American Talk Show Eccentricities

Beckettian Depiction

I always thought that American Talk show hosts are an eccentric lot. It is very hard to appreciate Letterman, O'Brien or Rose on a first viewing. Leno, being less eccentric, is more watchable in the short-term but more boring in the long-term.

First-time viewers of Charlie Rose are often unnerved by his affected and ponderous pauses, ill-timed interruptions and abrupt change of topics. Whenever he pauses himself deliberately, it is never clear if he is struggling to articulate a nuanced insight or if he simply has nothing to say. And often, these pauses are broken not by a better articulation of his thoughts but simply by an inscrutable stare solely meant to indicate that he's finished. And when he has to switch topics, he has the habit of loudly and abruptly saying out a single keyword from the next topic followed by well, a pause and a stare.

But, over the years, I've learnt to overlook and even enjoy these eccentricities in what is a very fine talk show. The link points to a hillarious Beckettian depiction of Charlie Rose pausing, interrupting and deliberating with well, himself. As unfinished and awkward the conversation seems, I bet you'll actually agree that they seem to have had a complete and a meaningful chat!