Bob: I think we should encourage Ann Althouse to come up with what would... Just turn her loose. She should do her dream Bloggingheads that women are going to like, and she should decide who she wants to do it with, and if they are game, we will get a camera to them, whether they are in the North Pole or North Korea. Wherever. Unless it's North Korea. We can't do that. We will get a camera to them. Mickey: The Bob Wright estrogen challenge. Bob: Yeah. Yeah. Mickey: That's good. Although I have a feeling... Ann Althouse is a pretty argumentative person, so the... Bob: She'll pick a fight. Oh, she and Eric Alterman. Mickey: I think that she's got to provide a sort of nurturing... Bob: The Althouse-Alterman thing, the Alt-Alt thing, is out of control...Well, they left the thought unformed, but you can see what they both were thinking. I'm not really a good representative of the female mind, because I'm not feminine enough! They both essentially said that. Especially Mickey. But Bob did make an offer that I should accept. I need to come up with a Bloggingheads partner who would do the kind of diavlog that women would like, which, of course, I'll take to mean I get to do one that would be what I would like. Suggestions?
March 1, 2007
"She's the only woman we got, practically."
Says Mickey Kaus -- talking about me -- with Bob Wright, in this segment of the new Bloggingheads.
Gah! Am I talking about myself too much today? I really don't think it's all about me, but it's just one of those days. And, actually, I'm not talking just about me. I talked about retro sexuality, dirty words, and the scrotum-y look of Bill O'Reilly's neck or whatever the hell that first post was about. It's not all about me, but it is about me and some rather low things.
And so Bob has this obsession with why more women don't like Bloggingheads, and how he had to ask me what's causing that -- hence Mickey's wisecrack -- and then how my answer was pretty much about my own opinion -- as a woman -- rather than more broadly stereotypical ideas of what women want. (Bob's very into gender difference.)
Bob thinks I was "scathing," in that I called Bloggingheads "grim" and "remorseless." Whoops! He heard me. That was a rather harsh thing for a woman to say. Then there's this:
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You have to use the Anchoress! Or Dr. Sanity!
Or what's her name, Apple Face?
You really think what women want is to see two women. I don't. I think it should be a man, but a man who likes to joke around part of the time, free associate from topic to topic, and shift from light to heavy with ease.
Okay, I'll do it.
I'll do it. ;)
Joking aside, I know this violates the "guy" rule, but Dahlia Lithwick would be fun. I don't always agree with her, but she seems like she'd have the sense of humor to pull it off.
And if that doesn't work - David Lat.
I have seen on the bloggingheads forums that apparently the female viewers (or maybe just the male viewers imagining themselves as female viewers, I forget) think that Ezra Klein is pretty dreamy.
So from the "don't pick a woman, pick a man" school of thought, if you're looking for eye-candy for women, look no further than Mr. Klein.
Adam - but he's, like, 12! He looks even younger than Yglesias! I didn't take him all that seriously before, but knowing that he's just a kid, that makes it pretty hard to take him seriously. Angry teen syndrome.
"Althouse is one of the more loathsome participants in the blogosphere." = a quote from Ezra Klein. So forget him.
Um, well, you're the guy. Right? Feisty, picking fights, ...
If you find a guy, you will just be the straight man.
Sure Robin Quivers is great, but you don't want to be Robin Quivers, you want to lead.
But really, pick Pam Osher, she's a hoot and your TVQ will go through the roof! I'm guessing that the Anchoress and Dr. Sanity and Apple Face are sufficiently unbalanced that they will be good too.
Or, you and Dr. Mrs. Perfesser blogging at the shooting range.
Punctuating your points with precision pistolery.
I vote for the Crazy Cat Lady from "The Simpsons."
I think you ought to choose who you want to choose (because that is who you will choose). Be that as it may, it is a compliment to you that your presence looms large enough for Mickey to remark:
She's the only woman we've got.
I wonder what Jacqueline Shire, Virginia Postrel, Megan McArdle, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Amy Sullivan, Julia Sweig, and Arianna Huffington think of that remark. ;-) Perhaps it is because you are just about the only woman who has been interested in doing blogginheads a second time?
As for suggestions, I agree Ezra Klein would not be an enjoyable interlocutor. Pity, as when he's not so busy being disagreeable, Klein is quite capable of being engaging and agreeably disagreeing. Byron York? David Corn? Julian Sanchez?
Diavlog? More like Divalog!
-kd
Should have googled first and posted second...I see divalog has already entered the parlance of our times here.
In any case, I think Megan McArdle is a great option. But not as good as Richard Posner.
-kd
How about Camille Paglia? That might be interesting.
You're going to think I'm crazy, but you want a guy about your age or so, who can joke a bit, but someone that won't overshadow you, maybe not really popular, but only somewhat popular, and yet familiar with your oeuvre....
TBogg!
Go ahead and ask him!
OMG, it just came to me.
Women like soft cuddly things. Women will want someone non threatening and with a sense of humor.
Someone like you, but sort of opposite in complementary ways, some with pretty eyes, like you could both be sisters...
And it would definitely be a bloggingheads first, like Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins dancing with the Penguins,
Altmouse
Madonna! That would be the best...
Of course you're argumentative -- you're a lawyer! That's what the whole legal field is about, really -- arguments.
She's the only woman we've got.
I wonder what Jacqueline Shire, Virginia Postrel, Megan McArdle, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Amy Sullivan, Julia Sweig, and Arianna Huffington think of that remark. ;-)
Bob Wright had pretty much the same reaction. :)
I've made this suggestion elsewhere but what about Spencer Ackerman: He jokes and shifts around plus he likes Top Chef.
I've been reading and enjoying for some time now. This intrigues me.
My suggestions
Man: Mark Steyn, Wide ranging good houmor, light to heavy with ease.
Woman: Dr. Helen, Law and psycology, pop culture, good looking.
Aside with reference to a post of a couple of days ago:
I'm watching a PBS presentation of George Harrisons Concert for Bangala Desh. What an aggregation of great musicians from that time.
I had never seen it before though I worked on the show and was there. I had forgotten that Badfinger was part of the band and that was the only time that I saw them . That show was put together so quickly it is amazing that they played together so well. I would have to give a lot of credit for that to the rock solid drumming of Jim Keltner and Ringo. Dylan, Harrison, and Leon Russel singing Just Like a Woman. Great stuff, great memories.
Oh! Great suggestion, lee david. Let me second Mark Steyn!
Ann Althouse said: I think it should be a man, but a man who likes to joke around part of the time, free associate from topic to topic, and shift from light to heavy with ease.
It's Andrew Sullivan, obviously.
I think I'm fairly smart but I have no idea what the original post demonstrated and I can't make hide nor hair about the discussion.
Perchance is that the issue under discussion?
Keep in mind that the idea is to have a different sort of episode that would appeal to a different sector of viewers.
The main thing I want is less wonkiness.
Sippican: So I guess you're against the podcasts too.
lee david, I darn you to heck. You have stolen the two perfect choices I was going to suggest.
ruth anne adams I semi-darn you to a quasi-heck for stealing my male back-up suggestion (and what a back up Lileks would be!)
Steyn would be absolute gold. Honestly, I'd think Jonah Goldberg could fill this role well as well in spite of the fact that you've already done one of these with him and it was a little animated in parts.
If this was a cocktail party and I were to think of people on whom I'd want to eavesdrop, I'd throw Terry Teachout into the mix.
Also, I think you and Steve of Hog On Ice could be entertaining.
And unlike Althouse, I think two women would work. Speaking as a woman, though not for all women, I like watching women interact in conversation.
My hunch is that in some respects, depending on the woman, it would be more of a challenge for you, as well.
How about the ex-Wonkette, Ana Marie Cox?
Oh oh! I know I already said someone but what about David Lat? (Speaking of ex-wonketteers)
Reader: 2 women might work. Depends on the woman.
I think it should be a man, but a man who likes to joke around part of the time, free associate from topic to topic, and shift from light to heavy with ease.
...
The main thing I want is less wonkiness.
Posner.
I love seeing the judge take to new media forms. If you've never read the transcript of his appearance in Second Life, it's a whole lot of fun. Wacky not wonky.
-kd
There's really only one person as witty, urbane, with it, hip, photogenic, as Conservative Diva Law Professor Ann Althouse, and that's ...
Moderate Centrist Law Professor Ann Althouse!
My suggestion is that you find a large empty room, do a split screen thing and talk to yourself for an hour.
It will be a pretty familiar feeling for you, talking mainly to yourself in an echo chamber.
If we can go outside the realm of those who have been there before, I think Alex Kazinsky of the 9th Circuit would be an outstanding choice. (And if it doesn't sell to women - who cares? ;-)
One of the best things "The B-heads" could do to reduce the wonkiness is to get rid of the "book look". Put up a simple backdrop with some tasteful set dressing and you won't fade into the wonky background. This is a visual medium after all. A chair against a blank wall doesn't cut it either. Some attention to simple lighting technique would also help. From my perspective these things typically look like they are emanating from each persons own idea of an intelectual cave/bunker. It visually distracts and clutters the discussion.
Ann Althouse said...
"I think it should be a man, but a man who likes to joke around part of the time, free associate from topic to topic, and shift from light to heavy with ease."
Can we infer from that view of bhtv that you're okay with comment threads here ranging far and wide from the original topic? Or would you rather we try to stay more on-topic?
Simon: Definitely. The only thing I don't like is when someone persistently takes over the thread in a hostile way. And actual spam.
Good. That thought had been on my mind recently, and this seemed an opportune moment to ask. :)
Bill Clinton and Ann Althouse.
I suspect quite a few women would log in for that diavlog. But I doubt the big creep has the courage.
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