Shasta McNasty

From TeeVeePedia, the Internet TV Encyclopedia.

Shasta McNasty is UPN's longest-running public affairs program. Originally titled The McNasty/Lehrer Newshour, the name was shortened when co-host Jim Lehrer left the series to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter.

Shasta McNasty features a group of journalists participating in a roundtable discussion of major news events. Regular guests include Pat Buchanan, Fred Barnes, Jake Busey and Mini-Me.

The show first aired in January, 1969 when it became the flagship news program for the new PBS network. The series earned critical acclaim for its in-depth coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings in 1973, earning McNasty his first Peabody award. However, in late 1999 the show was ousted from the schedule by CPB Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson for its perceived liberal bias. The fledgling UPN network immediately picked up the show, and secured the network's hard-earned reputation for media excellence.