Waiting For a Star to Fall

Trey Smith

One of the things about television is that it deludes viewers into believing that we genuinely know the people in front of the camera. For those who act, viewers often confuse the actors with the characters they play. For those who bring us the news, we often think their idle chit chat offers a glimpse inside their heads.

But most of what we see on TV is manufactured. Reality shows are about anything but reality. The faces we identify with often are nothing more than a well-rehearsed mask.

I was reminded of this phenomena when I read Barry Lando's tribute to CBS newsman Mike Wallace who died over the weekend. As he points out below, Wallace wasn't all he was cracked up to be.

I worked on “60 Minutes” for more than 26 years, most of the time as a producer with Mike Wallace. Each report on the show has “produced by” written on the artwork introducing it, but most viewers have no clue what “produced by” really entails.

Indeed, the great irony of “60 Minutes” was a question of truth in packaging. That is “60 Minutes,” which prided itself on ruthless truth telling, exposing cant and fraud, was, in itself, something of a charade.

The fact is that although viewers tuned in to watch the ongoing exploits of Mike, Morley, Harry, Lesley, etc., most of the intrepid reporting, writing and even many of the most probing questions posed in the interviews were not the handiwork of the stars, but much more the effort of some 30 or more very talented producers who researched and reported the stories that the stars presented — as their own exploits — each Sunday night.

I was willing to go along with that system because it allowed me to help shape what was the most powerful news show on television.

Mind you, Lando is not disparaging of his friend, Mike Wallace. He thought much of the star newsman and this comes through loud-and-clear throughout the article. Lando merely is pointing out that most of the investigative legwork was performed by unsung heroes such as himself.

With that said, Wallace still represents a news gatherer of a bygone era. With the exception of a notable few -- John Pilger, Greg Palast, Jeremy Scahill, Glenn Greenwald, Dahr Jamail and Matt Taibbi -- reporters and their behind-the-scenes investigative teams don't dig up news like they use to.

These days, more often than not, news reporters are little more than government and corporate mouthpieces. They lob softball questions and even when the interviewees stick their feet in their mouths, there rarely is any substantive follow-up. Few seem willing or interested in grilling the powerful like Mike Wallace.

That's a sad loss for us all.