What's Up With Smiley?

Tavis Smiley is leaving NPR because he thinks they should have insisted to their urban market affiliates that he get top billing and a broadcast slot in primetime. Why does he deserve either of those? Because he's their only black program host, of course! Terry Gross might be a better interviewer, but she just doesn't CONNECT with urban audiences. (Lesbians, yes, but blacks, not so much.)

Sounds a little patronizing to me, and I don't mean NPR.