US wedding viewers given a show
The Royal wedding did not just make headlines in Commonwealth countries. USA Today takes a look at its impact in the United States.
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle said ‘‘I do’’ and we all watched, on 20 or so channels. There were plenty of options to view the royal nuptials, from CNN’s sober approach to the slightly sillier antics of NBC’s Today show hosts and the real British deal on BBC America. Or you could watch Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon crack painfully unfunny jokes (without actually seeing the wedding) as fake commentators on an HBO special.
ABC, CBS and the cable news channels took a more laidback approach to the wedding, refraining from unnecessary commentary. Of course, the hosts were reliably goofy throughout the whole affair, offering the most giggles and the most ridiculous headwear. And PBS and BBC America’s simulcast of BBC’s coverage was, perhaps, a bit more frivolous than American audiences might have expected from a British channel, with pithy observations such as, ‘‘Kate is offering Meghan advice on the old Whatsapp.’’ The channel also had American expert Meredith
Vieira, while almost every American network added a Brit to the panel.
Most of the time, the anchors merely described what we were seeing onscreen, adding a bit of context about Harry and Meghan, but sometimes they added something more substantial. CBS anchor Gayle King (whose friend Oprah Winfrey attended) examined the wedding’s AfricanAmerican elements, including what the gospel choir meant and what a departure it was for the royal family. ABC’s Robin Roberts told a touching story about her mother’s connection to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
Perhaps the best part of the coverage was the restraint shown by most commentators during the ceremony. Sure, there were plenty of inane facts about the chapel’s windows (looking at you, BBC) and an almost CSIlevel analysis on CBS of the car ride that brought Meghan to the chapel. But the event needed no commentary: It was gloriously entertaining on its own.
Anyone expecting to tune into a staid and traditionally British ceremony like Prince William and Duchess Kate’s in 2011 would have been surprised by the upbeat and unconventional nuptials.
AfricanAmerican Bishop Michael Curry gave a rousing address that seemed to stun the crowd, mentioning slavery and ‘‘Negro spirituals’’ and quoting Martin Luther King Jr. A choir sang Ben E King’s Stand By Me. Star cellist Sheku KannehMason (19) enraptured wedding guests with his rendition of Ave Maria. A choir sang This Little Light of Mine as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped into their carriage for the procession.
Plenty of small moments added intimacy to the wedding coverage: Harry saying ‘‘you look amazing’’ to Meghan after she walked down the aisle; the couple’s nervous laughter as they began the ceremony. The telecasts felt incredibly accessible, as if viewers were attending the wedding themselves, even if many of the networks focused heavily on celebrity guests (George and Amal Clooney, Elton John and Oprah Winfrey).
If American viewers woke up early to watch the wedding live, they were greeted with more than a white dress, a kiss and funny hats. This was a TV wedding that managed to be a show all on its own, a memorable celebration of love and two cultures that played perfectly to the audience watching at home. — USA Today