They should have said NO

For the past couple of weeks, I have been watching in embarrassing agony as Connie Chung, Maury Povitch, Chris Matthews and a host of other journalist participate in a promotion campaign for Connie & Maury's weekend television program on MSNBC.

In one a journlist queries, " I'm not sure Connie is actually Chinese."

The question is, if your boss asked you to do something that you believe is completely humiliating ,would you do it?  Now, we're not talking about breaking any laws or violating the Geneva Convention,  we're just talking about a willingness to abandon your better judgment ( or contract) and do it for  the Gipper .

I haven't seen their show. Not sure I will.  It has gotten mostly negative reviews.

"> Alessandra Stanley calls it a "cheesy talk show" that "almost makes Fox's Geraldo at Large look dignified."

> 5 Things: "The opening banter was lame but the newsreel-esc production was pure Liz Winstead. Very funny."

But, it isn't the show that fascinates me, I'm intrigued with  the promos.. They are hideous.

Why in the world did Connie Chung, Maury Povitch and for that matter Chris Matthews agree to participate? As far as I'm concerned it's a lose-lose situation. If this is their idea of cleaver, I am concerned about their professional judgment; if they knew that the promos reeked, then I've lost respect on an entirely different level.

There are two families of promos; one "endorsing Connie and her supposed talents and one endorsing" Maury and his gifts. At the end of each of their promos they either say, " I'm Connie Chung ( I'm Maury Povitch) and I approve of this ad a la a political candidate.'

If this is MSNBC's idea of edgy, sophisticated, cleaver, amusing, delightful, engaging, motivational, endearing or in any way appropriate, they need to hire a new promotional team.

However, it's one thing for someone to try to push a bad campaign, it's another for supposed intelligent and responsible human beings to agree to participate.

Sometimes, you have to be willing to push yourself away from the table an just say 'thanks, but no thanks".--regardless of the consequences.