The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch

The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch is a talk show on CNBC hosted by Donny Deutsch, an advertising tycoon reportedly worth around $400 million who inherited and grew his father's advertising agency. Deutsch, Inc.

On occasion, an interview between Donny Deutsch and guests may become subject to controversy. One instance of such a controversy is showcased within a discussion with editor John Davidson and Columbine victim Brooks Brown. Both Davidson and Brown claim they were lied to about the show's focus, and Brown claims that his (and his parents) statements were edited to fit the show's anti-video game bias. Davidson ended up walking off the set. One of the videogames they discussed was Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.

Bernard Goldberg claims that this also happened with him on the show. His interview was aired on July 20, 2005 and he claims that the debate with him was stacked against him and was edited to make him look vociferous and out-of-control. On an appearance on the Rush Limbaugh radio show shortly afterwards, Mr. Goldberg attacked the Deutsch show's techniques while failing to admit his own role in the incident. For instance, when asked why he lashed out at celebrities in his latest book for merely stating their opinions on political matters during interviews, Mr. Goldberg simply stated, "Because you people just don't shut up!" without any further intellectual depth to the observation. Whether such incidents are genuinely controversial or merely demonstrate the lack of depth within the discussion on the Donnie Deutsch show tends to be overshadowed in this era of partisan political attacks from both the conservatives and the liberals of America.

On the show's 1-year anniversary, CNBC renewed the program for an additional 3 years (until 2009). [1]

• Two accounts of dissatisfied guests