Media Appearances

The Pulse

August 12th, 2003

One of the great fallacies in showbiz today is that pretty much anyone can host a talk show. Just stick a microphone in front of 'em and let 'er rip. No muss, no fuss. The apparent conventional wisdom is that we've all got a mouth. The problem, of course, is that not every celebrity knows how to use that mouth in a fashion that might even be considered semi-engaging. Or perhaps we have already forgotten Chevy Chase. And Martin Short. And Howie Mandel. And Roseanne. And Magic Johnson. And Cybill Shepherd.

All of the aforementioned folks are charismatic figures and no doubt fine human beings. But not everyone is blessed with the talk show gene.

In point of fact, the last celebrity to find talk show success was Rosie O'Donnell. Her ilk are sadly few and far between. It takes real work, dedication, preparation and (dare I say) qualifications to be even decent at this gig. Luck doesn't hurt, either.

So while Ellen DeGeneres enters the fall with poise and popularity to spare, making it in this yak racket figures to be a challenge even to her. Sharon Osbourne? Oh, puh-leeze! What is that about? Already there are reports circulating about implosion on the set. What a shockeroo.

Let's summarize Osbourne's qualifications to host a talk show. Hmmm. Let's see. She allowed cameras into her home to capture her wacky family, and uh ... uh ... um ... hmmm ... well, maybe that's about it.

We are now being told that both Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez are in active negotiations to land their own talk gigs. This news should inspire us all to find the tallest building in the land and leap from it.

But before we all give up on finding the next Oprah Winfrey altogether - and it's not Dr. Phil - I'm here to report there is some good news on the talk show radar. I have seen the future, and her name is Jessica Weiner.

Weiner won't be 30 years old until October. And she's far from a celebrity. But she is in talks with a major TV player about hosting her own talk show, which would be a wonderful development indeed.

Weiner describes herself as an "actionist," which she defines as someone who inspires others to take action in their lives. This particularly applies to young people. And at a time when there is no one helping mold an intelligent dialogue for the teen and young adult demo - unless we're looking to MTV and the WB Network for profundity - Weiner has the potential to bring an honest, sincere and empowering voice to a woefully directionless youth market.

The difference is that this young woman knows of what she speaks, having hung out in the same trenches where she is already beginning to lead. Weiner has just written a book (hitting bookstores Sept. 1) entitled "A Very Hungry Girl," which chronicles her recovery from the eating disorder, abusive relationship, bullying and low self-esteem that plagued her teen years.

Weiner has spent the past decade speaking to college-age and young adult audiences, helping thousands deal with their own multitude of issues. She has traveled to their turf and spoken to them in their language and on their terms. Not only does she look like one of them, she is one of them.

Having seen this actionist in action, I'm here to vouch that she's the real deal: warm, thoughtful, intuitive, telegenic.

"I don't pretend to know all of the answers," Weiner admits. "I like to think I'm the conduit for a larger discussion."

That she is, at a notably conduitless moment in popular culture. Why isn't this lady on TV already? If Oprah's audience is now composed largely of middle-age housewives, then it's high time for somebody serving the MTV generation to be seen and heard someplace other than on MTV.

Remember the name: Jessica Weiner. You read it here first.