Well, if TAPPED is willing to believe that Tim Robbins got cut off by The Today Show in mid-interview, maybe I should believe it, too. Did anyone reading this actually see what happened? I'd love to hear from you. Meanwhile, Avedon points to an Official Response from The Today Show about this incident. The plot thickens...
UPDATE: Mark Evanier is willing to buy the explanation that The Today Show always cuts to local stations at set times, with a proviso:
Standard Broadcasting Procedure would then be for the host, following the break, to say something like, "Our apologies to Tim Robbins for a technical error that cut him off." On the other hand, we don't know that this wasn't said. I just think it's funny that, intentional or not, Robbins got cut off while he was going after Corporate America on NBC, just like a Saturday Night Live sketch in which Tim Robbins got cut off while he was going after Corporate America on NBC. (ed. note: see this prior post for more context)
I still find it hard to believe that the host of the show was unaware of the break time, and especially that he wasn't being given a signal for the break in advance of it. Every live broadcast I've ever done had that facility, so it doesn't seem likely they don't have it at Today.
Posted by: Avedon on April 29, 2003 1:19 PMI WAS watching & emailed The Today Show immed. after. Tim Robbins was cut off at this point; Matt L. asked him " After seeing the jublilation on the Iraqui faces do you now feel differently about the war?' Robbins said" Well, we haven't heard much about Afganistan lately...." screen went black. Tim Robbins was never mentioned again! I was so frightenned by the control over our media, I have lost my feeling of trust in all again as badly as when JFK was killed. I still have not heard from the Today Show.
Posted by: Gloria Watts on April 29, 2003 8:17 PM