Matt Gaetz’s 'self-serving' OAN show plagued by 'third-rate guests' and 'terrible' quality: analysis

21 January

After defeating then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the United States' 2024 presidential race, Donald Trump announced a long list of picks for his second administration — including former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) for U.S. attorney general. But the outcry was so vehement, even on the right, that Gaetz ended up withdrawing from consideration. And Trump nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for the position.

But it didn't take Gaetz long to receive another job offer: the far-right One America News (OAN) offered him his own show.

Gaetz's OAN program has debuted, and The Guardian's Adam Gabbatt offers a biting critique in an article published on January 21.

Describing the show's first episode, Gabbatt observes, "Gaetz spent 60 minutes waddling through boilerplate conservative talking points in front of a cheap-looking green-screen, all in an attempt to continue his time in the public eye. Gaetz rehashed the insurrection on January 6 – four years later — and had a pop at 'the disgraced service of Liz Cheney'….. Elsewhere, much of the show was typically self-serving."

Gabbatt continues, "Gaetz played a clip of himself being a nuisance in the House of Representatives — he was part of the 2023 debacle that saw Republicans hold 15 votes before electing a speaker — and claimed he had been 'physically attacked' for his stance…. As a politician, Gaetz’s only real success was becoming, arguably, the most loathed individual in Congress, and that was shown in the quality of his guests."

OAN, likes Newsmax, prides itself on being to the right of Fox News and Fox Business. But the channel is even more prone to conspiracy theories than its competitors. And Gaetz isn't shy about featuring conspiracy theorists on his OAN show.

Gabbatt notes that Gaetz's far-right guests have so far included Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado), Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky), former Rep. George Santos (R-New York), and ex-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Gaetz, according to Gabbatt, is attracting a lot of "third-rate guests" who "have become persona non grata."

"On YouTube…. fewer than 6000 people watched the Santos conversation, which is not the kind of number that will revive OAN or Gaetz's fortunes," Gabbatt argues. "It leads one to conclude that, ultimately, the Matt Gaetz show has a lot in common with the man himself. It's memorable, but only for the wrong reasons. It looks terrible, and based on those viewing figures, it is ultimately unpopular. "

Read Adam Gabbatt's full Guardian article at this link.

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