Letters to the Editor
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I knew it was coming but I'm still so sad to see Aaron go
As far as I'm concerned, Aaron Brown has long been one of the few watchable, bearable presences at CNN, and it sucks that they've squeezed him out of his show. I've never been able to pinpoint the exact source of his appeal, but the Broadsheet's "Elegy" explained it about as well as anyone. Brown does come across a little awkward, a little lacking in the "slickness" department. He's smart and nerdy and flawed--which is to say, real. Watching him, you see right away that he loves giving the news, loves just sharing the information. He's no mimbo, "acting" the news; he engages with it. I like how he often seems a little bemused by the world events he's relating; that feels real to me, and sane.
And I LOVE The Rooster. Long live The Rooster! Sure, it's uber-folksy to simply read us the next day's headlines, but it's a nice palate cleanser. In the 24-hour news cycle universe, the CNNs and MSNBCs of the world must keep themselves in a state of constant frenzy, trying to make every minute seem urgent and relevant. Brown doing The Rooster seemed to say, "What the hell, let's relax for a minute."
I actually like Anderson Cooper for the most part, so I'm not knocking him. But it saddens me that CNN apparently make room for both men, both styles. I know it's a ratings game, and I gather that Brown lacks a certain sizzle quotient. But by squeezing him out to make room for the more sizzlicious Cooper, CNN is needlessly tossing away its most warm, real, human presence. Aaron, you'll be missed.