I'm sorry. This sounds so hyper-cynical to take on something like this, but it's not meant to be. It's just that Bob Woodruff was not a soldier. He was a pretty-boy, anchorman-in-training when he was severely injured in Iraq. Bob Woodruff was chasing face time, Big Media glory, and doing exactly what he was told to do. And that's Big Media life-during-wartime.
Even moreso, Woodruff was standing in the enormous shadows of Peter Jennings, who'd just died. ABC News was scrambling to fill shoes that likely will never be filled again. Delivering the news has, of course, changed since. Woodruff had no other choice but to stick his head up out of that tank. That's what they pay you the big anchor bucks to do in Big Media. And how else could he go and get himself some street creds?
Here's the Recovery Doc, filled with breathy, Sawyer-esque exclamations and overtly heightened (produced) drama statements such as "Please live. Please live. Please live", "brilliantly talented cameraman", "heroic."
The Woodruff Family Recovery World Tour itinerary, via TVNewser:
National Print
People Magazine 3/1 on stands
Ladies Home Journal-- April
O Magazine--feature interview with Lee and Melanie Bloom-- April
National TV
Feb 27 - ABC-TV -- Good Morning America-- (Bob only on ABC documentary)
Feb 27 - Oprah Winfrey Show
Feb 27 - ABC-TV -- World News Tonight -- Bob's s story
Feb 27 - ABC-TV -- "To Iraq and Back: Bob Woodruff Reports"
Feb 28 - ABC Good Morning America, Lee and Bob
Feb 28 - National Public Radio --Morning Edition
Feb 28 - National Public Radio--Fresh Air
March 1 -- CNN--Larry King Live
March 3 - CNBC--Tim Russert Show
March 5 - ABC-TV -- The View
March 6 - Fox News Channel -- On The Record With Greta Van Susteren
March 8 - CNN -- Wolf Blitzer
March 9 - PBS -- Charlie Rose Show
March 13 - MSNBC -- Hardball with Chris Matthews
March 5 - Comedy Central -- The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - (Bob only)
March 22 - ABC TV -- Jimmy Kimmel Live
March 22 - Nationally Syndicated--Ellen DeGeneres Show
More here... I bet Anderson Cooper is pea-green with envy. (Now that was cynical!)
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3 comments:
His wife impressed me, and I believe this is her book. He has been paying visits to soldiers who are also recovering from brain injuries.
And that's a good thing. The soldiers likely welcome the visits, and hopefully it will bring them hope and encouragement. We should all visit an injured soldier if we have the opportunity. And thank them for their sacrifice and service.
However, what I was really trying to get at here, and I think I finally have done so, is that the whole media blitz just seems like ABC is pimping their most severely injured. Why? I don't know. Because they can I suppose.
I presumed that the pimping was the book publisher's. You may be right, though, since most books do not get this much of a tour. Perhaps his friends and colleagues are trying to keep his brain as active as possible on something that is not going to make or break him if he messes up?
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