"A Little Casual Touch"

(AP)

Last night, Katie Couric appeared on "The Colbert Report." You can watch the interview on Comedy Central's Web site.

At one point, Colbert noted that Couric added "a little casual touch at the top of the news – you say 'hi, everybody.'"

Responded Couric: "Well, now it's a little formal. It's 'hello, everyone.'"

She then went on to explain why she leads the show with those words.

"Well, you know, I thought about it, and I thought, really, the only people who say 'good evening' are doormen and maitre d's…I found it just to be a little pretentious and portentous," she said. "So I thought something more relaxed and casual would be a little more accessible."

[cktirumalai]

If Katie Couric can take "pretentious" and "portentous" in her stride, as she does in the excerpt you quoted, she has earned the right to say, "Hello, everyone."

[ronmwanga]

Studio41: At least Katie turned down Colbert's offer to casually show some leg on tv. You've got to give that to her.

[ronmwanga]

I can see your point, Studio41. But Katie should be given a chance to do things her way. Obviously, she wasn't going to follow in the mold of the other anchors -- that wasn't what she was hired to do. She is doing it much more conversational, which, I can see, is new and generating conversation -- pro and con -- in the blogosphere. But give it some time.

[CBSTV]

"Hi, everyone" or "Hi, everybody" are fine casual greetings to people we know. Perhaps it would be acceptable for Mary Hart to open Entertainment Tonight this way. But a network news broadcast is not so casual. The news anchor ought not address their viewers in such a familiar way.

[comedyrules]

katie great job lastnight that was alot of fun watching you that way to bad cbs prob wont let you act that way on the evening news lol but if you ask me if you ever want to put a leg up and then tell us the news i say go for it! take care!!