Access Hollywood: "We're Going To Treat The Obamas Like A Hollywood Family"

[Pirate Smile]

The Obama family has helped sell magazines and newspapers, as well as deliver record ratings to politically-themed program this election season. Now, entertainment TV shows look to capitalize on their celebrity by following their every move.

TV Week's Andrew Krukowski reports that "Access Hollywood" and "Entertainment Tonight" will continue to cover the Obama family in detail:

"Barack Obama's election as president is fueling ratings among syndicated television newsmagazine shows--and they are returning the favor.

It's a symbiosis in which shows such as "Access Hollywood" and "Entertainment Tonight" cover the Obama family like royalty, bringing back a Camelot mythology to the White House. In return, they are enjoying a ratings bump with unexpected staying power.


"We're going to treat the Obamas like a Hollywood family," said Rob Silverstein, executive producer of NBC Universal Television Distribution's "Access Hollywood."...


The rough economy and financial belt-tightening also are driving an increased interest in politics, which is being reflected on "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider," said the shows' executive producer, Linda Bell Blue.


Both "ET" and "The Insider," syndicated by CBS Television Distribution, are following election-related topics that interest women, Ms. Bell Blue said. That means covering Michelle Obama's fashion choices and celebrities who are going to attend the inauguration in January."


Read the full TV Week article here or watch the Obama family's "Access Hollywood" appearance from July below (and be sure to vote in the poll below the video):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/24/access-hollywood-were-goi_n_146221.html

[Jennicut]

1. The Obamas have too much class for them

[firedupdem]

2. They sure do. I want them to leave the family alone...as much as

I like seeing pictures of them etc. These media outlets will turn on a dime and start reporting all types of negative shit. I hope they keep some privacy for the girls at least.

[FrenchieCat]

3. Awe Gawd...I hope not!

That means they will be hounded...and that never turns out good. :(

[cali]

7. they can't be hounded.

I actually see this as nothing but good, oddly enough.

[Unsane]

4. barf

[Demobrat]

5. So in other words

they'll be making up stories about them left and right. Ugh.

[eshfemme]

6. Except the papparazi never had to deal with anything like teh Secret Service

I'm kinda eager to see how quickly the paparazzos are schooled on how to treat the Obamas with respect. :evilgrin:

[ellacott]

12. So true

It will be funny to see them handled by the Secret Service. :)

[Veruca Salt]

13. Oh man I am SO looking forward...

to seeing the first one of them bodychecked by the Secret Service when they try to pull some stupid stunt!

[debbierlus]

8. Pathetic. They are not rock stars and we are NOT groupies

The American people need to be politically astute and be ACTIVISTS for the needs of the many.

We don't need royalty. We don't need Barackelle as the new Bradjolina.

Respect the President, admire him, if that is how you feel. But, celebrity worship is poison, and in the end, THEY ALWAYS TURN ON THEM.

[cali]

9. It's just the way it is, and it's long been that way- even before the MSM

and it's hardly confined to this country- Carla Bruni, the British royal family, Sarkozy's son, Eva Peron. Yeah, it's often a negative thing, but that's human nature. Hell, look at Chaucer and Blanche the Duchess of Lancaster.

It's human nature, and it really can't be changed. The MSM simply magnifies it.

[no_hypocrisy]

10. And AH will turn on the Obamas if they refuse to go along with the gag.

AH feeds from profiling celebrities, no matter how they're created.

[Odin2005]

11. The paparazzi assholes can go suck it.. n/t.

[Cha]

14. Jann Wenner who is the owner/publisher of

Rolling Stone/USWeekly has already had Obama and Obama and Michelle on the covers during the Primaries and GE several times and has allowed people to get to know them.

My thought..It's all good.

[alwysdrunk]

15. This is not necessarily a bad thing

First off, it will happen whether we like it or not. The leader of the country will always be in the spotlight somehow.

Second, favorability ratings and public perception are a fact of political life. They won't really be able to say anything negative, not with the little girls there. It will almost all be fluffy, positive coverage. That will only help Obama with low information voters and young people coming up on voting age.

[ClarkUSA]

16. Good. The more Americans "get" PE Obama, the more likely Republicans won't obstruct his agenda.

This is all part of a deliberate P.R. charm offensive to get the American public opinion on his side as he embarks on a
difficult first year trying to pass through tough legislation that Republicans are itching to obstruct. The GOP can't do
that as easily when 70-80% of the voting public demand that their representatives do as Pres. Obama wants. :evilgrin:

[Guaranteed]

17. This means re-election in 2012. nt

[rvablue]

18. This most likely falls into the "who cares" column, but actually could be good for the

Obamas and Obama's adminstration's image and popularity among low info voters.

So sue me, I watch this garbage sometimes.

These two programs are nothing like the paparazzi. It's mostly just fluff stuff.

If anything they will show footage that can be seen elsewhere and just package it up in shiny graphics and with "Aw shucks, look how cute they are."

I'm not all concerned about this and think that it might actually help.

After all, Malia and Sasha are not going to be out using their fake I.D. to get into bars and then act like damn fools.

[No Elephants]

19. It's not true that this has always been the case. I cannot think of one President's family that has

been treated like a "Hollywood family." Not even the Rayguns, which actually were a Hollywood family. This is disrespectful. They are going to flame, speculate, make mountains oout of molehills, etc. They are going to try to cash in on America's President and his family. Why should anyone get rich on the President of ALL taxpayers?

[alwysdrunk]

20. They won't do that. Not that type of shows

Have you ever seen these shows? (I don't blame you if you haven't), but they don't "flame", certainly not people with a lot of fans. It will be cutesy, happy pieces I'm sure.