T.V. — it’s all about the hair
As the political guy here at 680News I’ve been glued to the U.S. primary leading up to the Super Tuesday vote. I’ve been watching CNN for most of the coverage and especially during the early morning hours from 5 a.m. until 9 a.m.
For my money CNN has led the pack – John Roberts has been doing a fabulous job of anchoring the early morning coverage at various diners throughout the U.S., while interviewing all the presidential candidates. He’s knowledgeable, experienced and good-looking. CBS should never have let him get away. He should have been Dan Rather’s successor, etc., etc.
I was surprised; however, to see him appear at the beginning of this week with a hair colour change from a naturally silver-grey mop to a toned down brown. I shake my head wondering who decides hair colour matters when someone has so much talent, knowledge experience and hard-won credibility? Yes, of course, it takes a lot of years and some grey hair to get the wisdom and experience to do the job at that level. Why hide it once you are there?
Don’t know if it was John who changed his colour (perhaps feeling a little old and insecure), or the network executives who demanded it for some marketable reason that I don’t get.
Am I the only one who thinks that grey looks good on T.V. guys?
More on Roberts and me in a future blog; we were up for the same job once and he got it — which was the one that propelled him to CBS.
February 15th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Sure grey looks great on guys, but in TV and movie-land it’s all about being young. Why else would Brad Pitt, a man in his 40s, dress like someone who is 23-years-old? Even 10 years ago, it would have been seen as odd if anyone over, say, 35 dressed that way!
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Cynthia,
I guess I am a bit bias when it comes to T.V. News and ” oh my god” ” do I dare admit as an over 50 yr. old”. The Irony of course in the case of John Roberts on CNN ( which is why I noted it in the first place.) - is that he had challenges establishing credibility when he made the switch to news and public affairs from his role as a Young, Hip-looking VEEJAY here in Toronto.
He and I were up for the same job as the Co-host of Canada Am when Norm Perry retired from the show. Norm was a serious news-guy style and so was I ( although a much younger version). John was seen as a fresh/hip new look but there was some questions about his depth. CTV took a chance with him, he proved the doubters wrong of course here in Canada and went on to CBS where he thrived in the Televsion News department.
The irony as I see it, is that the only way one overcomes the credibility challenges is to live long enough and to have personally experienced enough issues, etc. The Net works spend millions of dollars worth of marketing money trying to establish a brand of credibility - when in my view the best “evidence “of that is the natural salt-pepper-to grey hair colour change that Screams your old enough to be taken seriously!
March 26th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Glad to see your blog and now that I know where you and Oakley have landed WILL listen.
You are right on the gray. I earned mine!
Still want to hear about the job competition so get out of the heat and tell the story.
Glad I found you again as I have always respected your work.
Kent