Mt. Flushmore Nominee

America's most trusted news journalist, Shepard Smith is one of the coolest fucking men in the world. I actually first became aware of Smith during the 2005 Hurricane Katrina debacle. This was some of the finest and most human reporting I'd seen at any level. The same goes for the usually ridiculous Geraldo Rivera.

(warning, not very funny)



Now that he was on my radar, Smith would not disappoint. You've probably seen this:



After that snafu, Smith became a much more serious reporter:




Loyal to a fault, he will stand up for his company. This one is worth watching to the end. I also somewhat admire his on air coughing fit:



This man is so much more than a one-trick YouTube pony, though. Here is Shep when a fire alarm goes off during 'Studio B.' Aside from the masterful showmanship by the man himself, two things stand out to me:

1. This man is doing whatever he wants on live television
2. The news-story graphics that frame the stories at the bottom of the screen.


Now, after seeing all this, think back to the blow job clip. Do you really think that he suffered from a freudian slip on the air? This man who, despite his utter lack of inhibitions, never fails to keep his antics on the right side of the charmingly playful/pevertedly obnoxious axis?

You want to know what I think? I think that Shep was talking backstage with the rest of the kids at FOX News and the exchange went more or less like this:

SHEP SMITH
"You've got to admit, I'm great at this job. I bet I could say 'blow job' on the air and not get fired."

JANE SKINNER (putting bra back on)
"Shep, you're crazy. You're a great anchor, but not even you could get away with that."

SHEP SMITH
"Watch me. Details at 11."

Watching the video, there's no reason at all for him to be thinking blow job. He also tips his cadence slightly unnaturally, saying "blow job" quite deliberately, almost completley finishing the term (which I would imagine as a reasonable stipulation on such a bet).

Think about it.