a Predator" series prompted them to offer a spot on the show at 10:30 a.m. Sunday (set your TiVos! Or make sure you're at church, depending on how you feel about seeing my ugly mug on the small screen).

I think I'll be speaking with host Howie Kurtz, media critic at the Washington Post, Glenn Reynolds of the blog Instapundit and Steve Roberts, a journalism professor at George Washington University who worked many years for the New York Times, pops up everywhere from NPR to USA Weekend, and writes a nationally syndicated column with his wife, former ABC anchor Cokie Roberts. (those who read an early version of this posting, saw that I both misspelled Steve's last name and made him a substitute host of the show. What can I say -- I was trying to finish up for the weekend...)

Though I have done MSNBC and PBS, this will be my first CNN gig, so wish me luck. And any ideas about points worth making on the Dateline issue or media in general would be most appreciated.

Comments

[formerly mr anonymous]

Eric hopes to explore the ways media is both a mirror of society and catalyst for social change. And getting you into the discussion is Job One.So, to mangle a line from his pal's FX show: Tell us what you don't like about the media......well, congrats, i suppose, on increasingly breaking into the network punditocracy. as you know, these things often lead to regular appearances once the tv droids figure you for a suitable talking head. and god knows youve got the right demographics for what they seek.perhaps it will lead to a bigger job away from these wastelands.still, one does wonder whether that was the real purpose of yr blog or whether it was, as you allege above.

[Eric Deggans]

I have the right demographics...gee i wonder what you mean by that?Have to admit i was ROTFL at your line about me using the blog to get into the punditocracy. Believe me, thes blog is too much work to be doing it on the off chance that somebody will talk to me on CNN for a few minutes.Since i don't have a book to push and don't make money off my blog, I have a hard time imagining how this will be anything other than a fun lark.But thanks for the support. Good to know there's some good vibes out there for me...

[John F.]

Mr. Tyrone, I'm not Eric so take my answer with a grain of salt... After all, who could be satisifed with the guy from Boltsmag giving you answers instead of Mr. Eric Deggans (big props, Eric, on the CNN appearence. Good luck with that!):Right now, there is a large swath of media that have been taking up the wedge-issue of the moment -- that being immigration. Getting on hispanic renditions of the Star Spangled Banner (sung in spanish or performed in a unique way) is a symptom of the hot wedge-issue.Most of the time, if you bring up the topic of re-arranged versions of the Star Spangled Banner with people in general (or certain talking heads) they will find any different arrangement of the song as a mockery (or some other attrocity). Artists will be attacked for a new arrangement of the song, etc. People are so used to hearing the song performed one way that they will not tolerate it being performed in a different language, at a different tempo, etc. So it's really an old issue (intollerance of different performances of the song) merged with a current issue (the immigration issue). At least that's how I see it.

[Eric Deggans]

Thanks for the good wishes John.i'm afraid all this nonsense over the new version of the Star Spangled Banner is just another code for what really bugs many pundits about the immigration isue -- fear that their culture will be overrun and forever changed by hispanic culture.Nevermind that this country has always found itself changed by huge intakes of immigrants -- and that the change is usually for the better.Especially on cable TV news and talk radio, this issue has taken on ugly, borderline racist overtones.And given that there have been dozens of reworkings of American anthems, why does everybody care so much about this one?