03/20/2010 12:52:06 AM EST

Who is the BEST replacement When Cenk is Away

posted by Don Squeek

So in the past couple months TYT has had several people on vacation and guest spots on others shows that keeps them from being on TYT. I'm curious as to whothe TYT army thinks it the best replacement is when Cenk is away.

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My personal preference is Brian Unger. He gives Ana time to finish comments and comes across with less sarcasm and seems to actually know about the information he is presenting.

Jayar is always awesome in the big chair...

But for some reason Ben Mankiewicz always kills the show for me. Its not that his jokes aren't funny... well they aren't but its more then that. He seems condescending all the time, I just can't get through the show when he is on. Which I'll admit is blasphemy too me to miss an episode. So I was just curious if I'm alone... Who is your favorite replacement for CENK when he's out to play.... 

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Poll

Who is the Best Replacement when Cenk is Away
Ben Mankiewicz. 41%
Jayar Jackson 12%
Brian Unger 39%
Other... 32%

Votes: 58
Results | Other Polls
 Display:
Who is the BEST replacement When Cenk is Away | 48 comments (48 topical, 0 hidden)
Ben, imo (none / 1)
But everybody is doing a great job this week, especially Ana. Ben's got to reign in the digressions ("and, by the way, I'm not saying that..."), it's almost cartoonish by now, but I like his jokes. And Brian is too blasé for my taste.

by tomjane7 on 03/19/2010 02:04:45 PM EST

re (none / 0)
I don't mind when Anna just does that show, Really anyone is fine... I just can't stand Ben, skip the show when he hosts.

by Tony227 on 03/19/2010 08:25:07 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I agree (none / 0)
with you that all the hosts do a very good job.  My vote would have to be for Ben Mankiewicz.  I did also like it back in the day when Sam Seder used to guest host as well.

by justinp on 03/20/2010 12:34:34 AM EST

[ Parent ]
polls (none / 0)
three choices?

this poll s-u-c-k-s.

where's wes jr?

among others.
 




by spigzone on 03/19/2010 02:07:24 PM EST

Yeah! (none / 0)
While I love Ben and certainly enjoy Brian, I was hoping for at least one show with Wes Clark Jr.

But I've got to vote for Ben.

by EveningStarNM on 03/19/2010 04:24:18 PM EST

[ Parent ]
replacement (none / 0)
THE BEST REPLACEMENT SO FAR IS RICHARD ESKOW . I LIKE BILL UNGER TOO .BEN IS HORRIBLE AS A REPLACEMENT. I COULDNT WATCH THE wHOLE SHOW WHEN HE WAS REPLACEMENT. HE IS ANNoYING TO ME FOR SOME REASON 

by cypha on 03/19/2010 02:12:09 PM EST

replacement (none / 0)
BRIAN UNGER...my bad

by cypha on 03/19/2010 02:14:06 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Ben (none / 0)
maybe because ben has a belly full of conservadem parsing&nb sp;in place of cenk's progressive bonfire?


 

 




by spigzone on 03/19/2010 02:26:58 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Fortunately,... (none / 0)
...there are more of us who thoroughly enjoy Ben than don't.

by EveningStarNM on 03/19/2010 04:25:35 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Too easy. (none / 0)

Ben Mankiewicz and Michael Shure.  Separately or together.

by Spencer on 03/19/2010 02:27:59 PM EST

TYT needs... (none / 0)

...MORE CHICKS!

Bring Jackie in with Ana. Or any of the other hot and cool TYT brain babes.

NOW! PLEASE!

by kurd55 on 03/19/2010 03:37:20 PM EST

Jackie's cool (none / 0)

by reba on 03/19/2010 04:43:28 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Please, no more Jackie. (none / 0)
She brings nothing to the show.

by Spencer on 03/19/2010 04:57:20 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Ahem... (none / 0)

Less DICKS---

MORE chicks!

(Save the drama fo yo moma.)

by kurd55 on 03/19/2010 09:07:33 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Agreed (none / 0)

I've got to agree with all your comments on this thread so far.  Ben is great and he is my fave guest host.  Even better when he is on with Cenk.  However, I do have to say though that he does get a little carried away with the wild tangents.  Cenk seems to keep him on track an steer the conversation back after a little while, but I do see a problem with the show's chemistry when it is just Ben and Ana.  Ana, you need to be a little more assertive and tell Ben to STFU every now and again because he totally derails your flow!  I doubt it is intentional, I think Ben just loves to talk and can't help himself sometimes.

Wes is a very close second to Ben.  I also enjoyed Richard Eskow and am enjoying him more and more as I feel like he is loosening up a bit and getting more comfortable coming on the show.

As far as Jackie goes.....from what I've seen 95% of the time she is pretty much just smiling and nodding and agreeing with Cenk with a "yeah" or something similar to that.  She really doesn't seem to bring anything to the table.  She seems like a really nice person (and yes she is hot too) who may be great in a different show but appears to be totally out of her element on TYT. 

To kurd55:  You seem to have access to the internet.  If the most important thing to you is hot chicks to look at, I promise you there are countless other places on the internet that can give you more hot women than you could ever imagine.  Trust me, I've been to some of those places before.  I'm not trying to be a dick and suggest that you should forsake TYT.  I am just suggesting that maybe a parade of hot chicks for the sake of itself is not exactly the overall mission statement of TYT.  Personally that is not what I want or expect from TYT and I think most of the show's viewers and listeners would agree.  Also, from a marketing standpoint (and at the risk of sounding creepy) Ana is all the eye candy the show needs.  Plus, its not like eye candy is the ONLY or even the main thing she brings to the show (unlike Jackie).  Ana has things to say and doesn't just nod and smile when Cenk makes a point.  I could be wrong, but hey that is what this forum is for.  I'm sure we'll see soon who agrees and disagrees with me on this one.

Michael Shure is a suitable stand in for Cenk and I still enjoy TYT when he is on, just not as much as Cenk or anyone else I've previously mentioned as favorites.  The other guest hosts mentioned here don't destroy the show for me but aren't really my cup of tea either. 

Other people mentioned Jayar, Ana, and Jesus as guest hosts.  I don't really consider them guest hosts myself.  They are already part of the show and we already get to hear from them.  I definitely wouldn't mind hearing from them more often every show though.

 

by marklar1 on 03/19/2010 10:29:20 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Ana was the same (none / 0)
As far as Jackie goes.....from what I've seen 95% of the time she is pretty much just smiling and nodding and agreeing with Cenk with a "yeah" or something similar to that.  She really doesn't seem to bring anything to the table.  She seems like a really nice person (and yes she is hot too) who may be great in a different show but appears to be totally out of her element on TYT.  

Ms. Kasparian was much the same for her first 3-6 months on the show. I think Jackie is just nervous. Perhaps she's no Rhodes Scholar, but to say that she brings nothing to the table is both a cynical assumption and needlessly unkind.

by RedPossum on 03/20/2010 11:14:03 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Obviously I disagree (none / 0)

If I thought it was needlessly unkind, I wouldn't have said it.  I'm not the kind of person that says stuff to people for the sake of being unkind.  In fact I think I went out of my way to give her the benefit of the doubt. If it seemed unnecessarily unkind, I apologize to Jackie and to Jackie only.  My intention was honesty, not malice.

Also, I think you've read a little too much into what I wrote.  I did not make a single comment about Jackie's intelligence or her being a Rhodes scholar.  You don't have to be stupid to be out of your element.  Einstein was a genius, but he'd be out of his element on TYT as well.  I love Cenk and his enthusiasm for evolution, but he seems to be out of his element on science.  Not every user name you see that isn't a forum regular is a sock puppet or a troll.

What you say about Ana may or may not be true, couldn't say.  I've only been following the show for a little under 2 years.  I'll have to take your word for it as I don't think you have any reason to lie about that.

by marklar1 on 03/20/2010 03:45:03 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Also (none / 0)
After rereading some posts from other people, I find it amazing you singled mine out as being unnecessarily unkind.  If you think you have to protect everyone's feelings here I ask you this:  Is Ben not a human being with feelings?  If you prick him, does he not bleed?  If you tickle him, does he not laugh?  So on and so forth.

by marklar1 on 03/20/2010 03:52:49 PM EST

[ Parent ]
LOL, no (none / 0)
Whoa, calm down.

My decision to reply to your post and not another was purely arbitrary; yours caught my interest enough to make me want to reply.

by RedPossum on 03/20/2010 08:52:24 PM EST

[ Parent ]
right on (none / 0)

This is pretty spot on.

As a host Ben is the best, he rise to the role of tackling the issue as a whole. Unger and Anna is more sidekicks and is the ones that should stay in the TYT loop.

Sorry but Jackie gotta go. If she needs practice as someone suggested she can't do it on my primetime. And because she's hot? Jeez, this aint a weather forecast, it's the number one progressive show, don't you forget it...

by bhenriksson on 03/22/2010 07:00:59 AM EST

[ Parent ]
noko (none / 0)
Brian and Jayar would be my dream team.

by epic gaga lady on 03/19/2010 04:47:07 PM EST

Jayar, by far. (none / 0)

Watching the show while Cenk is away really makes me appreciate the regular team of Cenk, Ana, and Jayar even more than I do now.

No one else I have seen even comes close to any of these three, and the show is light years better when any of them are on.

I can't stand Ben Mankiewicz as a host. Like Don Squeek said, he always kills the show for me as well. Most of the time he is on, even when he's with Cenk, I have to stop watching after a short time. He grates on my nerves that much.

 The only saving grace to Monday's show with Ben and Mark Thompson hosting was when Anna came in at the third hour. Fortunately I watched the taped version so I could fast forward to that after I got sick of the earlier crap. But it still was nowhere near the quality of when Cenk and Anna are on together. Or Cenk and Jayar. Or Anna and Jayar. I think you get the picture. Ben sucks, as do most of the other guest hosts, although I also agree that Brian Unger isn't too bad.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

by glassmaker1 on 03/19/2010 05:20:25 PM EST

OOPS. (none / 0)

And next time I'll spell "Ana" correctly...

Sorry Ana.

by glassmaker1 on 03/19/2010 05:26:40 PM EST

[ Parent ]
What's with all of the Mankie-hate? (none / 0)

I can't be reading this right.  People think Ben is boring, but Jackie Bray is great?  Are you fucking kidding me?

Damn kids.

by Spencer on 03/19/2010 05:29:52 PM EST

[ Parent ]
well... (none / 0)

Im gonna have to disagree about Mark Thompson. He is a long time host/announcer for various shows, award shows and specials. Classic emcee voice, tack-sharp professionalism when not in the causal environment of our Army.

Hey!, I am excited for it to be the Ana and Richard Show today! Ive wanted to see her for more than just one hour for a long time. 

"Life's rich demand creates supply in the hands of the power, the only vote that matters." --James Michael Stipe, from Begin the Begin.

by Hamsterdam on 03/19/2010 07:05:54 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Michael Shure!!!!!!!!!! (none / 0)

A Proud Progressive!!!

by teron678 on 03/19/2010 05:40:09 PM EST

Bands need more cowbell, (none / 0)
and TYT needs more Wes Clark. Jr, Brian Unger, and Michael Shure.

Brian Unger and Kasper were actually a great combination just because I think Unger's more-melancholy disposition let Ana shine while everything he said was pretty golden.

The two best rants I've heard on this show were by Clark. Jr. and Shure and I just don't think we see them enough on here, especially Shure.

by kirkus on 03/19/2010 06:05:47 PM EST

really? (none / 0)
I have to point out how amazing Wes Clark is.  

I think it was during the holidays when he and Michael Shure were hosting and they started going back and forth with that crazy conservative lady who had written some blog post protesting NYPD hiring Muslim cops.  That entire episode of TYT was excellent.

Wes Clark won me over forever when he was talking to Cenk in a post game about deciding whether to watch your wife give birth, and he described it along these lines:

imagine your favorite neighborhood bar.  you've been going there for years to relax and unwind after work and on the weekends.  then one day, you walk in and suddenly realize that your bar his now a slaughterhouse.

He just made that up on the spot.  He wins.

by dotkommissar on 03/19/2010 06:20:39 PM EST

bleep (none / 1)
Wes Clark and Richard Eskow (sp?) would be at the top of my list.

by OldGerman on 03/19/2010 07:05:02 PM EST

Ana is doing great this week BTW (none / 0)
I have liked Brian Unger this week, he has done a great job and I always enjoy when Ben hosts.

by phoebesmoon on 03/19/2010 07:30:03 PM EST

Each sub has been great but... (none / 1)
Ana's not getting enough credit for the outstanding job she's done as host Thurs and Fri. She has matured incredibly in her on-air persona over the last year and I think she deserves a hell of a lot of credit. She's well on her way to a successful career, IMHO.

You Go, Ana!

by toosinbeymen on 03/19/2010 08:04:32 PM EST

I agree!!!!!!!!!! (none / 0)

A Proud Progressive!!!

by teron678 on 03/19/2010 09:25:47 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I've enjoyed all.. (none / 0)

by mmosespt on 03/19/2010 09:51:12 PM EST

Admiral Jayar Jackson = #1 (none / 0)
I like Unger, but Admiral Jackson gets my vote.

The. Man.

by FlaccidMember on 03/19/2010 09:52:28 PM EST

This week goes to Ana! (none / 0)
Nice job for stepping up to the plate Anners, though no matter who the host is, they should definitely be teamed up with someone else.  I thought both Brian and RJ did a great job though I skipped most of the show with Mark and Ben.  I like the Mank-a-tron or whatever you call him Spencer, but I really think he needs to be paired up with someone a little more goofier like Cenk and definitely not a Shure for it to work.  Same goes for Seder; Sam's the man but he shines best when he teams up with his buddy Maron.  

In the end, my favorite combo would be an Ana, Wes Clark, Jr. and Dave Koller set-up with the producer room tossing in some zingers every once in awhile.  If Wes goes off on one of his wild tangents, Dave would be right there to put him in his place.  Also, since Dave didn't get in front of the camera this week, I'd make him sit in the woman's chair on the side.

Lastly,  I was really hoping for a post game this week with Ana, Dave, Jayar, Jesus, and/or Tom.  When Cenk isn't around it seems like everyone loosens up a bit, though that could mean trouble especially if it's followed by an anything goes TYT drinking game!

by rev24 on 03/19/2010 10:14:39 PM EST

Agreed (none / 0)

Brian Unger is my favorite, RJ (Richard) Eskow is my second. Brian's post game with Cenk 2 weeks ago when they talked about Cenk's acting roles and "Bashkar and his cronies" is the ONE AND ONLY post-game I have downloaded and watched several times.

 The best guest-hosting team: An(ner is a woman) Kasparian and Jayar (you have a ... on the set) Jackson! When they hosted the third hour over the holidays while Cenk was in Taiwan, it was fantastic.

I CANNOT STAND: Ben Mankiewicz as guest host.... His voice GRATES on my nerves. How can you be a TV host, and an award-winning one at that, if you can't get through two words without saying "uh" or stuttering? I can't figure out how the man has been so successful in a career where one must be able to speak clearly and concisely.  Michael Shure is a close second for last place.

by fresh2death00851 on 03/19/2010 11:27:52 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Sex Talk (none / 0)

We had a pretty fun off-air conversation today about sex that would've been perfect for a post game show (how's that for a tease?).

I really enjoyed my recent post game show co-hosting opportunity, although it was completely last minute so I had no idea what the stories were (couldn't prepare) and the earpiece kept falling out so I felt physically stiff and robotic. Meaning I was afraid to move, knowing that the damn thing would fall out of my ear!


by Tom Hanc on 03/19/2010 11:48:44 PM EST

[ Parent ]
hah, Other (none / 0)
Your Mom

by RedPossum on 03/19/2010 11:03:08 PM EST

Hosting (none / 0)
I like Unger, he can keep a conversation going and keep it interesting. Ben has a problem with both of these though and he needs to learn to keep his voice loud enough to be heard at all times, he keeps fading out to the point where you can't hear what he is saying.

by Dresden101 on 03/19/2010 11:20:26 PM EST

ARE JAY (none / 0)
RJ RJ RJ RJ RJ RJ RJ RJ RJ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ya RJ is my favorite.

by Surgeon General on 03/20/2010 05:11:13 AM EST

Henry Rollins (none / 0)
He filled in for Cenk at Meet the Bloggers, once!

"The first thing Fascists usually try to do is silencing the opposition."

by opposition on 03/20/2010 05:29:12 AM EST

Anner + Jayar = AWESOME!!! (none / 0)
Ben is pretty good and Brian is also pretty good, I think I like them equally, but what really surprised me this week was RJ Eskow. On all the previous shows I have heard him on he was always very dry and his voice starts to put me to sleep. It’s not that what he is talking about is boring or anything, it is just the sound of his voice that makes me sleepy, except for this week. I think he really shined and as Marklar1 said “I also enjoyed Richard Eskow and am enjoying him more and more as I feel like he is loosening up a bit and getting more comfortable coming on the show.” I couldn’t agree more with this.


I also agree with Fresh2death when he said the best guest hosting team was Anner and Jayar, when they did the 3<sup>rd</sup> hour while Cenk was in Taiwan. I think Jayar is a very thoughtful and wise guy and I would actually like to hear him do the political hours himself sometime in the future. Ana did a spectacular job on the political hours this week as well.

by Anubis on 03/20/2010 07:21:38 AM EST

someone different (none / 0)
I was hoping to have someone different hell I was trying to have TYT look into my recomendation

by smillis19 on 03/20/2010 09:56:15 AM EST

Ben is sooo not good. (none / 0)
There is one line up that is head and shoulders above the rest. Cenk, Ana, Jayar. Brian Unger is the best of the guest hosts. Ben should sit to the left of Jesus. Never to be heard from again.

by PZPhart on 03/20/2010 11:56:38 AM EST

Anyone who isn't condescending to Ana... (none / 0)

by ilovecenk99 on 03/20/2010 01:07:34 PM EST

Agree to Disagree (none / 0)
I challenge Brian Unger to a duel.

by PZPhart on 03/20/2010 02:36:57 PM EST

You know what they say about assholes (none / 0)

Everyone here is one!  But time for another opinion...

 

I love all the guest hosts, for different reasons.  But I think Brian Unger has been a great addition to the show recently.  And Ben is awesome, but he's better when he's with Cenk as a voice of reason.  

Jackie is fun to look at, and Ana keeps us all grounded in reality.  RJ is really smart.  Michael kinda bores me alone, but he's great analyzing the political stories with the guys.  

 

TYT Nation Unite!

by qsoundrich on 03/20/2010 03:00:09 PM EST

MY oppion (none / 0)

Jayar, not good for an entire show great as someone comeing in everyonce in awhile

Ben, LOVE BEN When i started tyt cenk wasnt there SOO i was watching ben as the host and think he is great.

WES, My other favorite, cant wait to see him on set again i was sad when i mis heard and thought he was going to host with ana

Michael, I think he is a bright guy but... i cant stand it. he is to boring

RJ he isnt the greatest but him with ana was great i think him and micheal should NEVER EVER GUEST HOST TOGETHER

Brian, great just great

Sam seder the best.

by DasConscript on 03/22/2010 11:02:00 AM EST

Who is the BEST replacement When Cenk is Away | 48 comments (48 topical, 0 hidden)
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