"Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld" is a brilliant, original, funny and informative show that airs on Fox News at 3 AM Eastern time. (5 PM in Jakarta - one of their in-jokes...the good thing about the show is that if you watch regularly, you are in on the in-jokes so not only do you not feel left out, you feel included as a friend).
They tackle the news stories of the day, both serious and wacky, in a panel discussion format. Greg leads the discussion, the much-maligned, possibly with good cause, Bill Schultz sits at the table and provides a liberal standpoint and comments in questionable taste and of questionable wit, and Andy Levy is the glue that holds it all together with his pre-game, halftime report, and postgame wrap-up segments.
Also along for the ride are 3-4 rotating regular guests as well as newcomers, favoring different attractive women, politicians, comedians, musicians and other friends. What other show could give you a split-screen with Andrew W.K. and Gwar's Oderus Urungus (not to mention Michigan Congressman Thaddeus McCotter, who I think, besides his droll demeanor, they only have on the show because of his amazing name), discussing the news issues of the day? For the juxtaposition of guests alone, Red Eye should be recognized.
However, it's not all candy and unicorns. There is a bad segment where viewers leave voicemail messages for Greg. ALL of them start like this: (read in a zonked out, stoned voice): "Gre-e-e-e-e-e-ggggggggg...." The problem with this segment is, I don't want content powered by viewers, I want show content provided by Greg, Bill and Andy. Or at least Greg and Andy. I think when the host literally begs them to "say something intelligent this time", it might be time to put the segment to bed.
On the bright side, they concoct segments like "Ab news" and "Yoga news". This is a segment where The camera lingers longingly on lovely ladies as they exercise while Greg reads news in a facetious manner. I congratulate them for putting something on the air which is by far the closest thing to pornography ever seen on a news channel. These segments first starred Courtney Friel, a woman so incredibly beautiful, she almost comes back around the other side to being ugly, and later added other regulars like Shira Lazar, Diana Falzone and Lauren Sivan. Impressive.
Greg's roommate Scott, Fluffy McNutter, Unicorn Jones, Greg's stunted half brother Gunnar and a naturally shirtless "Matthew McConaghey correspondaghey" are thrown in the mix along with Greg's mom, Mike Huckabee, and Father Jonathan Morris and this seeming dichotomy equals fascinating viewing. Add to that one of Greg's Greg-a-logues and you have a show like no other on television.
Someone once said that the show resembles some good friends at a bar good-naturedly chatting about the issues of the day. That infectious feel does come across. They recently celebrated their 600 show anniversary, and I congratulate the higher-ups at Fox News not just for taking a chance on the show in the beginning (in a pre-natal stage as "Wasteland"), but for letting it grow and thrive. Long live Red Eye!
