Seattle Post-Intelligencer TV critic Melanie McFarland does not like Martha Stewart and Tyra Banks’ new daytime talk shows — and she ain’t afraid to say it. She makes two very interesting, overarching points about Martha and The Tyra Banks Show: that Martha Stewart (near left) is not such a good interviewer (true), and that Banks’ program is overstuffed with her own narcissism (also true).
But I think she just needs to embrace the new daytime surrealism. Anyone who watched Martha suck the head off a crawfish while dazed-and-confused guests Ben Vereen and Liza Minnelli tried to corral a writhing mass of hundreds of live mini-lobsters hellbent on escaping from Martha’s kitchen/laboratory knows that Martha packs more humor into one hour (albeit unintentional humor) than, say, two episodes of Arrested Development.
And I’ll get into the confessional for a minute and admit that, yes, I watched the infamous Tyra "breast" episode. Among other segments, the boob-a-thon included Anna Nicole Smith pantomiming the various sizes of implants she has had using a "whoosh"-like noise and an all-bra fashion show with running commentary from a male audience member ("Me like that one. That one nice"). I kept waiting, as did McFarland, for the inevitable breast cancer segment. Instead, we saw Miss Tyra (above left) fight back tears — tears! — as she reported that it hurts her that people think her breasts aren’t real. Aw. And to prove it, she brought in a real-live doctor to check out her merchandise for any "enhancements." It was compelling television, but in the same sense that Courtney Love is a compelling musician — fascinating, but not always worth watching.
What do you guys think? Are Martha and The Tyra Banks Show living up to the promise of their charismatic celebrity hosts?
Comments (1-30) of 37
I DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT TYRA, BUT I MUST SAY, I TRULY ENJOY WATCHING MARTHA. I THINK SHE HAS LOOSENED UP SINCE HER PRISON JAUNT. SHE HAS DEVELOPED A SENSE OF HUMOR, WHICH SHE NEVER HAD BEFORE. SHE USED TO BE VERY UPTIGHT, ALMOST ANAL. WHEN SHE WAS DOING HER OLD SHOW, SHE WAS TO STIFF, NOT ANYMORE. SHE LETS HER GUESTS GO WHERE THEY MAY, AND DOESN’T SEEM TO WORRY TO MUCH ABOUT A SCRIPT. I WATCH TWO SHOWS DURING THE DAY, MARTHA AND ELLEN.
THEY ARE BOTH IMAGINATIVE, INFORMATIVE, AND THEY MAKE ME LAUGH. CAN’T GET ENOUGH LAUGHTER THESE DAYS.
well, i just think that Tyra is trying waaaay too hard to be the next oprah- but HELLO! there will NEVER be another Oprah, okay, she is the queen of daytime talkshows…. Tyra’s show just doesn’t flow like it should (and i do agree she is WAY too narcissistic)…..now,martha on the other hand….well, she’s not that great either- but she’s not TRYING to be an interviewer, she’s a domestic diva, that’s all….and i think her show is great- for what it is…..NOT a talkshow but a home- decorator thingy…..god, critics can be way too harsh sometimes….
I think Tyra’s show is very sweet…She is taking it very seriously! I hope it lasts. Martha, on the other hand, is quite boring. She is so dry and uptight. I admit, though, I am watching her other show, The Apprentice. But it has nothing on America’s Next Top Model! GO TYRA!!!!!!!!
I think Tyra’s show is very sweet…She is taking it very seriously! I hope it lasts. Martha, on the other hand, is quite boring. She is so dry and uptight. I admit, though, I am watching her other show, The Apprentice. But it has nothing on America’s Next Top Model! GO TYRA!!!!!!!!
I’m sticking with Ellen.
Big fan of Tyra, but her show isn’t up to Top Model.
Sadly, it’s closer to Maury than it is to Oprah, which I blame fully on the Jenny Jones like set.
I’ve seen Tyra and I thought it was a mess. I saw once when I was home sick and had to turn off. However, for a few moments during my fever haze, I was held in wonder trying to decide if she had hair plugs to fill in her crazy high forehead, which looked smaller than normal.
I also TiVo’d the “they are real” episode and almost died when she fought back the tears. Why Saturday Night Live has not done that yet is beyond me.
Ugh, Tyra is so annoying. She talks way too fast and like a valley girl.
I’ve only seen a couple of episodes of each, so by no means am I an expert on this, but I thought Martha seemed a bit uncomfortable. It’s a shame because I want her to succeed. I think she needs to pick a new way to show off her talent.
Tyra is a hot mess. She’s unintentionally entertaining on America’s Next Top Model, but she’s tolerable on that show because she’s only on screen for about ten minutes.
I agree with the earlier posts – Ellen is easily more watchable.
I have been a big fan of EW and the website for awhile now but comparing the comedic genius that is Arrested Development to Martha Stewart biting the head off of a small crustacean makes me think twice about you.
Now on to tyra banks. What were you expecting?? Oprah but with more in-depth pieces on mozart and classical music.
The post claims they both have “charisma”? I’d say with both of them it’s all naked ambition and insincerity, and a eye-dropper of charisma. Producers should have learned from Ellen’s success – find someone genuine who can actually TALK TO PEOPLE (famous or otherwise) in a way that makes the interviewee and the watcher comfortable. The shows are over-produced, and Martha/Tyra’s personalities are underwhelming.
I haven’t watched Martha’s new show yet b/c she scares me.
I think Tyra’s new show is ok. It’s definitely targeted to young women which is good b/c sometimes Oprah’s show is unrelatable if you’re not a 40 year old housewife.
Martha is a scum bag and should have served more time. If it were a private citizent they would have served more time and not in a swanky place as she did. She is sickening and disgusting. I have no respect for her.
I haven’t seen either day-time show, but I love both of their night-time shows – in fact, I can’t wait until tonight!
I can’t stand Martha, so no comment.
However, I love ANTM and I really like Tyra. I think her show has an overall good feel to it. It is more urban and youthful than the other talk shows out there. It deals with a lot of light, fun topics. An on occasion some very serious ones. Does it need improvement, yes, most shows can be tweaked in the beginning. I think she is trying to make a difference and is a really good role model for young women of all colors, shapes and sizes. Does she talk about herself a little to much, yes, but I can handle that. How many times have we heard about Steadman or Gayle from Oprah?
To both shows…GIVE ME A BREAK! Like they need anymore money or tv time! Martha is trying to be a Donald Trump and she’s not and never will be! And Tyra, I like her, I like her model show, but talk shows are not for her. She seems like a nice and caring person, but she should just stick to what she’s been doing.
ANTM is the better of Tyra’s two shows. The TYRA show is missing something that goes by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Jay. Those two individuals make ANTM so interesting and add personality to the show and that is what Tyra is lacking on her new show. She needs to pick a direction of whether she is going to be serious or silly on each show because she seems to flip between both of them in one show. It does need some polishing.
Martha’s show isn’t great either but everyone is used to Martha having her own show which is the one thing she has going for her. Martha has a steely exterior that never seems to fade. She’s impersonable.
The woman goes to prison and then creates a new show – Puuuulllease. And then she even has the nerve to complains about her ankle bracelet. She expects speciatl treatment. She should be treated like all the other prisoners that she is. Unbeievabe. She should be treated like the ex-convict that shes!!!! NO special treament!!!!!!
i remember i watched a tyra show and a guy was proposing to his long time girlfriend after her make over she said yes he got up to put the ring on her tyra got in the middle of them took the ring out his hands to show everyone and started rubbing and hugging them before he even put the ring on i like tyra but on the show she’s trying to hard she always has to have the camera on her i know it’s her show but just like the episode i wrote about she seems like she’s trying to prove something to america she needs to calm down i don’t watch martha
Some of you guys should really get your information straight. It was producer Mark Burnett’s idea to create both Martha’s new talk show and her Apprentice show. It was NOT Martha’s idea, and Martha is NOT a Donald Trump copycat. According to various news sources(MSNBC and E!Online among those)it was Mark Burnett and Donald Trump who hired Martha for the Apprentice show.
Even if Martha is an exconvict, it does NOT make her violent or crazy in any manner. Remember that her crime did not involve violence, but a stock transaction. She lied. That’s what got her put in prison. All of us have LIE, some more than others, some people lie constantly, so I don’t get why people get this crazy idea that Martha’s dangerous. Please, I’m laughing! Martha dangerous?? RIIIGHT…
As for Tyra, she’s so into herself! I stopped watching America’s Top Model because the show seemed more like a big advertisement for Tyra! Plus she ain’t all that great! I never watched her talk show, but it doesn’t surprise me to hear that she’s an attention whore and does the most retarded things.
I SAW YOUR SHOW THIS WEEK ABOUT PEOPLE THAT STUTTER
MY DAUGHTER HAS THIS PROBLEM. IF POSSIBLE COULD YOU PROVIDE ME WITH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FLUENCY PROCEEDURE.
THANKYOU
FRED DAVEY
I truly enjoy the Tyra Banks show. Hey, what about doing a show for older models (male/female) ages 50 or over. WE HAVE A WEALTH OF BEAUTY AND SMARTS!! At fifty, I am still blessed to be here. I’m a GRANDMOTHER, but I look good!!! (These good genes are not on the MARKET, just in the family gene pool). (smile. E-mail and let me know what you think!!!
I think tyra’s show is one to the best she has interesting topics!!!
I really like tyra show to me shes doing a good job its hard to try somehting new and people showed undrestand shes doing this for people who need this it might not be for everyboby but some people really need her talk show.
shaunica mcmurry
I THINK TYRA IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB WITH HER NEW TALK SHOW SHE HAS THE AUDIENCE YOUNG AND OLD.TYRA IS ALWAYS SPEAKING WHAT ON HER MINE AIN’T AFRAID TO TALK SHE GIVEN US SHOW THAT WE WHAT TO SEE AND TELLS THE TRUTH ABOUT IT NOT HOLDING ANYTHING BACK. NOW THAT BEING REAL,TYRA GIRL KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND KEEP GIVEN US THOSE GREAT SHOW’. NOW LADY’S DON’T TYRA WEAR THAT HAIR?
Tyra,
I think Im the only 26 year old male fan of your Next Top Model show that doesnt miss an episode. I live in Orange County and I used to be a Bally Total Fitness trainer and was featured in Let’s Live by GNC Magazine. Anyway the point was that we did a photo shoot back at the Fullerton gym where I worked for this magazine and when they told me to smile I broke down because my teeth were horrible. I beleive the show that aired on 11/8 you featured a cosmetic dentist and I would like to get more info. Maybe he can help me be more confident with my new job. I take good care of my body, but I have’nt seen a dentist since I was 18. Any info will be appreciated. Keep up the good work! LOVE YOU!
I recently began to watch the show as I was working, but over the summer, started a home-based business and now have time to watch a little television. I actually stumbled upon the show and to my amazement, I have found that she is compassionate and full of energy. From what I have been able to ascertain from her show, she is down to earth and does things to literally change a person’s life or their mental concept of what life should be. Life is to be lived and through adversities, we sometimes forget. Happiness, health and relationships are the keys to our success. Tyra, keep up the good work and stay true to yourself. God Bless!
TO ME TYRA IS A TRUE WOMAN. SHE STRUGGLE TO BE WHT SHE SHE IS RIGHT NOW. she is a wonderfulc caring woman and sure she has tons of haters but, it’s o.k but she doen’t hsve to be like by everyone.
TO ME TYRA IS A TRUE WOMAN. SHE STRUGGLE TO BE WHT SHE SHE IS RIGHT NOW. she is a wonderfulc caring woman and sure she has tons of haters but, it’s o.k but she doen’t have to be like by everyone.
I think Tyra is a wonderful, caring person but I feel that her talk show is not where she needs to be…She just does not seem to be experienced in handling her guests, being articulate (seems like she messes up alot when she speaks). She seems to attack her guests and almost comes out rude when she makes comments. I understand that a talk show is about giving opinions, but as a talk show host, you need to respect your guests and not try to impose so much of YOUR own views. Sorry Tyra, but I think you needed to stick with Modeling…
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