For years now, NBC News has been trying to hire Pippa Middleton to be some kind of “royal correspondent” for all things Middleton-Windsor. Pippa turned them down for a few years, but then she did a few appearances on the Today Show last year, and the rumors began anew. It was said that NBC News was going to offer her something in the mid-six figures for a handful of royal-themed appearances a year. Then Brian Williams happened, and NBC News began going through a major transition, and they are less willing to simply throw money away on a duchess’s orange sister.
Pippa Middleton’s much-discussed audition for “Today” hasn’t resulted in a deal for the British royal sister with the NBC show. Network sources said a test segment filmed by the Duchess of Cambridge’s 31-year-old sister last November at a hoedown in Jackson Hole, Wyo., didn’t convince “Today” producers to immediately sign her up.
An NBC source said: “NBC executives very much like Pippa, but they want to find the role most appropriate for her. The last thing NBC News needs right now is another Chelsea Clinton, a correspondent with a large salary, high profile and no particular purpose. Plus, the NBC News division has undergone so much turmoil recently, all talent decisions are being carefully made. Talks are still ongoing with Pippa’s team, but they have recently slowed down.”
The source added: “Both parties have stayed in touch, but there is nothing to announce right now.”
Chelsea Clinton still technically works for NBC News? Huh. I know Jenna Bush-Hager does too, although I think Jenna does a little bit more for her salary (she’s given interviews about her baby, and done First Lady-friendly segments). As for Pippa… well, she’s the only one of the Middleton siblings bringing IN any money. James Middleton’s businesses keep failing and Kate has cost her family a lot of money in trying to land William… although William sort of made up for it by giving Carole and Michael the money to buy a bigger home. In Pippa’s first year of incorporation, she brought in something like $350,000 and that was just from her #PippaTips-type “journalism” career. She’ll be fine if NBC News doesn’t want her, although she probably really, really wants that paycheck.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
I don’t think she would be very good at it, if her interviews are any indication. She’s still talking about her famous bum, though the world has long moved on.
Yes she really isn’t relevant, and I’m not really sure what she brings to the table ….
Then again, what the hell do I know? I certainly didn’t bring in that much money last year and I actually work for a living
Is/was it really that famous? On this side of the planet the only thing they cared about was the dress. I remember an article on a mag called YOU titled:”From Middletons to Upperton’s” . It seems that many believe/d THE WEDDING would have the aristos’ eating out of their Oros-orange hands.
Well, I agree with you, I just have heard her refer to it as though it was the talk of every town for years. She brings it up in every interview, so she thinks it’s a big deal.
NBC’s Today show gave it LOADS of coverage. I think Matt was going overboard in praise to get her there. She does still bring it up and that’s pretty odd. In speeches and her writing.
After the Brian Williams fiasco the executives who were negotiating with her were all fired. No way she can be considered a journalist or capable of contributing in any way, so wiser heads finally prevailed.
It’s the Today Show. Neither of those things are a prerequisite.
I think they were going to use her to get new about the Royals.. she didn’t give them any information. And besides that the Royals are kind of boring so there is noting to tell.
I don’t know anyone that cares about ehr or is interested in what she has to say.
I agree with all above.
After Brian Willliam’s fiasco, having Pippa arrive even on NBC Today show as a roving reporter would just further diminish them.
And Pippa has nothing to contribute, Royal news except for weddings, new babies and a scandal here and there is somewhat boring to the general public.
Exactly. I don’t know what she could bring to the table, then? If there’s a royal wedding (ex: Prince Harry gets married), would she give everyone insight into what it’s like to prepare and rehearse for a wedding of this magnitude, and perhaps discuss the significance of different customs? That would actually be interesting.
But on a day-to-day basis, or even just once a week, I don’t know what she could say about the royals without spilling secrets.
Green Girl: I doubt she’d be able to talk about any royal wedding customs since WK were all about trying to have as close to a country wedding as was humanly possible.
They eskewed a lot of tradition and the guests that should have been invited to the wedding.
Now, Fergie or Diana’s siblings talking about royal wedding tradition is probably worth it’s weight in gold since those weddings were very much royal pagentry and tradition.
Chelsea Clinton made a big “announcement” when she was pregnant that she was leaving NBC and everybody just went “huh?” It brought attention to the fact that Chelsea did literally like 3 stories and got over $600k. As for Jenna, I like her. She’s not a hard news woman, but she works the “fun” stories with her bubbly personality and files at least one or two stories a week. Cushy? Yes. Is she working on a very regular basis? Yes. I’m still one of the few devotees to the Today show left, and I’m glad to see them resist temptation with Pippa. That would’ve been so dumb.
savu
Chelsea did a lot more, but not all made the final cut for air. And she worked heavily behind the scenes, but gets minimal credit for that. She spoke of it as experience earned.
Jenna Bush actually does pretty great on there — Chelsea was just way too stiff.
Jenna Bush has a nice personality but her reporting was/is awful. Sounds like she’s reading most of the time, but she is likeable.
Never saw Chelsea Clinton so no opinion in her.
Jenna Bush Hager turned out to be a good fit for TV though. She might not be wicked smart and she has a past but her viewership is good-a lot better than Chelsea’s.
The way the DM spun it was that it was Pippa who turned down TODAY as she didn’t want to be so far away from her bf and her family.
A duchess’ orange sister, ahahaha!
It’s still hard to believe that there’s a whole family that surpasses the Oros man in orangeness(I hope someone knows Oros).
What is it? I googled it and saw the image, but I didn’t look long enough to see context. But yes, it really captures the cheetos-orange hue quite well!
Weird question here. Can’t she just like, get a job? A regular job? Or just run her family business?
Nope. They’re programmed to marry well & squeeze into toff society. 9-to-5 employment? That’s sooooo middle class *rolls eyes*
She has a excellent education. She should get a job something she could use her education for, some type of field and slowly develop herself , learn the ropes, instead of going for quick cash, from thing to thing.
She already works for her parents’ business – she is the content editor.
The lack of comments here – so far- really says it all.
Jenna Bush is routinely on the Today show and isn’t terrible – she’s certainly improved with time. I do always laugh when I remember a story she did early on where she pronounced the word “wolves” as “woofs” repeatedly. I do not understand the Pippa phenomenon at all.
LOL – she isn’t terrible, therefore she is a suitable candidate for the illustrious Today show!
I like Jenna, but IMO she is terrible. She’s quite likeable though which helps.
She sounds like she is reading each word.
I’ve only seen her once – she seemed very self-assured and relaxed. Isn’t she just a guest speaker?
My brother says ‘woofs’, too. Never could understand why, nobody else in the family says it like that.
As a feminist I see absolutely nothing wrong with her choosing to be a wife and a mother. She doesn’t HAVE to get a job. No woman should have to be something if she doesn’t want to. Most just need a job but it looks like Pippa will do fine even if she doesn’t marry well. She is free to choose whatever she wants.
This argument tends to fall down when the person in question is bred to choose husbands based upon their material wealth. As if we are back in Jane Austen country.
If all she wanted was to be a mother and wife, why entertain any of these offers, she clearly doesn’t need the money, and her parents are willing to support their kids in pursuit of marriage and kids if nothing else.
If she wants to marry a rich husband, she should mary one. If she wants to marry someone who doesn’t have money – she is free to do so as well. If she wants to work or not work is entirely up to her.
TessD – ??
“Ladies…your bum may open a door, but you need brains to keep that door open.” – #PippaTips
She just really, seriously, lacks all trace of charisma. She’s not even particularly good-looking (3 dressed up as a 9? Anyone remember that song?). Her writing for Vanity Fair makes even their horribly bloviating, bootlicking, press release rewriting travel columnist look like Martha Fucking Gellhorn. I can’t see what she’d bring them if not insidery royal stuff, and the royals don’t want to get much closer to the Middletons than they already are.
What does she do, exactly? She has the personality of a wet rag, and is famous for being the sister of someone who married well.