MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan became the latest cable news host to become a star on Reddit, after a video of his Network-esque rant against the U.S. political establishment made it to the site’s home page .
Ratigan delivered his tirade on his eponymous show Tuesday. It became the talk of the political blogosphere.
“We’ve got a real problem,” Ratigan says in the video. “This is a mathematical fact. Tens of trillions of dollars are being extracted from the United States of America. Democrats aren’t fixing it, Republicans aren’t stopping it — an entire integrated system, banking, trade and taxation, created by both parties over a period of two decades is at work decimating our entire country.”
Redditors were quick to heap praise on Ratigan.
“I would’ve never believed to hear something like that being said on mainstream media,” wrote redditor matamou. “True words every one of them.”
“If Obama were to outright bypass the banking system and tell Congress to go fuck itself as [Ratigan] suggests, it would give me some hope for America’s survival,” wrote surfdujour. “At the moment I really have none.”
Two weeks ago redditors similarly fell for CNN anchor Don Lemon, who became a big hit on the site for shaking his head at his own network’s coverage choices on air.
The lesson for TV journalists hoping to win an online following—or anyone trying to understand what makes Reddit tick?
First, Reddit provides a mix of intellectual stimulation and emotional reaction to news events and Internet phenomena. Ratigan’s rant delivered both at once, hitting Reddit’s sweet spot.
And while a lot of redditors may get their daily news fix from the social news site itself, they sure do love cable news anchors.
Especially when those anchors getting so damn mad they’re just not going to take it anymore.
