MSNBC Watch: The Hilarity Just Keeps On Coming

Memo To Lawrence: Howard Fineman, by his own admission, isn't the smartest person in your three-person panel — Alex Wagner is. Howard is the best journalist, by far. And Lawrence ... well, despite your disgraceful POLITICO suck-up, you're still a better interviewer than David "My hands are tied, I tellya!" Gregory. So there's that.

Lawrence's lasting contribution to the MSNBC primetime hosts lineup: the uptempo transition, "joining me now is (guest X,Y,Z)" ... adopted by the Rev, I noticed, adding more pace to his presentation, with the wrap, "Thank you very much for joining me" ... Even Rachel, who's never had pacing problems is using the line. Maybe the suits are getting skeert of Cenk and his Merry Band of Young Turks joining Current as awesome tablesetters for Keith. Have you seen their promo at Current? I think they're sending MSNBC a no-yawns message. I know it's a no-brainer, but I was first to suggest Cenk would be a great fit for Keith and Current. It'll be a strong independent progressive lineup.

Memo To Chris: How's that synchronicity with your best buddy Michael Steele working for ya? Steele had you for lunch — AGAIN! — on the Perry-Romney BIG LIE claiming President Obama said Americans are "lazy." He didn't, of course. He said the U.S. government such as the folks at Commerce haven't been hungry enough over the last two decades in seeking investment opportunities for U.S. companies. Comparing Michael to some crazy uncle that you trot out at Thanksgiving, then telling him not to "interpret" you is kinda WEAK, Chris. And when you have a primo BULLSHIT ARTIST under contract, like Michael the crazy grammarian, you need to counter with someone (Michael Feldman totally whiffed) having a STRONG BULLSHIT radar — like Joan Walsh, por ejemplo, who could cut Steele down to size with her first, contemptuous, "that's RI-DI-CULOUS."

A word about Martin Bashir. So maybe the suits got him for the British accent, to add a touch of class to the lineup. And with that retro look, the buzz-cut, glasses and tweedy suits, Martin looks like the British ad exec they should have cast on 'Mad Men' instead of that other humorless guy. But Martin's proven to be a likable, thoughtful progressive, unlike Dylan Ratigan, who follows him. Today Martin got an attack of the giggles when he asked Dylan if he was carrying a "concealed weapon." Don't quite know what to make of it, but I know I like Martin.