60 Minutes: Lewis Hamilton

[AAReagles]

For those interested, Lewis Hamilton will be featured on Sunday's 60 Minutes program.

Check your local listings for times.

7:00pm PST, CBS

[Bagwan]

So , did you watch it ?

I did .

[Tazio]

I watched it Baggie. I thought it was rather generic, although good to see him featured on mainstream US news.
Here is a link to the interview:
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/lewis-hamilton/

[Starter]

It was a decent interview. I'm kind of surprised that a mainstream US broadcast show like 60 Minutes would do a spot on what, over here, is a niche sport.

[Jag_Warrior]

Someone called to tell me about it... two hours after it went off! I don't get the West coast feed for CBS anymore, so I didn't get to see it.

I'll try to check it out online over the weekend.

[Bagwan]

I saw it online .

Was that Charlie Rose ? What a tool .

Rather fawning and without much substance , but Lewis actually did as good a job as he could with it .
As you guys already said , it's nice to see on F1on US TV .

Maybe they could have slid Charlie into a simulator to see how hard it really is , or closer anyway .

[Starter]

Not Charlie, the other old geezer.

[Bagwan]

Not Charlie, the other old geezer.

He couldn't interview his way out of a wet paper bag , whomever he was .

Maybe he has Hamilton's music as his ring tone now , eh ?

Could they not have gotten someone from the same century ?

[kfzmeister]

That was great. I never heard about it when it aired. Thanks for the link.

[AAReagles]

It was a decent interview. I'm kind of surprised that a mainstream US broadcast show like 60 Minutes would do a spot on what, over here, is a niche sport.

Well that's just it. 60 Minutes is only an hour long program, divided into 3 separate 17min., segments. So there really wasn't much to be expected other than to observe how well it was done.

I thought it was fine, though it appears, on here at least, Charlie Rose wasn't received well, which is understandable. As I myself never could get into Murray Walker & Hunt calling races.

Anyways, giving the time constraints and limited staff to choose from, it appeared more than satisfactory for a limited F1 climate here in the states.


I'd have to say that my favorite part was the intro at the beginning of the program, forecasting each segment:


"Even if car races aren't your thing, there's still much to admire in Hamilton's inspiring story of beating the odds and breaking through barriers. But if you do like speed...buckle up...because you're about to experience the indescribable rush of driving one of the fastest race cars on the planet.

To which the program ceased commentating momentarily, showing Hamilton's On-Board camera view, engine at full song, coming up to a curve... and pitching it into a barrier. Engine (noise) stops. Cut to commercial.



Personally, I thought this was a little too late, even for a program that's as good as 60 Minutes. They had covered the Williams sisters (tennis) more than once, a famous jockey, and if I'm not mistaken, Dale Earnhardt Jr. So they have covered sports stars and teams before. Even Beckham, who is not American. But...


No F1. Not even open wheel racing in general, other than a bit on the Newman-Haas team while portraying the actor. I've already wasted my breath numerous times with what I think of this country's lack of priorities with regards to racing outside its borders. So I'll leave it at that.

However, what I think should have been covered - no offense to Hamilton's fans - was Jackie Stewart and how (he has observed) the sport has progressed in some ways. Most notably, safety, the technology (basics), and wider coverage of the sport. With a dash of the negative stuff too, like the politics involved (Bernie, losing European venues, expenses, etc.).

It would have been the perfect time to provide a story on Stewart & the sport.

1) They were at Monza anyways
2) It was the 50th anniversary of Stewart's first GP victory
3) He was there to commemorate the evemt... in the same BRM
4) He's as witty, charming and intelligent as he ever was
5) So much of the sport has changed since 1965

Sooo... someone at CBS didn't do their homework, didn't care, or what I'd prefer - needs to be fired.


Anyways, there's not too many legends still around. I would hope someday they would profile any of the following:

Dan Gurney
Stirling Moss
Niki Lauda
Mario Andretti
AJ Foyt
(_insert_favorite_legend)