Donny Deutsch profile…
The New York Observer’s Felix Gillette profiles CNBC’s Donny Deutsch…
“What I love about the show is that now we call it ‘the daily Roadmap to the American Dream,’” Mr. Deutsch enthused. Daytime television was a major influence. “During the day there is so much Help Television,” he said. “Yet at night, there is nothing on anywhere that is utilitarian and inspiring. People can be very educated, a businessperson, and affluent—you still need inspiration.”
For CNBC’s long-term hopes of holding off Mr. Murdoch, what’s just as important is that Mr. Deutsch’s particular Roadmap to the American Dream covers regions of the country far from Wall Street. These days, The Big Idea features a rotating cast of upbeat entrepreneurs—ordinary-looking folks you’ve never heard of who made it big in niche underwear, or homemade maple syrup, or mail-order bouncy balls—and whose eureka moments came not in a New York boardroom but in an Omaha basement or on a Tuscaloosa bar stool.
One by one, they talk about quitting their soulless day jobs, borrowing money from friends, and taking out second mortgages. The stories begin in different places (corporate cubicles, dentist offices, airport lobbies) but they inevitably reach the same endpoint: that euphoric feeling of entrepreneurial success. Above it all presides Mr. Deutsch, the Queens-born kid who conquered Manhattan.
Update: Here’s a table showing the number of scratches the Big Idea had in the 3rd Quarter (based on Live ratings)…
The Big Idea scratched 16 times in the Demo during Q3 and 21 times in Total Viewers. That translates into a 26% Demo scratch rate and 34% P2+ scratch rate.
I’ve watched parts of Deutsch’s program once or twice, and it is informative and he certainly approaches business stories from a different angle, but the guy is so arrogant it’s difficult to watch. Kinda like Morning Joe.
Comment by Missy — October 3, 2007 @ 7:59 pm
I used to watch once in a while, if he had a guest I was interested in, usually the cast of that season’s Apprentice, but I got kinda turned off after he ambushed Bernie Goldberg. I almost never watch now.
Comment by Laurel — October 3, 2007 @ 8:18 pm
Laurel, that’s right, the Bernie Goldberg incident was vicious. I guess that’s in the back of my mind, too, as to why I don’t like the guy.
Comment by Missy — October 3, 2007 @ 11:52 pm
I am the one with the “BOUNCY BALLS” as mentioned in the article - the big idea helped launch our little business in the garage - he really does give DIFFERENT advice and he is very consistant - and so HANDSOME. I hope the show makes it mainstream primetime.
Comment by Michele — October 4, 2007 @ 9:26 am
Michele, that’s great. My late father (who died 20 years ago) had a few great ideas and patents on these items, but he was unable to get them marketed. I’m glad that there are venues out there today to do so, because there are so many good ideas and products that people conceive of that can be used by today’s society.
Comment by Missy — October 4, 2007 @ 11:36 am
Missy,
Everyone has at least one BIG IDEA, I bet you even have one. Just look closely. My advice is to take baby steps into making it into something. That is what we did with SENDaBALL.com and after 4 years I now get a real salary for something that I created on my own, and I love to do.
Comment by Michele — October 4, 2007 @ 2:34 pm