Last week, BBC America premiered its North American version of Newsnight with Jeremy Paxman (knighted "the thinking woman's crumpet" by some wag or another). The current affairs program airs at 10:00 pm EST every Friday. Sadly, we only have a once-weekly feature rather than the Monday-Friday broadcast enjoyed by the British. Paxman, a famously direct, “non nonsense” interviewer, has been making public officials squirm since 1989; for example, from Variety:
"Pols have left the studio in despair at being caught on the rough end of Paxman's tongue.
At least one walked out midway through an encounter. And Paxman famously once asked then-government minister Michael Howard the same question 14 times in an attempt to elicit a straight answer.
Prime Minister Tony Blair, inevitably, has suffered from the Paxman treatment. In a special program, when Blair made his case for invading Iraq, the interviewer asked if he and President Bush 'prayed together' to which a visibly annoyed Blair replied: 'No, Jeremy ... we don't pray together.' "
One politico who departed "midway through an encounter" was none other than Henry Kissinger. Mr. Kissinger walked out of an interview/debate during Paxman’s radio show, Start the Week, due to Paxo’s less-than-gentle-questioning (here’s The Guardian’s report of the incident).
Yes, Mr. Paxman can be abrasive, but it’s refreshing indeed to encounter a journalist who refuses to cater to politicians, big business, and (other) media figures. Moreover, he does this without editorializing (although his facial expressions tend to give away his thoughts on the matter under discussion. And, fine, yes he has a tendency towards arrogance--but do you prefer a rollover reporter or a skeptic who actually questions public figures?). If you’ve got access to BBC America, brush aside the too-familiar talking heads and give Paxman an hour. Mark your television guides: 10:00 pm EST Fridays.
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