PBS Decided to Make a New Conservative Talk Show

An interesting choice.

February 28, 2018

pbs — Image via Frederick M. Brown/Getty

Today in But Seriously Why Though, PBS has announced its plan to sully the airwaves with a new conservative talk show called In Principle. Deadline reported that the show will be hosted by Amy M. Holmes and Michael Gerson. Holmes, by the way, is a former contributor to Glenn Beck's TheBlaze, i.e. the former home of Tuba Lasagna or whatever.

Gerson and Holmes will be joined on each episode by two guests for "in-depth discussions" on various issues, with Gerson planning to explore whether conservatism is "the right message" for working class Americans. Spoiler alert: It isn't. The show will begin an eight-week trial run April 13.

Earlier this month, Trump proposed the elimination of federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the nonprofit that gives money to PBS and NPR. Nixing CPB dollars was also included in the first Trump budget. "There is no viable substitute for federal funding that ensures Americans have universal access to public media's educational and informational programming and services," CPB boss Patricia Harrison said at the time.

Judging by Trump's largely unavoidable Twitter activity, the only network he's ever letting anywhere near his Filet-O-Fish-ified brain is Fox News. PBS is a viable provider of fascinating and essential television—think Austin City Limits, Nova, etc.—so In Principle feels like an odd (see also: bad) fit.