NOT The Onion: "NBC orders psychological testing for David Gregory"

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http://pagesix.com/2014/04/21/david-gregory-undergoes-psychological-evaluation-to-combat-low-ratings/
[font size=5]NBC orders psychological testing for David Gregory[/font]

.... The Washington Post reported, “Last year, the network undertook an unusual assessment of the 43-year-old journalist, commissioning a psychological consultant to interview his friends and even his wife. ....

“The idea, according to a network spokeswoman, Meghan Pianta, was ‘to get perspective and insight from people who know him best.’ But the research project struck some at NBC as odd, given that Gregory has been employed there for nearly 20 years.” ....

He adds, “I’m not just trying to sell you — well, I am trying to sell you — but I’m not going to B.S. you, either. Yeah, it’s hard. I see what our challenges are. But we’re going to fix our problems.”

Meanwhile sources told Page Six that NBC had commissioned audience tests of other replacement hosts, including NBC political director and chief White House corespondent Chuck Todd, who we are told scored even less favorably than Gregory.

But, as the Washington Post points out, the impossible burden for Gregory has been to follow the beloved Tim Russert. It reported, “As one NBC colleague describes it, Russert is a ‘ghost’ who still haunts Gregory’s tenure at ‘MTP’ six years into his run.”

“I am fully aware that there are a lot of people who believe Tim Russert will never be replaced, and I’ve never tried to replace Tim Russert,” Gregory said. “I have nothing but respect and admiration for Tim and his legacy. And I’m doing my own thing, just like Tim did.” ....

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