Ok, first things first. Nobody watched washed-up Disney chief Michael Eisner's new CNBC talk show, "Conversations with Michael Eisner." Scratch, scratch, scratch. Move over, Tina Brown. Make room, John McEnroe. Dennis Miller, maybe you shouldn't feel so bad about tanking so hard the only tv job you can get is a pretend one, playing your talk-show-host incarnation in the new movie "Thank You for Smoking."
But "Conversations" isn't just a commercial failure, it's a critical one, too. Check out what Michael White had to say on Bloomberg.com:
When Michael Eisner learns not to wave his hands, interrupt his guests and ask inane questions, he might turn into a good talk-show host. Based on the debut of CNBC's ``Conversations With Michael Eisner,'' that will take some time.
Walt Disney Co.'s former chairman and chief executive officer provided moments of candor and insight in his first program yesterday, but there were plenty of rough edges that need to be smoothed out if his hour-long, bimonthly show is going to survive.
Eisner opened with a gooey Martha Stewart segment that featured hard-hitting questions like, ``In everything you do, do you go for perfection or do you go for close to perfection?'' How about asking Martha whether that electronic ankle bracelet she complained about during her home arrest left any unsightly scars or perhaps inspired her to branch into the prison accessories business.
Enticing, isn't it? Just makes you want to put down your knitting.
And what's not to love about a show with a host who coddles his guests by taking lofty, snotty, potshot generalizations at Americans and their supposed giant collective ego? Looks like Eisner's taking his cues from Tina Brown in more ways than one.
On yesterday's show, Eisner alluded to his brusque management style and personality, which contributed to his departure from Disney after leading the company for 21 years.
When Stringer, a native of Wales, said executives need to subordinate their egos to promote corporate harmony, Eisner replied, ``Americans have trouble doing that.''
Oh, I get it, Michael Eisner. You got fired for being a giant jerkface, but it's those damned egotistical Americans who have the attitude problem. Looks like your show's in for a nice long 21 day run.
