CBS "60 Minutes" on Sunday, which featured James Brown's interview with Eagles QB Michael Vick , averaged a 7.6/15 final Nielsen rating and 12.033 million viewers, making it the night's most-viewed program, as well as the second most-viewed program for the week of August 10-16 ( Austin Karp, THE DAILY ). Brown said there were questions that "had to be asked, all of which were trying to get to the core why he did it. What his mindset was? What kind of process he went through while incarcerated? And then, is he resolute in terms of trying to walk the walk of redemption and how so?” Brown noted Vick had several people nearby when the interview took place, including his agent and a criminal defense attorney. Brown: "I’m sure they prepped him as well too, but that’s why I kept hitting him in rapid fire succession so as to get past any of the patented stuff that he might have been preparing for, and I got the impression that the guy was being absolutely genuine in everything he said” ( “Washington Post Live,” CSN Mid-Atlantic, 8/17 ). In N.Y., Bob Raissman writes Brown "silenced some of his peers who doubted he could handle the one-on-one," as he "kept this session on the straight and narrow." However, the interview was "nothing more than an exercise in Vick (clearly on advice from his handlers) leading an I-was-wrong-I'm-sorry session" ( N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/18 ). POSITIVE REAX : ESPN's Jim Rome said, “Team Vick had to be thrilled with his performance. He was well prepped, he stayed on message and he did not do anything to make it any worse. He may have even helped himself some.” SI.com's Ross Tucker: "He did say all the right things ... and confronted every tough question from James Brown” ( "Jim Rome Is Burning," ESPN, 8/17 ). FanHouse.com’s Jay Mariotti: “I am shocked with what I’m hearing. He oozes of remorse and contrition. He seems like a changed person … and James Brown put him on the spot several times” ( “Around The Horn,” ESPN, 8/17 ).
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| Brown's (r) "60 Minutes" Interview With Vick (l) Sunday Night's Most-Watched Program |
