Why I heart Brian Williams

Every weeknight at 6:30, I have a standing date with this man:

Ahhh, Brian Williams. How I do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

1. You haven't forgotten where you came from. I admire your modesty, Mr. Williams. In nearly every interview you've done with the talk shows, you always say, "I'm just a guy from Jersey." Let me add, working-class Jersey. Jersey, home of Papa Cat's side of the fam. The Jersey that Bruce Springsteen, our hometown hero, represents oh-so-well in all of his songs. Jersey, home of the greatest beaches in the world. You're one of my peeps!

2. You were a volunteer fireman. You understand the brotherhood that firemen share. You served your community, something I really admire in a guy.

3. You take your job very seriously. When you deliver the news, you don't sugarcoat things. You're a cut-to-the-chase type of guy. I really liked when you said on Ellen that you deliver the news as if you're talking to your family and all the ones you love. Boy, did that make me swoon! Anyhoo, I like how you deliver the news objectively and honestly, with no bias whatsoever.

That having been said, I remember this clip from the July 7, 2008 edition of the NBC Nightly News:

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I mean, how could I not laugh when you broke out of serious anchorman mode to present this bit? It was as if you wanted to say, "I can't believe I'm reporting this." But I loved the way you did it, straightforward with a touch of sarcasm thrown in. Mama Cat and I were on the floor laughing when you delivered this report. (For the record, Mama Cat was also very sad to learn this, as she loves her Pringles).

4. You don't take yourself too seriously. Witness your Saturday Night Live hosting gig, something you did so brilliantly well. Witness all of those interviews you do with Leno, Letterman, Conan, Ellen, The Daily Show, and most recently, Bonnie Hunt. You have such a wonderfully dry sense of humor.

5. You're not afraid to let a little of Brian Williams, the human being, slip into your broadcasts. There are stories that you report on, and when they move you, sometimes you'll let something slip in like, "As a father of two, I..." It's clear that you care so much about your family.

6. You've been married to the same woman for 23 years. I think that's sexy. This coming from a woman whose idea of commitment is five minutes over a cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee. There aren't that many people involved in the news or entertainment businesses who have had long, steady marriages. Yours is very admirable. Not to mention, you have a very attractive, funny wife. You have good taste. :)

7. You look like you're a great hugger. I can't believe I just typed that! Now I'm starting to sound all high school! Witness this clip from your appearance on The Bonnie Hunt Show:

I mean, look at the hug you gave Bonnie Hunt! Polite, yet firm, and you hugged as if you meant it. Some Hollywood types don't really hug the host, but you did. That was an embrace right there. (By the way, it's not the kiss that does it for me when I meet the guy; it's the hug).

8. You are wicked smart. Who else listens to hours and hours of the LBJ tapes just for the fun of it? You're a geek after my own heart! I love geeks!

9. You were on Sesame Street! I mean, that's just the epitome of cool in my generation! And you were awesome! I can't picture either Walter Cronkite or Dan Rather doing what you did!)

(OK, Kitten, breathe, calm down, wipe up the drool, remind yourself that you're an almost-33-year-old woman with a huge crush on a TV journalist and not an almost-13-year-old girl with a huge crush on her math teacher. Now's the time to redeem yourself, girl. What can you come up with for reason #10?)

10. Your baby blues look ever so much bluer and cuter in HD.

...a period of silence follows as Kitten realizes she's failed to redeem herself...cue the crickets...

I need to go now. I need to take a cold shower and watch some old Huntley/Brinkley footage. That'll bring me back down to earth...

...at least until 6:30 Monday night...