Leading a different upfront charge

0 Comments | USA TODAY, May, 2008 | by David Lieberman

NEW YORK -- Meet the Press host Tim Russert doesn't play a comic straight man, at least not intentionally. But he found himself thrust into that role last week when he passed Kitt -- the talking car from NBC's upcoming revival of the action drama series Knight Rider.

"I will race you anywhere, any time, Mr. Russert," the car's robotic voice told the newsman, who gamely smiled. "You don't frighten me. Shouldn't you be interviewing a politico or something? And by the way, they told me that I'd get (MSNBC's Chris) Matthews. How did I get you?"

That awkward interchange wasn't quite what NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker had in mind in February when he decided to scrap NBC's annual Radio City Music Hall show to present its fall prime-time schedule to advertisers. ...