MSNBC's YouTube phenom Mika Brzezinski is no longer "washed up"

[DeepModem Mom]

TV Newser: Brzezinski: "I Felt Washed Up"
Another one-on-one from TVNewser columnist, Gail Shister



Mika Brzezinski to Paris Hilton: I owe you three million.

With her June 26 "Who Cares About Hilton" tirade at three-million hits and counting on YouTube, MSNBC freelancer Brzezinski has been flooded with offers. Not bad for the former CBS "it" girl, who left The Eye unhappily in July 2006.

After her on-air Paris snit, "I was hoping I didn't come off as a train wreck," says Mika B., a regular on Joe Scarborough's Morning Joe and host of her own 10am ET hour. Suddenly, "my BlackBerry and phone were ringing off the hook. It was outrageous. I think I touched a nerve; that people were sick of this crap. Within the next couple of weeks, I got my own show and NBC was firming up a contract."

The irony isn't lost on Brzezinski. "A year ago, no one would hire me. I just turned 40 and I felt washed up. It was pretty obvious what was going on at CBS, but there was nothing I could do about it."... Brzezinski, then making an estimated $500,000 salary, says her departure "could have been much worse," and that she and (CBS News chief Sean) McManuus "are fine."

Four months ago, Mika B. joined MSNBC as a freelancer, doing news updates. Now the cable network, among others, is offering a fulltime contract that would include work for the mothership. Her preference is to stay at NBC, she says. As for her YouTube notoriety, Brzezinski has a major fan in former Carter administration National Security Adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski. "Dad checks my hits," she says. "He loves it. He thinks this celebrity coverage is insipid."

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ (Scroll down.)

[stellanoir]

1. Good for her.

I don't patronize the cable propaganda outlets but I remember her from some news show that was on in the wee hours of the morning on CBS years ago.

Figured she was Zbigniew's daughter. That surname sorta made it obvious.

My son has a Polish surname that's even more bizarre.

Always thought she was way smarter than most of the news bunnies.

Glad it's working out well for her.

"Insipid" is a great word for it.

Paraphrasing RFK jr. . .Americans are the most entertained, and least informed people. . . our kids and grandkids will ultimately have to pay for our joy ride.

[dipsydoodle]

2. Here's the video link

just incase anyone has followed this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VdNcCcweL0

I'd check her hits anytime..............lol.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Thanks for the link, edwardlindy! nt

[Subdivisions]

4. Yes, Ed, a very handsome woman :) And that video

is some good stuff, even if it may have been staged. The statement was made and the popularity of it shows in the hit counter.

[UTUSN]

5. She & Ashleigh BANFIELD (& a 3rd) were with MSNBC pre-9/11

They had a mid-day show, fast paced, bouncing stories from one to the other to the other. It was bright and fun. Then 9/11 threw the media into a tizzy, killing off that show and putting in the running tickers everywhere. I just wish Mika could rid herself of being hooked up with SCARBOROUGH-the-Ninny. Today he was off the air and was replaced by the Willy GEIST person, and even he was an improvement.

[NewJeffCT]

6. I remember her years ago on TV in Connecticut

Didn't realize she was related to Zbigniew until after she left, though.

[originalpckelly]

7. Holy crap, that's cool...

I never thought they were related, of course, duh, they have the same kinda of rare last name!

:rofl:

[monmouth]

8. I love stories like this, she's so likable and down-to-earth....eom