WaPo Reporter Dishes on Why Joe and Mika Aren’t Hosting Morning Joe ‘Together’

Washington Post reporter Paul Fahri might have just solved the mystery of why it seems Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski have rarely co-hosted from the set of Morning Joe recently.

Regular viewers of the show might have noticed that it has been a while since Scarborough and Brzezinski conducted the show from their New York City studio, nor have they even been on camera together. As Fahri points out, the show has been using clever broadcasting tactics to distract viewers from where the hosts are, if not at 30 Rock.

First, it’s not entirely clear from these shots where Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are. There’s no on-screen graphic (or “chyron”), marking their locale, as most TV news programs do, and no announcement, as is typical on other news programs. pic.twitter.com/lzVpUoX99S

— Paul Farhi (@farhip) January 24, 2019

And the panel, they’ve got a Washington backdrop, too. So they’re in Washington, too? pic.twitter.com/KBb6Z1UuRx

— Paul Farhi (@farhip) January 24, 2019

According to Fahri, both MSNBC hosts are in Jupiter, FL, taking care of their parents and hosting their show from a home studio in the meantime.

So where are Joe and Mika? Well, MSNBC says they’re in Florida. pic.twitter.com/olmy4aJ0jl

— Paul Farhi (@farhip) January 24, 2019

Why Jupiter? Well, for one thing, the weather is much nicer there than New York City this time of year. But Mika and Joe own a home there. And both have parents living in Florida that they’re looking after.

— Paul Farhi (@farhip) January 24, 2019

So how come Joe and Mika never appear in the same camera shot? Two reasons: They’re broadcasting from a home studio in Jupiter. And there’s no formal set in their home studio, just a couple of (Washington) backdrops. Thus, a wide shot is out of the question. pic.twitter.com/cFrmVRoH46

— Paul Farhi (@farhip) January 24, 2019

What you don’t see in these shots: Joe and Mika are actually sitting a few feet away from each other. But they each address their own camera rather than turning to speak to each other (because doing that would expose the fact that they’re sitting on a makeshift set).

— Paul Farhi (@farhip) January 24, 2019

The situation is apparently causing concern at MSNBC, though it isn’t so much about whether they can keep the arrangement going, but whether it is causing a decline in the quality of the dialogue.

Awkward? Well, yes. People on the show say the multistate production arrangement has caused some concern about its affect on the “chemistry” of the panelists and the co-hosts. They say having everyone on set at the same time creates a smoother show (and is easier to produce).

— Paul Farhi (@farhip) January 24, 2019

There seems to be less concern about whether this arrangement is transparent–i.e., backdrops that suggest Washington, lack of disclosure about the hosts’ whereabouts. Not the usual MO of news or news-discussion programs.

— Paul Farhi (@farhip) January 24, 2019

According to Fahri, Scarborough declined to say anything when reached out with a request to comment.

Mediaite reached out to MSNBC for comment and will update this post if they respond.

Update: MSNBC have declined to comment on this report.

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