Trend of drinking coffee on the air

Reever · ‎03-14-2010

Has anyone else noticed a trend of hosts, vendors and news anchors drinking coffee on live TV ? I find it very strange. My local news anchors keep mugs of coffee on their desks and even take sips of it on the air. Last week I saw Andrew Lessman on the air presenting his vitamins with a big white mug of coffee and then over the weekend David Venable was drinking on air.

I find it unusual that companies don't frown in this behavior. When I was a bank teller in the 1960s, the staff was not permitted to drink beverages at their window. Coffee breaks were to be taken during a designated set time. It seems strange that so many employees have gotten so lax today.

blackhole99 · ‎08-22-2013

Anything goes today, professionalism and decorum is dead in just about any line of work today. The bottom line is money and are you bringing it in for us.

CLHS68 · ‎03-23-2010

I think when people do a lot of talking their throat gets dry so they need to drink something. A lot of times it is only water in the mug. I do not see anything wrong with it.

OKPrincess · ‎03-10-2013

@CLHS68 wrote:
I think when people do a lot of talking their throat gets dry so they need to drink something. A lot of times it is only water in the mug. I do not see anything wrong with it.

I agree with you.

Ttownlady · ‎07-13-2013

i heard Anderew Lessman said he does not drink coffee in the eve. he sips his herbal teas or green tea o the air with Collleen or the other hosts.

..David says he drinks water.

With all the talking the Host's has to do I don't blame them.

David says he drinks coffee in the a.m at home.

All the Hosts,when you think about how much talking they do a in a hour or more on a show,they get thirsty .

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

Most of the time there is only water in the mug. I don’t find it strange at all.

We are no longer in the 60’s...thank goodness.

x Hedge · ‎08-18-2016

LOL! How do you know that's coffee in their mug?

and...public speakers traditionally keep a beverage within reach to soothe their throat.

May be out of sight ... but within easy reach.

Diva on The Q · ‎03-28-2016

This "trend" is nothing new. Many TV personalities drink coffee/tea on the air or a least have a mug sitting on the desk. I don't find this unusual at all.

NYC Susan · ‎03-13-2010

@Reever wrote:
Has anyone else noticed a trend of hosts, vendors and news anchors drinking coffee on live TV ? I find it very strange. My local news anchors keep mugs of coffee on their desks and even take sips of it on the air. Last week I saw Andrew Lessman on the air presenting his vitamins with a big white mug of coffee and then over the weekend David Venable was drinking on air.

I find it unusual that companies don't frown in this behavior. When I was a bank teller in the 1960s, the staff was not permitted to drink beverages at their window. Coffee breaks were to be taken during a designated set time. It seems strange that so many employees have gotten so lax today.

Television is completely different than working in a bank. I have a history in other occupations, but I've worked in television for a long time. The entertainment business is not like other industries in many, many ways.

QVC tries to create an atmosphere in which viewers see hosts and vendors as their friends. Casually drinking from a cup goes along with that, especially drinking coffee in the morning since the assumption is that many viewers are doing the same. It's deliberate.

As for news anchors, networks also want to keep an air of familiarity. It's very common to have mugs (often filled with water) on the desk as well as bottles filled with water underneath. There are many practical and sensible reasons for this.

Even without knowing all of that, I don't see how someone on television taking a sip from a cup every now and then could possibly be offensive.