Morning television news fare in the United States is so bland and politically correct, it’s a wonder any of us manages to wake up and get to work. Ann Curry talking about the debt limit? Al Roker warning us about global warming during a summer heat wave? Puh-leeze.
That’s why it’s good to watch foreign news teams in action every so often, just to show us what’s possible and what we’re missing.
In this clip, Australian morning host Karl Stefanovic starts out by making fun of his own pre-written over-wrought introduction to a story about a possible shark in a lake. Then, when the on-scene reporter takes a fishing pole and casts his line into the lake in a theatrical attempt at catching the non-existent shark, he somehow hooks a duck instead.
Imagine the faux concern we would have gotten from Ann Curry about the poor duck. Imagine the ensuing PETA statement and network investigation and assurances that the duck was treated and released by a licensed vet.
What did the Aussies do? They laughed their asses off. Karl Stefanovic even made a joke about Peking Duck being available to interested viewers.
– Written by J.P. Travis of JPAttitude.com